But We Have the Book! - America

"And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity"(Ether 2:9). 

As I view what is happening in America with respect to immigration, the Constitution, abuse of power, political populism, grinding upon the face of the poor while protecting the rich, the proliferation of disinformation, the use of politics to gain wealth and power, incompetent government leaders, systemic destruction of values, defending the indefensable, and how Americans believe America is 'their' country, I can't help but think of what the Book of Mormon and Isaiah have to say about 'this land' of America, which is described in the Book of Mormon as being choice above all other lands, but only under certain conditions. 

It is quite clear that the majority of Gentiles who now inhabit America are only temporary inhabitants, having 'trodden under foot' that portion of the House of Israel known as Lehi's descendants (3 Nephi 16:8-9). It is also clear that unrepentant Gentiles will be, at some time in the future, 'trodden under foot' of "my people, O house of Israel" (3 Nephi 16:15; 20:15-16). 

This land was given by the Lord, as part of His covenant, to Lehi's descendants* the land of their inheritance, and not permanently to the unrepentant Gentiles who now call themselves Americans.

"And the Father hath commanded me (Christ) that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance" (3 Nephi 20:14 emphasis added).

*There are approximately 56 million indigenous people of the Americas, but not all are Lehi's descendants. 

There is a reason America is called the promised land. It was promised to Lehi's descendants by the Lord, first as a refuge, then later as their land of inheritance. "And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem" (1 Nephi 17:13-14 emphasis added).

Elaborating on the significance of this decree, Hugh Nibley observed:

"This land is the choice land above all other lands'.... But God placed the promise upon it 'in his wrath' (Jacob 1:7; Alma 12:35; Ether 1:33; 2;8; 15;28). Why that, of all things? Because his patience was at an end when men had defiled all the other lands in the glorious and beautiful world he had given them. He would set apart a place where he would stand for no nonsense; there men would be given such a freedom as nowhere else, and could enjoy such a prosperity as nowhere else.

But in return for this liberty, certain ground rules have to be observed. Perfect liberty means that you can go as far as you want, free of many of the age-old hampering restraints imposed by man; since this is a place of testing, that is the purpose of leaving everyone pretty much on his own. But when the inhabitants abuse that freedom until they 'are ripened in iniquity,' their presence will no longer be tolerated; 'when the fulness of his wrath should come' they will be 'swept off,' suddenly and completely (Ether 2:8). As it was in the days of Noah, it shall be business as usual, right up until the last moment, for it is 'not until the fulness of his wrath,' which 'cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity,' that they be abruptly terminated (Ether 2:8-10). 

God was angry when he laid down these conditions: 'These are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands.' And these are the thoughts: 'My Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord (Ether 2:15). This promise is conveyed to us for our special benefit: 'And this cometh to you O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God--that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done (Ether 2:11).

It is Moroni's prophetic warning to stop what we are doing. Fullness and ripeness: when the cup if full, it can no longer be diluted; when the fruit is ripe, it can only rot--there is no point in continuing the game..... 

'Promised land' has a nice upbeat sound that we like very much, but the great promise is worded as a curse: 'Thus saith the Lord God--Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe;.... for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon this land' (Alma 45:16). 

When Lehi's party had barely left Jerusalem, Nephi had a vision in which he 'looked and beheld the land of promise.' And what did he see? 'A mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise,' and horrible destruction and desolation (1 Nephi 12:4). Obviously one is not home-free when he has set foot upon the land of promise. Quite the opposite; from then on he must watch his step and control the impulse to do whatever he pleases and 'have it all.' For 'God has sworn in his wrath' that what went on in other lands should not go on here. There are nations that were old when Nephi left Jerusalem and whose cultures and languages, customs, manners, and traditions still survive. They have all paid a high price in human suffering as they go along from folly to folly and disaster to disaster, but they are still there. 

It is not so in the New World, where great civilizations vanish without even leaving us their names, and where no high civilization has survived. It is significant that with all the warnings and promising, only one penalty is ever mentioned, and only one means of avoiding it. 'Prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently;...and...by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up to repentance' (Jarom 1:11-12). The penalty is destruction; the deliverance: repentance. (Collected Works, 8:504-06 emphasis added). 

