A Study Guide Companion for The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
3 NEPHI
CHAPTERS 1 - 9
3 Nephi Chapter One
Third Nephi begins with the first of the ninety-second year of the reign of the judges, which corresponds with A.D. 1, “in the year of our Lord,” and 600 years from the time Lehi and his family left the land of Jerusalem to eventually travel to the Promised Land. Surprisingly, the elected governor, Lachoneus, was a righteous man, telling us that, although the people were living wickedly, they at least had voted a righteous man and prophet into office so the Gadianton robbers were not in charge of the government.
Helaman’s son Nephi, whom the Lord had blessed was commanded to depart permanently from Zarahemla—and was never again heard of in that land. We have not been told about his brother, Lehi, for several years.
Nephi, the righteous grandson of the second Helaman, continued his mission to convert people to belief in Jesus Christ—and he had some success—especially when the signs heralding the approaching birth of our Savior were so evident. But as Satan marshaled his nefarious battle plan, most of Nephite society listened to the deceiver, willingly heading on a downward slope, excusing the miraculous signs as “cunning and mysterious arts of the evil one,” and calling the message of Christ a “wicked tradition”.
Wondrous signs of the Savior’s imminent birth began to appear in the ninetieth year, but as the time of His holy birth got closer, even greater signs appeared and greater miracles were performed.
But though the believers began to wonder as the unbelievers proclaimed loudly and often that the time had passed—some believers began to think maybe the time had passed and that for some reason the signs may not come as expected. They had faith that signs would eventually come; they continued to have faith Christ would soon be born, so they watched “steadfastly” for the signs.
Many wicked Nephites had become murderers for gain, and they were determined to force the believers to either deny their faith or be killed. They set a day to kill all who still professed to belief in the prophecies if they were not fulfilled by that date.
Nephi was horrified by the wickedness of the unbelievers. True to his noble heritage and to his own fervent testimony, he exercised his faith for the righteous believers, going to God in mighty prayer, and pleading for deliverance of the worthy followers of Christ.
Nephi’s answer was a wonderful revelation from Jesus Christ. Jesus was to be born into the world the following day, and although His tiny Earthly body was even then within the womb of His mother, Mary—in His Divine Spirit, in Divine Power, He answered His faithful prophet:
Lift up your head and be of good cheer;
for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night
shall the sign be given,
and on the morrow come I into the world,
to show unto the world that I will fulfill all
that which I have caused to be spoken
by the mouth of my holy prophets (verse 13).
Then Christ said that He was doing the will, “both of the Father and of the Son.” The wills, or desires, of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the same. They both desire the immortality and the Eternal Life for mankind. From the time of Adam, which the Lord here referred to as the foundation of [this] world, His holy prophets had testified of His coming in the flesh. And now He told Nephi He would “come unto my own,”—meaning He would be born in the flesh to His covenant people, the Children of Israel.
Jesus was chosen and ordained by Heavenly Father in the pre-mortal world; He had always been perfect in the pre-mortal life—and had achieved Godhood even then. He was the only one good enough to also live perfectly on Earth—to be able to bring the rest of us back to Heavenly Father.
Jesus then would condescend to come to Earth, born to a mortal woman, yet He would also possess a Divine heritage as the literal Son of God. This would make it possible for Him perform His infinite and Eternal Atonement and to lay down or take up His life at will. This Divine heritage would make His Resurrection possible for Him—and then, when He broke the bands of death, the bands would be broken for all mankind.
As Christ promised Nephi, after a day of light, that night the sun set—but there was no darkness. The unbelievers, in great shock—and amazement and frustration as their evil plans tumbled around them—fell to the Earth as if they were dead. Another of Satan’s wicked plans was thwarted.
Soon all people in the entire western hemisphere, struck by the unmistakable phenomenon of a day and then a night and finally another day of light, knew that the Son of God had been born and that He would appear “shortly” to them as prophesied.
The righteous rejoiced as the teachings of Samuel were fulfilled. On the other hand, not only were many astonished because the fulfillment of the sign was so amazing, but some realized the false sayings and wicked precepts they had promoted were wrong.
When morning came, the sun rose, but there was no change in the light. It was as if night had not happened—although the sun had set as usual. Then, when night again came, a new bright star appeared. That was exactly what the prophets had testified.
Many were converted—at least temporarily—and believed the truth by what they saw and what they felt. But miracles alone do not convert people. It takes a desire to know the truth—and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, followed by true and sincere repentance, and then a genuine commitment to the Lord and His principles through baptism, and the sanctifying Power of the Holy Ghost as He is welcomed and received unreservedly—into one’s heart and soul—to gain a true testimony.
Immediately following the great miracle of the lightened night, most believed and for the time being, listened to the truth of God. Some people worked to undermine the effect the birth of Jesus had on people—convincing some that they were not true—or that they had to do with the Savior’s birth. But “notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings, the more part of the people did believe and were converted to the Lord”.
In addition to Nephi, God sent forth other prophets and righteous people to preach the Gospel to the Nephites. Many were “baptized unto repentance, and there was a great remission of sins. And the people began again to have peace in the land”.
As the Church grew and people turned to the scriptures, some members interpreted them incorrectly.
Since the era of Moses, the Children of Israel had been given a law to help ready them to understand and accept the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God commanded them to obey this law until Jesus Christ completely finished His mission on Earth. Only then would the law be fulfilled.
Satan did not want the people to accept Christ’s Sacrifice. So he convinced some of them that since Jesus had been born, they did not have to continue to obey the Law of Moses. Satan also knew that if there was contention over the scriptures, it would disrupt the influence of the Holy Ghost.
People were mistaken to preach the Law of Moses was finished, but contrary to Satan’s evil intent, they accepted correction of the error when leaders pointed out that “not one jot or tittle” should pass away till it all should be fulfilled. This meant that the law was not fulfilled until Jesus Christ Himself announced the finish of His mission and gave up His life. He would not be finished until all that He told His prophets to prophesy of His life, His Atoning Sacrifice, including His death, and His Resurrection came to pass.
What a wonderful year! The Savior was born; the signs bore out the prophets’ message of glad tidings of His life and His mission. In the Nephite land, peace reigned as the people lived righteously.
However, in the second year from the Savior’s birth, the wicked band of Gadianton robbes accelerated ruthless attacks on ordinary Nephite citizens who otherwise had peace among themselves during the year. The robbers disrupted what would have been a fairly good time as they left their secret places to murder and rob.
The devil is only a powerful force to be reckoned with if we open ourselves to him, denying the Light of Christ. He found a fertile field among wicked part of the Nephites because they, like him, set their hearts on greed and power. Miracles, even miracles as great as the signs of Christ’s birth, could not convert hardened criminals to the truth. Only the Holy Ghost can convert people to Christ; dissenters who became part of the robber gang closed their hearts to the wonderful Power of the Holy Spirit of God.
Nephite dissenters joined the evil Gadiantons; Lamanites were also numbered among the new recruits. The young people, or “rising generation,” were particularly susceptible.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 2
Four years had passed since Nephites and Lamanites throughout the whole western hemisphere experienced the unprecedented phenomenon of a day and a night and a day without darkness as had been previously prophesied by many righteous prophets. A new large star was observed in the Heavens—also exactly according to prophecy. There were many signs in the Heavens, proclaiming the birth of the Son of God. Prophets openly performed miracles.
Yet after only four years, many Nephites came to disregard the marvelous signs, messages, and other miracles, taking for granted, or became less impressed by the wonders that had occurred and were still occurring. The people quit believing what they had actually seen and experienced, and some actually labeled the Heavenly signs as evil signs.
Wickedness, like goodness, can “snowball.” As more succumb, it grows more powerful, drawing yet more and more people into its web.
Nephi, son of the younger Helaman, had not returned to Zarahemla and was not found in all the land. The 10th and 11th years passed away in wickedness.
Note: The fight between good and evil takes place over the whole world at the same time. While the Nephites degenerated from goodness in the western hemisphere, the Savior, on the other side of the world, was already “going about His Fathers business,” astonishing the “doctors” in the temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:46-49).
