The last year had ended in peace, things changed in the next
year. Cezoram, the wicked chief judge, was assassinated. It was never learned
who was responsible for the assassination. Cezoram’s son was appointed to be
the chief judge. He didn’t live long. He was assassinated before the end of the
year.
The format of the book of Helaman gives us insight into how
Mormon chose to organize the Book of Mormon. “The fundamental format of the
plates of Nephi was that of annals. Annals are yearly summaries of salient
events. This format is clearly reflected at many points in the Book of Mormon,
for example in Helaman 6:15: ‘And it came to pass that in the sixty and sixth
year of the reign of the judges, behold, Cezoram was murdered by an unknown
hand as he sat upon the judgment-seat. And it came to pass that in the same
year, that his son, who had been appointed by the people in his stead, was also
murdered. And thus ended the sixty and sixth year.’ That is how Mormon chose to
summarize the record for that year.”[1]
The next year, the people turned to wickedness. They had
been blessed with riches. There had been no war or bloodshed. This allowed them
to pursue wealth. Many began to do what they could so they would be better off
than others. They had no problems with robbing and plundering as well as murder
to get more riches.
The Lord warned us against building riches at any cost. “In
the house of the righteous is much
treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble” (Proverbs 15:6).
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the
one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).
“But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the
world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the
meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is
their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also” (2 Nephi
9:30).
Most murders were done secretly. “Now there were many of
those who testified of the things pertaining to Christ who testified boldly,
who were taken and put to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of
their death came not unto the governor of the land until after their death” (3
Nephi 6:23).
The city of Jacobugath paid the ultimate price. “And behold,
that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob,
have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their
wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of
their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the
peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them
to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets
and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them” (3 Nephi 9:9).
Mormon tells us about Kishkumen’s band of outlaws.[2]
There were many who were a part of the band. The band extended to the
Lamanites. They were eventually known as the Gadianton robbers. We learn
Gadianton’s group was responsible for the assassination of both Cezoram and his
son. The assassins were never caught.
Satan stirred up the hearts of the Nephites. A large number
of Nephites joined the robbers and entered into their oaths and covenants. They
also had their own secret signs and secret words to recognize a fellow robber. Here
we see the devil mocking religion. Oaths and covenants are a sacred part of our
religion. Requiring those who joined the band to accept their oaths and
covenants is a sign of a counterfeit religion.
Unlike the Nephites, the Lamanites were not happy when the
found the robbers among them. They did all they could to “destroy them off the
face of the earth” (Helaman 6:20).
They existed to murder, plunder, steal, commit whoredoms and
all manner of sin. They delighted in violating the laws of country and God.
Should someone reveal their secrets, they would be tried
according to the laws and rules of the Gadianton robbers.
The Jaredites were destroyed by the same secret combinations
that were springing up among the Nephites. The records that were translated by
Mosiah.
Mormon reminds us of Alma’s instructions to Helaman when he
passed the plates to him. Referring to King Mosiah’s translation of the
Jaredite plates, he warns him:
And now, my son, we see that they
did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of
God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of
darkness and made known unto us.
And now, my son, I command you that
ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their
secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep
from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall
into darkness also and be destroyed.
For behold, there is a curse upon
all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness,
according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire
that this people might not be destroyed.
Therefore ye shall keep these
secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only
their wickedness and their murders and their abominations shall ye make known
unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and abominations
and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these people were destroyed on
account of their wickedness and abominations and their murders.
For behold, they murdered all the
prophets of the Lord who came among them to declare unto them concerning their
iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord
their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and thus the
judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness and secret
combinations.
Yea, and cursed be the land forever
and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto
destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.
And now, my son, remember the words
which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people,
but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity. (Alma 37:26-32)
True to Alma’s admonition, he plates were not made available
to the people. Mormon tells us the secret oaths and covenants “were put into
the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to
partake of the forbidden fruit” (Helaman 6:26).
He reminds us of the evil work of Satan. He tells us the
same being (Satan) who gave Gadianton these mock oaths and covenants was the
same being who worked with Cain to murder Abel. He continued to work with Cain
and his followers.
He is the same being who influence the builders of the tower
of Babel.
He is the same being who influence the Jaredites to
establish their secret combinations, which would eventually led to their
destruction as a people
Satan ensures his secrets are passed on from
generation-to-generation. He uses them as a tool to get hold of the hearts of
man.
Who were the Gadianton robbers?
The Gadianton robbers are a particularly
heinous example of dissension. They erode Nephite society from within and
without and are motivated primarily by the evil objectives of Satan, not simply
the personal ambitions of conquest, greed, and revenge. The contrast between
following unrighteous personal ambitions and consciously embracing satanic
objectives seems to distinguish “priestcrafts” in the Book of Mormon from
“secret combinations.” The latter organize themselves according to the “secret
oaths and covenants” of Satan and “spread the works of darkness and
abominations over all the face of the land” in order to bring “the people down
to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell” (Helaman 6:25–30).
Because of their categorical opposition to the covenant of the promised land,
Mormon credits the “band of Gadianton” with “the overthrow, yea, almost the
entire destruction of the people of Nephi” (Helaman 2:13).[3]
The secret combinations rapidly spread among the
Nephites. The more part of the Nephites
became part of the secret combination.
This description of the world before the flood applies to the Nephites. “And
God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had
corrupted his way upon the earth” (Genesis 6:12).
They trampled the commandments of God under their feet and
turned their own ways. “For the things which some men esteem to be of great
worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their
feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel
do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would
speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of
his counsels” (1 Nephi 19:7).
Turning away from God, they built idols from their gold and
silver. “And yet they would not hearken unto their
judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them:
they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the
commandments of the LORD; but they
did not so” (Judges 2:17).
“Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all
devils delighteth in them” (2 Nephi 9:37).
The amazing thing about the Nephites is how fast they go
from a righteous, faithful people to a wicked people, following the desires of
Satan. “Thus we see how quick the
children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity,
and to be led away by the evil one” (Alma 46:8).
“For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was
as great as their strength, even man for man.
And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had
they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many
years” (Helaman 4:26).
“But behold, I trust that ye are not in a state of so much
unbelief as were your brethren; I trust that ye are not lifted up in the pride
of your hearts; yea, I trust that ye have not set your hearts upon riches and
the vain things of the world; yea, I trust that you do not worship idols, but
that ye do worship the true and the living God, and that ye look forward for
the remission of your sins, with an everlasting faith, which is to come” (Alma 7:6).
The Lamanites, seeing the wickedness of the Nephites, sent
missionaries to the Nephites to preach the word of God. The Lamanites also hunted down the robbers
among them. They destroyed the robbers
among their people.
We see the Nephites “were in an awful state, and ripening
for an everlasting destruction” (Helaman 6:40).
[1] Mormon’s
Sources, John L. Sorenson, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other
Restoration Scripture 20/2 (2011): 4.
[2] “For
there was one Gadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in
his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he
became the leader of the band of Kishkumen … And more of this Gadianton shall
be spoken hereafter. And thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of
the judges over the people of Nephi. And behold, in the end of this book ye
shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire
destruction of the people of Nephi” (Helaman 2:4, 12-13).
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