1 Nephi 22 |
Revelation |
Isaiah |
1 Nephi 22:Verse 26 26 And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. |
Revelation 18:Verse 2 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:Verse 21 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Revelation 18:Verse 22 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Revelation 18:Verse 23 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. |
Isaiah 13:Verse 19 19 ¶ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah 13:Verse 20 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. Isaiah 13:Verse 21 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. Isaiah 13:Verse 22 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in [their] pleasant palaces: and her time [is] near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. |
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. (3 Nephi 13:19 -24).
Zion is a collective "one heart and one mind" loving God with all your heart might mind and strength, and loving your neighbor and all mankind as yourself, while Babylon is an individual 'one heart and one mind' seeking individual security and gain. Korihor taught the doctrine of Babylon in the Book of Mormon, stating that "every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime" (Alma 30:17). Cain put this concept in a way easily understood by asking God, "am I my brothers keeper" (an attitude of Zion) yet, he revels in the doctrine of perdition and Babylon, that he can "murder and get gain" (Moses 5:33-34).
Our spiritual environment is created individually, in our hearts and minds, and then our "own spiritual environment" creates our character and personality. By our disposition and choice we will find and purchase a comfortable home in the city of Zion or perhaps Babylon. Thus, heaven, and hell are created in the individual hearts and minds of mankind. "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Matthew 12:35).
The destructions that will come upon the inhabitants of the earth and those active in the church of the devil, will bring about a humility that will leave Babylon a desolate waste land. Hearts and minds devoid of the pride and enmity that desires a personal profit in all things and at all costs, will not support the principles upon which Babylon is founded. Without the demand for the things of the world, the supply will be suspended.
"Satan has no power," teaches Nephi, "because of the righteousness of his people," and he "cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of
the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth" (1 Nephi 22:26). This implies that Satan can be bound in our individual life, without waiting for the destruction of Babylon, as the Doctrine and Covenants teach
that this binding comes because "he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men" (D&C 45:55). What are we waiting for? Remember only half of the virgins were ready for the Bridegroom. Do we wait to be compelled to humility,
and forced into a Zion attitude and society? If it's forced its' a failure. "And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves
because of the word? Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty" (Alma
32:14-15). Mormon records the thoughts and words of those "compelled to be humble" after the great destructions that obliterated the Nephite civilization, before the coming of Christ in Third Nephi:
. . . and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.
24 And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla.
25 And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and
our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah. And thus were the howlings of the people great and terrible.(3 Nephi 8:23-25).
Such somber and pitiful words are not found in any scripture as the people were heard to cry and mourn because of their wickedness, and the wickedness of their "brethren." The voice of God proclaims the extent of the destructions and that they came about because of "their wickedness and their abominations" (3 Nephi 9:12). The Lord reveals that even though they were spared, it was not because they were righteous, but that they were "more righteous" than those that perished, commanding that they now "repent of their sins and be converted" (3 Nephi 9:13-14).
The Book of Mormon, we are told is the pattern of the Last-days and the words above should cause some reflection upon our lives and the scriptural paradigms contained therein. Should we question ourselves about these truths: Are these things written to the wicked, and non-members of our day? If so, will they read, learn and believe them? Who are they really written to? There is only one group of people who will read the Book of Mormon and supposedly take it seriously, and they are the Latter-day Saints. Are the things contained in the Book of Mormon, for members of the church today? Are we to assume that after the great destructions and upheavals of nature, when Babylon is destroyed, that those that remain, will do so because they are more righteous than the dead? Will the more part of the righteous that remain in the near future, be heard to "cry and mourn saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day?" Or will we declare, like the Zoramites, that we're thankful we are not like others who are wicked and sinful, but righteous in all things, professing from our rameumpton that all is well in Zion. Should we as Latter-day Saints look with a critical eye at our righteousness and be so bold as to liken scripture unto ourselves, or consider our righteousness a refuge from scriptural history, and prophecy? Could Mormon and King Benjamin really be talking to the Latter-day Saints when they council to remember our "own nothingness" (Mosiah 4:5, 11; Helaman 12:7) before God. Modern day prophets have declared to members of the true church about the "False Gods we Worship," and to "Beware of Pride" lest we become as the Nephites of old. The terrible questions require individual reflection upon; our relationship with a personal Savior, the knowledge that there are "none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10), and a serious look as scripture.
