Chapter 7
Mormon invites the
Lamanites of the latter days to believe in Christ, accept His gospel, and be
saved—All who believe the Bible will also believe the Book of Mormon. About
A.D. 385.
Chapter 7 could be considered Mormon’s farewell. This is his
final entry on the plates. He is addressing his comments for those who are
spared when the war ends.
If it is the Lord’s will, he wants them to have his words
and record. This will help them know about their history.
Samuel the Lamanite spoke similar words.
“Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall
prolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been spoken of by our
fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many other prophets, concerning the
restoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the
truth—
“Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises
of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and
notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding
they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and
shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, the Lord
shall be merciful unto them.
“And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall
again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their
Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep” (Helaman
15:11-13).
Mormon had written similar words earlier in his record.
“And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto
the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said
should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among
them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of
the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received,
and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of
this people…
“Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house
of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God
that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up
unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time” (Mormon 5:9, 12).
These remarks give us an idea of who was being addressed. “[W]e
are probably justified in concluding that the “Nephites” of the period
following Christ’s appearance on this continent had more Mulekite blood flowing
in their veins than Nephite blood. From the viewpoint of the Book of Mormon,
then, our Indians are descendants of several peoples—Nephites and Mulekites,
with some Lamanite influence thrown in for good measure.”[1]
He wants them to know and understand a number of things.
·
Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.
“And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon
the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a
descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was
sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might
preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine” (1
Nephi 5:14).
“I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of
Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was that same Aminadi who
interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was
written by the finger of God.
“And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of
Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh,
who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren”
(Alma 10:2-3).
“Mormon’s editing process, then, revolves around his
purpose—to witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ, as contained in the Book of
Mormon, will confirm the record received by the Gentiles from the Jews, or the
Bible. The two records will serve as two witnesses of Christ (again as
reflected in the subtitle of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ) (emphasis in original).”[2]
·
Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye
cannot be saved.
“[Mormon’s] last word to the survivors in the land is that
they must lay down their arms and never take them up again, for they will never
prevail by force. The only way they can prevail, he says (Mormon 7:3), is by
repenting.”[3]
·
Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of
war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again,
save it be that God shall command you.
“And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your
families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the Nephites
contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and their families, and
their lands, their country, and their rights, and their religion” (Alma 43:47).
[1] The
Lamanites Portrayed in the Book of Mormon, Sidney B. Sperry, Maxwell
Institute website.
[2] The Book
of Mormon Abridged Anew, Shirley S. Ricks, Review of Jana Riess, annotator.
The Book of Mormon: Selections Annotated
and Explained.
[3] Chapter
22: Last Call: An Apocalyptic Warning from the Book of Mormon, The
Prophetic Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute website.
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