Helaman Chapter 12

** IMPORTANT NOTE ** The remaining chapters of Helaman, Chapters 7-16, represent the Prophecy of Nephi (the son of Helaman). God threatens the people of Nephi that they will be destroyed unless they repent of the wicked ways (chapters 7-10). God smites the people with famine and pestilance; they repent and turn back to him (chapters 11-12). Then Samuel, the Lamanite prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ (chapters 13-15).

Summary:  

The "Natural Man" (men's normal tendencies) are to do foolhardily devilish and evil things. To prevent this, the Lord chastens his people to help them remember to repent and come onto him instead. Come the judgment, men with either learn to come unto God through Jesus Christ and have everlasting life, or end up with everlasting woe and misery.

Lessons Taught/To be Learned:

In reading the chapters in Helaman, a definite behavior cycle of people is noted. Mormon describes this cycle very well in verses 2-6 of Chapter 12. To see a greater understand of this behavior The Pride Cycle.

Key Scriptures (italicized and in quotes):

"2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity."

"3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him."

"4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!"

"5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!"

"6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide."