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CHAPTER 26Christ shall minister to the Nephites—Nephi foresees the destruction of his people—They shall speak from the dust—The gentitles shall build up false churches and secret combinations—The Lord forbids men to practice priestcrafts. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.] |
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1 AND after Christ shall have
arisen from the dead he shall bshow
himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which
he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do.
2 For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. 3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall be asigns given unto my people of his bbirth, and also of his cdeath and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the dprophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the eblood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them.
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1a
3 Ne. 11:8 (1-12);
TG
Jesus Christ, Resurrection b 1 Ne. 11:7; 1 Ne. 12:6 c 3 Ne. 15:9 (2-10) 3a 1 Ne. 12:4-6; TG Signs b TG Jesus Christ, Birth of c TG Jesus Christ, Death of d TG Prophets, Rejection of e Gen. 4:10; 2 Ne. 28:10; Morm. 8:27
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4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day
that cometh shall aburn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts,
for they shall be as stubble.
5 And they that kill the aprophets, and the saints, the depths of the earth shall bswallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and cmountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and grind them to powder. 6 And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the afire of the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them, saith the Lord of Hosts.
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4a
3 Ne. 8:14-24;
3 Ne. 9:3-9 5a Ps. 105:15 b Num. 16:32; 1 Ne. 19:11; 3 Ne. 10:14 c Hosea 10:8; Alma 12:14 6a 3 Ne. 8:8; 3 Ne. 9:3-11
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7 aO the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the
loss of the slain of my people!a
For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence
of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are
bjust.
8 But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with asteadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all bpersecution—behold, they are they which shall cnot perish. 9 But the Son of righteousness shall aappear unto them; and he shall bheal them, and they shall have cpeace with him, until dthree generations shall have passed away, and many of the efourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness.
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7a O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! Nephi has to great sorrows. This is but the first. Here his soul does pain for the lost of his people at the time of the death of the Savior when the great destructions did come upon the Americas, destroying the wicked and leaving but those who were more righteous. |
7a
Morm. 6:17-22 b Rom. 3:5; Alma 42:1, 13-25 8a TG Steadfastness b TG Persecution c 3 Ne. 10:12-13 9a Alma 16:20 b John 12:40; 3 Ne. 9:13-14; 3 Ne. 18:32; D&C 112:13 c TG Peace d 1 Ne. 12:11-12; 3 Ne. 27:32 (30-32) e Alma 45:12 (10-12); Hel. 13:10 (5, 9-10)
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10 And when these things have passed away a speedy
adestruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding
the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to
pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride
and their bfoolishness they shall reap destruction; for
because they yield unto the devil and cchoose works of
ddarkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to
ehell.
11 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always astrive with man. And when the Spirit bceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destructiona, and this grieveth my soul.
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11awhen the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction Though Nephi speaks collectively concerning the eventual fate of his nation of Nephites, this is true of all men at all times, both singularly and collectively. The Spirit is given unto men that they might be influenced by it and come unto God and learn of him and his ways. Men, because of their non-responsiveness and wickedness do turn the Spirit of God out from them. They turn their back upon it. And when men have so turned from the Spirit of God and rejected it, then the Spirit does withdraw itself from them. And they are left unto themselves and unto the destruction of their souls, being cut off from the presence and influence of God which the Spirit doth yield. |
10a
Mosiah 12:8;
Alma 45:11 (9-14); Hel. 13:6 (5-6) b TG Foolishness c TG Agency d Job 38:15; John 3:19 e Job 24:24 (17-24); TG Hell 11a Gen. 6:3; Ether 2:15; Moses 8:17 b TG Holy Ghost, Loss of
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12 And as I spake concerning the aconvincing of the
bJews, that Jesus is the cvery Christ, it
must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ,
the dEternal eGod;
13 And that he amanifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the bHoly Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty cmiracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their dfaith.
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12a
2 Ne. 25:18 b 2 Ne. 30:7-8; Morm. 5:14 (12-14); D&C 19:27; TG Israel, Judah, People of c Morm. 3:21 d 2 Ne. 19:6; Mosiah 3:5; Alma 11:39 (38-39, 44); Moro. 7:22; Moro. 8:18 e 1 Ne. 19:10 (7, 10); 2 Ne. 10:3; Mosiah 7:27; Mosiah 27:31 (30-31); 3 Ne. 11:14 13a TG God, Access to b TG Holy Ghost, Misson of c TG Miracle d TG Faith
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14 But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the
alast days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall
bbring these things forth unto the children of men.
