Helaman 8

Helaman 8

The Gadiantons Stir Up the People against Nephi’s Words

Helaman 8:1–4

1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?

2 Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this people and against our law?

3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God.

4 And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness; nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.

Comments

Mormon reminds us, in verse 1, that the Gadiantons had taken over the government. The Gadiantons who were passing by were judges. As judges, they were supposed to be caring for the enforcement of law, but apparently the Gadianton influence had changed some of the laws that had been instituted in Mosiah₂’s time.

Verse 4 confirms that, while the Gadiantons had increased in influence and power, there were still divisions among the people. Previously, the divisions had allowed the voice of the people to support the Nephite traditions. Now it appears that the voice of the people had shifted. Still, it was not unanimous. The judges feared to apprehend Nephi₂ “for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.” There were still many who supported the traditional Nephite ideals.

Helaman 8:5–9

5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no place in them.

6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us.

7 And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent;

8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities;

9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things.

Comments

The division among the Nephite people is further put on display in this exchange. The Gadianton judges are in power because they had been able to sway the voice of the people. However, that voice had not been unanimous. In this occasion, they are confronted with a number of people who do not support the new government, but rather believe that Nephi₂ was a prophet.

Nephi₂ becomes a prophet to his people in the old tradition of prophets coming from outside the centers of power. For hundreds of years, the Nephites had been led by leaders who could often be seen as prophets due to the fact that they led the religious lives of the people. That was when the political and religious aspects of the community were more in concert.

Nephi₂ is now a prophet declaring the sins of the rulers. He is as a Lehi₁ preaching to an unrepentant Jerusalem. Just as with the prophets in Jerusalem, Nephi₂ was surrounded by those who believed him, even though those in power preferred to silence his voice.

Verse 8 notes that Nephi₂ knows that “all the judgments will come upon us.” Although Mormon will tell the story of a particular prophecy, that isn’t the story the people are referencing here. Here, they are hearing the declaration that they are in danger of the negative aspect of the promise of the land. That is the particular prophetic call that Nephi₂ makes. They are to repent in order to avoid destruction. It is a parallel message to the one that Lehi₁ delivered to Jerusalem.

Nephi Reveals the Murder of the Chief Judge

Helaman 8:10–12

10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.

11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?

12 And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?

Comments

Nephi₂ has enough support among those gathered that he can continue. He invokes Moses as an example of God giving power to one man. It is important to the context that Nephi₂ specifically uses the opening of a passage through the sea as his example. Out of all that Moses did, why that event? Why not Moses receiving the commandments on Sinai, if Nephi₂ were to speak of his prophetic calling?

The reason is thinly disguised, if at all. Moses led his people away from a government that, while rich, did not follow God’s commandments. Nephi₂ is declaring that it is his purpose to similarly lead his people away from the rich, but religiously incorrect, Gadiantons who governed them.

In verse 12, he brings the story back to the firm Nephite base: the promise of the land. He may be declared a prophet, but he is only affirming the covenant that God made with Lehi₁.

Helaman 8:13–16

13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.

14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.

16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.

Comments

Mormon has not made it explicit until this point, but everything he has written about the way the Nephite apostasy has occurred in the past should have prepared us for these verses. We learn, explicitly, that one of the aspects of the changes in society under the Gadiantons is the rejection of the teaching of the coming Messiah.

Nephi₂ began with Moses’s leading the children of Israel to freedom, implying that he desired to do the same with the Nephites under Gadianton rule. Now, he uses Moses again, but this time to declare that the prophets of old had preached of the Messiah. For this, he selects the raising of the serpent. The pole with the brazen serpent was raised so that all might see it, and all needed only to look upon it to live. It was a simple thing, but one that many declined to do. Thus, declares Nephi₂, the understanding of the coming Messiah is taught and available, but many have rejected it.

Nephi₂ then transitions from Moses to the even older founder, Abraham.

Helaman 8:17–20

17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.

18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.

19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.

20 And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy?

Comments

Nephi₂ recalls the original covenant with Abraham, the covenant that created the relationship between God and his people. From that very beginning, declares Nephi₂, Israel had been established through that covenant, and through the authority of those who received the priesthood from Yahweh. From that beginning covenant was the promise that God himself would come down to earth (an oft-repeated phrase in the Nephite records).

Beginning with Abraham, many prophets have afterward testified of the coming of the atoning Messiah. Nephi₂ returns to the idea of prophecy, and the imagery of the Nephite founding father, Lehi₁, preaching that Jerusalem would fall. Nephi₂ declares that they know that it fell, therefore, they should believe other words of prophecy. Specifically, they should believe that the Son of God will come.

Helaman 8:21–23

21 And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—

22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.

23 And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.

Comments

Nephi₂’s argument about Jerusalem being destroyed is interesting and perhaps instructive about the people who descended from Mulek. When declaring that Jerusalem was destroyed, Nephi₂ does not refer to Lehi₁’s prophetic declaration that he had seen the destruction. He points to the sons of Zedekiah who were slain, all save Mulek. This is the first time in the Book of Mormon that we learn about Mulek as a person. Although the idea of being “sons” of the king might have referred to any in the court, the specific relationship is not the issue. Nephi₂ is suggesting that there is an inherited tradition among Mulek’s descendants that they were still in the Old World when Jerusalem was destroyed. Thus, their testimony was of that accomplished fact, and not Lehi₁’s prophetic vision, which some might dismiss.

The next important aspect of this reference to Mulek is that it ties Old World prophecies of the coming of the atoning Messiah to Mulek. This was a politically astute move, as most of the Nephite contentions appear to have been along the dividing lines between the Nephites and the Mulekites. The desires for a different religion and a return to monarchy seem to be ascribed to descendants of Mulek. Nephi₂, therefore, uses that lineage to note that even they knew of the coming of the atoning Messiah.

Verse 23 restates the common Nephite theme that the atoning Messiah will be God come to earth: “He is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.” The phrase “that which is to come” refers to the coming atoning Messiah.

Helaman 8:24–28

24 And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have received; yea, even ye have received all things, both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true.

25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.

26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.

27 Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto the judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is murdered, and he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by his brother, who seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.

28 And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose author is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.

Comments

The people had declared that Nephi₂ was a prophet (see verse 9 in this chapter). Their declaration saw him as a prophet declaring repentance, and so Nephi₂ declares repentance, boldly, and specifically. He tells the people that “ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God.” That surely called for repentance.

The prophetic declaration continues. He tells them that “even at this time ye are ripening . . . for everlasting destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you soon.” That is fully in keeping with the role of most Old Testament prophets.

However, Nephi₂ also knows that many of the Nephites no longer believe him simply because he declares what they should have known. When they stop believing in God’s truth, they would also stop believing in Nephi. Therefore, Nephi₂ is inspired to a more testable type of prophecy. He declares not only that the judge (presumably the Chief Judge) has been murdered, but he also declares that it was the judge’s brother who committed the murder. Finally, he lays the blame at the feet of the Gadiantons. That is what Gadiantons do. Mormon included the assassination of Cezoram at the beginning of the book of Helaman so we would understand that.

There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition.