Chapter 3, 600-592 B.C. --- His Reign and Ministry
Chapter 3, 600-592 B.C. --- His Reign and Ministry
(Page headers: Two sets of plates; Lehi prophesies; The Messiah and the olive tree; Nephi's vision; Jesus crucified; destruction in America; The church of the devil; Gentiles to smite Laman's seed; Remnant of Israel spared by Gentiles; Blessings promised to Gentiles; only two churches; Apostle John should tarry and write)
1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates, of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.
2 For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews, that after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord they should return again; yea, even be brought back out of captivity;
[Jews were taken to Babylon in 600 B.C. Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's dream of the image at this time.]
3 And after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.
[The Jews were in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. (The city of Babylon was in what we call Iraq today.) Then God sent them back home to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Ezra (named Esdras in the Apocrypha) and the Jews rebuilt the temple again, and it stood until 70 A.D. when it was destroyed by Rome.]
4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews, even a Messiah; or, in other words, a Savior of the world.
[Lehi lived in Jerusalem and came to this continent 600 years before Jesus was born.]
5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be, save they should rely on this Redeemer.
7 And he spake also concerning a prophet, who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord;
[John the Baptist. Notice this prophecy is in about 600 B.C.]
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord and make his paths straight;
9 For there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
[John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. I read somewhere (I think either Jasher or Josephus) that His father was a priest in the temple and murdered when he wouldn't surrender John at the age of 2 when Herod the Great was killing the babies, trying to find and kill Jesus. John's mother fled to the wilderness to hide him, and he grew up there.]
10 And much spake my father concerning this thing.
11 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.
12 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.
13 And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words, he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews,
14 And also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief.
15 And after they had slain the Messiah who should come, and after he had been slain, he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest by the Holy Ghost unto the Gentiles.
16 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive tree, whose branches should be broken off, and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
17 Wherefore he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
[America is called the land of promise.]
18 And after the house of Israel should be scattered, they should be gathered together again;
[This is how the house of Israel was scattered:
The 12 tribes were divided into two nations: the northern nation was called "the house of Israel". The southern nation was called, "the house of Judah."The northern nation of "Israel" was scattered by Assyria about 700s B.C. These are called the Ten Lost Tribes.
The southern nation of "Judah" was rebuked in Babylon for 70 years, returned to Jerusalem so Jesus could be born and bring the gospel there, then scattered in 70 A.D. by Rome.After this scattering, God promised to bring them back again, in the latter days, into their own lands He had given them. That is the Restoration of Israel--all Twelve Tribes. This promise is only partially fulfilled by the nation of Israel returning home in 1948.]
19 Or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fullness of the gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.
[Gentiles are nations of the world. The Jews lost the gospel, rejected Christ. It was sent to the world--Paul said he was an apostle to the Gentiles.]
20 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren;
21 And also many more things, which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.
22 And all these things of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley of Lemuel.
23 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father concerning the things which he saw in a vision;
24 And also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost; which power he received by faith on the Son of God;
25 And the Son of God was the Messiah who should come;
26 I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men;
27 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.
28 And the way is prepared from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him;
29 For he that diligently seeketh shall find;
30 And the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in this time as in times of old;
31 And as well in times of old as in times to come;
32 Wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
33 Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment.
34 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment seat of God;
35 And no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore ye must be cast off for ever.
36 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things and deny them not.
37 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me,
38 As I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceeding high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.
39 And the Spirit said unto me, Behold, what desirest thou?
40 And I said, I desire to behold the things which my father saw.
41 And the Spirit said unto me, Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?
42 And I said, Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.
43 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying, Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all.
44 And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.
45 And behold, this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven; and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him, ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.
46 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me, Look! and I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.
47 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit, I behold thou hast shewn unto me the tree which is precious above all.
48 And he said unto me, What desirest thou?
49 And I said unto him, To know the interpretation thereof:
50 For I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet, nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord: and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.
51 And it came to pass that he said unto me, Look! and I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.
52 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities.
53 And I beheld the city of Nazareth: and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
54 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me, Nephi, what beholdest thou?
55 And I said unto him, A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
56 And he said unto me, Knowest thou the condescension of God?
57 And I said unto him, I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless I do not know the meaning of all things.