15 After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have adwindled in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after the Lord God shall have bcamped against them round about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the cprayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have ddwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. 16 For those who shall be destroyed shall aspeak unto them out of the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall whisper out of the dust. 17 For thus saith the Lord God: They shall awrite the things which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and bsealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in cunbelief shall not have them, for they dseek to destroy the things of God.
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14a
TG
Last Days b TG Restoration of the Gospel 15a 1 Ne. 12:22-23; 1 Ne. 15:13 b Isa. 29:3 c Ex. 3:9 (7, 9); Mosiah 21:15; D&C 109:49 d D&C 3:18 16a Isa. 29:4; 2 Ne. 3:20; 2 Ne. 33:13; Morm. 8:23, 26; Morm. 9:30; Moro. 10:27; TG Book of Mormon 17a 1 Ne. 13:40 (39-42); 2 Ne. 27:6-26; 2 Ne. 29:12; b TG Scriptures, Preservation of c TG Unbelief, Unbelievers d Enos 1:14; Morm. 6:6
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18 Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed
speedily; and the multitude of their aterrible ones shall
be as bchaff that passeth away—yea, thus saith the
Lord God: It shall be at an instant, suddenly—
19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be asmitten by the hand of the Gentiles.
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18a
Isa. 29:5 b Hosea 13:3 (1-4); Morm. 5:16-18 11a 1 Ne. 13:14; 2 Ne. 16:8-9; 1 Ne. 20:27-28; Morm. 5:9
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20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the apride of
their eyes, and have bstumbled, because of the greatness of
their cstumbling block, that they have built up many
dchurches; nevertheless, they eput down
the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom
and their own flearning, that they may get gain and grind
upon the face of the poor.
21 And there are many churches built up which cause aenvyings, and bstrifes, and cmalice. 22 And there are also secret acombinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the bdevil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and cworks of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
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20a
Prov. 11:2;
D&C 38:39;
TG
Pride b 1 Ne. 13:34 (29-34); 1 Ne. 14:1-3; TG Apostasy of the Early Christian Church c Ezek. 3:20; Ezek. 14:4 (3-7) d 1 Ne. 14:10 (9-10); 1 Ne. 22:23; Morm. 8:28 (25-41) e 2 Ne. 28:5 (4-6); Morm. 9:26 (7-26) f 1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Ne. 9:28; 2 Ne. 28:4, 15; D&C 1:19; TG Learning g Isa. 38:15; 2 Ne. 13:15 21a TG Envy b Rom. 16:17-18; TG Strife c TG Malice 22a TG Secret Combinations b 2 Ne. 28:21 c Lev. 19:26
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23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God
worketh not in adarkness.
24 He doeth not aanything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he bloveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw call men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
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23a
Isa. 48:16-18 24a 2 Ne. 2:27; Jacob 5:41; Alma 26:37 b John 3:16 c John 12:32; 2 Ne. 9:5
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25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I
say unto you, Nay; but he saith: aCome unto me all ye
bends of the earth, cbuy milk and honey,
without money and without price.
26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should adepart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his asalvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath bgiven it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to crepentance. 28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but ball men are privileged the one blike unto the other, and none are forbidden.