Meanwhile, in the Promised Land, as the Nephites should have known from long historical experience, when people choose evil over righteousness, they lose God-given protection against their enemies. As ordinary Nephite society grew in wickedness, Gadianton robbers grew more powerful. They recruited many to their evil ranks and then surged forth in great numbers, destroying people and even cities.
Among wicked Nephites and Lamanites were good responsible citizens. The Lamanites who had been converted to the Gospel joined with the Nephites to try to combat the evil Gadianton robbers who were destroying the whole hemisphere.
The Lord made them one people; the Lamanites who chose to join the fight for freedom and for their children all were called Nephites.
Before the “thirteenth year had passed away,” the Nephites were threatened with utter destruction because of this exceedingly sore war. Then at the beginning of the fourteenth year, with the Lord’s blessing, the Nephites and added forces of righteous Lamanites, joined into one army and started pushing back invading robbers. They were able to drive the robbers out of their lands and their cities.
Many prideful Nephites fought among themselves and continued in wickedness. Again they lost God’s added protection—so the Gadianton robbers again gained advantage in some parts of the land.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 3
Lachoneus was in a difficult position. Although he was the Chief Judge and Governor over a wicked society, he personally was a good man. Murderous robbers infested the land, recruiting large numbers into their evil band. While no doubt pondering the nation’s problems, he received an astonishing letter from the evil robber chieftain, Giddianhi.
Disbelief at Giddianhi’s audacity as well as righteous anger must have flooded Lachoneus’s mind as he read Giddianhi’s letter. As he arrogantly and disrespectfully addressed Lachoneus, Giddianhi loaded the letter with some of Satan’s most obvious devices—sarcasm, false flattery, blatant lies, bribes, evil temptations,
outrageous demands, and finally gruesome threats.
The country was given to Nephites on condition of their righteous living. It certainly did not belong to the Gadianton robbers. Giddianhi certainly did not care about Lachoneus’s welfare or the welfare of the Nephites.
Flattering Lachoneus about his “firmness and his noble spirit” was meaningless.
Not surprisingly, Lachoneus was astounded—although he may have expected any cheating trick of the devil. Giddianhi had made up a specious excuse to demand the Nephites’ lands and possessions to avenge wrongs by them that never occurred. It was the evil robbers who had committed the wrongs.
Lachoneus wisely pointed out that the only wrong done to those who had joined the evil band was the wrong that they had done to themselves!. They had chosen to give up lives of integrity and honor to be bound into chains by the devil and to become his followers, and blamed others, threatening to avenge them for something that the robbers did to themselves!
The robbers were not the only ones who brought on their own trouble. The way the Nephites let their society sink into wickedness lost them God’s protection—and then Giddianhi threatened that unless the Nephites gave up their land and possessions by the “morrow month,” he and his robber army would annihilate all of the Nephites.
Lachoneus did not accede to Giddianhi’s outrageous demands; instead he made those demands public, telling the Nephites it was time that they repented and called on their Lord for strength.
Although Lachoneus had no intention of meeting Giddianhi’s demands, but he did take the robber’s threats seriously. The Gadianton army was huge, and could possibly overcome the Nephites—and during the last many years, the Nephites had not lived to deserve God’s protection.
In mapping out a survival strategy, Lachoneus knew spiritual preparation and military preparation were both necessary. He told all the people to “gather together.” This huge migration involved massive organization. Thousands of Nephites gathered flocks and herds and all their possessions, leaving their deserted cities and fields desolate of anything substantial. Because the land to the north was under a curse, Lachoneus called for all of the people of the nation to move to the area which included the land of Zarahemla and the land Bountiful.
The people obeyed the words of Lachoneus, but they did it out of fear of what might otherwise happen to them. Lachoneus called his people to repentance, sending out a proclamation for them to gather together in one land. He knew that forts, no matter how strong, would not hold —unless the people were on the Lord’s side. With the Power of the Holy Ghost, he chastised them, speaking “great and marvelous words and prophecies.”
As the people gathered, Lachoneus appointed chief captains over all the armies, with the most chief, Gidgiddoni, who was an honorable prophet like Lachoneus, as well as a military leader. Through the years, many Nephite chief captains had been prophets.
