(All of my own thoughts are in blue ? red type 7/20 orange 7/21brown 2022-23)
CHAPTER 5
Mormon again leads the Nephite armies in battles of blood and carnage—The Book of Mormon will come forth to convince all Israel that Jesus is the Christ—Because of their unbelief, the Lamanites will be scattered, and the Spirit will cease to strive with them—They will receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days. About A.D. 375–84.
1 And it came to pass that I did go forth among the Nephites, and did repent of the aoath which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their afflictions. This is interesting that he could repent of an oath. It seems that throughout the Book of Mormon, oaths were considered the most binding thing you could give and even your greatest enemy would trust you if you gave them an oath and no matter how much they hated you, they would not break an oath they gave to you. Why could Mormon "repent" of his oath? The only thing I can come up with, based on the footnote, is that he did not give this oath to the people, but only "vowed" in his heart that he would no more help them. Maybe it's different if you don't say it to others?
2 But behold, I was awithout hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them. He must have really loved them as "his" people, to want to help save them from utter destruction. That's a really hard heart to not desire to call upon God in the middle of a struggle. Seems most people experience a "death-bed" repentance. Not these people...
3 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come against us as we had fled to the city of Jordan; but behold, they were driven back that they did not take the city at that time.
4 And it came to pass that they came against us again, and we did maintain the city. And there were also other cities which were maintained by the Nephites, which strongholds did cut them off that they could not get into the country which lay before us, to destroy the inhabitants of our land. It seems, in God's great mercy, he gave the Nephites a measure of success for a couple of years, as they were led by Mormon, that they might repent and give God the credit for preserving their lives...God may have been granting this according to Mormon's prayers and love and not for any other reason. Love is powerful!
5 But it came to pass that whatsoever lands we had passed by, and the inhabitants thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed by the Lamanites, and their towns, and villages, and cities were burned with fire; and thus three hundred and seventy and nine years passed away. This is a witness to the saving importance of the principle of "gathering". Symbolically, we are to "gather" in to one body each week to "remain unspotted from the world" and it's destructive influence. Whoever doesn't "gather in" to the body of Christ are threatened with being destroyed by the king of Babylon. Eventually this physical gathering will become literal protection from physical death as well as spiritual death.
D&C 45:68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.
6 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and eightieth year the Lamanites did come again against us to battle, and we did stand against them boldly; but it was all in vain, for so agreat were their numbers that they did tread the people of the Nephites under their feet. They did not repent and give God the glory for their protection and safety, so His providence Grace was removed.
7 And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites’ did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites’ were swept down and destroyed. A testimony to physical fitness. Reminds me of animals running from a predator. The slow are slain.
8 And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be arevealed upon the house-tops—nothing remains secret forever... I am so looking forward to this day, for there are so many things that are "hid" that need to be revealed "upon the house-tops" so everyone can hear and see and know. The footnote for "revealed" leads to these important scriptures:
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:3
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth. Is this before the Second Coming?
And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.
And then shall the first angel again sound his trump in the ears of all living, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the mighty works of God in the first thousand years.
Now continuing with the Book of Mormon
9 And also that a knowledge of these things that were just referenced must acome unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should bscatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore cI write a dsmall abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people. Sounds like the things he couldn't write about the future are pretty terrible...
10 And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come. The Gentiles have care for the house of Israel. This is a great responsibility. Is this part of why the Gentiles carry the gospel to all the world? Do I realize and know from whence my blessings come. In part, our blessings come from the House of Israel and the record they have provided us through the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus. Do I read of this destruction and feel sorrow for all these people? If not, I need to pray to feel more love for all people and not focus on "justice", but desire mercy through repentance for all.
12 Now athese things are bwritten unto the cremnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be dhid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time. This is one way that God accomplishes His will and work without interfering with the agency of man. If he knows that the plates will not survive until the latter days, through the wickedness of man, He just removes them/buries them, until He can trust man to preserve them.
13 And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom. Just wondering why the plates had to be buried when Moroni was capable of just taking them and bringing them back at will...
14 And behold, they shall go unto the aunbelieving of the bJews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be cpersuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the dland of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his ecovenant;
15 And also that the seed of athis people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall bgo forth unto them from the Gentiles; for this people shall be cscattered, and shall dbecome a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that which ever hath been amongst us, yea, even that which hath been among the Lamanites, and this because of their unbelief and idolatry.
16 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to astrive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as bchaff before the wind.
17 They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father. This is quite a statement. Christ was their shepherd, but God the Father was leading them at one point! Is this talking about the 200 years after Christ visited them?
18 But now, behold, they are aled about by Satan, even as chaff is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her; and even as she is, so are they.
19 And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which they might have received in the land, for the aGentiles who shall possess the land. The Nephites and Lamanites could have had this land be theirs and prosper as we have, but instead they have been driven and are on reservations and the Gentiles were given the blessings of this land.
20 But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord aremember the bcovenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel.
21 And also the Lord will remember the aprayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto him for them. We need to pray for their return.
22 And then, O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways?
23 Know ye not that ye are in the ahands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power, and at his great command the bearth shall be crolled together as a scroll?
24 Therefore, repent ye, and humble yourselves before him, lest he shall come out in justice against you—lest a aremnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a blion, and tear you in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Now the warning turns to us. We must repent and turn to God and acknowledge Him in all things, or the 10 tribes will return and destroy us.
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