58 And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
59 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit;
60 And after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time, the angel spake unto me, saying, Look!
61 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
62 And the angel said unto me, Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!
63 Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?
64 And I answered him, saying, Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore it is the most desirable above all things.
65 And he spake unto me, saying, Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.
66 And after he had said these words, he said unto me, Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men:
67 And I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.
68 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God;
69 And I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
70 And the angel said unto me again, Look and behold the condescension of God!
71 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken;
72 And I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him.
73 And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him;
74 And after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abode upon him in the form of a dove.
75 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people in power and great glory;
76 And the multitudes were gathered together to hear him;
77 And I beheld that they cast him out from among them.
78 And I also beheld twelve others following him.
79 And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit, from before my face, and I saw them not.
80 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying, Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again,
81 And I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.
82 And he spake unto me again, saying, Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men.
83 And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils, and unclean spirits;
84 And the angel spake and shewed all these things unto me.
85 And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God, and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
86 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying, Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
87 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross, and slain for the sins of the world.
88 And after he was slain, I saw the multitudes of the earth, that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the Lord.
89 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together;
90 And I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw.
91 And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying, Behold the world and the wisdom thereof;
92 Yea, behold, the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
93 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world;
94 And it fell; and the fall thereof was exceeding great.
95 And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying, Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
96 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me, Look and behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren!
97 And I looked and beheld the land of promise;
[Nephi saw his people (Indians) on the American continents.]
98 And I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea.
99 And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
100 And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away, after the manner of wars and contentions in the land;
101 And I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.
102 And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise;
[At the crucifixion there was great earthquakes in the Americas. This is, I believe, is when the Grand Canyon was formed, for the record states that the greatest damage of the earth in cracks and seams was in the land northward--i.e. North America.]
103 And I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises;
104 And I saw the earth and the rocks that they rent;
105 And I saw mountains tumbling into pieces;
106 And I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up;
107 And I saw many cities, that they were sunk;
108 And I saw many that they were burned with fire;
109 And I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.
110 And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth;
111 And behold, I saw multitudes who had fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of the Lord.
112 And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and shewed himself unto them.
[Jesus appeared to the Nephites.]
[When Jesus came to the Nephites He told them of still other sheep He would visit. This is the North Country, or Lost Tribes of Israel.]
113 And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon twelve others, and they were ordained of God, and chosen.
114 And the angel spake unto me, saying, Behold the twelve disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.
115 And he said unto me, Thou remembereth the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel:
116 Wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel; and these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest, shall judge thy seed.
117 And behold they are righteous for ever; for because of their faith in the Lamb of God, their garments are made white in his blood.
118 And the angel said unto me, Look! And I looked and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness, and their garments were white, even like unto the Lamb of God.
[For three hundred years there was peace--a Zionic period in the Americas when people were rich in material and spiritual possessions.]
119 And the angel said unto me, These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.
120 And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation, who passed away in righteousness.
121 And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth gathered together.
122 And the angel said unto me, Behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. [Nephites and Lamanites.]
123 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.
124 And the angel spake unto me, saying, Behold the fountain of filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell;
125 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they may perish, and are lost;
126 And the large and spacious building which thy father saw is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men.
127 And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and for ever.
128 And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to the word of the angel;
129 And because of the pride of my seed, and the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my brethren did overpower the people of my seed.
[Nephites were overcome and destroyed by Lamanites because of pride leaving only the "red" skinned Indians on the land. The Nephites were white like the Gentiles.]
130 And it came to pass that I beheld and saw the people of the seed of my brethren, that they had overcome my seed; and they went forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.
131 And I saw them gathered together in multitudes;
132 And I saw wars and rumors of wars among them; and in wars, and rumors of wars, I saw many generations pass away.
133 And the angel said unto me, Behold, these shall dwindle in unbelief.
134 And it came to pass that I beheld after they had dwindled in unbelief, they became a dark and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
[The Nephites were destroyed in the 400s. A.D. Moroni buried the gold plates in 420-421 A.D.]
135 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying, Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
136 And the angel said unto me, What beholdest thou?
137 And I said, I behold many nations and kingdoms.
138 And he said unto me, These are the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles.
139 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the foundation of a great church.
