Editor’s Note:  Several civilizations lived on the American continent over the centuries, and each of them was eventually decimated or destroyed. Does a similar fate await us?  Author Douglas E. Brinley describes ten stages of decline through which all of the previous societies passed through before they were destroyed, and he compares our current circumstances to theirs.  His book, serialized here, provides insights that give us hope in a time of upheaval, and offers timely counsel on what we must do to avoid the fate that befell former civilizations.

The ten stages through which each former civilization passed on its way to extinction are not difficult to see. The general pattern of moving from righteousness to total depravity and final destruction is fairly clear from the Book of Mormon accounts of the Jaredites and Nephites.

Stage 1: The Lord Leads the Righteous to the Promised Land

Adam and Eve, of course, began the first dispensation. After leaving the Garden of Eden, they settled in the Promised Land at ­Adam-­ondi-­Ahman (D&C 117:8).

The Jaredites came to these continents under the leadership of Jared and his brother following the Tower of Babel episode, when God scattered the people and confounded their language. This righteous colony came by barges to the promised land sometime around 2200 b.c.

Lehi was forced to leave Jerusalem about 600 b.c. because of the wickedness of the Jews who sought to kill him.

The Mulekites, from Mulek the son of the Jewish king Zedekiah and contemporaries of the Lehites, came from Jerusalem when Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36:11–13). The Babylonian king killed the sons of Zedekiah living in Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:7); however, one of the sons, Mulek, avoided capture and death. The details of how young Mulek escaped, his exact age at the time, how many others were in his party, and how they negotiated the oceans remain unknown. When the Mulekites were found by the Nephites in the land of Zarahemla, “they had brought no records with them; ... and [neither] Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them” (Omni 1:17).

Although Lehi’s family and the Mulekites came to this land from Jerusalem, they came by different routes, apparently: “Now the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south” (Helaman 6:10). These groups were united under King Mosiah, as the Mulekites were taught the language of the Nephites and became part of the Nephite population (Omni 1:19).

The discovery of this land by Columbus opened the door through which the Gentiles streamed. Columbus credited the Holy Ghost for inspiration to commence his journey to the promised land.Later settlers from England and the Continent came to this land because of the negative political, religious, and economic climate in their mother countries.

Stage 2: God Covenants with the Inhabitants of the Land

The second stage actually puts in place the covenant between God and those who reside on the land. Two options are presented to the inhabitants. Either they will serve God and keep His commandments, or they will be swept from the land should their wickedness sink to a certain level of depravity.

The people living in Noah’s day undoubtedly were aware of the covenant (Moses 8:16, 20, 23-24, 30). The Jaredites were likewise aware of the promises on the land (Ether 2:7-12), and the Nephites understood the covenant from Lehi’s teachings (2 Nephi 1:1-5, 9). The Lamanites were without the gospel much of the time; like the Gentiles, they were unaware of the covenant on the land. The Lamanites who lived in the northern hemisphere later lost their land to the ­ever-expanding Gentile population (2 Nephi 1:9-11; Mormon 5:19). Sadly, all of these early inhabitants broke their covenant with Deity. The fate of the Gentiles is still in the future.

Stage 3: God Establishes Laws for the Governance of the People

In the third of the ten stages, God raises up wise men for the purpose of codifying and systematizing laws so that people can live in an environment of order and security and be accountable for their agency. That is one of the problems Iraq faces as it gains sovereignty.

Establishing the rule of law so that society can function in an orderly system is crucial for any nation’s survival. If the rule of law cannot be established, a nation may turn to tyranny, dictatorship, monarchy, or tribal factions. From Adam to Abraham, the patriarchal order was the system of government, and gospel law prevailed. Each patriarch governed his own clan or tribe.

The Jaredites operated that way initially. Later, as the population increased, a kingship form of government developed and a system of laws was put in place according to the will of the king.

