3 Nephi 4

(Marci - red;Kathy-green; Liz purple; Marci red 2020 Orange 2021 Brown 2022)

Chapter 4

The Nephite armies defeat the Gadianton robbers—Giddianhi is slain, and his successor, Zemnarihah, is hanged—The Nephites praise the Lord for their victories. About A.D. 19–22.

  1 And it came to pass that in the latter end of the eighteenth year those armies of ^arobbers had prepared for battle, and began to come down and to sally forth from the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds, and their ^bsecret places, and began to take possession of the lands, both which were in the land south and which were in the land north, and began to take possession of all the lands which had been ^cdeserted by the Nephites, and the cities which had been left desolate. Our living God is the true master of ministering. We must be as the Nephites when the great and terrible army came upon them. They prayed to God. Wonder what they thought when they came down and found all these cities just there for them to take without battle. I'll bet they loved it, since they hate to work for anything! In 2020 the Secret Combinations came out of hiding and began taking possession of the world, which had spiritually been deserted. Few governments put up a fight and they have taken many hearts and minds captive.
  2 But behold, there were no wild beasts nor ^agame in those lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and there was no game for the robbers save it were in the wilderness. Surprise!
  3 And the robbers could not exist save it were in the wilderness, for the want of food; for the Nephites had left their lands desolate, and had gathered their flocks and their herds and all their substance, I wonder if they did anything to purposely leave them no food and they were in one body.
  4 Therefore, there was no chance for the robbers to plunder If we are united, Satan has no chance against us! and to obtain food, save it were to come up in open battle against the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number, and having reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of ^bseven years, in the which time they did hope to destroy the robbers from off the face of the land; and thus the eighteenth year did pass away. The Nephite's safety was dependent upon them following the prophet; gathering together and taking everything they needed for SEVEN years! As we minister and gather Israel, we need to teach that safety, temporal and spiritual safety, lies in following the Lord and His ordained prophets as instructed by the Lord and not man. vs 1-4: The Nephites' obedience to the warnings of Lachoneus, means that there is nothing for the Lamanites to pillage, when they sweep down from the mountains.  The Nephites had gathered in 7-years' worth of food and provisions and I'm guessing because of the lack of wild beasts and game for the Lamanites to eat, that the Nephites must have diligently 'harvested' all that game, and processed it through drying, to store up against their time of need.  The Nephites had really banded together to help one another safely gather in every needful thing to Zarahemla.  I know that there are many in this land who are not members of the church, who hear the clarion call to prepare--people with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that understand, the whisperings of the spirit, but don't know it.  There's a movement afoot, and many are helping one another for that portent of dark clouds on the horizon, that are even closer now, than when President Hinckley saw them coming.
  5 And it came to pass that in the nineteenth year Giddianhi found that it was expedient that he should go up to battle against the Nephites, for there was no  way that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder. Hard work and farming were not an option?
  6 And they durst not spread themselves upon the face of the land insomuch that they could raise grain, lest the Nephites should come upon them and slay them; Pretty sure that was not the Nephite's plan, but the Gads can't comprehend that. therefore Giddianhi gave commandment unto his armies that in this year they should go up to battle against the Nephites. 
  7 And it came to pass that they did come up to battle; and it was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood. whos' blood? probably animal blood
  8 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites, when they saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. Model in your ministering, that the reaction to the appearance of terrible evil and threats is to fall to the earth and cry to the Lord to deliver you. You can do that with confidence if you have prepared as best you can beforehand.
  9 And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this How did they see this? I thought they were all walled inside the city? they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror of their armies.
 10 But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not ^afear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for ^bprotection; 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. Help others to fear God, not man, no matter how fearsome they appear. Encourage others to be humble and have faith and to obey God's commands. Help others prepare to receive the enemy (Satan) "in the strength of the Lord." vs 7-10: The Lamanites are filled with courage and joy, when they see the reaction of the Nephites to their terrifying appearance, but the Nephites did not fear them (the footnote to fear in this verse is reverence).  They weren't falling down with reverence to the Gadiantons, they were supplicating their God for protection.  As in every battle fought on this earth, the Nephite brothers were shouting out and giving support to one another, as well, for courage and faith, and well-doing.  In the thick of the battle of our day, let us remember that we need to lend our support to one another, to remind ourselves that we are a team, and that we're in this together.  We can have each others' back, and assist when another is weakened or injured, and they, in turn, can come to our aid.
 11 And the battle commenced in this the sixth month; and great and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was the ^aslaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem. They must have gone outside the city to meet them, and while they were afar off, but within sight, is when they must have been praying.
 12 And notwithstanding the ^athreatenings and the oaths which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.
 13 And it came to pass that ^aGidgiddoni commanded that his armies should pursue them as far as the borders of the wilderness, and that they should not spare any that should fall into their hands by the way; and thus they did pursue them and did slay them, to the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the commandment of Gidgiddoni. The battle is horrible, and many die on both sides, but the Nephites prevail. They follow Gidgiddoni's every command and are victorious.  Even if we go down in this final battle before the Millennium, if our spiritual purity is intact, we will still be standing on the Victor's side.
14 And it came to pass that Giddianhi, who had stood and fought with boldness, was pursued as he fled; and being weary because of his much fighting he was overtaken and slain. The devil does not support or protect his followers. And thus was the end of Giddianhi the robber.
 15 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites did return again to their place of security. And it came to pass that this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not come again to battle; neither did they come again in the twentieth year.
 16 And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege round about the people of Nephi; for they did suppose that if they should cut off the people of Nephi from their ^alands, and should hem them in on every side, and if they should cut them off from all their outward privileges, that they could cause them to yield themselves up according to their wishes. There is peace for a time.  Giddianhi had been slain, and the Gadiantons retreat to the mountains to lick their wounds and appoint a new leader.  During this time, the Nephites minister to one another, burying the dead, caring for the new widows and fatherless, and preparing with fewer warriors, for the next imminent battles. For certain, the Nephites are remembering God in all they are doing, in this, their plight. I think maybe the great slaughter was not at all on the Nephite side. There is no mention of them mourning the loss of their men or burying them. Only great rejoicing. 

