Helaman
26 verses
We can see how false and unstable the hearts of people are, and we can see that the Lord, in his great infinite goodness, blesses and prospers those who put their trust in him.
And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.
We can see that when God prospers his people—when their fields, flocks, herds, gold, silver, and all kinds of valuable things increase; when he spares their lives, delivers them from their enemies, softens the hearts of their enemies so they don’t go to war against them, and does everything for their welfare and happiness—that is when they harden their hearts, forget the Lord their God, and disrespect the Holy One. This happens because of their comfort and great prosperity.
Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
We see that unless the Lord corrects his people with many hardships—unless he allows them to experience death, fear, famine, and all kinds of disease—they will not remember him.
And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.
Oh, how foolish, vain, evil, and devilish, and how quick to do wrong and slow to do good are the children of men. How quickly they listen to the words of the evil one and set their hearts on the worthless things of the world!
O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!
How quick people are to be lifted up in pride, to boast, and to do all kinds of wickedness; and how slow they are to remember the Lord their God and listen to his counsel, and how slow they are to walk in the paths of wisdom!
Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!
They do not want the Lord their God, who has created them, to rule and reign over them. Even with his great goodness and mercy toward them, they ignore his counsel and refuse to let him be their guide.
Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.
Oh, how great is the nothingness of the children of men; they are even less than the dust of the earth.
O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.
The dust of the earth moves here and there, separating as commanded by our great and everlasting God.
For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.
At his voice, the hills and the mountains tremble and shake.
Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake.
By the power of his voice they are broken up and become smooth, even like a valley.
And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.
By the power of his voice, the whole earth shakes.
Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake;
By the power of his voice, the foundations shake, even to the very center.
Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center.
And if he says to the earth, “Move, ” it is moved.
Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.
If he tells the earth to go back so that the day is extended for many hours, it happens.
Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done;
And so, according to his word, the earth moves backward, and it appears to people that the sun stands still; this is true, because it is the earth that moves and not the sun.
And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun.
And if he says to the waters of the great deep, "Be dried up, " it happens.
And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done.
If he says to this mountain, “Be raised up, and go over and fall on that city so that it is buried, ” it is done.
Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.
If a man hides a treasure in the earth, and the Lord says, "Let it be cursed because of the wickedness of the one who hid it, " then it will be cursed.
And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed.
And if the Lord says, “Be cursed, so that no one will find you from now on and forever, ” then no one will find it from that time on and forever.
And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed, that no man shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever—behold, no man getteth it henceforth and forever.
If the Lord says to a man, “Because of your sins, you will be cursed forever, ” it will happen.
And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Because of thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever—it shall be done.
If the Lord says, "Because of your sins you will be cut off from my presence, " he will make it happen.
And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so.
And sorrow awaits anyone to whom he says this, for it applies to those who choose to do evil, and they cannot be saved. For this reason—that people might be saved—repentance has been declared.
And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved; therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared.
So, those who repent and listen to the voice of the Lord their God are blessed, because they are the ones who will be saved.
Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.
May God, in His great fullness, allow people to be led to repentance and good works, so they can be restored to grace for grace according to their actions.
And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works.
I want everyone to be saved. But we read that on the great and last day, some people will be cast out and separated from the presence of the Lord.
And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;
Anyone who is consigned to a state of endless misery fulfills the words that say: Those who have done good will have everlasting life, and those who have done evil will have everlasting damnation. That’s how it is. Amen.
Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.