The people asked Gidgiddoni to organize an army to go into the mountains in the wilderness and destroy the Gadiantons in their own territory, but Gidgiddoni told them it was not the Lord’s plan to for them to go after the robbers in their lair. There were consequences of obeying and also consequences of not obeying the Lord’s plan.
It was the last part of the 17th year that Lachoneus sent out his proclamation calling the people to gather in one place. From all over the western hemisphere Nephites brought their substance and flooded into the area.
The people were in the same place in more than one sense. They physically were gathered in a much closer area than when they had been spread out over the entire continent. But they were also in the same place spiritually. They “repented of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God that He would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle.”
They were “exceedingly sorrowful because of their enemy.” This sorrow was on many levels.
Meanwhile, the Gadiantons had recruited many Nephites and Lamanites from the “rising generation.” The recruits included brothers, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, former friends, and neighbors.
The enemy band had caused them to leave their homes and travel to a strange place of refuge; their country was on the brink of extinction. They surely had reason to be exceedingly sorrowful.
But the Lord did not stop loving them…nurturing them…sending them righteous prophets and leaders to deliver His messages…and He always kept His Hand outstretched to accept their repentance.
They prepared themselves militarily for what was to come.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 4
During the eighteenth year, the Nephites gathered all of their portable possessions and traveled to join Lachoneus in the land that the Lord chose for their safety, in the center of the hemisphere.
There were large numbers of Gadiantons—both in the north and in the south—from both Nephite and Lamanite lineage; they lived in hidden strongholds, secret mountain caves, and wilderness areas.
The Nephites had taken all food, seeds, and crops of all kind, as well as cattle and flocks, with them. They had left their lands completely desolate—and the Lord caused all of the wild game to retreat into the wilderness.
The Nephites took everything with them and had enough to exist on for seven years—and there were so many of them together that they were not easily accessible for the robbers to attack.
There is more to an army than fighting. A large army such as the Gadiantons required much food. This organization was used to getting what they wanted by plundering, robbing, and murdering. But all former victims were gathered together within a strong fortification, so easy prey was not available. The Gadiantons did not dare to start spreading out on the land to raise food for fear would attack and kill them them. Finally, Giddianhi called his army to battle the Nephites.
The Gadianton robbers were successful partly because of their’ psychological tactics through their appearance which they used to terrorize and intimidate the Nephites.
The Nephite army watched an army of thousands, covered with blood and dressed in armor, and they recognized their own inadequacies. Realizing they needed Heavenly assistance, they fell upon the ground and called upon God for deliverance.
Again the Gadiantons miscalculated. They assumed the Nephites were on the ground in terror of the robber army, not in supplication to their God. They cheered and came rushing onward.
When the Gadiantons attacked, they met an army strengthened by God’s Hand. Even so, “great and terrible was the battle,” the worst that had ever been fought by Lehi’s descendants.
Though there must have been many losses on their own side, the Nephites were able to beat back the Gadiantons and make them flee. The bragging oaths that Giddianhi made came back to haunt him. They had wrought such destruction in the nation that Gidgiddoni commanded his troops to pursue the robbers to the very borders of the wilderness, not sparing any lives.
After being soundly beaten, the surviving robbers retreated to the wilderness and secret places to regroup, but they did not come again against the Nephites the rest of that year or the next.
The next robber leader was Zemnarihah. He decided that rather than battle the Nephites, the robbers would lay siege to the Nephite fortifications.
There were a few things Zemnarihah, like Giddianhi before him, did not consider. Three of the important miscalculations were:
“…it was impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any effect upon the Nephites.” The Nephites had plenty of provisions to outlast the robbers.
The robbers had nothing to eat except meat that they hunted in the wilderness—and before long, the wild game became scarce and the robbers then had hardly any meat. They were beginning to starve.
A third unforeseen disadvantage was that the Nephites slipped out by day and night and killed many of the robbers. Soon tens of thousands of hungry robbers were dying of starvation or were being killed by Nephite forays.
The siege was such a disastrous failure that the surviving robbers wanted to leave. Zemnarihah gave the order for his troops to pull out.
