We are still taking an in-depth look into the vision Nephi had when he inquired of the Lord concerning the meaning of his father’s dream and also to ask about the fate of his descendants. In our last Scripture Study, we learned that the righteous will be numbered among the House of Israel. Now we will read about the fate of the wicked.
3. And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.
This puts me in mind of the action/adventure movies where the villain prepares a trap for the hero, only to fall in it himself. This is the fate of all who seek to destroy the Church of the Lamb. Whatever fate they envisioned for the righteous will fall on them instead.
4. For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.
The “captivity according to the devil” refers to being cast into the pit and also to being cast into the hell which hath no end. Being a captive to the devil never has an end. Once you are enslaved, if you make no effort to free yourself, you are condemned to that fate forever. How grateful I am for the Atonement, which frees all those who choose to be freed.
5. And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repenteth not must perish.
6. Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
7. For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the capitivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
The restoration of the Church and the Priesthood are often referred to as this “marvelous work and a wonder.” Indeed, when a person is presented with the gospel in all its entirety, they can then make the choice for themselves whether to live according to God’s precepts or to choose instead to follow Satan. There can’t be any fence-sitters at the last day. We must all decide once and for all who’s team we are on, and we must fight for that team with all we’ve got.
From today’s reading: what can we do to reaffirm what side we’re on?
Related Blogs:
1 Nephi 9 and Thoughts about Nephi