 17 Now they had appointed unto themselves another leader, whose name was Zemnarihah; therefore it was Zemnarihah that did cause that this siege should take place.
 18 But behold, this was an advantage to the Nephites; for it was impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any effect upon the Nephites, because of their ^amuch ^bprovision which they had laid up in store, Notice that their physical safety came from the provisions that they had stored. Encourage others to "prepare every needful thing" and to store food "against a day of want" as we have been warned and counseled to do.
 19 And because of the scantiness of provisions among the robbers; for behold, they had nothing save it were meat for their subsistence, which meat they did obtain in the wilderness;

 20 And it came to pass that the ^awild game became scarce in the wilderness insomuch that the robbers were about to perish with hunger.

 21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and by night, and falling upon their armies, and cutting them off by thousands and by tens of thousands. vs 17-21:The Gadiantons are having a tough time of it, finding enough food to subsist, and the Nephites, because of their preparedness and helping one another, were strong, and would go out and take down tens of thousands of the Lamanites at a time. Perhaps, when our enemies are weak, we can find opportunities to minister to them, and help them to find the truth.  If we are wise and listen to the Spirit in those times, we can be guided in ways that can still search out and gather in many of Father's children.

 22 And thus it became the desire of the people of Zemnarihah to withdraw from their design, because of the great destruction which came upon them by night and by day.
 23 And it came to pass that Zemnarihah did give command unto his people that they should withdraw themselves from the siege, and march into the furthermost parts of the land northward.
 24 And now, Gidgiddoni being aware of their design, and knowing of their weakness because of the want of food, and the great slaughter which had been made among them, therefore he did send out his armies in the night-time, and did cut off the way of their retreat, and did place his armies in the way of their retreat.
 25 And this did they do in the night-time, and got on their march beyond the robbers, so that on the morrow, when the robbers began their march, they were met by the armies of the Nephites both in their front and in their rear.

 26 And the robbers who were on the south were also cut off in their places of retreat. And all these things were done by command of Gidgiddoni. We see the genius of the strategem of Gidgiddoni, in cutting the Lamanites off from their places of retreat.  This was a mighty work, and President Nelson has told us that our Savior will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.  We'll have a front-row seat to those wonderful things!
 27 And there were many thousands who did yield themselves up prisoners unto the Nephites, and the remainder of them were slain . I think we have no idea the magnitude of the numbers of Lamanites and Gadiantons that we are talking about here!
 28 And their leader, Zemnarihah, was taken and hanged upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead. And when they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree to the earth, and did cry with a loud voice, saying: vs 27-28 Gidgiddoni still gives the Gadiantons choices-be slain or become prisoners, and Zemnarihah is hanged high in a tree, as a sign to his people that this must never happen again.  Before Satan is bound, what ministering may we be called upon to perform to teach others about the Gospel, and will our lives and our Zion City, the New Jerusalem, be a sign to the world that the Lord, He is God, and we are His people?

 29 May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth. Can you see this is one of the great warnings of the Book of Mormon for our day? Secret Combinations are real and at war with us TODAY! Don't discount them. They aren't in hiding anymore. Conspiracy theories are facts!

 30 And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice, saying: May the ^aGod of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they shall ^bcall on the name of their God (prayer) for 

^cprotection.  The people rejoiced. Why? They knew who had saved them. They did rejoice for the protection they had received from God - we will receive all that we need from God if we humble ourselves and are meek and ask Him for relief and He will protect us and minister to us. Praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob reminds us that they still claimed their Hebrew roots. 

 31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and ^apraising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies. Do we sing praises unto our God for His safety and care through the ministering of others unto us? 

 32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. Hosanna shout? And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God ^aAlmighty, the Most High God. Do we cry 'Hosanna' to our Most High God, acknowledging His hand in all things? 

 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. We must never ever forget this important lesson - that God delivers us from our enemies because of our repentance and our humility.  If those you minister to are in bondage of any kind, help them to understand and have faith in this truth. vs.29-33:  This celebration of gratitude and praise mirrors our jubilation at the coming of our Savior. They knew they couldn't have succeeded with His help, and we know that we will not succeed in our quest without Him.  Songs of joy and strengthening of one another because of this triumph will be remembered throughout eternity. Stay humble and repent always! We will cry tears of joy and praise, the name of our God. He is Alpha and Omega; Lord of Lords; King of Kings.