Mormon breaks into his account of Nephi2 at this
point. He has a purpose and message for us today.
A striking example of how Mormon
integrates the complementary characteristics of prospering into his abridgment
involves his extended editorial lament on the natural depravity of mankind (Helaman
12), which is inserted between his accounts of the largely frustrated
ministries of Nephi, the son of Helaman (Helaman 5–11), and of Samuel the
Lamanite (Helaman 13–15). In this brief but poignant commentary, Mormon
identifies the conditions of prosperity—material abundance, wealth, adequate
defense, peace, safety, welfare, happiness—that the Nephites have taken for
granted or perverted, thus placing them in a position of spiritual and temporal
jeopardy (Helaman 12:1–3). That Mormon mentions “prospering” three times in the
enumeration of this list suggests that he intends his commentary to be
understood in terms of the covenant of the promised land … The point here is
that prosperity in the Book of Mormon is a unified concept, not a collection of
disparate qualities. Mormon testifies that those who feel that they can selectively
emphasize certain qualities and ignore others are not keeping the spirit of the
covenant and cannot qualify for its blessings.[1]
Chapter 12
Men are unstable and
foolish and quick to do evil—The Lord chastens his people—The nothingness of
men compared with the power of God—In the day of judgment men shall gain
everlasting life or everlasting damnation. About 6 B.C.
we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth
bless and aprosper those
who put their btrust in
him.
Through his infinite goodness, the Lord blesses and prospers
those who trust Him. “And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had
understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God
made him to prosper” (2 Chronicles 26:5).
“Blessed is the
man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
“But his delight is
in the law of the LORD [HEB teaching, direction, doctrine]; and in his law doth
he meditate day and night.
“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalms 1:1-3).
“How excellent is
thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under
the shadow of thy wings.
“They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy
house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures” (Psalms 36:7-8).
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be
afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my
salvation” (2 Nephi 22:2).
“I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the
goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and
his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which
has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation
might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent
in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his
life, I mean the life of the mortal body” (Mosiah 4:6).
But, man will be false and unsteady in his faith in the
Lord.
When the Lord blesses the people with prosperity, keeping
them safe from their enemies, ensuring the welfare of His people, they turn
against him and “trample under their feet the Holy One” (Helaman 12:2).
Earlier in his abridgment, Mormon would write, “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).
David warned us, “Trust not in oppression [OR extortion],
and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalms 62:10).
“And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye
withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy
One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea,
will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts
upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches” (Alma 5:53).
“And it would be better for them if they had not been born. For
do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an offended God, who hath
been trampled under feet of men, that thereby salvation might come” (3 Nephi 28:35).
When the people who had been enjoying prosperity, the Lord
will punish the people with death, terror, famine, and pestilence. This is what
it takes for the wicked to return to obeying the Lord.
“And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused
to pass through [IE as burnt sacrifices to Moloch] the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them
desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 20:26).
“Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea,
he trieth their patience and their faith”
(Mosiah 23:21).
“Verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will chasten them
and will do whatsoever I list, if they do not repent and observe all things whatsoever
I have said unto them” (D&C 98:21).
“In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel;
but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me” (D&C 101:8).
“When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned
[OR repented] and enquired [OR earnestly sought] early after God” (Psalms 78:34).
“[W]hile human beings are, as some Mormons are fond of
repeating, “gods in embryo” in the sense that they are the spirit offspring of
a divine being, the Book of Mormon teaches that humans are also devils in
embryo in the sense that, without a savior, they would naturally devolve into diabolical,
not divine, beings.’”[2]
[2] J.
Frederick Voros, Jr. quoted in “Common-Sense”
Meets the Book of Mormon: Source, Substance, and Prophetic Disruption, Terryl
L. Givens, FARMS Review 20/1 (2008): 37.
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