After warning the Nephites about the consequences of their
sin, Samuel told them the only reason they have been spared is because of the
righteous among them.
Should the righteous be cast out of the city, they will be ready
for destruction “because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her”
(Helaman 14:14). “But in the fourth generation[1] they
shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Genesis 15:16).
“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” (Alma 37:31).
“And in that place they shall lift up their voices unto God
against that people, yea, unto him whose anger is kindled against their
wickedness, a people who are well–nigh ripened for destruction”
(D&C 61:31).
“Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure
upon all nations; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full” (D&C
101:11).
Samuel warns the city of Gideon as well as the cities throughout
the land possessed by the Nephites. They
are a wicked people.
A curse will come on the land because of their
wickedness. “And behold, if a man hide
up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because
of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed” (Helaman
12:18).
The Lord has said those who will hide treasure will not find
them again because of the curse on the land.
“But I did remain among them, but I
was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and
because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake.
“And these Gadianton robbers, who
were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants
thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became
slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them,
nor retain them again.
“And it came to pass that there
were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was
wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the
words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite” (Mormon 1:17-19).
“AND now there began to be a great curse
upon all the land because of the iniquity of the people, in which, if a man
should lay his tool or his sword upon his shelf, or upon the place whither he
would keep it, behold, upon the morrow, he could not find it, so great was the
curse upon the land” (Ether 14:1).
The Lord had blessed them with riches, yet the fail to
express gratitude to the Lord. “[T]hey swell
with great pride, unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes,
malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities” (Helaman
14:22). This is why a curse will come
upon the land.
They mock, stone, and either kill or cast them out. This happened during Old Testament times.
“And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers,
rising up betimes [HEB early, promptly], and sending; because he had compassion
on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of
God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the
LORD arose against his people, till there
was no remedy” (2 Chronicles 36:15-16).
“Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against
thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which
testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great
provocations” (Nehemiah 9:26).
“And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with
him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned,
and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that
the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because
of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1
Nephi 1:20).
[1] Note
in Ex. 6:16–20 that four generations of Levi's descendants are named; they
include (1) Levi, (2) Kohath, (3) Amram, (4) Moses.
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