Lessons on the Book of Mormon 2020
Lesson No. Thirty-Four
Our Responsibility When the Whole Earth is in Commotion – Helaman 13
A few righteous people can preserve a city, a nation, and the world – The Lord called Samuel the Lamanite to “prophesy to the people whatsoever things should come into his heart” (Helaman 13:3). Samuel prophesied that if the Nephites did not repent they would eventually be destroyed. (See Helaman 13:4-11) He also repeated three times that Zarahemla was spared because of righteous people:
“Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved” (Helaman 13:12)
“But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it” (Helaman 13:13).
“But behold, it is for the righteous’ sake that it is spared” (Helaman 13:14).
When there are not enough righteous people, the world is ripe for destruction – Samuel also taught: “When ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction” (Helaman 13:14). The fate of Sodom also demonstrates this principle. If there had been ten righteous people in Sodom it would not have destroyed:
“And Abraham drew near (to the Lord), and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for fifty righteous that are therein?...And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes” (Genesis 18:22-26).
The Lord would not have destroyed Sodom if there fifty righteous people, then forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, then ten. (See Genesis 18:26-33) Because there were not ten righteous people, “then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24).
People are either for the kingdom of God or they are against it – Nephi was given to know of the good and evil in our day: “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, who so belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abomination” (1 Nephi 14:10).
That “there are save two churches only” means that there are two basic forces in the world – the force for good, which is the church of the Lamb of God, and the force for evil, which is the church of the devil. The church of the Lamb of God has the power of God unto salvation, and the church of the devil does not. The church of the devil is the world and all worldly influences. These worldly influences may not of themselves be evil or wrong, but if things like work, sports, entertainment, etc. keep us out of the church of the Lamb of God then they are part of the church of the devil.
The church of God and the church of the devil will be in opposition – Nephi saw that the church of the devil will have “dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.” In the church of the Lamb of God the “numbers were few…nevertheless…the saints of God were upon all the face of the earth” and the world will “fight against the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 14:11-13).
Membership in the church of the Lamb of God or the church of the devil is not so much determined by where our records are but where our heart is. There are people who are on the membership records of the Restored Church Jesus Christ but whose heart is in the world. Conversely, “there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men…and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12).
The Lord will preserve and prosper His people – Nephi concluded his prophesy concerning the latter days:
“For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
“Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire” (1 Nephi 22:16-17).
Our greatest responsibility and opportunity is to live and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ – The Book of Mormon makes it clear that in the latter days “the covenant people of the Lord” will not dominate by numbers. But they will be “armed with righteousness” and with the priesthood – “the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).
“While it may be said…that we are but a handful in comparison with…the world, yet we may be compared with the leaven of which the Savior spoke, which will eventually leaven (or lift) the whole world” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, April 2010).