Most of the Book of Mormon record deals with the Nephite civi­lization, which included the Mulekites. By examining the stages through which those civilizations passed, we can look at the Gentile nations to which we belong to more easily identify the stages through which we are passing. If we understand these stages, we may more readily comprehend the message that Mormon and Moroni left us. Likewise, we need to understand the counsel of prophets in our own day so that we may avoid the same tragedies that plagued these earlier civilizations.

Stage 1: The Lord Leads Lehi and His
Family to the Promised Land

The story of Lehi and his family, the account that begins the Book of Mormon record as we have it,1 is, like the other civilizations that have inhabited this land, one of joy and sadness. As we read the account of the family leaving Jerusalem, we are saddened by the choices made by the two eldest brothers, Laman and Lemuel. Through their behavior, we see how poor decisions over time can affect a large number of people. These two brothers became enemies to the truth while Nephi, Sam, Zoram, and their companions remained faithful to the counsel of Lehi and the commands of God.

The behavior of Laman and Lemuel is somewhat ironic, considering that Zoram, someone outside Lehi’s immediate family, became one of the faithful followers of Nephi and the Lord. We are reminded that this is the case in many families, in which souls become lost to the truths of the gospel because of the hardships of mortality. Laman and Lemuel should have known better, should have been stalwarts, but they could not see past the physical difficulties of the journey and allowed themselves to fall away from the gospel their father and brother taught.

Lehi was commanded to leave Jerusalem because of death threats from the Jews. “And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; . . . and they also sought his life, that they might take it away” (1 Nephi 1:19–20).

Having been warned by the Lord in a dream “that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness,” Lehi left behind the comforts of home, and with his family headed for the borders of the Red Sea (1 Nephi 2:2). Lehi later reminisced about the difficult journey, yet he rejoiced that they had “obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord Goth hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever” (2 Nephi 1:5).

Nephi wrote of a similar promise to him: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart. And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands” (1 Nephi 2:19–20). After an eventful and arduous venture, the colony reached the promised land.

Stage 2: God Covenants with the
Inhabitants of the Land

The covenant between God and the Nephites was the same as that of the Antediluvians and the Jaredites. The covenant was prefigured by Nephi long before they reached the promised land: “I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise” (1 Nephi 4:14).

In contemplating the Lord’s command to Nephi to kill Laban, this promise became part of Nephi’s justification for the deed. This statement of prosperity based on obedience was repeated over and over to the Nephites in the coming centuries as a reminder to them of the blessings that would be theirs if they were faithful in living the gospel in their new homeland (1 Nephi 17:13–15; Omni 1:6; Mosiah 2:22).

Lehi reflected on the covenant between himself and Deity: “And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (2 Nephi 1:20). Here we have both the positive and the negative aspects of the ­covenant—­Plan A and Plan B, as I have designated them. Plan A leads to joy and prosperity, while Plan B leads to the divine broom sweeping the inhabitants from the land. Lehi detailed some additional elements of the covenant:

These promises and blessings were passed on to succeeding generations. Enos, for example, was concerned about the spiritual conditions of the Lamanites. The Lord told him, “I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity” (Enos 1:10). Jarom, Enos’s son who lived some two hundred years after Lehi, speaking from hindsight and from his own experience, said, “The word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” (Jarom 1:9).

Omni gave this witness: “For the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of the land of Jerusalem and kept and preserved them from falling into the hands of their enemies, yea, he would not suffer that the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our father, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall not prosper in the land” (Omni 1:6).

The knowledge of this covenant between God and the land’s inhabitants continued in the large plates of Nephi and it was repeated by a number of prophets through the remainder of the Nephite history. The Savior, in His visit to the Nephites, also reminded them of the promises upon the land in the last days.2

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

The Nephites came to this land from the tradition and background of the law of Moses. The law was written on the brass plates, and Nephi knew that his people needed the law if they were to survive in their new land: “I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass” (1 Nephi 4:15–16). After the sons of Lehi obtained the plates, Lehi perused them and “beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses” (1 Nephi 5:11). The law of God was written on that portion of the ancient record.

