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Annotations |
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Chapter 12
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1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the
unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the
Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put
their trust in him.
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Helaman 12:1-3
The prosperity gospel is quite clearly laid out as being at least in part
about riches in temporal blessings, and notice the dark, flip side of the
prosperity gospel with the list in verse 3 of some of the consequences of not
following God.
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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.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:1-3 above
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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.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:1-3 above
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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!
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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!
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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.
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7 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men;
yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.
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8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and
thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting
God.
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Helaman 12:8-19
Yet with all these amazing powers, not one amputee has ever grown a limb
back.
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9 Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains
tremble and quake.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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10 And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and
become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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11 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth
shake;
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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12 Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations
rock, even to the very center.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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13 Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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14 Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that
it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done;
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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15 And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back,
and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this
is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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16 And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the
great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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17 Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up,
and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is
done.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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18 And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth,
and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who
hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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19 And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed, that no man
shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever—behold, no man getteth
it henceforth and forever.
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Annotation for Helaman 12:8-19 above
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20 And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Because of
thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever—it shall be done.
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21 And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities
thou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so.
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22 And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall
be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved; therefore, for
this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared.
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23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken
unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved.
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24 And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might
be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto
grace for grace, according to their works.
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25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read
that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who
shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;
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26 Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless
misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall
have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting
damnation. And thus it is. Amen.
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The qualifier for damnation here is “everlasting.” One is
left to wonder what that means exactly since according to D&C 19:6-12 the
words “endless” and “eternal” do not mean without end when it comes to
“endless torment” or “eternal damnation”. These verses in the D&C explain
that “endless” and “eternal” are used because, “it is more express than other
scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men.” When
people read these words in the Book of Mormon, how do they likely understand
the words “endless” and “eternal”? Is this honest communication if D&C 19
reveals the actual meaning of these words? Does “everlasting” also not mean
without end?
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