3 Nephi 11:1-2

1 - And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.

Could there have been more than one temple in the lands of the Nephites? Look at the scriptures in the footnote for "gathered".  Is the fact that there were more than one temple in the lands of the Nephites why the specific temple in the land Bountiful needed singled out? Why was everyone gathered at the temple? Remember, this was almost a year after the signs of the death and resurrection of Jesus (info here). Was there a yearly ceremony that took place at the temple? Could they have gathered for that and been discussing what had gone before? Hugh Nibley suggested that the reason that they gathered could have been for something like the Egyptian end of year ceremony. This ceremony in the Egyptian form had elements of death and resurrection of a deity in it.

2 - And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death.

So those gathered recognized that the experiences that they had experienced earlier that year fulfilled the prophecies about Jesus. Did they understand at this time that he was resurrected? Did they know what that meant? Even the apostles in Israel had a hard time understanding what that would mean. Was there a connection between their recognition that the signs had happened and the reason that they were gathered? Could there have been some confusion as to how they should proceed?

...Great things 2 ponder upon.

3 Nephi 10:12-15 -- Enduring to Witness the Resurrection

12 - And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared-

What did it take to be a part of this "more righteous part". Look at the scriptures in the footnotes for "more". Specifically, read 2 Nephi 26:8. These were those who hearkened to the words of the prophets, and destroy them not. Destroy what, the words of the prophets? The prophets themselves? Is there a difference from an eternal perspective? How does one go about destroying the words of the prophets? They looked forward to Christ with steadfastness. What does it mean to be steadfast in this instance? They were steadfast, even in the midst of all persecution. For ANY person to walk the same path that these saints walked, persecution will come. That persecution may have different forms for different people, but the persecution will come. This is part of the process of salvation. Think about all the dispensations of the gospel, were there any where the righteous were not persecuted? If you are not being persecuted, what can that imply? Back to verse 12. What or who makes a person a prophet? Why were they stoned? Why not just ignore them?

13 - And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and darkness.

All of these calamities that are described in this verse, who did they happen to? Did just the wicked experience the precursor actions that ended in these calamities? Were the righteous protected and watching from afar off? Why were the righteous people required to experience these things, the same as the wicked? The sparing happened at the end, not before the trials started. Why?

14 - And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets.

Mormon stops the reader here and says "And now, whoso readeth, let him understand". Why would he have put a statement in there like that? Are the things preceding that statement to be taken lightly? Glossed over? He saw us in this day. He knew what kind of people were are. Why are the events that happened on the American continent at the death and resurrection of Christ so important to us now? We don't stone prophets do we? Are those events and attitudes that happened then a type of what will happen before the second coming of Christ? Mormon also pleads with us to search the scriptures. Why? He tells us that they say these things. Why would he tell us to search them? Is there something vital that can not be gained/given to a person except through searching in the scriptures for these things? Do you trust Mormon enough to do as he asks?

15 - Behold, I say unto you, Yeah, many have testified of these things at the coming of Christ, and were slain because they testified of these things.

When is the time period being referenced here? Is it at the same time that the signs of the Savior's birth? So great signs were given and those who prophesied that more great things would happen at his death were killed because they said these things. How can that possibly apply to us in this day and age? Are we guilty of thinking that all of the calamitous events prophesied to happen before the second coming of the Lord won't happen because everything seems to be going fine right now? Are we guilty of destroying the words of prophets by rationalizing the meaning away because it is contrary to our will? Are you prepared to endure the events that are coming?

... Great things 2 ponder upon.

3 Nephi 9:1-12 -- The First Words of Christ to the Nephites after the Crucifixion, Part 1

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.