How Bullies Build Zion and Destroy Themselves. Eventually.

3 Nephi 4

The more I think about how the Nephites willingly left their lands and brought all their animals and provisions to one area between Zarahemla and Bountiful to protect their families from the Gadianton Robbers, the more I am impressed by how difficult it must have been and how united in purpose
they were to actually accomplish it.

It was a drastic measure, but it was effective.    It says in Vs. 3 that the wicked robbers were starving to death because the Nephites left nothing behind to steal, and they were "all in one body."  All in  one body sounds like Zion as described in  Moses 7:18 to me if, in fact, they were righteous and there were no poor among them, which they must have been or, living as they were,  they would have destroyed each other way before the GR's could have even tried.

The Nephites had  prepared enough to survive together for 7 years (vs 4) in which they hoped to destroy the robbers off the face of the land.  This makes me think that:
1.  The Nephites weren't so bad.
2.  The Gadianton Robbers were really bad.    Who would leave their lands to hang out with thousands of others if they were not being seriously impacted by these Book of Mormon bullies.

Because the GRs couldn't steal what they needed, one separate place at a time,  they had to go against all of the Nephites.  This was much harder.  They prepared for war by making themselves look scary (vs 7).

When the Nephite's saw the GR's army, they fell to the earth and started praying.  The GR's were happy, thinking their battle swag would defeat their enemies and finally get them  a decent meal. They were wrong.

"...for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them."

The GR's leave the Nephites alone for a few years, but then their new leader, Zamnarihah, directed them to surround the Nephite stronghold on every side in one last act of desperation.    But the siege didn't work because those Nephites just had too much stuff stored for it to have any effect on them.

Not only was the siege ineffective, but the Nephites kept going out day and night   "and falling upon their armies, and cutting them off by thousands and by tens of thousands." (vs. 21)

This made the GR's want to run away, and so they did.   But as they marched to the wilderness in the north, Gidgiddoni sent out his armies in the night time and did cut off the GR's  way of retreat, and did place his armies in the way of their retreat.  Those who did not yield themselves up as prisoners were slain, and their leader Zemnarihah was hanged on a tree. Then they cut down the tree and prayed in thanksgiving to God who had preserved them.  

I wish I could hear what their prayer was like.  I wish I could hear the song they sang!!!

"And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction."

and they knew it was because 

of their repentance and their humility 

that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

(Sounds like an equation for success any of us can follow).

These Nephites had been wicked enough to stone a prophet sent by the Lord (Samuel)  but had repented when they were under the gun...er, arrow.   I guess the really wicked Nephites and Lamanites had run to join the GR's before this happened so it was just the more righteous that were left.   The constant attacks from the GR's helped bring the  Nephites together both physically and spiritually and created a force that would decimate the evil that threatened to destroy them.  

These days, those who stand bravely for moral, God-given principles, are being attacked by society, governments, and modern day Gaddianton Robbers--not necessarily robbers of physical goods, but of testimonies and faith and real happiness.  

People are having to decide if they gather with the righteous (ideologically) bringing all their resources and whatever family will follow, or if they will listen to the flattering words of the GR's (3 Nephi 1:29), and call evil, good and good, evil.

The irony is that by trying to destroy righteousness, they will build it.  Eventually.  

And then, what a song we will sing.