Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 6:33)
This is an epistle of reflection, admonition and exhortation. Directed to all that may want to give heed to the humble word of a servant in the hands of Christ. Indeed the LORD our God is not a respecter of persons, for despite kinship and/or affinity towards his children, he cannot see or consider our national, collective or individual sins with the least degree of allowance. He wants to repent and avoid destruction for he has no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. He honors those that honor him and those that do not honor him are esteemed a lightly as it is plainly written since the day of the first judge in Israel
for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
(Old Testament | 1 Samuel 2:30)
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel Israel
(Old Testament | Ezekiel 18:30 - 32)
Despite many blessings and privileges that I have had as a son of God and member of his living church, I and also those of my house have been tore apart and smitten and afflicted often by diverse perils as a result of disobedience to the holy commandments, incorrect traditionalism and for other errors, omissions and shortcomings of peoples, priests and prophets. And unless we speedily repent and amend our ways, vengeance comes upon us and the inhabitants of the earth with wrath and fury.
Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 112:24)
I, Michel or Miguel cannot speak for anyone else, but as a result of great suffering, I have learned obedience and above all I know and bear witness that I have a loving heavenly father that does not spare correction to those whom he loves. And I know that he is mindful of me and that he loves me dearly, for he corrects me continually. And I want to be loved more of him because I cannot imagine an eternity without him. And above all, I want to remind in his love. He, even the LORD Jesus Christ, my God and my Father in heaven just told me on this very day, by his angels while I ate the bread of affliction because of certain dreams I had this saying:
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
(New Testament | John 15:10)
It is indeed a very sweet thing to have communion with God through the spirit of the LORD continually, even the Holy Ghost. We often feel blessed and privileged, and we are a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, but once the word of God is digested, it turns bitter in my belly for the commission to warn and reprove the world is sorely great. And despite the holy calling with which we some of us are commissioned, we are not exempt from suffering the effects of sin and corruption even upon ourselves or in our own house. As a result, I often it the bread of affliction, when I see that my house is not exempt from the perils, plagues, tribulations and desolations that await the people of this and subsequent generations. Because the LORD is so just that he will not bring upon strangers what he would not bring first upon his own house. John the beloved prophet, apostle, seer and revelator of Jesus Christ was not exempt from this bittersweet feeling when he received his latter day commission when he saw the day of the voice of the seventh angel of which it is written:
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
(New Testament | Revelation 10:7 - 11)
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 112:25 - 26)
But the question remains why do these things transpire unceasingly upon the other? And the answer remains the same. It is because we have forsaken GOD and also forsaken to give strict heed to the voice of warning as given by the lord’s servants in this as in former and subsequent generations. We have many prophets preaching and prophesying and reminding us continually of death, and of the duration of eternity; and of the judgments and the power of GOD with intent to stir up us unto repentance, even as in ancient days , so that we are kept in the fear of the LORD and so that we are not grabbed by the devil and be dragged down speedily to hell. But the people of this generation are given more into fables and hear sayings. And as them, I have seen many wars among the nations of the world in the course of my days. And it worries me because it is written in a way that makes a parallel with our own day.
And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand. And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them. And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course of my days.
(Book of Mormon | Enos 1:22 - 24)
And it is also written that after our testimony comes the sermons of heaven or wrath and indignation upon the people. Therefore it would not surprise me one bit to see a conglomeration of deadly plagues as in the days of the captivity of my people in
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 88:88 - 92)
In all sincerity, I do not make any excuse for my own sins, when I recognize them I speedily confess them to the four winds because I hate them. I truly abhor my despicable sins because they make me harrow up my soul in great bitterness and anguish of soul, for I feel that I am the chief sinner among my brethren. And as a result of my unworthiness, even since I was a youth I have been time and again smitten and afflicted with all sorts of plagues and diseases with Typhoid fever, with boils and blains, with bleeding, with deafness, with sadness, with anxiety, with madness, with blindness, with baldness and other pestilences. It is all written and plainly deciphered in the book of the judgements and statures that God gave to Moses in Oren before they entered the promised land of what should befall to us if we forsake the LORD who delivered us from bitter bondage. I have also been driven hither and thither like a dumb ass with heavy burdens upon my back from time to time, which have contrived my bones and spine. This I say as much as I can remember, but there is more from where that came from. And I have suffered and endured these things any way I could, sometimes patiently and sometimes not. And now as a firm believer in Jesus Christ, I hope to suffer and be able to endure all things, even as Paul admonition and our creed say it in these words:
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
(Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:13)
Nevertheless, when we come short of fulfilling our promises or fail or have failed to measure up to the task, promises, vows and covenants we make to the LORD, we are severely reprimanded for our blasphemies and incontinences. And despite his love and his longsuffering the LORD will not be mocked. For of this it is written:
But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.