Gidgiddoni found out about Zemnarihah’s plan to retreat and to march into the northland. The chief captain was not about to let the evil robbers leave, regroup, and then take over the northern lands. He knew that they were weakened because of lack of food and also that their numbers had been reduced by many thousand. He sent his troops out in the night to cut off their robbers’ retreat and defeat them never to return again.
The robbers either gave themselves up as prisoners or were killed. Zemnarihah “was taken and hanged upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead.”
The Nephites shouted their thanks to God and gave Him credit for their deliverance and loudly voiced their desire to never again have such evil combinations among them.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 5
When Lachoneus called all Nephites to gather together for safety, they obeyed his proclamation. But now, after experiencing a miraculous deliverance, they were one in more than nationality—they were one in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It was necessary that every prophecy be fulfilled in every way. All of the prophets had proclaimed for centuries that the signs would testify the Savior was born. The signs were suitable and fit; if Jesus had not been born, then the signs would not have been given. All Nephites now gladly understood and believed in them. They knew logically, and also in their hearts, that since so many prophesied signs had been shown, surely more prophesied signs would yet appear.
Because of their unmistakable deliverance from the once huge robber army, which strengthened their belief in Jesus Christ and His great Power and love, the Nephites willingly repented of wickedness and served God.
With great missionary zeal, the converted Nephites preached to the captured Gadianton robbers. Those who repented and took an oath not to murder were set free. Those who did not take the righteous oath remained bound to Satan and continued to threaten repentant robbers and the rest of the Nephites. They were condemned and executed.
Because the Gadianton robbers were killed in battle, executed, or converted to the true Gospel, their wicked strategies, after many years of terror, were no longer an active threat.
Righteousness brings happiness. For five years the Nephites lived together in the stronghold, believing in the mission of Jesus Christ and strengthening one another in the faith.
Twenty-five years had passed since Christ was born; there were many great and marvelous things that happened during this time. Among the records, was a detailed account of “all the proceedings” and a shorter record written by Nephi on the Large Plates. The Large Plates of Nephi had been passed down for centuries. Mormon made his accounting using the Large Plates.
As narrator and. Translator of the Book of Mormon, Mormon, in an aside, told a little about himself and why he was making the abridgment:
Mormon personally made the Plates on which he wrote.
Mormon was named for the land of Mormon where Alma the elder taught and baptized his people.
Mormon was a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and he was called by authority to testify of Christ.
Mormon testified that he was God’s instrument in accomplishing a difficult task—that the prayers of “holy ones” of faith, or earlier prophets, who were promised that in a future time others could read of the things that happened among the early inhabitants of the Promised Land, would be fulfilled.
Much of Mormon’s record was abridgement from other records.
Some of Mormon’s record included eye-witness accounts of things that happened during his lifetime.
Mormon testified that his record was true although there were things he was unable to write because there were no words for the concepts in his language.
Mormon was a descendant of Lehi rather than of the Mulekites.
Mormon was thankful to God that He had given all of the descendants of Lehi so much knowledge for the Salvation of their souls. Mormon then testified that only God and the people who came with Lehi knew that they left the land of Jerusalem for the Promised Land.
Recognizing that Lehi’s descendants were from the House of Jacob (Israel), through Joseph, Mormon then testified that God blessed and prospered these children of Jacob, Joseph, and Lehi.
Mormon testified that in the future a “remnant of the seed of Joseph,” which includes the Lamanites and others in our day, would have the knowledge of the Lord their God.
Mormon testified that Israel would be gathered someday from the “four quarters of the Earth”.
Mormon testified that the covenants God made with the House of Jacob, or the House of Israel, would be made known to them and be completely fulfilled.
Mormon testified that someday all of the House of Israel would know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God—and then they shall be gathered.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 6
The Nephites continued to live together in righteousness for five more years after the defeat of the Gadiantons robbers. Finally, in the twenty-sixth year, they gathered all they had brought with them that had not been used, and returned to where they lived before the horrible robber threat. Again the population spread throughout the hemisphere.