The Nephites came to this land from a background of the law of Moses, which the great lawgiver received when he brought the family of Israel out of Egypt. These laws sufficed until a higher law was instituted in the days of Christ. The specific laws by which these people were governed are only briefly mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but we know from the record that they had additional laws (2 Nephi 25:24; Jacob 4:5; 3 Nephi 6:24–27). No doubt other laws were needed to govern the people, as we learn from the record of Mosiah, which speaks of “laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord” (Mosiah 29:25).

In the days of Helaman, much loss of life among the Nephites came because of their wickedness in ignoring divine law. Mormon, in his abridgment of the large plates, commented on this matter following a defeat of the Nephites by the Lamanites. He indicated that the Nephites had “altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people” (Helaman 4:22).

The Gentiles were blessed with a constitution, which the Lord “suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles” (D&C 101:77). In the republican form of government the Founders instituted, laws are created by the representatives of the people through a system outlined within that inspired document. Judges in today’s legal system are to apply the rule of law to specific cases that come before them based on constitutional provisions.

Stage 4: When Most of the People Choose Evil Over Good, the Covenant Is Breached

When the majority of the inhabitants in this land choose evil over good, initial judgments begin (Mosiah 29:27). When people turn from a foundation of ­God-­given or ­God-­inspired laws to support or demand legislation contrary to that which is right and decent, and when the constituents uphold (and even promote) unchristlike practices or policies, when they vote for corrupt individuals who seek personal favors at the expense of the innocent or poor, wickedness prevails.

Such evil practices became so widespread in the days of Noah that every man was evil continually (Moses 8:22), so that only eight people were spared death.

The Jaredites were completely annihilated by a civil war that took the lives of millions of people (Ether 15:2).

When the majority of Nephites chose evil over good, their wickedness became a major factor in their being swept from the land. This matter of a majority making righteous choices is an important issue in modern times as the Gentiles of our day make choices inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, at this point in the American timetable, there are still many decent and ­clear-­thinking Gentiles who live here, people who, though unaware that a covenant exists on the land, are governed by ­Judeo-­Christian principles of decency and law and who exercise fairness in their dealings with others. How long that level of decency and ­right-thinking will last as the proponents of evil gain an increasing hold on the minds of the inhabitants of the land will become evident in time.

Stage 5: The Lord Warns the Inhabitants When They Are in Danger of Being Swept Off

The Lord does not destroy His children until they have been warned multiple times concerning their spiritual laxness. God gives them ample warning through His prophets and missionaries when they are in violation of the covenant on the land. The Lord sounds a warning voice, and the people have a chance to repent. If they fail to repent, however, they become liable for their hardheartedness.

The Jaredites had ample warnings concerning their wickedness leading to their destruction: “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 judgment against them to their utter destruction” (Ether 11:20).

Among the Nephites, it was common for the prophets to threaten the people with destruction if their wickedness continued unabated (Alma 9:18; 10:18; 54:9; 58:9; 60:29; Helaman 13:10; 3 Nephi 2:13; 3:4). Alma privately told his son Helaman that “this very people ... in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief. Yea, then shall they see wars and pestilences ... even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct” (Alma 45:10-11).

How did these Nephites, who enjoyed political freedom, prosperity, and material blessings, move from a state of righteousness to a state of absolute depravity? Mormon labeled it “pride.” He described the process among the Nephites:

Prosperity can affect people in a way that causes them to become critical of others, which is the antithesis of service and ­self-­sacrifice, of humility and meekness. The Nephite record is replete with accounts of a prideful and selfish people (Helaman 3:24, 36; 6:17; 3 Nephi 6:4-5).

Pride develops when people set their hearts upon riches and seek material gain at the expense of the welfare of others. Seldom do people acknowledge their own pride as a contributor to their problems, and thus they fail to see the need to repent. They can see only the faults of others, not of themselves (Helaman 3:1, 33-34; 4:12; 7:21, 26-28; 13:20-22; 16:10; 3 Nephi 6:13).

