Today I read Ether 13, the first half of the chapter is really neat, the prophecies of Ether and a New Jerusalem and all the other things that Ether prophesied about to his people. The 2nd half of this chapter is about the war that was started during his days that caused the entire destruction of the people.
It is really, really sad to read about the destruction of these people and I once again am just in awe that people and their loyalty can be so complete and blinding. I have read books and histories of the many various kingdoms in the history of the human race and I know many, many kings have had their soldiers do many horrible and despicable things over the many years and I'm sure that some of those soldiers even enjoyed doing those things, but surely there must have been soldiers who would balk at such orders and hesitate to perform them?
Or perhaps not. Perhaps I am actually the vast minority and it is only me whose spirit weeps at such destruction and atrocities. I would like to think not, but power seems to attract a certain type of individual and that type does not seem like the kind you would bring home to mother as the saying goes. Nevertheless, in the case of the Jaredites, it would appear that all of them were past feeling as we will read over the next 2 days.
As for the prophecies of Ether, have you ever noticed that certain groups of people get to hear really neat things? For example, the Jaredites by this point had become totally corrupt and ripe for destruction. We know this because from this point on it was continual bloodshed and warfare and they were completely annihilated in the space of about a decade. And yet according to Moroni there were not many prophecies that were greater! Why in the world is it that a people who were beyond saving would get to hear such wonderful prophecies? Why would they be wasted on an unrepentant people who would not take them to heart and actually change their lives because of them?
Well there's the obvious reason that Ether wrote them all down and some day we will have them, or at least Mahonri's vision which I am sure contain all the things Ether prophesied about. But that does not change the fact that Ether was commanded to preach them to his people. In my opinion the last three books in the Book of Mormon, Mormon, Ether and Moroni are the most sad because of all the destruction and I think those 3 men, Mormon, Ether and Moroni, are the saddest in the entire Book of Mormon. Just like Mormon, and Moroni, Ether had to witness the entire destruction of his people. I would hope that these 3 men had heavenly comforts and angels to minister to them. They must have been incredibly strong because my heart and spirit ache just from reading these accounts, I could not even imagine witnessing them first hand!
So why was Ether commanded to preach such marvelous things to his people? I honestly think, despite what Moroni says, it is because there were a few that believed him. Just as in the days of Noah, the people as a whole rejected all his words. However, in Noah's day there were 1 here, a family there, a couple here, a child there, who believed his words and were caught up to the fled city of Enoch. I believe that this is also the case with the Jaredites, that while the people completely rejected all his words, there were some few that believed him. Perhaps not, and perhaps if there were those who did believe they were immediately executed just like the saints in Ammonihah, we are not told, but I like to think that there were some few who believed Ether.
Well, I guess I should say repented because Moroni said that Ether's faith was such that they could not disbelieve his words so they believed, it would just seem they did not care. That is a funny thing to think about, but how many of us do that every single day? Those of us who read this and are LDS believe all the words our prophets say, yet how many of us make the changes we are asked to make? How many of us actually do the things we are asked to do? How many of you are working towards getting out of debt? Towards a food storage? Towards a family? It's a sobering thought! I must admit this just came to me as I sit here writing this, but I really do think this is what Moroni is talking about. We all believe the words of our prophets, but do we honestly heed them like we should? I wonder. I know I personally could do better.
When I first finished this chapter, I was sorely tempted to just read chapters 14 and 15 and just lump them all together since they are all talking about the destruction of the Jaredites, and now I see that even the repetition of destruction in the Book of Mormon serves a purpose and can be expounded upon by the Spirit of the Lord. I look forward to what the Spirit will teach me tomorrow. Until then!
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