The converted robbers who wanted to remain Lamanites were given land “according to their numbers,” so they could earn an honest living for themselves and their families.
There was peace in the land.
When Nephites kept their covenants, living righteously, the Lord prospered them. Nothing could mess up this peace and prosperity if they continued to live lives of honor and integrity, obeying the Lord’s commandments.
In the few years immediately following their return to their own lands, the Nephites did live wonderful lives. Lachoneus, who had led them through perilous times, encouraging them to repent, was a great leader. Gidgiddoni was a wise prophet as well as military leader. These two good men helped the Nephites reestablish a righteous government throughout the land.
There were new transportation systems and trade among cities. They built interconnecting highways and roads to accommodate the people in their trade and other activities.
Meanwhile, in the land of Jerusalem, Jesus Christ was increasing “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52.), preparing for His great ministry. We are not told of His awareness of the Nephites at that stage of His mortal life, but He must have known and cared about them, although He lived physically with the Israelites in the eastern hemisphere. During His ministry He said, “…other sheep I have that are not of this fold…” (John 10:16 & 3 Nephi 15:17). He knew, during His lifetime, happenings in other parts of the world and in other worlds.
Some Nephites had grown very rich, and instead of giving thankful credit to God and then helping those less fortunate with their resources—in their false pride, they boasted of these blessings as though they had brought them to themselves. Lawyers and merchants, who bought votes and used other deceitful practices, persuaded people to vote them into high offices and were filling the ranks of the country’s judgeships.
It had been scarcely five years since all the Nephites had lived together in peace—and although, with God’s gracious blessings, they settled in their own lands and developed new cities and were involved in trade of all kinds and forgetting the mercy of God in their lives. Yet there were some who remained “humble and penitent before God.”
Those who handled prosperity unrighteously
They were lifted up in pride.
They did return railing for railing.
Those who handled adversity with righteousness
They were exceeding humble.
They would receive railing and persecution and all manner of affliction, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.
Because they were wealthy, some Nephites had more chance for education than others. The poor could not afford to learn—and they were not helped by the rich.
The year that the Savior began His ministry was the same year that the Church in the western hemisphere broke up completely the Nephites returned to their wickedness.
What a wonderful life the Nephites gave up after experiencing only a few years of peace and prosperity; they gave it up because they stopped listening to God and His holy servants and listened to the devil.
There are people who sin in the world because they never have been taught the truth. This was not true of the Nephites. They had lived under the God’s protection; by the strength of God they defeated the Gadiantons; they had received testimonies of Christ by the Power of the Holy Ghost. In Light of pure knowledge, they willfully rebelled against God.
In spite of their wickedness, God continued to reach out to them. He allowed them to continue to have good government leaders and He sent teachers and prophets to call them to repentance. Although Lachoneus was no longer Chief Judge, his son, apparently a good man, also named Lachoneus, filled his father’s seat.
God sent many men to preach the Gospel, calling the people to give up their sins and come back to Christ, testifying that He would soon suffer and die for all mankind.
Wicked Nephites, particularly the judges and those who had been high priests and lawyers, were angry at the righteous men God sent to tell the people of their sins—those testifying boldly of Jesus Christ. The wicked people wanted to kill these good men, but it was against the law to condemn anyone to death without consent of the governor of the land.
The governor, or highest Chief Judge, was a good man who would not have agreed to evil condemnation of God’s prophets. So wicked judges had holy men, whom God had sent and who testified of Christ, seized; then they secretly had them murdered, breaking the law.
Because these judges broke the law of the land, a complaint was sworn out against them by those seeking justice. These murderous judges who had crashed over the boundaries of the law were brought before Lachoneus to be tried.
The Nephites had a full knowledge of good and evil. In blatant rebellion against God, unrighteous friends and relatives of the accused judges joined in the very types of oaths that their former enemies, the evil robbers, had taken.
These people took an evil oath which promoted lies, murders, plunder, and other abominable sins to destroy all righteousness, including honorable people and good laws. Their first plan of rebellion under this oath was to set aside the law of the land and release the murderous judges.
Their next heinous plan of rebellion was to kill the Chief Judge— and set a king in his place—who would take away liberty of the people.