(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 7:29 - 33)
Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass. And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten with the east wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain. And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence—and all this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations. And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations. And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.
(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 12:5 - 8)
As a youth I did not have the necessary discipline to listen to the living prophets and much less to keep the Holy Commandments of God despite my kin knowledge of them. My faith failed me and in my stubborn ignorance I suffered greatly. I blame no one for this, my fathers I exempt, for they had it rougher than I ever did. And my sins are mine and I am responsible before GOD for them. Therefore, I suffered much because of my unrighteousness until the LORD took over my life and begun to discipline me. I was old and entered in years, and I have much to endure still.
For wickedness burns as a fire and it consumes the thorns and briers until it burs a whole a thick forest and it smokes rises up like a mount or like a pillar of a cloud. But I was happy to know that I have a loving heavenly father that chastises me and disciplines me because he loves me. Therefore, despite his correction was as a hammer and a chisel in my head, I did not turn my back on the LORD as my ancient fathers did of whom the LORD said:
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them. It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel
(Old Testament | Hosea 10:9 - 15)
For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts. Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel
The ancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for every one of them is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
For wickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm— Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 19:13 - 21)
For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming. Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 5:19 - 20)
For if I, who am a man, do lift up my voice and call upon you to repent, and ye hate me, what will ye say when the day cometh when the thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the earth, speaking to the ears of all that live, saying—Repent, and prepare for the great day of the Lord? Yea, and again, when the lightnings shall streak forth from the east unto the west, and shall utter forth their voices unto all that live, and make the ears of all tingle that hear, saying these words—Repent ye, for the great day of the Lord is come?
And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, saying: Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you. O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not! How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not! Behold, the day has come, when the cup of the wrath of mine indignation is full. Behold, verily I say unto you, that these are the words of the Lord your God.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 43:21 - 27)
For a trump shall sound both long and loud, even as upon Mount Sinai, and all the earth shall quake, and they shall come forth—yea, even the dead which died in me, to receive a crown of righteousness, and to be clothed upon, even as I am, to be with me, that we may be one. But, behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be greater signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath; And there shall be weeping and wailing among the hosts of men; And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.
And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not.
Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them; And their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me; and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets; And it shall come to pass that the beasts of the forest and the fowls of the air shall devour them up.
And the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely must, as I live, for abominations shall not reign.
And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season; And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.
But, behold, verily I say unto you, before the earth shall pass away, Michael, mine archangel, shall sound his trump, and then shall all the dead awake, for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth—yea, even all. And the righteous shall be gathered on my right hand unto eternal life; and the wicked on my left hand will I be ashamed to own before the Father; Wherefore I will say unto them—Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
And now, behold, I say unto you, never at any time have I declared from mine own mouth that they should return, for where I am they cannot come, for they have no power. But remember that all my judgments are not given unto men; and as the words have gone forth out of my mouth even so shall they be fulfilled, that the first shall be last, and that the last shall be first in all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:13 - 30)
These saying are true and faithful and they have not been written because this power is in me, but it is borrowed power from the LORD which conforms to the offices I hold in the holy priesthood and in the church. Many have this authority but few lack the power of GOD because they have forsaken their duty to GOD. I act pretty much alone and the scriptures ratify and give validity to may words. And knowing the order of heave and the way the LORD works, it is very awkward for me to say things that are somewhat heavier than those of my superiors. But I ma commanded to so directly from GOD, especially to honor the priesthood which gives me utterance, for all who call upon GOD under this authority are and have been given inspiration to write. I feel like Paul before Agrippa, or like Abinadi before the wicked king Noah and his High Priests; and also like Samuel the Lamanite talking to the enlightened Nephites. Nevertheless, I also know if others, great and small where doing their part as it should, the LORD would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.
