Helaman 10

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 green6/21 9/22 Brown 11/23.) 

CHAPTER 10

The Lord gives Nephi the sealing power—He is empowered to bind and loose on earth and in heaven—He commands the people to repent or perish—The Spirit carries him from multitude to multitude. About 21–20 B.C.

  1 And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, I wish that were the normal pattern...just go your own ways...leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.
  2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him. New things? or concerning the murder of the chief judge? or the impending judgments?
  3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a ^avoice came unto him Take time to ponder....saying:
  4 ^aBlessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with ^bunwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine ^cown life, but hast sought my ^dwill, and to keep my commandments. We must not fear man or death in obeying the Lord.
  5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that ^aall things shall be ^bdone unto thee according to thy ^cword, for thou shalt ^dnot ask that which is contrary to my will. Is this is "calling and election"? If it is, I should not think I will receive my own without similar obedience and testing...
  6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with ^afamine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people. Why do people see our current drought/looming famine as anything but judgement from God because of our wickedness? Do famines always come at the "word" of prophets?
  7 Behold, I give unto you ^apower, that whatsoever ye shall ^bseal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
  8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.
  9 And if ye shall say unto this ^amountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.
 10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.
 11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto ^adestruction. Still waiting for this from our prophet. But it seems like his focus is gaining the friendship of the world. Would feel a little like back-stabbing to turn around and tell everyone they are being wicked and need to repent. But surely this must come! I also love that he clearly states "thus saith the Lord God". We should not be unclear when man speaks for God...
 12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent. He didn't even go home first...went immediately. Such obedience!
 13 Now behold, ^anotwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord. What? Will we see this in our day? Pres. Nelson said we will yet see great manifestations that Jesus is the head of this church. Will it be for this same purpose? To gather in the righteous and prepare the wicked for destruction without excuse?
 14 Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be ^asmitten even unto destruction.
 15 And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did ^arevile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison.
 16 But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and ^aconveyed away out of the midst of them. Sounds like the very same thing that happened to Jesus when they sought to take him and kill him. 
 17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people. Apparently they could not stop him...
 18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword. weird. What were they divided about if they all would not listen? What happened to those that first spoke out in support of Nephi? Did they "turn"? Or are they the ones that the others are divided against? Why do people kill each other over differences in beliefs? 
 19 And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.