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 7
Friends and relatives of the wicked judges who had killed God’s holy prophets, bore false witness and the judges escaped punishment for breaking the law. Next, they conspired to murder the Chief Judge and set up a king, the worst of the wicked judges.
They assassinated the younger Lachoneus. Although they did not grab control of the country as they had planned, they accomplished an awful end; they destroyed the government that had existed from when king Mosiah first established it with the people’s vote—a government with elected judges. After arguing among themselves, they split into separate tribes, appointing chiefs over the individual tribes.
The various Nephites had many family and friends, so the tribes grew large The great Nephite nation, with just equitable laws and statutes, was destroyed because of the wickedness of the citizens. There was not actual war among the tribes, but freedom of religion and possibly more freedoms were lost.
Although the separate tribes did not all swear the oaths and join the secret combination of Satan, the wicked combination was initially responsible for the destruction of the democratic government process. With no central government with a righteous leader, almost all Nephites became wicked. There were only a few righteous among them.
One of the most wicked among the judges who killed the prophets was named king of the restored evil combination of Satan. This combination met together to decide their next sinful strategy.
Although the new leader of the wicked combination was called king by his own evil band, he was not king over all the Nephites, but that is what the band planned. The big band was not larger than the other tribes put together.
The other tribes, although made up of many unrighteous people, were not as heinous as the wicked combinations—but individual laws of each tribe did not protect individual rights. The tribe members were angry when reminded of their own sins, so they took their anger out on the prophets. They instituted an uneasy alliance, united in one thing—they all hated the evil tribe composed of Satan’s combinations.
Realizing that he could not take over the united tribes—yet— the wicked leaderJacob determined to set up a new kingdom in the north. He hoped to gather many dissenters to join the evil kingdom and then vanquish the remaining tribes. He convinced the rest of his people that this would be a plausible plan as long as the rest of the tribes did not know they were going until it was too late to stop them.
If the other tribes knew their intentions they would have tried to stop them. Quickly, secretly, before the others tribes figured out their plan, they marched to the north.
The new tribal organization and attitudes:
They were divided into tribes according to kindred and friends.
The tribes agreed not to go to war or trespass against each other.
Laws of all tribes were different according to the minds of their chiefs.
There was some degree of peace in the land because of their agreement not to war with each other.
Their hearts were turned from the Lord their God.
They stoned the prophets and cast them out from among them.
In spite of the wickedness of the majority of the people, there were holy prophets and good people among them. Notable among the righteous was Nephi, son of Nephi and grandson of Helaman the younger. He is sometimes referred to as third Nephi. Like those in his line since Alma the Elder, this Nephi loved God and was true to his calling. In this difficult time, the Lord blessed him tremendously with gifts of the Spirit.
He was such a good person “and also being eye-witness [to the Nephites’]” quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations…” Nephi “grieved for the hardness of their [his fellow citizens’] hearts and the blindness of their minds.” Yet rather than just feeling bad about their awful behavior, he “went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
With great power, Nephi ministered to the people.
The people were angry with Nephi because he had greater power than they, and because, with his great faith, they could not disbelieve what he said regardless of what they wanted to believe.
As Nephi ministered to the people, his own faith was so strong that angels ministered to him daily! Because of his great faith in Jesus Christ, Nephi cast out devils and unclean spirits in the Savior’s holy name, and he even raised his own righteous brother from death. We do not know more about the brother—other than he was a martyr who was raised by Nephi from the dead.
Those few who were converted to the Lord, by both Nephi’s efforts through the power the Holy Ghost’s witness of Christ, proclaimed testimonies of their own. And then they were given the power to heal others from sickness, unclean spirits, and other infirmities and testified of the true Gospel. So, not only were they converted, but many of them joined with Nephi, performing miracles.
The thirty-second year passed and the thirty-third year—nearly the end of Christ’s Earthly ministry—commenced. Nephi continued to preach repentance and remission of sins.
At the beginning of the thirty-third year since the birth of Christ, many Nephites were baptized unto repentance—and the “more part of the year did pass away.”
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 8
Nephi “did many miracles in the name of Jesus.” This showed he had been cleansed from any iniquity.