I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.
(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 13:26)
And it matters not what happens to me or even if earth and hell shall combine against me for I am built upon a sure foundation which is Jesus Christ, even the rock of eternity. And the LORD has told me and my little flock these sayings:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you.
Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 6:32 - 37)
And I can write forever, for the words of the LORD have no end, but6 I can, for I have not enough space in the world and no man will dear to read all I have to say. And I fear that my anxiety for the welfare of my people may cause to sin before my God for I so love them. For I have begun to see the shelling upon the people from their enemies. And I have seen the chemical or biological weapons being armed and deployed. I have seen the same boiling pot filled with wormwood that Jeremiah saw and it will soon be poured with indignation to the lamentation of many; and woe of me because I have begun to weep bitterly for this my people. And I can only pray these words saying:
Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
(Old Testament | Joel 2:17)
Oh Lord, would you hear me, would you incline thine ear unto my cry? I plead for those that are children of the prophets, for the cause of the righteous and faithful of thy people do I cry. I do not ask oh, LORD for you to take them, even my brethren and friends and companions out of the world but to keep them from the world. Spare thy people oh LORD, turn away thine anger from smiting them. Remember thy Holy Name, oh God, do not allow it to be given to shame and to reproach by our evil deeds. It is not for our righteousness, or good deeds, for there is none that does good, before thee oh LORD.
I beseech thee, oh LORD to let us have claim to thy words which ye spoke to thy prophets with regards to thy treacherous servants in Israel and in Jacob, in Zion, in Judea and in Jerusalem for thou art the beginning and the ender of our salvation. Spare us, oh LORD, we are the outcast of Israel and the dispersed of Judah
I plead thee now, my LORD my GOD with strong crying and supplication, even with a broken heart and a contrite spirit dressed in blood as an acceptable offering unto thee, oh LORD. Or like Nephi of OLD I cry unto thee, as he did among his own people, the Nephites, nearing the end of his ministry in the northern countries of this precious and chosen land; yea, when from his tower he cried aloud and in sorrow unto thee before all the people where all his words were rejected; and he cried because he was consigned to live in days of sore wickedness like unto ours. And because in the scripture which are thou say that you will not give thine honor to another and suffer not thy name to be polluted, for we are in the furnace of affliction. And this we ask Oh, God, be thou our Father for thy name is everlasting and these things we cry unto thee in the sacred name of thy Holy Son, even in the sacred name of the LORD Jesus Christ, amen.
Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel
(Old Testament | Isaiah 63:16)
And these are the words that I write this day for the benefit of my people and posterity. And I do it before GOD, angels and these witnesses, hoping that I may be able to persuade one soul to repent and do as I do, which is to follow the sayings and deeds of the LORD Jesus Christ, in whose name, persuasion, gift and by whose authority I write, amen,
This is an unworthy servant in the hands of Christ.
Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez.
Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off. For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another. Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the first, and I am also the last.
ReplyDelete(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 20:8 - 12)
For he had been forth among the people who were in the land northward and did preach the word of God unto them, and did prophesy many things unto them; And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his nativity. And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment–seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—
ReplyDeleteNow this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul: Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord— Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren. But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway.
(Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:2 - 10)
Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the hearts of their brethren against them. And four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword and with famine and with pestilence. Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies, to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth generation shall visit your destruction. But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.
ReplyDeleteYea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord. But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. 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.
ReplyDeleteBut behold, it is for the righteous' sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her.
Yea, and wo be unto the city of Gideon, for the wickedness and abominations which are in her. Yea, and wo be unto all the cities which are in the land round about, which are possessed by the Nephites, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in them. And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts, because of the peoples' sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations. And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.
For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land. And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord.
Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you. Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your riches, not to thank the Lord your God for them; yea, your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities. For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities.
(Book of Mormon | Helaman 13:8 - 23)
Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time. And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out. Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil. But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.
ReplyDeleteO ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?
Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity. And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them. And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:
O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us. Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle. Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.
ReplyDeleteO that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them. Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days. But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.
O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words! And I pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that ye would repent and be saved.
(Book of Mormon | Helaman 13:24 - 39)