Ether 11

(All of my own thoughts are in blue 2020 red type 7/20 orange 8/21 brown 2022-23)

ETHER 11

Wars, dissensions, and wickedness dominate Jaredite life—Prophets predict the utter destruction of the Jaredites unless they repent—The people reject the words of the prophets.

  1 And there came also in the days of Com many ^aprophets, and prophesied of the destruction of that great people except they should repent, and turn unto the Lord, and forsake their murders and wickedness.

  2 And it came to pass that the prophets were ^arejected by the people, and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people sought to destroy them.

  3 And they prophesied unto Com many things; and he was blessed in all the remainder of his days. So who were these "prophets"? Were they organized under one group or authority? Were they randomly called by God but unknown to each other? They all fled to one person for protection and "they" prophesied many things to him. Makes it sound like they might have been a little "organized" or at least recognized and accepted each other...I wonder what he prophesied to Com? 

  4 And he lived to a good old age, and begat Shiblom; and Shiblom reigned in his stead. And the brother of Shiblom rebelled against him, and there began to be an exceedingly great war in all the land.

  5 And it came to pass that the brother of Shiblom caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to ^adeath; Here is an unfortunate example of how God doesn’t always miraculously protect his servants. Sometimes He allows them to be martyred. I don’t know how it is accomplished but I want to believe the promise that “death is sweet to the righteous”...
  6 And there was great calamity in all the land, for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction among them, such an one as never had been upon the face of the earth, and their bones should become as ^aheaps of earth upon the face of the land except they should repent of their wickedness.

  7 And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; SECRET COMBINATIONS wherefore, there began to be wars and ^acontentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom.

  8 And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have ^amercy on them. We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Yesterday, the prophet asked the members of the Church and the world to pray for relief. I was praying for a miracle today. It did not come. Perhaps it is because people prayed for relief but they didn't repent. Will our prophet tells us that this next weekend at General Conference (4/20)? As much as we repent, that is how much relief we will get. I hope he asks us to kneel as a church and repent and pray for forgiveness and ask for the cessation of this pandemic. So, 9 months later, we are still under the restraints of this "plandemic". It has a very low death rate and doesn't seem to be any worse generally than the flu. We didn't get a miracle back in April. We didn't kneel as a church and repent. What is God's purpose for this? It seems clearer every day that it was 'planned" and that the Gadiantons are using it to overthrown the liberty of the people. "
  9 And it came to pass that Shiblom was slain, and Seth was brought into
^acaptivity, and did dwell in captivity all his days.

 10 And it came to pass that Ahah, his son, did obtain the kingdom; and he did reign over the people all his days. And he did do all manner of iniquity in his days, by which he did cause the shedding of much blood; and few were his days.

 11 And Ethem, being a descendant of Ahah, did obtain the kingdom; and he also did do that which was wicked in his days.

 12 And it came to pass that in the days of Ethem there came many prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did prophesy that the Lord would utterly ^adestroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities. Who were all these "prophets"? How were they called? It would be scary to be a prophet to these people knowing all the past prophets had been killed.

 13 And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts, and would not ^ahearken unto their words; and the prophets ^bmourned and withdrew from among the people. At least the Lord withdrew them rather them have them die as martyrs.

 14 And it came to pass that Ethem did execute judgment in wickedness all his days; and he begat Moron. And it came to pass that Moron did reign in his stead; and Moron did that which was wicked before the Lord.

 15 And it came to pass that there arose a ^arebellion among the people, because of that secret ^bcombination which was built up to get power and gain; SECRET COMBINATION and there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity, and gave battle unto Moron, in which he did overthrow the half of the kingdom; and he did maintain the half of the kingdom for many years.

 16 And it came to pass that Moron did overthrow him, and did obtain the kingdom again.

 17 And it came to pass that there arose another mighty man; and he was a descendant of the brother of Jared.

 18 And it came to pass that he did overthrow Moron and obtain the kingdom; wherefore, Moron dwelt in ^acaptivity all the remainder of his days; and he begat Coriantor.

 19 And it came to pass that Coriantor dwelt in captivity all his days.

 20 And in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets, and prophesied of great and marvelous things, and cried repentance unto the people, and except they should repent the Lord God would execute ^ajudgment against them to their utter destruction; You could see the people by now saying, "yeah, right...we've heard that before and nothing has happened. We haven't been destroyed. We don't believe you..." How longsuffering is God. How many kings did they have after "repent or be destroyed" was preached the first time? Com (king repents), Ahah, Etham, Moron, Coriantor...prophets came at least 3 times warning them. I think Noah preached repent or be destroyed for a hundred years...

 21 And that the Lord God would send or bring forth ^aanother people to possess the ^bland, by his power, after the manner by which he brought their fathers. And that He did!
 22 And they did ^areject all the words of the prophets, because of their ^bsecret society and wicked abominations. SECRET COMBINATION  Twice we've been told that the people rejected the prophets because of the Secret Combinations...

 23 And it came to pass that Coriantor begat ^aEther, and he died, having dwelt in captivity all his days. Why did Mormon include this summary of their history? I think it was to highlight the wickedness of Secret Combinations and the mercy of God send prophets to warn us and also that God's words will be fulfilled. Will we see lots of people sent to prophetically warn us? Is that what we have on youtube? There are lots of people warning of the days ahead. I don't see that their main message is "repent or be destroyed" and that it can be reversed through repentance. Does that make them "false prophets"?