The secret combinations became powerful among the Nephites.
A man, called Jacob, became the head of the people. He was one of the sinners
who had persecuted the prophets.
“[T]he monarchy continued to fascinate and attract factions,
at least within the Nephite society, long after its abolition, as is shown by
repeated efforts through the years to effect its restoration. Alma 51, 60, 62,
for instance, records the struggles Moroni had with the so-called ‘king-men,’
who sought to alter the laws in order to reestablish kingship. Third Nephi 6:30
alludes to yet another attempt to put a king on a Nephite throne, and 3 Nephi
7:9–10 describes an effort that was partially and temporarily successful in
doing just that. Obviously, kingship had its appeal—and not only to the one who
would, if successful, gain the throne.”[1]
The robbers, while strong, were not as numerous as the
tribes. Each tribe set their own laws. Each tribe considered the other tribes
enemies. They were also a wicked lot. They were united in their hatred for the
robbers as they desired to destroy the government.
“Needless to say,
everything was thrown into confusion and was a free-for-all game of grabbing,
since ‘the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked’ (3
Nephi 7:7). And this, Nephi marvels, had all taken place in six short years. If
we think these switches are too sudden, we have only to consider the changes
that take place in our own society with a change of administrations, or compare
the state of the world in one decade with that of the next. The people
immediately missed the advantages of the central government and were united
only in their hatred of the people who had led in its destruction (3 Nephi
7:11).”[2]
Jacob, the self-appointed “king,” saw they were opposed by
virtually all the people. He had the robbers flee into the northern part of the
land. There, the robbers established a kingdom. Dissenters joined with them. The
finally became strong enough to fight the tribes, which they did. “And they did
set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant
one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the
land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto
kings” (3 Nephi 6:30).
This attacked was unexpected. The other tribes were unable
to stop the robbers march towards the other tribes.
Thirty-one years after the birth of Christ, the divided
tribes came together and agreed they would not fight one another. They
established strict laws prohibiting one tribe trespassing against another. This
led to a shaky peace.
Even so, they still rejected the Lord. They continued to
stone the prophets and reject their messages.
“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.
“Now behold, this was contrary to
the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death except they had power
from the governor of the land—
“Therefore a complaint came up unto
the land of Zarahemla, to the governor of the land, against these judges who
had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law” (3
Nephi 6:23-25).
While this was going on, Nephi, leader of the church, had
been visited by angels and heard the voice of the Lord.
“And Nephi, the son of Helaman, had
departed out of the land of Zarahemla, giving charge unto his son Nephi, who
was his eldest son, concerning the plates of brass, and all the records which
had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the
departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem.
“Then he departed out of the land, and
whither he went, no man knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his
stead, yea, the record of this people…
“Now it came to pass that when
Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was
exceedingly sorrowful” (3 Nephi 1:2-3, 10).
He saw how quickly the people had gone from a righteous
people to a wicked people committing sins and abominations.
Like Alma2, he was saddened by the wickedness of
the people. “Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that they
were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their hearts were set
upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods” (Alma 31:24).
He began to go among the people, “to testify, boldly,
repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ” (3
Nephi 7:16).
Mormon explains he could not write all Nephi did. If he only
shared some of what he did, it “would not suffice” (3 Nephi 7:17). All Mormon
would say was “Nephi did minister with power and with great authority” (3 Nephi
7:17).
Power and authority, given by the Lord, is an essential for
those who preach His word. The scriptures tell us Stephen, “full of faith and
power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). Paul
explained, “And my speech and my preaching was
not with enticing [GR persuasive] words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration
of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).
Lehi spoke with authority. “And it came to pass that my
father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled
with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound
them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he
commanded them” (1 Nephi 2:14), as did Abinadi. “And he spake with power and
authority from God…” (Mosiah 13:6).
We have the same promised made to us. “I came unto mine own,
and mine own received me not; but unto as many as received me gave I power to
do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that
believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal” (D&C 45:8).
[1] Authority
in the Book of Mosiah, Daniel C. Peterson, FARMS Review 18/1 (2006): 184.
[2] Book
of Mormon: Forty Years After, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute Website.
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