A brief history is helpful here. God deliberately kept the American continent hidden until the Roman Empire had broken up and the various nations had established themselves as independent kingdoms. Nobody in Europe had any conception or suspicion of the existence of the continent that we call America. America was hidden, said Lehi, because otherwise "many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance' (2 Nephi 1:8). Lehi's words cannot be fully appreciated without a brief glimpse at what Columbus would open up to the view of Europeans coming from the Old world. 

Everywhere at home the visions of Europeans fell upon horizons closed in by known landmarks or by defined frontiers--not only at the remote marches across which total strangers held sway but also at the nearby boundaries of counties, baronies, estates, communes--all barred off, unavailable, already appropriated by others. Comfort in closeness offset the confining quality of narrow boundaries. Sight of a neighboring village was a reminder of both the limits of this one and the proximity of the next. 

And once the Lord saw fit to guide Columbus to discover the 'New World,' it was a race of the European nations to come and claim all they could. The Spanish and the Portuguese in Mexico, Central and South America; and the English and French in North America--the Gentile nations--as Nephi saw in vision. At one time soon thereafter, the French claimed all the land in North America, with the exception of the Colonies, east of the Mississippi River, from Quebec to Louisiana. As part of the treaty to end the Hundred-Year War with England, France gave up all the land to Britain, except for Quebec and Louisiana. This set the stage for the Revolutionary War, and helps us understand another reason we were aided by the French. 

All that Nephi saw concerning:

• Columbus; 
• the multitudes of Gentiles upon the land of promise; 
• the Revolution and the Gentiles being delivered by the power of God; 
• the book containing a record of the Jews; 
• the founding fathers and the Constitution; 
• the Gentiles not completely destroying Lehi's descendants; 
• the Gentiles remaining in an awful state of blindness because of the plain and precious things taken from the Bible; 
• the coming forth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon to the Gentiles; 
• that if the Gentiles did not harden their hearts against the Gospel of the Lamb, they should become a blessed people; 
• America becoming the greatest nation among the Gentiles; 
• the Gentiles eventually turning away from the Lord;
• Lehi's descendants turning to the Lord and inheriting their land of promise;
• and treading the unrepentant Gentiles under foot in the same manner as the Gentiles did to them (1 Nephi 12-15; 22; 3 Nephi 16; 20-21)--

--have all come to pass as prophesied or will come to pass, also as prophesied. 

America is given to Lehi's descendants as their land of promise. The Gentiles were given the same promise, but have proven to be unworthy of this choice land, and will be swept off from the face of the land. 

The Gentiles only hope? Repent!

"But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them; 

And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them" (3 Nephi 16:8).

Notwithstanding their history, concerning the Gentiles, Christ said:

"But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel" (3 Nephi 16:15 emphasis added).

Note the reversal from being trodden under foot of the Gentiles to the Gentiles being trodden underfoot of Lehi's descendants. 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father commanded me—that I should give unto this people this land for their inheritance. And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled, which say: Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem" (3 Nephi 16:16-19).

The irony, in light of these prophecies, of promoting the slogan to make America great again, in the midst of national and individual degeneration, is the height of ignorance and arrogance. Which is also true of those Ephraimite Gentiles who not believe these prophecies, who think that all is well in Zion, but that it is others who are to blame.

"Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me, above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell thereon that they shall worship me, saith God" (2 Nephi 10:19). And not by force or coercion, but by choice.

What will be the turning point? The national and individual degeneration of the Gentiles or the failure of the Ephraimite Gentiles to turn to Christ and repent? It is the latter, so instead of pointing the finger at national and local leaders, look instead at yourself among the Lord's people in these times.

Mormon’s mourning the loss of his people the Nephites—that once they “had Christ for their shepherd” and “were led even by God the Father,” but were now “without Christ and God in the world” and were “led about by Satan” (Mormon 5:16–18)—simultaneously depicts their righteousness and wickedness. It shows that a people’s attaining such righteousness is no guarantee that they would not slip into wickedness and in the end lose both body and soul. 

