Day 65 Helaman 5-6 Part 2

 

In Helaman Chapter 6, There was a time of peace with the Lamanites because of the Lamanites repentance.  The Nephites, however, started to become wicked.  They started to reject the words of the Prophet and the word of God.  The people of God did get along and they did have much happiness and joy.

Cezoram the Chief Judge was murdered by an unknown assassin and then his son who took his chair was also murdered.  The people started to become wicked again.  Because God has blessed their goodness with wealth, they started to become greedy and money hungry, becoming selfish, secretive, and even murderous!  They became robbers and thought only to obtain more and more for themselves.  Kishkumen and Gadianton created a band of these wicked men and they were called the Gadianton's Robbers and Murderers.

Helaman 6:17

17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.

When the Lamanites discovered the Gadianton's Robbers among them they were upset and tried to destroy every last one of them.

Helaman 6:21

21 But behold, Satan did stir up the hearts of the more part of the Nephites, insomuch that they did unite with those bands of robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that they would protect and preserve one another in whatsoever difficult circumstances they should be placed, that they should not suffer for their murders, and their plunderings, and their stealings.

These band of robbers took secret signs, oaths, and Covenants to protect one another and also that if they did tell on each other, they would find themselves dealt with harshly, not by the judges of the land, but by Kishkomen, Gadianton, and their men.  Alma warned his sons about this kind of thing and told them never to be part of such people or bands or it would bring down the church of God.

Helaman 6:26

26 Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—

Satan (Lucifer) did tell Cain to kill Abel and told him that if he did this, The world would never find out!

Helaman 6:28-31

28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven. And it was that same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.

29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.

30 And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.

31 And now behold, he had got great hold upon the hearts of the Nephites; yea, insomuch that they had become exceedingly wicked; yea, the more part of them had turned out of the way of righteousness, and did trample under their feet the commandments of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto themselves idols of their gold and their silver.

These Nephites who used to be the Church of God became seduced by Satan and made their riches their idols.  As the Nephites became more wicked and more of them left the church, more Lamanites began to become righteous, repent, and converted to the Church of God.

Helaman 6:35

35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.

Although the Lamanites worked hard to destroy the Gadianton's Robbers, the Nephites helped to make them mighty and helped to convert many Nephites away from the church and to follow after the Robbers.  The Gadianton's Robbers overpowered the righteous for a time.  They overtook the government, and the people started to ignore the poor and needy and looked after only their own riches and desires. 

This does happen in our world today.  There are some places around the world where the rich get richer, the poor become poorer, marginalized, ignored, ejected from countries, starved, and put to death (either directly or indirectly) due to their poverty.  

Likening these Chapters unto me

#1 Satan is real and desires to turn our hearts away from Our Heavenly Father ajd because I know this, I work really hard to counter hate and evil with right living and goodness.

#2 I rely on The Savior to keep me grounded in truth, to whether the storms of life, and protect me from people who would drag me away from joy.

#3 I need to pray for others. He mindful of others, and stay humble.

#4 Satan is a liar and God has a plan for my life!