Many prophets cry repentance and are slain

[mes5464]

This is the chapter heading for 3 Nephi Chapter 6.

The Nephites prosper—Pride, wealth, and class distinctions arise—The Church is rent with dissensions—Satan leads the people in open rebellion—Many prophets cry repentance and are slain—Their murderers conspire to take over the government. About A.D. 26–30.

Who are these many prophets that "cry repentance and are slain"?
They aren't THE prophet, he survives to keep writing his account.

Was there such a thing as Apostles BEFORE the birth of Christ?
Were these simply missionaries doing mission work?

Were these the "awake" trying to awaken others? They were killed by the Gadiantons! Could they have been "awake" politicians? Or, where they just bold priesthood holders that spoke out publicly against the sins of the people and government?

Would we be prophets if we spoke out? Or is the title reserved only for one who dies for speaking out? Perhaps Dr Jones is a prophet that was stoned (fired) for crying repentance? Should the awake risk death now by speaking out boldly, nobly, and independent?

[Book of Ruth]

This is the exact chapter I read with similar questions this week. I am often hesitant to voice my scripture study findings because I don't want to preach false doctrine, even though it's right there for everyone to read in the scriptures.

An example is: 1 Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that bobey not the gospel of God?

When I tell my friends and family that the cleansing will begin with the Saints and at the temple, they do not believe me. I'm like, "Its in Peter and the D&C, and many prophets have prophecied this". And they will not research, they literally stare at the scripture and say something like, "this means the jews".

So, I've been hesitant to say anything, but in regards to 3 Nephi Chp 6, I felt that this scripture applied:
D&C 88:81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.

I think the "many....slain" were probably those who were warning their neighbors (friends, family), but those who would not hear (after all who is my family member to warn me? What gives them the right?), slew them to quiet them so that there were no more "reminders" that perhaps they just might not be "saved" simply because they were members of the Church.

[A Random Phrase]

Cross reference it with Lehi #1. There were many prophets in Jerusalem prophesying (not just Jeremiah). After Lehi was converted to the truth of their messages, he began prophesying and preaching repentance - and they tried to kill him, too. Thus it seems that anyone who has seen Christ is called to prophesy and to preach repentance if Christ gives him the charge to do so.

Logical conclusion (for me) - men may come from unexpected places to cry repentance. When we see several men crying repentance (especially if they have said they have seen Christ, are urging people to stay in the church, and they are not seeking a following), then we should know that our circumstances are dire - especially if those prophets (whether in the hierarchy, out of it, or both) begin being killed.

[mes5464]

Here is my take on 3 Nephi 6:

1 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.

2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward.

3 And they granted unto those robbers who had aentered into a covenant to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to remain Lamanites, lands, according to their numbers, that they might have, with their labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and thus they did establish peace in all the land.

4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was great aorder in the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and justice.

5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.

6 And now it was aGidgiddoni, and the judge, bLachoneus, and those who had been appointed leaders, who had established this great peace in the land.

And now it came to pass that after the Americans had destroyed the Gadianton robbers, who called themselves Red Coats and Loyalists, out of the land they established the Constitution in all the land and there was nothing to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.

And now it was George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere ... who had established this great peace in the land.

7 And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew, and there were many old cities repaired.

8 And there were many ahighways cast up, and many roads made, which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from place to place.

9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had continual peace.

10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.

And it came to pass that the people did prosper and spread over all the face of the land, building cities and highways.

For there were many merchants in the land, like GE, Ford, Microsoft, AT&T, Rand, Halliburton, and the Federal Reserve. There were also many, many lawyers, and employees of government. Yea, many government employees did existed at the local, state, and federal levels. And they did all make their livings on the backs of the tax payers.

12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.

13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.

14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and learning. Yea, 1% of the people became very rich and started to look down on the 99% that were poor. And they despised the poor for they were perceived as not being as smart and the 1%. And many of the 99% were tricked into thinking that by gaining a high priced education that the 99% would be made equal with the 1%, but instead they found themselves slaves to great student loan debt that did bind them.

And there arose a division in the church between those who saw nothing wrong with the actions of the rich, and those who knew that this inequality was a great and dangerous sin to the church and America.

15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.

17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God.

19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did govern the people that year.

Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was Satan had great power and hold on their hearts. They were puffed up in their pride, thinking they were better than others. And they sought power, authority and riches. And he did tempt them with many gross sins like homosexuality.

Now the people did not sin ignorantly, because of television, radio, and press. Behold the prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ did teach all the world the will of God concerning them.

Therefore, they did wilfully rebel against God and had a parade to celebrate their sin of sodomy. And they were joined by many in the church that felt there was no sin in sodomy.

20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.

And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth in all the land to preach of the return of Jesus Christ. They did testify boldly that the sins of this generation were a sign that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would soon occur. And they did testify of the cleansing of America if the people would not repent.

21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things.

There were many people in authority, who were part of the 1%, who were angry because of the inspired men from heaven. For they did truly condemn the 1%, and the tares, and the goats. Yea, they did condemn the violations of the Constitution, homosexuality, the decay of the family, and unrighteous wars. Those who were angry were the government officials (politicians), the judges and lawyers, the high priests, and the homosexuals. Yea, ALL the lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things.

22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could have power to condemn any one to death save their condemnation was signed by the governor of the land.

23 Now there were many of those who testified of the things pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their death came not unto the governor of the land until after their death.

24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that any man should be put to death except they had power from the governor of the land—

25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to the governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned the prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law.

Now, there was a law in the land that a man could only be condemned to death by a jury of his peers.

Never the less, the lawyers, judges, and president did pass a law granting them the authority to arrest any many they deemed to be a threat to the government. And that person was taken away to a secret place, never to be heard from again. And they called this law the Nation Defense Authorization Act so that more ignorant people would blindly support it, not having read it themselves. And thus the president to kill any man that opposed him.

26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought up before the judge, to be judged of the crime which they had done, according to the law which had been given by the people.

27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law.

28 And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.

29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be administered according to the law.

30 And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.

Now they were brought before Congressional panels to be judge for their crimes but the chief judges did demand to only testify in secret and not under oath, and their demands were granted because they did have many friends and kinsmen in the Congress. And they were finally released and declared innocent. And the Congress did pass laws to justify them in their secret murders. And they did set at defiance the Constitution, and they did covenant one with another to destroy the government and to establish a king over the land, THAT THE LAND SHOULD NO MORE BE AT LIBERTY BUT SHOULD BE SUBJECT UNTO KINGS!

[marc]

Well done, mes5464! A fine example of "likening the scriptures" unto us. I shared this elsewhere, but it bears repeating here as well:

Ether 8:23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

The more I ponder the Books of Mosiah, Alma and Helaman, the more the following quote impacts my mind:

"...the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time."--President Ezra Taft Benson

Is it any wonder that we in the church study the Book of Mormon not only every four years, but more specifically during each election year? Coincidence?