One element of pride involves boasting about possessions, wealth, education, military might, or a lifestyle better than that of others less fortunate (Helaman 4:13; 6:16-17; 13:22; 16:12; 3 Nephi 10). Some people think that prosperity is a sign of personal righteousness. When men and women become ­self-­sufficient, it is almost impossible for them to remain humble, to repent, or to take counsel from prophets who are warning them of their arrogant stance. When economic productivity brings financial prosperity, humility and meekness are often shown the door.

Following the counsel and wisdom of the prophets is an important key to physical and spiritual survival. The Jaredites were destroyed because of their failure to follow the counsel and warnings of the prophets the Lord sent among them.

Problems often arise when greed and lust for economic or politi­cal gain come into conflict with the laws of the ­land — ­laws that are instituted to protect and prevent exploitation of the general populace. Unfortunately, there are those who strive to modify or change the laws from their original intent to justify wicked practices, but changing the laws to allow evil sets the stage for divine judgments (Mosiah 29:27; Helaman 4:22; 5:2-3; 6:23; 7:3; 3 Nephi 7:6).

When wickedness among the people increases, prophets and missionaries are sent to warn the people that their transgressions are violating the spirit of the law, the terms and conditions of the covenant associated with residing on the land. Judgments follow unrepented sins (Helaman 5:2-3).

When we look at the Gentiles living on this promised land, we see a country with unprecedented growth and prosperity, a nation with an economic output of goods and services that is the envy of many. With the accompanying prosperity and the pursuit of leisure time and technology, we must ask, Are there not abundant signs that we are mirroring the society of the Nephites and Jaredites? Are we not losing our spiritual moorings? Or have we learned to handle wealth, popularity, ease, leisure time, political freedom, and an elevated standard of living without becoming wicked and warped, as did the former inhabitants?

Most thoughtful, observant people, in seeing the level of degeneracy in the media and music of this country, would admit there is a dangerous trend developing among us. The Book of Mormon authors warned the Gentiles of pride, the very thing that brought about the annihilation of the Jaredites and the people of Nephi (2 Nephi 28-30; 3 Nephi 30).

Stage 6: The Inhabitants Respond to the Warnings from God’s Servants

Prophets and missionaries warn the inhabitants that their dishonesty, immorality, and selfishness are offending both God and the righteous who live among them. They are counseled to repent and reverse their course. If they continue to reject the warnings of God’s servants to the point not only of ignoring prophetic counsel but of threatening the lives of those sent to warn them, they set themselves up for divine judgments of war, pestilence, and famine (Alma 10:22-23).

If the inhabitants repent and maintain their humility as did King Benjamin’s people, they reestablish the covenant with God (return to Stage 2). If people reject the message of repentance and salvation, the ripening process continues, and the sequence moves to Stage 7. If people simply tolerate the message of the servants of God, persecuting neither the messenger nor the message, the kingdom of God may continue to grow as more and more individuals realize that decency and integrity are antithetical to a permissive society. Destruction is delayed if people respond to the gospel message.

In the days of Noah, the people wanted no part of Noah’s cry to repent (Moses 8:20, 28). The record of the Jaredites reads:

Mormon lamented the outcome he knew was certain if his people would not repent:

Today, among the Gentiles, missionaries go forth in ever greater numbers. In 1974, President Spencer W. Kimball asked every worthy young man to shoulder the burden of missionary service. This was the first time in this dispensation that missionary work was pronounced as an obligation for worthy, emotionally, and physically stable young men of the Church. To ask every male at age nineteen to serve a ­two-­year mission is an indication of the spiritual state of the Gentiles, not only in this country but worldwide. The message of the men and women who serve as missionaries is one of repentance, along with the good news that the gospel and the priesthood have been restored to the earth in these latter days.