In a later sermon, Nephi said, “Notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 25:24). There are a number of references throughout the Book of Mormon that relate to the law of Moses. When King Mosiah came to the throne, however, it is reasonable to assume that in altering the form of government from kings to judges, additional laws or amendments would be necessary to suit the changed situation of the Nephites. Normally, when people are righteous, laws such as the Ten Commandments are easily embraced. However, the more wicked people become, the more detailed laws must be.

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

When Mosiah’s sons chose missionary work over kingship, the form of government was changed and the ruler described how such a system should work. It involved higher and lower judges that would be elected by the people, a bold experiment in ­self-­government after a long period of being ruled by kings. It also speaks highly of King Mosiah, who, like his father Benjamin, was not grasping for power, but was more interested in the spiritual development of his people.

He gave this counsel to the people in forming a new government: “Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people judges, that ye may be judged according to the 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; italics added). The laws under which the Nephites lived were, like the constitutional law of the Gentiles upon this land in our day, inspired from heaven.

The wise king noted: “Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your ­law—­to do your business by the voice of the people” (Mosiah 29: 26; italics added).

This counsel is relevant to our present political system. When people are righteous and the laws are fairly and impartially administered, people are easy to govern. If they are not, there will always be a minority pushing a more extreme agenda on both ends of the political spectrum. In American politics we think in terms of “liberals” who want more government influence and control, and “conservatives,” who generally want less governmental interference. The extremes of both positions are unhealthy. Stay away from the fringes, the king counseled. Stay in the mainstream. Don’t stray from the will of the righteous majority.

Nonetheless, King Mosiah pointed out the danger of ­self-­government: “If the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land” (Mosiah 29:27; italics added).

When the majority of the people gravitate toward wickedness, they agitate to change the laws lest the laws condemn them and their behavior. However, because the laws of the Nephites came from a divine source, the laws are not to be changed to support or sustain wickedness.

Because fair laws, strictly enforced, are not kind to the wicked, the wicked want to amend the laws sustained by the majority in order to support their own selfish or greedy causes. Justice requires punishment when the law is broken, or invokes severe sanctions on the offenders.

Wicked people like a liberal interpretation of the law; otherwise they will be punished by the law’s provisions. They could be imprisoned. They argue that their freedom is restricted. They reason that their offenses are too harsh. Korihor took advantage of this system by using freedom of speech to contend against the Church, because “there was no law against a man’s belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds. . . . There was no law against a man’s belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done” (Alma 30: 7–11).

The Book of Mormon prophets were firm in their counsel that strongly enforced fair and equitable laws, as determined by the people, administered without regard to race, income, or socio­economic status, greatly benefit society. Mercy, of course, comes into play when genuine repentance and restitution is offered. Penalties associated with breaking laws should be explicit and ­well-­publicized so that all are aware of the consequences of their actions.

The Nephites established a tier of judges that included provisions for dealing with a variety of crimes. An appeal of the judges’ verdict was possible, something unheard of in a kingship form of government. “And it came to pass that they did appoint judges to rule over them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did throughout all the land” (Mosiah 29:41). “And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you according to the law which has been given, ye can cause that they may be judged of a higher judge” (Mosiah 29:28). Alma was appointed to be the first chief judge (Mosiah 29:42).

Despite good laws, the Nephites remind us of a ­yo-­yo. They were righteous for a time. Then pride and arrogance consumed them, and they went through a period of selfishness that led to extreme wickedness on their part. Moreover, the Nephites had an enemy who were dedicated to their destruction. The Lamanites, Nephi was told very early by the Lord, would be a constant thorn in the side of the Nephites if they turned to wickedness:

“Inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren” (1 Nephi 2:21–22).

Thus, Nephi and his followers were favored over the Lamanites only because of their righteousness. Then the Lord bluntly gave Nephi this warning: “For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also. And if it so be that they [the Nephites] rebel against me, they [the Lamanites] shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance” (1 Nephi 2:23–24; italics added).

