1 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea.
2 And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
3 And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away, after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.
Nephi is shown the future of his posterity and that of his brothers. It’s interesting that he is not shown the times when there is great cooperation between the Nephites and Lamanites. Instead, he is shown the wars. Mormon 8:8 says the hand of the Lord is in all the bloodshed and wars. That’s because the Lord will punish the wicked by the wicked. (see Mormon 4:5) This is all prophesied in 1 Nephi 2:23–24. The Lord told Nephi that the Lamanites were there to stir the Nephites up to repentance.
I think this part of the Nephi’s vision probably saddened him, to know that after all that had been given and revealed to him and his seed, they would still, in the end, give in to wickedness, and fall. (see 1 Nephi 15:5)
- 1 Nephi 2:23–24
- Enos 1:24
- Mormon 8:7–8
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