Helaman 13

In the scriptures, those people that were about to be destroyed were referred to as being "ripe in iniquity". Sometime ago, I was involved with litigation with the county I lived in on the an issue of a takings claim. A takings claim is where the government passes legislation or policy that takes the value of property away from an owner. The essence of the courts decision was an issue of "ripeness", meaning had I as an owner considered every possible alternative use or was given every possible means to maintain the value of the property due to the restrictions caused by the county. In the district court, the judge ruled that the case was not yet ripe. But the appellate court overruled that decision claiming the case to be ripe. Ripeness now has brought on new meaning.

The Lord, in his great love and patience, provides every opportunity for man to repent and come unto him before they become fully ripe in iniquity. Regarding the Israelites entry into the promised land, Nephi said to his brothers -

"...do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.
34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them..." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 17:33 - 35)

Nephi later warned us -

"Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 28:16)

Even Amulek declared to the people of Ammonihah -

"...if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction." (Book of Mormon Alma 10:19)

Moroni writes that the Lord swore in his wrath to the brother of Jared that -

"...the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity." (Book of Mormon Ether 2:9)

We also learn that the ripeness of a society has a great deal to do with the righteous that may live amongst the wicked as Samuel the Lamanite preached to the people of Zarahemla -

"But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.
12 Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.
13 But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out of heaven and destroy it.
14 But behold, it is for the righteous' sake that it is spared. But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the wickedness and abominations which are in her." (Book of Mormon Helaman 13:11 - 14)

We saw this same example when -

"...the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." (Old Testament Genesis 18:26)

He eventually agreed -

"...I will not destroy it for ten's sake." (Old Testament Genesis 18:32)

We all know there could not be ten found for Sodom and Gommorah was fully ripe and was destroyed. The same happened as He revealed -

"...that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 9:3)

And we see another example as the Lord said to the survivors among the Nephites -

"...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..." (Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 9:10 - 11)

I guess my thought is today, is that it may be the very righteous that is preventing this nation from being fully ripe in inquity.