Getting together with your extended family can be a lot of fun, but the why and the way they did it in chapter 7 of 3rd Nephi sounds less than pleasant. Those who had wanted a king destroyed the government and killed the chief judge and everyone split up into their families or tribes.
..."the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.
2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land."
Notice it said they did divide "one against another." The adversary would have us be wicked, separated, and "sifted as wheat". When we aren't united in righteousness, we lose every time.
vs. 3
" And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.
" And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.
vs. 4 " Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great."
We know that the family unit is how eternity is organized, but there is nothing heavenly about this situation as we read on into verse 6 and 7.
"And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.
And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them."
What must that have been like? You and all your (most likely) unrighteous family are hunkering down for mutual support because the government (read laws and other stuff to keep you safe) is gone. It says in seven, "nearly all became wicked" so you can imagine how much fun your relatives might be to live with. This would not be your average throw-the-frisbee-and-have-a-nice-picnic family reunion. This would be ugly.
The friends and family of those who had entered into the secret combination established a king named Jacob, and he was a smart enough leader to know he was outnumbered by the non-secret- combination-but-still-pretty-wicked people who hated him and his people for destroying the government and their way of life.
" Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so." (vs. 12)
This allowed those remaining to agree not to kill each and "in some degree they had peace." (vs. 14)
"... nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them." (vs. 14)
These "peaceful" but wicked people may have been stoning the prophets and casting them out, but apparently this was no deterrent to Nephi. While his people's change from righteousness to wickedness was quick enough to make his head spin and his heart break, it did not weaken his resolve to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love Nephi!
Apparently, so did Jesus, because 5 chapters from now, after all the destruction and death, Christ will call Nephi to him by name when he appears at the temple in Zarahemla. I am amazed at the love and service he gave to the very people who would have liked to destroy him.
"15 And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;
16 Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—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.
17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.
18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.
19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.
20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.
21 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.
22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people."
Nephi did not let his apparent failure to help the Nephites remain righteous stop him from going forth and trying to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ! It says right in 21 that "there were but few who were converted unto the Lord" but it did not slow him down. And Nephi was not alone in doing all this good.
"25 Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins."
I am glad Nephi wasn't alone in preaching righteousness. A few righteous friends can make all the difference.
And in the last verse, more people do start becoming righteous.
What does this make me think about?
1. I want to be as stubborn, and brave, and righteous as Nephi. And I want to know how he pulled it off. Was his amazing faith the magic bullet for the discouragement that could have so easily beset him? See this video about the power that comes from faith in Christ. It is very instructive.
So is this one.
2. Sometimes you have to wait awhile before the righteous who turned wicked will turn righteous again. And they may want to destroy you before they repent.
3. We have to be ready to teach those who are not interested in the message of Jesus Christ. We have to love them.
4. I want to have faith like Nephi that is so great that people could not disbelieve my words when I taught.
5. I want to be unstoppable in teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When I think about people who are unstoppable, I usually think of Isaiah. When God needed someone to preach, he came forward.
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Isaiah 6:4 KJV
He taught a people who usually did not listen to him and he was supposedly put in a hollow tree and cut in half by those who did not appreciate his calls to repentance. But even death did not stop him as we read about his ministry in the 138th section of the Doctrine and Covenants verse 42 to those who did not have the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ while living on the earth.
I wonder if Nephi is there also, teaching along side Isaiah. Wherever he is, I bet he is doing something amazing.
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