People began to look forward to the fulfillment of Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecies. Although many signs had been given—and were largely ignored—people began to argue over what was, according to Samuel, a sign they could not ignore, the sign of darkness, signifying Christ’s death.
Finally, in absolute terms, on the fourth day of the first month, all disputes were settled. A gigantic storm hit the land with full power.
And that was only the beginning…
The southern continent was full of terrible destruction, including the annihilation of entire wicked inhabitants of certain cities—and whole cities were destroyed in horrendous ways:
The city of Zarahemla took fire—possibly from the sharp lightnings
The sea itself broke upon the shore of the city of Moroni, engulfing the city and drowning the inhabitants
The upheaval of the Earth buried the city of Moronihah under a newly created mountain
Even though the destruction was horrible in the south, the north suffered much more—changing the whole face of the Earth.Rocks were broken up and seams and cracks in the Earth were made through the land.
In addition to catalytic changes in the natural face of the land, manmade structures were destroyed.
Highways and level roads were broken up and ruined as many smooth places became rough
Many cities were sunk, possibly into the Earth and into the sea; many cities were burned; earthquakes shook buildings to pieces; inhabitants were killed
Some cities, although not completely destroyed, were severely damaged and many of the inhabitants killed
Some people were carried away in whirlwinds
For this much calamity to occur, one would think it would take a long time.
All of it happened within three hours. And then a thick veil of darkness covered the land. Then a terrible darkness came upon the destroyed land.
It was so thick, the inhabitants could feel it
Nothing—such as candles, torches, fire kindled with fine and exceedingly dry wood, or fire of any kind, the sun, the moon, the stars—could penetrate the mist of darkness
The darkness lasted for three terrifying days, and while in the darkness the people mourned, howled, wept, and groaned.
The people agonized at their own lack of repentance
3 NEPHI CHAPTER 9
As our Savior—the Son of God—was killed by wicked men on the eastern hemisphere, throughout the whole western hemisphere, the face of the Earth was changed—much of it destroyed, along with numerous people.
Those who remained alive were engulfed by a thick black vapor which shut out all possible sunlight—or any other illumination. We can only imagine their fear and trembling during the three days.
The voice of the Lord which was heard resounding through the darkness as He told the survivors what had happened to the destroyed people because of their awful choices.
Zarahemla and the inhabitants were burned
The city of Moroni was sunk into the sea and the inhabitants drowned
Moronihah, where wicked people lived in abomination and murdered the prophets and saints, was covered by Earth
The city of Gilgal was also buried by the Earth
The cities of Onihah, Mocum, and Jerusalem were covered by sea and the inhabitants drowned—because they also lived in abomination and murdered the prophets and the saints
The cities of Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, Gimgimno, whose inhabitants lived in horrible sin and murdered the prophets and saints, were all buried in the Earth with hills and valleys left where once the cities stood (verse 8).
Included in the cities of the north was the capital city of Jacobugath, where the wicked combination had its headquarters.
The cities and people of Laman, Josh, Gad, and Kishkumen, where the evil people stoned the prophets, were also burned (verse 10).
O all ye that are spared
because ye were more righteous than they,
will ye not now return unto Me, and repent of your sins,
and be converted, that I may heal you?
Yea, verily I say unto you,
if ye will come unto Me ye shall have Eternal Life.
Behold, mine Arm of mercy is extended towards you,
and whosoever will come, him will I receive;
and blessed are those who come unto Me (verses 13 & 14).
The Savior sent out hope to the survivors, telling them that they still had a chance for Eternal Life with Him if they would repent.
Then the newly resurrected Lord introduced Himself and began to enlighten the people who were still in darkness.
Behold, I have come unto the world
to bring Redemption unto the world,
to save the world from sin.
In addition to introducing Himself, Jesus Christ offered tremendous eternal hope to these people who were spared.
Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto Me as a little child,
him will I receive,
for of such [those free from sin] is the Kingdom of God.
Behold, for such I have laid down my life,
and have taken it up again;
therefore repent and come unto Me ye ends of the Earth,
and be saved (verses 21 & 22).