That one sentence encapsulates the entire story of the book! Whenever the Nephites were careless in living their covenants, the Lamanites took up arms against them and humbled them.

Jacob confirmed the principle. To his fellow Nephites, he said: “For except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, . . . shall scourge you even unto destruction. And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you” (Jacob 3:3–4).

As we examine the Nephite story in more detail, we find that the majority of people did, in fact, begin to choose evil over good. Within ten years of the time that King Mosiah explained the principle of ­self-­government to the people, the majority began to make evil choices. Iniquity always seems to develop in an environment where the legal system is subverted.

Mormon, the primary abridger, explained the problem: “Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes of the people before the judges. Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of the people; and this was to enable them that they might be skilful in their profession” (Alma 10:14–15).

These verses suggest that one of the functions of defense attorneys is to find ways to free the guilty, particularly if the guilty have enough money or friends in high places to hire the most “skilful” lawyers. Amulek, upon witnessing the arguments of the lawyers attempting to destroy Alma and himself, observed: “And now behold, I say unto you that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges (Alma 10:27; italics added).

When the integrity of lawyers and judges is compromised, the judicial system is no longer a blessing to the people. This becomes a more serious problem when we remember that the laws in place to regulate rules of conduct originated not with man but with a higher Source (Helaman 4:22). Divine laws cannot be changed, modified, watered down, or ignored without serious repercussions, both physi­cal and spiri­tual.

The verbal exchanges between the prophets and the lawyers in the scriptural record are indicative of the ­age-­old problem of the wicked trying to justify their wickedness. The Savior faced the same problem with the scribes and religionists of His day, and it led to His persecution and trial (2 Nephi 10:5–6). If the legal system can be corrupted, then justice and mercy cannot operate fairly in behalf of the citizens. When that occurs, too often the innocent suffer while the guilty go free.

When we follow the Nephites for fifty or sixty years after Mosiah’s counsel, we see the wisdom of the king’s words. The record says, “For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction” (Helaman 5:2–3; italics added).

Suppose, for example, there is a law that states that adultery is punishable by fine or imprisonment or both (the law of Moses imposed death). When people are righteous, the law will be infrequently exercised because good people refrain from adulterous behavior. If, however, the majority begins to argue that there are times when such actions might be ­justified, then adultery increases and strict enforcement of the law would require society to build more places of incarceration, or government revenue would rise, or both.

 When society begins to believe that there is no harm in adultery, the law is ignored. But the problem in this promised land is that we cannot ignore laws concerning adultery because the law against it is one of the Ten Commandments. God does not wink at adultery. He “cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (D&C 1:31). Therefore, in letting adultery go unpunished, people violate an important element of the covenant that exists on the land.

His experience in seeing the legal system being compromised to excuse sinful behavior caused Mormon to reflect on the condition of the people. After a few battles, he observed of the Nephites:

Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a stiffnecked people, and that they had set at naught the commandments of God;

And that they 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, inasmuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites. . . .

Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness.” (Helaman 4:21–25; italics added)

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

Before judgments are meted out to those “ripening” in wickedness, the Lord sends prophets and missionaries out to warn the people of the need to repent. Much of the Bible and Book of Mormon narrative records the message of prophets sent to call people to repentance. That situation unfolded at least six times with the Jaredites. Calling the people to repentance is one of the principal roles of prophets when the people are evil. They monitor the righteousness of society at large and then encourage or caution people about what needs to be changed, started, stopped, emphasized, or implemented.

Sometimes prophets compliment people on their choices. We understand this principle as we listen to general conferences of the Church. At times, the Brethren warn us of dangers within our society (movies, videos, Internet misuse, pornography, divorce, abuse, and so forth) or practices offensive to God (Sabbath violation, temper, dishonesty, spouse abuse, laziness, and so on).

The messages of the prophets vary according to the diligence of the people. Jacob’s denunciation of his people, for example, contrasts with the encouragement King Benjamin gave his people, who were humbled by his message and desired to live righteously (Jacob 2; Mosiah 5).