[At this time the Nephites were destroyed in America, the Holy Roman Empire with the Catholic Church at the head was rising in Europe. The popes were dictating to the heads of the civil government--the kings bowed to them, and fought the Roman Catholic battles. The church Jesus built was into the great apostasy.]
140 And the angel said unto me, Behold the foundation of a church, which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.
141 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the foundation of it.
142 And I also saw gold, and the silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.
143 And the angel spake unto me, saying, Behold the gold, and silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, [see the scarlet robes of the College of Cardinals],and the fine twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church;
144 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
145 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
["Many waters" is the Atlantic Ocean between the Lamanites in America and Gentiles' abominable church in Europe.]
146 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me, Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren!
[God was angry with the Indians and decreed to smite them until they are almost nothing.]
147 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
[Columbus, a Jew from Italy]
148 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.
[Pilgrims etc.]
149 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise;
[People came from all nations to the land of freedom. Read the poem on the Statue of Liberty. In the dome of the capitol building in Washington D.C. we find the words E Pluribus Unum which means: "Out of Many, One." America is made of people who have come out of many nations to find freedom and opportunity. And we have become one nation united under God.]
150 And I beheld the wrath of God that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles, and were smitten.
["Americans" all but destroyed the Indians on this land. They were put on reservations which were as bad as concentration camps. Hitler said he got his idea for persecution of the Jews from the American government's treatment of the Indians.]
151 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles; that they did prosper, and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceeding fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
152 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord, and the power of the Lord was with them;
[When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the first thing they did was to bow down on the earth and thank God. A cross was planted in His name, and America was claimed for Christianity and freedom.]
153 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them;
154 And I beheld that the power of God was with them; and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.
155 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.
[Revolutionary War. France tried to take American soil for herself in the French and Indian War in 1754-55. George Washington fought with the British at that time to defeat the French. At that time American belonged to England and had to pay taxes. For eleven years the Americans asked to be able to send representatives to England to have a voice in what was required of them. King George refused. England sent troops over to America to stop the rebellion. It became the Revolutionary War, as America declared her freedom in the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.]
156 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land;
157 And I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.
[The Bible.]
158 And the angel said unto me, Knowest thou the meaning of the book?
159 And I said unto him, I know not.
160 And he said, Behold, it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew; and I, Nephi, beheld it;
[John the Revelator]
161 And he said unto me, The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
162 And it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets;
163 And it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord which he hath made unto the house of Israel;
164 Wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
165 And the angel of the Lord said unto me, Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the plainness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God:
166 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God:
167 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the foundation of a great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches;
168 For behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious;
[After the Bible leaves the hands of the Jews, it goes to the abominable church. Historians know that the Bible is a result of passing through Catholicism, Catholic scribes, "the Holy Fathers" as they are called.]
169 And also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away;
170 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord; that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men:
171 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God;
172 And after these plain and precious things were taken away, it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles:
[We have the Bible today, after it has passed through Catholicism of the Holy Roman Empire, and the great apostasy.
"The King James Bible (1616). Commissioned by England's King James I, who wanted an official English translation of the Bible for Protestant churches. It was translated from the sixteenth-century Greek text . . .. which was later discovered to contain fourteen centuries' worth of copyists' errors. So in 1885 the Anglican Church published an update, the English Revised Version--and in 1901 released the American Standard Version, a special translation for U.S. Protestants. (Its revision, the Revised Standard Version, was published in 1946 . . . which in turn was followed by the New Revised Standard Version in 1989.)" (Pope-Pourri, p. 153, by Roman Catholic John Dollison) ]
173 And after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen, with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity;
[The Pilgrims brought the Bible with them.]
174 Thou seest because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God;
175 Because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceeding great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them;
176 Nevertheless thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations upon the face of the land, which is choice above all other lands,
[America the beautiful, and most prospered nation on earth.]
177 Which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance, will not utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren;
[Some Indians are a mixture of Nephite and Lamanite. These will live on to again receive the blessings of God.]
