|
|
|
|
|
CHAPTER 5Nephi and Lehi devote themselves to preaching—Their names invite them to pattern their lives after their forebears—Christ redeems those who repent—Nephi and Lehi make many coverts and are imprisoned, and fire encircles them—A cloud of darkness overshadows three hundred people—The earth shakes and a voice commands men to repent—Nephi and Lehi coverse with angels, and the multitude are encircled by fire. [About 30 B.C.] |
|||
~ 30 B.C. ~ |
|||
|
1 AND it came to pass that in this
*same year, behold, aNephi
bdelivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was
cCezoram.
2 For as their laws and their governments were established by the avoice of the people, and they who bchose evil were cmore numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were dripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupteda. 3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a astiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction.
|
2a the laws had become corrupted The duty of a judge is to judge according to the law. A judge does not make the law. And how is it possible for a righteous judge to administer in wicked laws? For the voice of the people sought evil and they had altered and changed the righteous laws which had been given by King Mosiah at the beginning of the reign of the judges over the people (Alma 1:1, Helaman 4:22), and had set at naught the commandments of God (Helaman 3:21). This is not unlike our society today in which wickedness is but winked at and there is no penalty of law for gross wicked behavior which does even under cut and destory the very foundation and fabric of society. |
1*
[30 B.C.] a Hel. 3:37 b Alma 4:20 (15-20) c Hel. 6:15 2a Mosiah 29:25-27; Hel. 1:5 (3-5, 13) b Alma 10:19 c 4 Ne. 1:40 d Hel. 6:40; Hel. 10:11; D&C 18:6; D&C 61:31 3a TG Stiffneckedness
|
|
Words of Helaman to His Sons Nephi and Lehi |
|||
|
4 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of
their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it
upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days,
and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;
5 For they remembered the words which their afather Helaman spake unto them. And these are the words which he spake: 6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first aparents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were bgood.
|
5a
Hel. 3:21, 37 6a 1 Ne. 1:4 (1, 4) b 2 Ne. 4:12; 2 Ne. 33:3 (1-15); Jacob 1:10 (9-12)
|
||
|
7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is
good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it
has been said and written of them.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a atreasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that bprecious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers. 9 O remember, remember, my sons, the awords which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the batoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come, yea, remember that he cometh to credeem the dworld.
|
8a
Hel. 8:25;
3 Ne. 13:20 (19-21); TG Treasure b 1 Ne. 15:36 9a Mosiah 2:9 b Mosiah 3:18; Mosiah 4:2; TG Jesus Christ, Atonement through c TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer d TG World
|
||
|
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom,
ain the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the
Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to
redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath asent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls. 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
|
10a
Alma 11:34 11a Alma 13:24-25; Alma 39:19 12a Ps. 71:3; Matt. 7:24-27; D&C 6:34; Moses 7:53; TG Cornerstone; TG Rock b Isa. 28:16 (14-17); Jacob 4:16 c Alma 26:6; 3 Ne. 14:25, 27
|
||
|
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman
ataught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things
which are not written, and also many things which are written.
14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful; 15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of Gid to the city of Mulek; 16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth aamong all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanitesa.
|
16a from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites Now here is more revealed concerning the lay of the land. Now while the entire nation of the Nephites was called Zarahemla, there was also the smaller provencial land of Zarahemla about the city of Zarahemla which this verse speaks of. Now what is significant is that Moronihah had obtained back a half of the lands of the Nephites after the Lamanites had pushed the Nephites out of their lands and into the land Bountiful. What is important to note is that 'half' of the land did not have to include that capital part of the land of the once capitol city of Zarahemla. Or simply stated the Nephite lands north of Zarahemla were half of all the lands of the Nephites and Zarahemla and south made up the other half. This implies that more of the Nephite lands lay north of the city of Zarahemla than did lay south of the main city and province of the land of the Nephites. And it is this half of the land which is little described as so stipulated in Helaman chapter one when Coriantumr come in to invade the land of the Nephites. |
13a
Mosiah 1:4;
Alma 18:36;
Alma 36:1; Moses 6:58 16a Hel. 4:5
|
|
Into the Land of Zarahemla, Among the Lamanites |
|||
|
17 And it came to pass that they did apreach with
great bpower, insomuch that they did confound many of those
cdissenters who had gone over from the Nephites, insomuch
that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto
repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair
unto them the wrongs which they had done.
18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority, given unto them that they might aspeak, and they also had what they should speak given unto thema— 19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and round about abaptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the bwickedness of the ctraditions of their fathers.
|
18a they also had what they should speak given unto them Whether by the voice of angels or by the word of inspiration, Nephi and Lehi spoke the words of God as God would have them delivered unto the people. |
17a
Hel. 4:14 b TG Teaching with the Spirit b Hel. 4:4 (2, 4) 18a D&C 24:6; D&C 100:5-8; TG Prophets, Mission of 19a TG Missionary Work b Mal. 2:6 c Hel. 15:4
|
|
To the Land of Nephi |
|||
|
20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to
go to the aland of Nephi.
