3 Nephi 9
Yahweh Speaks to the Survivors
3 Nephi 9:1–2
1 And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land, crying:
2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
Comments
In the midst of total destruction, under the blanket of thick darkness, the people had already begun to fear. That fear could only have been amplified when, through the darkness, came the voice of Yahweh. It had to be the voice of Yahweh, for Yahweh was God over all nature, and, for those who remembered the prophecies, they understood that there was a condemnation upon the people. With all that fear, this God does not yet provide comfort, but rather declares his power. Yahweh will tell the people of the extent of the destruction. They would only know the destruction that was around them, but Yahweh will let them know that it was not just them that saw destruction, but many, many others also witnessed it.
The promised destructions had come because people had not repented. Nevertheless, Yahweh declares to those who were still alive that they were still under the command to repent. At this point, they would have understood exactly how great the physical destruction might be. At least at that very time, the people would have been willing to repent of most anything.
3 Nephi 9:3–6
3 Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof.
4 And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned.
5 And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them.
6 And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the earth;
Comments
The first city mentioned is Zarahemla. Although others are listed somewhat by region, Zarahemla is first, and not in the same region as Moroni or Moronihah. It is mentioned first because it was the “first city” in terms of conceptual importance. It was the capital and therefore, the most important city. It was burned. If Zarahemla were no more, then the Nephites would understand how great the destruction was, even before the rest of the cities listed.
The city Moroni was already mentioned as having been sunk in the sea, but that was an account written after the fact. For most of the people, they learned of that disaster through the voice of Yahweh, which made it more terrible.
Yahweh’s power over nature is emphasized by the symbolic death of the cities, being buried in both water and earth. If that imagery were to be understood, then the fire of Zarahemla might also have been symbolic of the burning of the wicked in the great judgment.
3 Nephi 9:7–8
7 Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them.
8 And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them.
Comments
The descriptions of destruction move from the center (Zarahemla) to the eastern border (Moroni and Moronihah) to a list of cities that now appear to be more in the south. The declaration is intended to show that the destruction is over all the land. The imagery of burial continues both with water and earth. Where Yahweh had declared at the beginning of this litany that the people were still to repent, the emphasis on these particular cities is that they were destroyed because of their rejection of the prophets, and of the true way.
3 Nephi 9:9–11
9 And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them.
10 And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and their abominations.
11 And because they did cast them all out, that there were none righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them.
Comments
The litany of destruction appears to move even further south. We should remember that the Lamanites had, at one time, been more righteous than the Nephites. However, at least some of their cities had either not become converted or had returned to a state of unbelief and persecution of the prophets. Thus, we see some cities that must certainly have been in the Lamanite lands, such as the city of Laman, listed as having been destroyed. This was not a condemnation of only Nephites, but of all who lived in that region, and all in that region had at least had the opportunity to learn of Yahweh. They had not repented. They were destroyed.
3 Nephi 9:12–13
12 And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
Comments
We are not told where the people were who were able to hear this voice. Yahweh declares that they were spared “because [they] were more righteous” than the people of the destroyed cities. That would have been a declaration for the majority of the population, but there were probably still those who heard the voice, but who might still need to repent.
The idea that there were a people who were more righteous suggests that perhaps this account comes from the land Bountiful, which appears to have been largely spared. Bountiful was the land to which the Nephites had retreated to finally defeat the Gadiantons, a defeat that was attributed to their righteousness. Thus, it is possible that there remained a concentration of believers in Bountiful, which would fit the Yahweh’s description of those spared due to righteousness.
It is also important to note that while Yahweh declares that there had been great destructions, and that the effect of those destruction would obviously generate fear in those who survived, Yahweh also offers his hand: “[R]eturn unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you.” Those who survived might have been more righteous, but Yahweh desired even greater obedience.
3 Nephi 9:14–15
14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.
Comments
If the people repent and “come unto me”, they would have eternal life. The voice then declares who he is: “Jesus Christ, the son of God.” That declaration is further qualified by discussing the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Father.
It is easy for modern readers to see these verses in the light of all of the discussions about the nature of the Godhead. That would be anachronous for the Nephites. The Nephites had believed that Yahweh was their God, and that Yahweh would descend to the earth to become the mortal Messiah.
It is in that context that we should see this declaration. The destructions were predicted to accompany the death of the Messiah. This voice identifies himself as the same as the mortal Messiah whose death was witnessed with the destructions and darkness. The title “son of God,” in Nephite terms, meant God while on the earth. Jesus is declaring first that he is the predicted Messiah, who had died. He is also clearly back in the heavens, and in the heavens, the Nephites had called him Yahweh, or God, or the Father.
Modern readers understand the difference between God the Father and Yahweh, his son. That reality may have been known among the Nephites, just as it was at one time among the Hebrews. However, the clear understanding of the division of the two may not have been clearly understood until Christ was among them, and still speaking to his Father. At that time, the meaning of being “with the Father” would be clarified.
The list of titles in verse 15 recalls Samuel’s prophecy that this very being would come: “And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name” (Helaman 14:12).
3 Nephi 9:16–18
16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.
17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.
18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
Comments
The purpose of these declarations was not to elucidate the nature of the Father, but to solidify the Nephite understanding of who the Messiah is. Therefore, the resurrected Jesus declares that he was the very one who had been on earth: “I came unto my own.” In spite of having been mortal, he is yet Yahweh, the “beginning and the end.” That is a definition of God.
Most importantly, Jesus announces two important facts. First is that through his teachings he has given to all the chance to become “sons of God.” The second is that: “in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.”
3 Nephi 9:19–20
19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.
Comments
Apart from the obvious requirement to rebuild their world from the surrounding destructions, the announcement that the law of Moses had been fulfilled would have been daunting. The law had told them what they needed to do, and now what would they do? They are only given the bare outlines of the change. There will be a shift from communal sacrifice of animals to the personal sacrifice of one’s own broken heart.
More details would come when the Savior came, and taught, in Bountiful.
3 Nephi 9:21–22
21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.
22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.
Comments
The Nephite teachings had long emphasized that when the Messiah came, he would bring redemption. Yahweh therefore declares that he had done so. That prophecy is declared fulfilled.
The personal meaning of that redemption is that all might come to Yahweh and repent and be received. In this context, coming as a little child might be a reference to the fact that little children had to learn how to act, and now that the law had been fulfilled, the Nephites were as children, again needing to learn what they should do.
This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