1 Nephi 22 |
Revelation |
Isaiah |
1 Nephi 22:Verse 26 26 And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. |
Revelation 18:Verse 2 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:Verse 21 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Revelation 18:Verse 22 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Revelation 18:Verse 23 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. |
Isaiah 13:Verse 19 19 ¶ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Isaiah 13:Verse 20 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. Isaiah 13:Verse 21 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. Isaiah 13:Verse 22 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in [their] pleasant palaces: and her time [is] near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. |
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. (3 Nephi 13:19 -24).
Zion is a collective "one heart and one mind" loving God with all your heart might mind and strength, and loving your neighbor and all mankind as yourself, while Babylon is an individual 'one heart and one mind' seeking individual security and gain. Korihor taught the doctrine of Babylon in the Book of Mormon, stating that "every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime" (Alma 30:17). Cain put this concept in a way easily understood by asking God, "am I my brothers keeper" (an attitude of Zion) yet, he revels in the doctrine of perdition and Babylon, that he can "murder and get gain" (Moses 5:33-34).
Our spiritual environment is created individually, in our hearts and minds, and then our "own spiritual environment" creates our character and personality. By our disposition and choice we will find and purchase a comfortable home in the city of Zion or perhaps Babylon. Thus, heaven, and hell are created in the individual hearts and minds of mankind. "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Matthew 12:35).
The destructions that will come upon the inhabitants of the earth and those active in the church of the devil, will bring about a humility that will leave Babylon a desolate waste land. Hearts and minds devoid of the pride and enmity that desires a personal profit in all things and at all costs, will not support the principles upon which Babylon is founded. Without the demand for the things of the world, the supply will be suspended.
"Satan has no power," teaches Nephi, "because of the righteousness of his people," and he "cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of
the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth" (1 Nephi 22:26). This implies that Satan can be bound in our individual life, without waiting for the destruction of Babylon, as the Doctrine and Covenants teach
that this binding comes because "he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men" (D&C 45:55). What are we waiting for? Remember only half of the virgins were ready for the Bridegroom. Do we wait to be compelled to humility,
and forced into a Zion attitude and society? If it's forced its' a failure. "And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves
because of the word? Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty" (Alma
32:14-15). Mormon records the thoughts and words of those "compelled to be humble" after the great destructions that obliterated the Nephite civilization, before the coming of Christ in Third Nephi:
. . . and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.
24 And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla.
25 And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and
our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah. And thus were the howlings of the people great and terrible.(3 Nephi 8:23-25).
Such somber and pitiful words are not found in any scripture as the people were heard to cry and mourn because of their wickedness, and the wickedness of their "brethren." The voice of God proclaims the extent of the destructions and that they came about because of "their wickedness and their abominations" (3 Nephi 9:12). The Lord reveals that even though they were spared, it was not because they were righteous, but that they were "more righteous" than those that perished, commanding that they now "repent of their sins and be converted" (3 Nephi 9:13-14).
The Book of Mormon, we are told is the pattern of the Last-days and the words above should cause some reflection upon our lives and the scriptural paradigms contained therein. Should we question ourselves about these truths: Are these things written to the wicked, and non-members of our day? If so, will they read, learn and believe them? Who are they really written to? There is only one group of people who will read the Book of Mormon and supposedly take it seriously, and they are the Latter-day Saints. Are the things contained in the Book of Mormon, for members of the church today? Are we to assume that after the great destructions and upheavals of nature, when Babylon is destroyed, that those that remain, will do so because they are more righteous than the dead? Will the more part of the righteous that remain in the near future, be heard to "cry and mourn saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day?" Or will we declare, like the Zoramites, that we're thankful we are not like others who are wicked and sinful, but righteous in all things, professing from our rameumpton that all is well in Zion. Should we as Latter-day Saints look with a critical eye at our righteousness and be so bold as to liken scripture unto ourselves, or consider our righteousness a refuge from scriptural history, and prophecy? Could Mormon and King Benjamin really be talking to the Latter-day Saints when they council to remember our "own nothingness" (Mosiah 4:5, 11; Helaman 12:7) before God. Modern day prophets have declared to members of the true church about the "False Gods we Worship," and to "Beware of Pride" lest we become as the Nephites of old. The terrible questions require individual reflection upon; our relationship with a personal Savior, the knowledge that there are "none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10), and a serious look as scripture.