This chapter takes place after the natural destruction had finished on the American continent after the death of Christ. This is on or about the third day after the Crucifixion ( 3 Nephi 8:23 ). So this was not near the end of the 34th year, that Mormon told us that Christ manifested himself in the flesh ( 3 Nephi 10:18-19 ). The events of 3 Nephi 9 take place almost a year before Christ appeared unto them.
1 - And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land, crying:
Interesting to note who heard this voice. It wasn't just a group of people in a particular place.
2 - Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
What is meant by "wo"? Why does Christ pronounce three wo's upon the people of this land? Why is just one wo pronounced upon the inhabitants of the whole earth? Is there a difference? What must you do to make sure that the wo's don't apply to you? Is iniquity and abomination the opposite of repentance? Are there other choices? What is the definition of iniquity? What is the definition of abomination?
5 - And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and their abominations from before my face, that the blood of prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them.
This is is the first city mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets and the saints. Why would prophets and saints be mentioned separately? Is there a difference? The idea of what a prophet does is fairly common. However, what makes someone be called a saint?
7 - Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, and the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them.
These are the second, third, and fourth cities mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets and saints.
8 - And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah, and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up any more unto me against them.
These are the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth cities mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets and saints.
9 - And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them.
This is the ninth city mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets and saints. The previous cities that have been mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets were buried in one form or another. Here the list is started of those cities that are burned with fire. Why? How wicked were the inhabitants of the city of Jacobugath? Does "whole earth" just mean the Americas, or does it literally mean all of the world?
10 - And 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.
These are the tenth, eleventh, twelveth, and thirteenth cities mentioned in relation to the blood of prophets and saints. The prophets were cast out. There was another group that was stoned. Was this other group what is meant in previous versus by saints? Who designates one a as being a saint? Is it possible to cast the prophets out and stone those sent to declare by the Lord without physically doing these things? If so, is it possible to experience spiritual destruction as a result? Could this be related to the greater things and lesser portions mentioned in earlier posts? ( 3 Nephi 26; Alma 12 )
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, and the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them.
Is this a universal law that happens when there is not a single righteous person in a city? Is there some other qualification that must happen as well before destruction? Could this also be applied to an individual person?
12 - And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
Was the land destroyed because it was wicked, or because the people were wicked? If it was because the people wicked, why did God allow it to happen? Could it be a testimony to future generations?
...Great things 2 ponder upon.
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