178 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren;
179 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall for ever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
180 Wherefore, saith the Lamb of God, I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.
181 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying, Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel, and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father;
[God's "visiting" means judgment. The Indians have been persecuted by the Gentiles since Columbus set foot in the Americas. Columbus, himself, spoke of making slaves of the Indians, whom, he said, were docile and friendly. They, because of their legends of Christ visiting in the Americas and promising to return, thought these Spaniards were from heaven--that Jesus was returning.]
182 Wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles;
183 And after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which has been kept back, by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb, I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb;
184 For behold, saith the Lamb, I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious;
185 And after thy seed shall be destroyed and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren; behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles by the gift and power of the Lamb;
186 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation;
[Book of Mormon]
187 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost;
188 And if they endure unto the end, they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb;
189 And whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
190 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles, unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren;
[Gentiles brought the Bible to the Indians]
191 And after it had come forth unto them, I beheld other books which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles, and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
[Books--plural--Bible to come first, then other books to come to them from the Gentiles--i.e. Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants.]
192 And the angel spake unto me, saying, These last records which thou hast seen among the Gentiles shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them;
193 And shall make known to all kindreds, tongues and people, that the Lamb of God is the son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him or they can not be saved;
194 And they must come according to the words which shall be establish by the mouth of the Lamb;
195 And the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb;
196 Wherefore, they both shall be established in one;
197 For there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth;
198 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews, and also unto the Gentiles;
199 And after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles, and also unto the Jews,
200 And the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
201 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling-blocks, and harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father;
202 Yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel;
203 And they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land for ever;
204 They shall be no more brought down into captivity;
205 And the house of Israel shall no more be confounded;
206 And that great pit which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell;
[Catholicism, through its pagan idolatries, seeks to destroy the saints.]
207 Yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men, shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God;
208 Not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end;
[This makes it plain that He is speaking of a physical destruction--wars in the nations of Catholicism and those who embrace it.]
209 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.
210 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying, Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent, it shall be well with them;
211 And thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel;
212 And thou also hast heard, that whoso repenteth not, must perish;
213 Therefore, wo, be unto the Gentiles, if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God;
214 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men;
[Restoration movement--restoring His church with the restored gospel]
215 A work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other;
216 Either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds, unto their being brought down into captivity and also unto destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
217 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me, Remember thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel?
218 I said unto him, Yea.
219 And it came to pass that he said unto me, Look and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
220 And he said unto me, Behold, there are save two churches only:
221 The one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil;
[See the charts defining the work of the two opposing powers from the beginning of time.]
222 Wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations;
[Jesus said to come out of Babylon or we will suffer her plagues and destruction.]
223 And she is the whore of all the earth.
224 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters;
[The church, whore, sat on many waters. The interpretation of "waters" is nations and people. The last count I read on the membership of the Catholic church in 1988 was 800 million, and counting. What is it today? How fast can millions of women reproduce? There's a news story about a woman somewhere in South or Central America who has 56 children. She said she feels it's her duty to reproduce. She does it by twins and triplets every time.These people in that area are largely Roman Catholic. The Spaniards came in and forced them to accept Catholicism. Read the testimony of Cholula.]
225 And she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
226 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters;
227 Nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth;
228 And their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.
229 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together in multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.
230 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth;
231 And they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
232 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon the great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth,
233 And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying,
[Catholic nations will be engaged in wars till the end--they will destroy their economies and themsleves. this is fulfilling today.]
234 Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots;
235 And behold, thou seest all these things;
236 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose foundation is the devil,
237 Then at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants which he hath made to his people, who are of the house of Israel.
238 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying, Look! And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe;
239 And the angel said unto me, Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb!
240 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things;
241 Yea, and also many things which have been;
242 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world;
243 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true;
244 And behold, they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew;
[John the Revelator wrote about the end of the world in the Book of Revelations.]
245 And at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men.
246 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write, are many things which thou hast seen;
247 And behold, the remainder shalt thou see;
248 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter, thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them.
249 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them;
250 And they are sealed up to come forth in their purity according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.
[The Sealed portion of the Book of Mormon has an account of the happenings to the end of the world.]
251 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.
252 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me;
253 And I have not written but a small part of the things which I saw.
254 And I bear record, that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
255 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw, while I was carried away in the Spirit;
256 And if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen.
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