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25a
1 Ne. 1:14;
Alma 5:34 (33-36); 3 Ne. 9:14 (13-14) b Mark 16:15-16 c Isa. 55:1 26a Mark 9:39 (38-40) 27a TG Salvation b Eph. 2:8 c TG Repentance 28a Rom. 2:11; Alma 13:5 b 1 Ne. 17:35 (33-37)
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The Definition of Priestcraft Is Set ForthPriestcrafts: that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world. But they seek not the welfare of Zion.Now nothing is here said about religion, thus the practice of priestcraft does reach beyond the mere scope of a church of Christ. Yea, remember Hugh Nibley has spoken concerning the ropes of a false priesthood being those of the great halls of the learning of men wherein men of themselves in their own wisdom and understanding to be a light of learning and knowledge unto the world and often at the expense of denying God's existance, God's creation and God's truth. Intellectualism is one institution which is among those that is of the defined Church of the Devil. For there are save two churches only. And if one is not a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ, then they are a member of that 'other' society of the Devil which extends to gamit of all else which tends to concell God from man. We often look only upon the Christian or defined 'religious' realm but all that works against God is of the Devil. All that seeks to thrown down and destroy such knowledge of truth and light as give through Jesus Christ is that which is of the Devil. And all who do 'practice' therein to get gain and popularity of the world from all walks of life, which do detract and take men away from God, His Christ and the truth thereof is of the Devil and those who do practice therein are guilty of priestcraft. The Musician, the Politician, the Professor, the Professional Athlete, all who set themself up as a 'light' unto the world to preach by their example, actions and words, to get gain and praise of the world, to lead men from the light of Christ unto whatever other roads may preoccuppy them, are quilty of such as is defined under priestcraft. They need not hold themselves up as a priest of God, for they are indeed not. But they are 'priests' unto the Devil, setting before men the false ways of life, leading them in strange roads away from the one true light, and way and life. Whatever removes men from God is of men, is of the natural man from the ways of gross wickedness to the supposed hollowed ivory towers of the learned. From those who would replace the true religion and Gospel of Christ with any other walk of life even that of Commercial Business as practiced by ole Ebenezer Scrooge. |
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29 He commandeth that there shall be no
apriestcrafts; for, behold priestcrafts are that men preach and
set bthemselves up for a light unto the world, that they
may get cgain and dpraise of the
worlda; but they seek not the
ewelfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have acharity, which bcharity is clove, and except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. 31 But the alaborer in bZion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for cmoney they shall perish.
the Laborer in Zion |
29a He commandeth that there shall be no
priestcrafts; for, behold priestcrafts are that men preach and set
themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise
of the world Nephi plainly and clearly taught against priestcraft.
It was Noah and his wicked priests who first practiced priestcraft being that
the wicked priests of Noah were supported by the people in their office and
wickedness. But that was in the land of Nephi among the people of Zeniff,
Noah and Limhi. When the people of Limhi did come unto Zarahemla, they did
in bulk join themselves unto the church. But there were some who had been
influenced by the concept of being supported by the people to minister the
word of God unto them for money and to the end of popular teachings which did
not comdemn a man for his wickedness. This practice of priestcraft began to
show its head as a result of the influence of those of association with the
wicked priests of Noah. Nehor is credited with the fathering of priestcraft
among the people of Zarahemla and the Nephites, for it had not ever been
practiced by the Nephites from the time of Nephi among the main body of the
righteous Nephites. Ironically it was a confrontation between wicked Nehor
of the younger generation of the influenced of the wicked priests with the
righteous elder generation of Gideon. And when Nehor could not contend
successfully against Gideon's truth, Nehor was angered and murdered Gideon.
But the seeds had been sown and had began to grow. The people of Ammonihah,
also of the people of Zeniff, Noah and Limhi, had fallen into the works of
the art of Nehor, preaching the popular doctrines of men to get gain from the
people.
Ironically, this has become the norm amid traditional Christianity today. The all for the most part have a paid ministry. And the 'evangelist of the visual and audio airways' do but thrive upon the monies obtained from their practice of priestcraft. Teaching the false popular doctrines of men in order to be popular and get gain for their so administering false Christianity. And so it is that such popular wickedness has entered into the Traditional Christian Churches of today which accept the whoredoms of homosexuality as being acceptable behavior of their church membership rather than counting it as the wickedness of Sodom and Gommorah. |
29a
Acts 8:9;
Alma 1:12;
3 Ne. 16:10; TG Priestcraft b TG Unrighteous Dominion c Ezek. 22:27 d D&C 58:39; D&C 121:35 (34-37) e Ezek. 34:3 30a TG Charity b Moro. 7:47-48 c TG God, Love of; TG Love 31a TG Industry b TG Zion c Jacob 2:18 (17-19); D&C 11:7; D&C 38:39
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32 And again, the Lord God hath acommanded that men
should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not
bsteal; that they should not take the name of the Lord
their God in cvain; that they should not
denvy; that they should not have emalice;
that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit
fwhoredoms; and that they should do none of these things;
for whoso doeth them shall perish.
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he ainviteth them ball to ccome unto him and partake of his goodness; and he ddenieth none that come unto him, black and white, ebond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the fheathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
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32a
TG
Commandments of God;
TG
Law of Moses b TG Stealing c TG Profanity d TG Envy e TG Malice f TG Chastity; TG Whoredom 33a Jude 1:3 b Alma 19:36 c TG God, Access to d Acts 10:28 (9-35, 44); TG Justice e Rom. 2:11; 1 Ne. 17:35-40 f Jonah 4:11 (10-11); 2 Ne. 29:12; Alma 26:37 (27, 37); TG Heathen
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