21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the Lamanites and cast into aprison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi. 22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that they might slay them.
|
20a
Alma 22:1 21a Mosiah 7:7 (6-8); Mosiah 21:23 (22-24)
|
||
|
23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about
aas if by bfire, even insomuch that they
durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned.
Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in
the midst of fire and were not burned.
24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a apillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage. 25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as if they were struck dumb with amazement.
|
23a
Ex. 24:17;
D&C 137:2 b Ex. 3:2; Dan. 3:25, 27 24a Ex. 14:24; 1 Ne. 1:6; D&C 29:12; JS-H 1:16; TG Protection, Divine
|
||
|
26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began
to speak unto them, saying: aFear not, for behold, it is
God that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto
you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.
27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall. And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and Nephites who were dissentersa. 28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud of adarkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
|
27a Lamanites and Nephites who were
dissenters This mixture of Lamanties and Nephtite dissenters
was typical to the city and land of Nephi since the days of the wicked
priests of King Noah and Limhi's departure out of the land. Of interest is
the space of time which would place such a city of Nephi in the heart of
the lands of the Moche of northern Peru.
|
26a
Dan. 10:12 28a Ex. 14:20
|
|
|
29 And it came to pass that there came a avoice as
if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and
seek no more to destroy my bservants whom I have sent unto
you to declare good tidings.
30 And it came to pass when they heard this avoice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a bstill voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul— 31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not disperse—
|
29a
Deut. 4:33;
3 Ne. 11:3-14 b TG Servant 30a Moses 1:25 b 1 Kigs 19:12; D&C 85:6-7
|
||
|
32 And behold the voice came again, saying: aRepent
ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to
destroy my servants. And it came to pass that the earth shook again, and the
walls trembled.
33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak unto them marvelous words which acannot be uttered by man; and the walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about to divide asunder. 34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
|
32a
Matt. 3:2-3;
Alma 7:9;
Alma 9:25-26 33a Rom. 8:26
|
||
|
35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who
had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from
them.
36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did ashine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
|
36a
Ex. 34:29-35;
Acts 6:15
|
||
|
37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude,
that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given
unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the
faces of Nephi and Lehi.
38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse? 39 Now the man's name was Aminadab. And Aminadab said unto them: They do converse with the angels of God.
|
|||
|
40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him:
aWhat shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be
removed from overshadowing us?
41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must arepent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have bfaith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and cAmulek, and Zeezroma; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you. 42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
|
41a taught unto you by Alma, Amulek, and Zeezrom Since Zeezrom was inclued in this threesome, it must be understood that is was after the time of the city of Ammonihah when Zeezrom, Amulek and Alma did proceed to perform their ministry unto the church throughout the whole of the land of Zarahemla, thus it could have been any number of the Nephites who many of dissented from any number of various places over that time of about 78 - 73 B.C. as Alma was taken up during the 73 B.C. date which would have meant some 45 years prior to the current 30 B.C. date. Thus there must have been some senior aged officials which did live and possibly rule in the land of Nephi at this time who had lived in the days of Alma, Amulek and Zeezrom. Thus a number of these were not young men, but the elderly senior group of their society. |
40a
Acts 2:37-39 41a TG Repentance b TG Faith c Alma 31:6 (5-38)
|
|
|
43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and saw
that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold,
they saw that they were aencircled about, yea every soul,
by a pillar of fire.
44 And aNephi and bLehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the walls of the prison; and they were filled with that cjoy which is unspeakable and full of glory. 45 And behold, the aHoly Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could bspeak forth marvelous words.
|
43a
3 Ne. 17:24;
3 Ne. 19:14 44a Hel. 6:6 b Hel. 11:19 c TG Joy 45a 3 Ne. 9:20; 3 Ne. 19:14 (13-14); Ether 12:14 b TG Holy Ghost, Gifts of
|
||
The Voice of God the FatherNow whether this was the Father speaking or the Son ministering the words of the Father unto the multitude, or even some such authorized administrator, still it is the same. These are the words of God the Father from the perspective of the Father. And they would have been spoken even as with the voice of the Father. Thus for all intensive purposes, this is the Father who is speaking. And He is speaking confirming the witness of the Son by the Father. |
|||
|
46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a
pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
47 aPeace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.
|
47a
TG
Peace of God
|
||
|
48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to
behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the
aheavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and
ministered unto thema.
49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt.
|
48a angels came down out of heaven and ministerd unto them Now these ministering angels where those who were worthy children of the Father, even those from among us who pertain unto this second estate (D&C 130:5). Whether they were spirits yet unborn or those who had been born and of paradise, one may only speculate. But for sure they were those who had been sent from God of his children to minister unto those who were his children. Thus is the nature of angels. |
48a
Acts 7:56 (55-56);
1 Ne. 1:8
|
|
|
50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister unto
the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things
which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites
were aconvinced of them, because of the greatness of the
evidences which they had received.
51 And as many as were aconvinced did lay down their weapons of war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers. 52 And it came to pass that they did ayield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession.
|
50a
Ether 12:14 51a Alma 31:5 52a Hel. 4:5, 18-19
|
||
| * Verse 1 [30 B.C.]. | |||
| This BM Book | Previous BM Chapter | Next BM Chapter | Commentary Page | Home Page |