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

When prophets deliver messages of reproof, people generally respond in one of three ways: they accept the message, repent, and join the Church (or become active again); they reject (in varying degrees) the message and the messenger; they tolerate those they may view as a nuisance, but because the law of the land allows freedom of religion, they simply ignore the message and close their door. Missionaries are familiar with these three responses.

When people accept the message and join the Church or become active once again, they revert to Stages 2 and 3, in which laws, commandments, and covenants are again understood. When people simply tolerate the message of the missionaries, some will be converted, depending on the level of righteousness or wickedness among the people and the attitude of the government in sustaining or impinging on the principle of freedom of religion. These factors play an important role in the progress of our current missionary efforts throughout the world. When the message is rejected, the people move to Stage 7.

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

As people reject the counsel of prophets and missionaries, the judgments of God commence as a warning to the people that they are making choices contrary to God’s commandments and that they are violating the covenant on the land. Judgments may include famine (2 Nephi 1:18; 6:15; Alma 10:22), pestilence (disease) (Mosiah 12:4; Alma 45:11), or the sword (war) (Alma 62:39; Helaman 13:9).

Drought or floods come naturally as a part of the weather patterns, of course, but they may also be a part of divine judgments. For example, on this land of promise, not many years before the Savior’s birth, the following events took place:

With economic prosperity, people seem to divide themselves into social, financial, and educational strata. Such inequalities are never positive factors in the social order. The “haves” begin to persecute the ­“have-­nots” and vice versa. The ­“have-­nots” covet what the more wealthy members of society possess, and the “haves” never believe they have enough. People are likely to forget their common heritage as children of God, and they often revert to selfishness and prideful behavior. Perhaps the best sermon on this problem was given by Mormon as he summarized the words of Nephi, the son of Helaman:

Pride was a major stumbling block to the Nephites, and its seeds germinated in the fields of prosperity and material gain: “And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day” (Helaman 3:36).

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

When people transgress the laws of God, when they refuse to listen to their prophets, when they ignore the laws set up by the hand of God, when they violate covenants with Deity with impunity, they lose the Spirit of the Lord and revert to what King Benjamin called the “natural man.” He described the “natural man” as one who

And from a later sermon,

Ripening is a word used in the scriptures to describe the deepening of wickedness that comes when a people moves from righteousness to evil.3 When people become fully ripe in iniquity, unless they sincerely and immediately repent, they are destroyed.

Stage 10: The Wicked Are Destroyed

The first civilizations on this land were destroyed by flood and civil war.The Nephites had two options open to them: repent, or continue to choose evil and suffer the consequences. Both Lehi and Nephi saw in vision the future destruction of their people many centuries before it actually took place, and they wept over the decisions of Laman and Lemuel. Lehi saw that his children would be divided and that the Nephites, despite prophets, scriptures, and revelation, would be decimated by the Lamanites because of their turning away from the God of heaven, even though the Son of God would later minister unto them. They also saw that the Lamanites would be smitten by the hand of the later Gentile inhabitants. He lamented:

Father Lehi further warned Laman and Lemuel that they would be “cut off and destroyed forever; or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil” (2 Nephi 1:17–18).

Already knowing the outcome, however, he said, “But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever” (2 Nephi 1:19). Lehi reviewed the covenant with his family so they would not mistake the divine rule: “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (2 Nephi 1:20).

Of course, the Nephites were not destroyed for many centuries after Lehi’s death. But as their wickedness increased in the days of Mormon and Moroni, the dire predictions began to be fulfilled:

In fact, these conditions fit the days of Mormon or Moroni as well as Alma. Moroni described the conditions that prevailed in his own day:

Moroni summarized the extent of death and destruction that came upon the Nephites and explained its origin:

Thus Mormon’s earlier declaration about the destruction of his people and the apostasy of the Lamanites was confirmed:

Sadly, we come to the end of the great Nephite nation. It was a terrible finale after all the Nephites had known and experienced, including a visit from the Savior Himself when He had taught them the gospel. Even Mormon was killed. Only Moroni was preserved to ensure that the record would come forth in the latter days unto the Gentiles. Why the Lamanites were not destroyed is worth our examination.