Stage 7: When the People Reject Prophetic Warnings, the Judgments of God Begin

When people refuse to hearken to the warnings of those who are sent among them, judgments in the form of natural ­disasters — ­droughts, floods, and a disruption of the food ­supply —­ begin. These penalties strongly influenced the Jaredites to repent. Such judgments deprive people of their ­possessions — ­homes and ­property —­ and force them to consider their obedience to divine laws and the level of spiri­tuality as they must now depend on each other or the government. Such judgments naturally follow when the covenant with God is violated. If people will not repent, the ripening process moves forward steadily, and only swift repentance will save the people from destruction beyond this point.

Prophets preach repentance and a renewal of covenants as the primary solutions to the loss of spirituality among the people. When citizens strive to change divinely sanctioned laws to justify further levels of wickedness, the righteous are called upon to declare repentance and to warn others of the coming consequences. The Lord does not yield on the requirements of righteousness necessary to live upon this land unless a sufficient number of people make an effort to change their lives to conform to correct principles. Amazingly, the wicked end up defending evil while claiming that God is satisfied with the way they are living! (Moses 8:21; Jacob 7; Alma 1:30).

Stage 8: The Spirit of the Lord Withdraws from the People

As people continue to reject the warning messages of the Lord’s servants, they quickly lose their spiritual bearings. Evil becomes more appealing to them while righteousness becomes too confining. They are unable to discern between good and evil. They call evil good and good evil. When the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from individuals and society at large because of their iniquity, the “natural man” (Mosiah 3:19) surfaces, and carnality, sensuality, and selfishness replace humility and meekness. The inhabitants are thus left to their own greed as they wallow in filth of their own making (think of the effects of pornography). The result is inevitable contention and clashes with each other as competition and exploitation become the norm. Selfishness rules the day. Helaman observed: “And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts” (Helaman 6:35; 13:8; Mosiah 2:36). Economic and political instability can break down a society into factions as suspicion and selfishness become primary factors in destroying both infrastructure and human relations.

Stage 9: The Inhabitants Become Fully Ripened in Iniquity and Cast Out the Righteous

We now see a society fully ripened in iniquity and good for nothing but destruction (2 Nephi 28:16; Alma 10:19; 37:28; 37:31; 45:16; Helaman 5:2; 6:40; 8:26; 11:37; 13:14; Ether 2:9; 9:20).

Each former civilization ripened in iniquity until it was destroyed.

The term “fully ripe in iniquity” means that the wicked reach a state where they begin to cast out the righteous, the very ones pleading for them to change before it is too late to turn back. Helaman told the inhabitants of Zarahemla: “Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved ... 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” (Helaman 13:12–14).

In America, in the early days of our Church history, the Saints were cast out of their lands and ultimately cast out of the nation. They were driven from their homes, losing property and possessions. The nation paid for its wickedness by a loss of the Spirit of the Lord that resulted in a great civil war (D&C 136:34-36). At the present time, however, although our missionaries experience occasional physi­cal assaults and derogatory remarks, we are virtually free to travel and proselytize in many nations of the world. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future concerning the treatment of missionaries and other Church members, given our growing numbers and influence in the Gentile culture.

Stage 10: The Wicked Are Destroyed

The Antediluvians were destroyed by the great Flood. The Jaredites and righteous Nephites were destroyed by devastating civil wars. The Lamanites in North America were practically wiped out by the expanding Gentiles. When the warning cries of prophets go unheeded and the Spirit of the Lord is withdrawn from among the people, and when the inhabitants cast out or kill ­heaven-­sent messengers, there is little hope for survival. When solemn warnings go unheeded, when the lives of the prophets are in jeopardy, typically the prophets withdraw and the people face divine consequences (Ether 11:13).

At this point, the land is cursed and the destruction of the inhabitants becomes certain. Though repentance is always open to people until their fate is sealed, at this point they seldom choose to cease their wickedness. When the spirit of repentance departs, when hearts are hardened, when people are fully ripened in iniquity, they stand condemned before God.

As ­Latter-­day Saints who understand these stages, we must continually ask, In what stage are the Gentiles? How slowly or quickly are they ripening in iniquity? What can we do to warn them?