Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

3 Nephi 2

Samuel the Lamanite prophecied that at he birth of the Savior -

"...there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born." (Book of Mormon | Helaman 14:3 - 4)

And sure enough -

"...it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.
20 And it had come to pass, yea, all things, every whit, according to the words of the prophets." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 1:19 - 20)

The people surely witnessed this event. There was no question in their mind that the prophecies had been filled. Even though this would not stop the agency of the wicked -

"...the more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 1:22)

But even then, we see a continual pattern that as time passes -

"...the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—" (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 2:1)

The Savior taught -

"...An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign..." (New Testament | Matthew 12:39)

Again we see that signs -

"...are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts." (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 46:9)

It seems no matter what sign a wicked generation receives they will continue to be less impressed, even -

"Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 2:2)

So that they can -

"...wax strong in wickedness and abominations..." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 2:3)

Even as many believe today -

"...they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given..." (Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 2:3)

And I would add to that, how could there be prophets in our day. They are just reserved for old days of ignorant people. There is a pattern that first they believe, then they tend to justify or explain off the event, and finally they choose not to believe no matter what. What a wicked and perverse generation that continues to follow this pattern.