Mormon 8-9

Mormon 8

Moroni, son of Mormon, takes over the record and informs us that all his people have been hunted and killed by the Lamanites (including his father), and he doesn’t know how long he will live until the Lamanites find him, too.

Moroni tells us he is going to “hide up this record unto the Lord” before he dies, and he will entrust it to the Lord to “bring it to light" when the time is right. He says no one will be able to have the plates unless God wants them to, for God’s own purposes. He says the man will be blessed who is chosen to bring them forth (hint hint, fast forward to the year 1830-ish when Joseph Smith is shown by an angel where the records are buried and he translates them via the power of God). (see vs. 14-16)

16 And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God.
22 For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.

Moroni has strong faith these records will come to light, because the Lord has promised it to the Nephite prophets over and over again. He also prophesies that this record will come forth in a day that looks a lot like our own… read for yourself verses 26-36.

How does Moroni know all these things that will happen in the far-distant future (our time!)?

35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

The Book of Mormon was written by prophets a long, long time ago. But it is incredibly relevant to me, because it was written for me, for us, for people in our time. The writers knew that people wouldn’t have access to their writings for centuries. The people who would read them were in our time, and they wrote for us. What is the Book of Mormon trying to say to you? Or rather, what is the Lord trying to say to you through the Book of Mormon?

Mormon 9

Moroni is giving his last words in the chapter… or at least what he thinks are his last words because as you may have noticed, there are still two whole books left in the Book of Mormon (next Ether, then Moroni). So this isn’t actually the end, but it seems that Moroni thinks so while he is writing, because he covers a lot of topics and you can feel the strong passion he has for them.

1 And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ.
2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God?

Moroni encourages the unbelieving to repent – God will always grant an opportunity to change. That is why we are here. Each day is a new start, and God hasn’t given up on anyone. Moroni talks about this also. Many people in our day feel like God's involvement in our lives, and miracles and revelations ended back in Bible times. But I believe God is just as alive and involved in the world today.

7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;
8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them.
9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?

God is a God of Miracles – today and always!

Mormon 5-7

Mormon 5

Mormon changes his mind (he doesn’t say why) about refusing to help the Nephites, and they gladly give him control over their armies again. But Mormon  knows the Nephites’ situation is hopeless because they aren’t repenting or changing.

These verses summarize the chapter pretty well:

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.
 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 revealed upon the house-tops—
 9 And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people...therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen...that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people.

Mormon says this awful destruction of his people will be known in the future by the “remnant of these people” – and it's true! The Native American Indians and many of the people of Central and South America are decedents of the Lamanites, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and the spread of the Book of Mormon) are growing the fastest among these people today. They are learning about their ancestors, as prophesied.

Mormon 6

7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.

Mormon records the tragic and horrific end to the Nephite people. They gather around the Hill Cumorah (where Mormon hides up all the records and plates he has been keeping, except for a few he passes to his son Moroni to write on), and the last great battle occurs.

Mormon manages to survive this great battle, because he fell wounded and was passed over by the Lamanite army. He says that twenty-four Nephites survive, and miraculously his son Moroni is among them. Twenty-four. Wow. As you do the math of all the leaders and their armies of ten-thousand who Mormon says were wiped out, it seems there were 230,000 who were killed in this battle. Wow… I have no words.

I’m grateful Mormon doesn’t give many details. It’s horrific enough with the few details he gives.

Mormon laments their deaths at the end of the chapter. How can you cry enough tears about your entire nation being slain on the ground in front of you? Especially knowing they had deliberately rejected God and would have to face him on judgment day. Whenever I want to feel sorry for myself, I'll think of Mormon instead.


Mormon 7

These are Mormon’s last words, which he writes to his descendants hoping they will read them someday (and as I mentioned in my Mormon 5 summary, many of them are reading them today). And of course these words are for me and you, too. Here are the highlights:

3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood…
5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.
6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.

Mormon speaks one more time about this record, and he also speaks of the Bible, which is “the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews.” The Bible and the Book of Mormon go hand-in-hand, and both testify of Jesus Christ! I’ll insert some labels to help clarify what Mormon is talking about.

8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record [The Book of Mormon!] but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews [The Bible], which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you [The Native Americans and people of South America received the Bible from the Gentiles, or the Europeans].
9 For behold, this [Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [Bible]; and if ye believe that [Bible] ye will believe this [Book of Mormon] also; and if ye believe this [Book of Mormon] ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

Pretty cool! I am grateful for the Bible and the Book of Mormon! I am grateful to have both. They both help me to know Jesus Christ and His gospel, and each one helps to clarify the other.