Mormon 3
Mormon 3:1–3
1 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.
3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God.
Comments
The treaty gave the Nephites ten years of peace. The dire need of fleeing and fighting had not turned them to God, and now they saw no need, since things were peaceful. Mormon had been prohibited to preach to his people when he was younger (see Mormon 1:17). Now he was commanded to do so, perhaps as a final opportunity to turn to their God.
They would not.
War Resumes
Mormon 3:4–6
4 And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again to battle against us.
5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward.
6 And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force.
Comments
The Lamanite king’s declaration that a war would begin was not unusual in Mesoamerican warfare. Battles could be at designated times, with warnings given. This will happen again at the beginning of the final battle at Cumorah.
At this time, Mormon moves south to the narrow neck but still, pointedly, in the land of Desolation. They gather into a fortified city at the narrow neck which would make it harder for a Lamanite army to pass them by. They place themselves in the best possible defensive position.
Mormon 3:7–9
7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.
8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did come down again to battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea.
9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.
Comments
The wisdom of amassing their strength at the best possible defensive position was evident in their ability to beat back attacks in two consecutive years. Those victories embolden the Nephites, and “they began to boast in their own strength.” They were so sure of their prowess that they desired to seek revenge, believing that they were strong enough to do so.
Mormon Withdraws His Leadership
Mormon 3:10–13
10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land.
11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.
12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts.
13 And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have repented not of their sins.
Comments
Mormon understood that they had been victorious because of the strong defensive position, an advantage that disappeared if they did as they desired and pursued their enemy southward.
Mormon made a difficult decision, and “did utterly refuse from [that] time forth to be a commander and a leader” of the people. For all that he had done to help them win victories, they did not understand why they had won, and they would not repent so that the Lord could be invoked for the protection of the land, through the covenant of the land.
Mormon had worked to the best of his military and religious capabilities to preserve his people. He felt that he was being rejected, and therefore withdrew from their leadership.
Mormon 3:14–16
14 And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying:
15 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth.
16 And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come.
Comments
Mormon did not make such a momentous decision without the Lord’s guidance. The Lord declared that they were ripe for destruction. While the communication did not specifically affirm Mormon’s decision, it highlighted the correctness of his assessment of his people’s wickedness. Therefore, Mormon “utterly refused to go up against mine enemies.” He had given the best possible counsel, and it had been refused.
Mormon 3:17–19
17 Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance;
18 Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea, unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples in the land of Jerusalem.
19 And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the land of Jerusalem.
Comments
In the previous verse (verse 16), Mormon indicated that he was a witness to his people’s destructive decisions. Verse 17 gives us his conclusion of what he would do rather than lead his people. He would attempt to lead a future people that he would never meet. He wrote, and notes in these two verses, that he is writing to the Gentiles and to the house of Israel. Mormon could not lead his people back, but he commends that task to the Gentiles and the house of Israel “when the work shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance.” Future generations should prepare for the gathering in which Mormon’s Nephites could not participate.
Finally, he writes to those who are the remnants of the New World house of Judah, those remaining descendants of Lehi1, or those adopted into their blessings. His message will also be directed to them.
Mormon 3:20–22
20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;
21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God.
22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.
Comments
Mormon has paused in his historical descriptions to address those to whom he is writing. This comes after he has declared that he no longer believes that he can do anything for his current people, therefore, his thoughts turn to future generations that he might be able to help to avoid the fate awaiting his own people.
This is not the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. Thus, this statement is an aside in his historical narration and not yet a final declaration. That will come, but will come in our chapter 7.