From what Isaiah and Nephi saw of our day, we might do well to take warning, lest we be the very ones “utterly destroyed” before Christ comes (Isaiah 10:22–23; 2 Nephi 30:1; Ether 2:11). With even the humble followers of Christ being “led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men,” putting our “trust in man” and assuming “all is well in Zion” (2 Nephi 28:14, 21–31) won’t save us from the same fate as this land’s former inhabitants. 

Because the scriptures say it is on account of the wickedness of God’s end-time people who are of the covenant that his judgments come upon the whole world—they being the last bastion of righteousness—what promise have we of being among the remnant that survives this worldwide destruction? Nowhere do the scriptures say the church will not apostatize, as many assume, only that the priesthood will not be taken from the earth (Doctrine & Covenants 2:1; 13:1; 86:10). 

Correctly assuming with Nephi, therefore, that Isaiah’s prophecies of destruction and deliverance will be fulfilled at the end of the world (2 Nephi 25:7–8), we have a promise that some among us will not only not be destroyed, but that the reason will be because they will be turned to Christ and are ascending to a higher state of righteousness. To rise above the wickedness that prevails, it will surely be indispensable that at least a representation of souls must again be “led even by God the Father.” 

How else shall men walk through the same fire that destroys the wicked—as Isaiah and Nephi saw—in the act of bringing remnants of the house of Israel both to the Old and New Jerusalem, to establish Zion (Isaiah 43:2–8; 49:22–23;1 Nephi 22:17)? How else shall men be translated and gain power over enemies and the elements and establish Zion as Enoch did, so the Lord may come and dwell with them (Moses 7:18–20)? Did not Nephite prophets show us how that kind of divine empowerment could actually happen? 

Certainly, we cannot assume that “being led even by God the Father” is something common in the gospel of Jesus Christ and thus explain away needing to live to a higher standard as a birthright tribe in Israel. As we enter this life-and-death phase in the world’s end-time scenario, each of us is responsible for letting ourselves be led—be it by a man or men, the Holy Ghost, Jesus himself, or by God the Father. We can never be wrong by relying wholly upon the merits of Christ, for He will always bring us to our God, our Father.

There is a basis for the Lord to take the fulness of His gospel from us, and to quote Christ: "And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them" (3 Nephi 16:10-11). Lehi’s descendants will then be given this land as their land of inheritance as promised them by the Lord. And us? If we fail to repent and turn to Christ, in order to be led by God, we will be the salt of the earth that has lost its savor (3 Nephi 16:13-15).

To shed more light on us (Ephraimite Gentiles) being the cause of these endtime events concerning America, let's examine Isaiah 28. 

Isaiah 28 addresses Ephraim. Keep in mind that because "all things that he (Isaiah) spake have been and shall be" (3 Nephi 23:3), the description of Ephraim as a people and a nation is both historical and prophetic.

Isaiah depicts the Ephraimite nation (America in our time), as drunk, but the 'wine' with which the people are drunk refers to wealth and glory, which is fading. The political leaders of Ephraim are drunk and under a curse. The people of Ephraim live in a state of carnal security.

Isaiah foretells the destruction of Ephraim by the hand of the King of Assyria whom the Lord uses to put down the glory of Ephraim. The proud garlands of Ephraim shall be (note the link) trodden under foot. Ephraim assumes that the victories of former years will repeat themselves, but Ephraim is mistaken. The Assyrians overpower the Ephraimites in the Lord's day of judgment.

There is, however, a remnant of Ephraim (Lehi's descendants and those Ephraimite Gentiles who repent) with whom the Lord will renew His covenant in the last days. This remnant whom the Lord refers to as His People" survive the Assyrian attack. The covenant formula "His People" signifies that the Lord renews the covenant "in that day" or the Lord's day of judgment.

Isaiah singles out for condemnation not only political, but also religious leaders. The religious leaders of Ephraim suffer from being intoxicated with the wine of self-deception. This intoxication causes them to lapse in their ministry. This links to another passage in Isaiah that condemns the watchmen of the Lord's people for failing to warn them of the impending judgment (Isaiah 56:10-12).

Isaiah describes Ephraim's "tables" as being filled with vomit. Tables signify symbolically the vehicle for conveying spiritual food. The idea of tables denotes books or tablets containing the word of God. The content of these tables, however, is impure. These tables abound with partially digested truths regurgitated for the people to consume.

Isaiah then introduces the idea of direct revelation and contrasts it with the rote method of learning used by the people of Ephraim. Direct revelation is the Lord's answer to the people's self-deception. Isaiah, however, questions their readiness to receive such pure instruction because they live on a diet of vomit and excrement. He likens them to babes newly weaned who are yet incapable of digesting solid food.

Isaiah uses repetition, assonance and alliteration in the Hebrew to parody satirically the rote method of learning God's word that the people of Ephraim use. This is the schoolmaster method of learning--repeating parrot fashion what the mentor articulates. The idea of precept upon precept appears in three other instances in scripture. All contrast it with a higher form of revelation.

Isaiah reflects a stage of spiritual progression beyond that of weanlings. The revelation the Lord has in mind for his people prepare them for events that will soon occur in rapid succession. Unfortunately, the people of Ephraim do not put themselves in a position to receive such instruction.

Now the Lord refers to the people as "this people" which expresses a negative view of the Lord's people. The incomprehensible speech and strange tongue refers to the foreign tongue of the Assyrians (an unidentified endtime world power). If the Lord's people (Ephraim) do not receive the revelations the Lord desires to give them, then He must speak to them by another alien means. The Lord employs the Assyrians, allowing them to overrun his people's land (America) to put them in mind of Him.

More of the word of God divides those whom the Lord blesses from those He curses. Unfortunately, the people of Ephraim as a whole will not hear anything more than the idea of precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. To them this one aspect represents the whole word of God. They mistake a preparatory Gospel for the Gospel's fullness and thereby reject the fullness of the Gospel (3 Nephi 16).

Isaiah depicts those to whom the word of the Lord remained precept upon precept, as becoming ensnared and taken captive. The imagery used by Isaiah dramatically illustrates the effect of being content with anything less than divine personal revelation. Comparing the rote method of learning with receiving direct instruction from God, Isaiah shows us that one leads to rest (God's presence) and the other to bondage.

To regard the lesser portion of God's word as an end in itself, not as a preparation for the greater portion, means we forfeit our salvation. Isaiah's context of the Lord's day of Judgment adds a note of practical urgency as well as a ring of condemnation. For many it may be too late! Like those with Moses in the wilderness, they harden their hearts at a critical time.

Joseph Smith said: "The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faithful and diligent. If a man does not get knowledge he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world as evil spirits will have more knowledge and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence there needs to be revelation to assist us and give us knowledge of the things of God" (Teachings of The Prophet Joseph Smith p. 217). And he means personal revelation! "Any man that will not receive revelation for himself must be damned" (The Words of Joseph Smith, p. 230).

So at a time in America where most of what we hear are lies upon lies upon lies, do not be deceived into thinking that it is those other Gentiles who are at fault. We get nothing out of the scriptures if we continually think of ourselves as the good guys.

Isaiah teaches us that humanity as a whole will degenerate to the point that both Israel and the nations share Jehovah’s common condemnation. Still, it isn’t America who precipitates this national ruin but the Lord’s alienated people. In a real sense, therefore, the Lord's people today act as a catalyst for what happens to humanity, both national and international.

So it is with the nations (Gentiles) and the Lord's people (Ephraimite  Gentiles) today. We act as a catalyst for what happens to America.

A reversal of circumstances thus takes place between two categories of people in a time of Jehovah’s worldwide judgment: the ruin of transgressors and the rebirth of those who repent.

Next: But We Have The Book! And Its Words Will Judge Us!

This is a series of posts on the Book of Mormon. You can read the Introductory post via this link.