2 Nephi 1: 13

13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

I think this verse gives a little bit of evidence that at least Lehi probably believes that his sons are not purposely rebellious and bad, but they have just gotten off the path. They have been lulled into a spiritual sleep that has finally put them into spiritual bondage. It seems like someone who is a believer, or has a testimony should be able to always go back to that testimony and stay on course. But it is not that easy. Sometimes we need to be reminded, as the Lord reminded Oliver Cowdery of when he received his testimony (see D&C 6: 22–23). Satan’s goal is to get everyone to leave that path that in Lehi’s dream led to the Tree of Life. Sometimes he will get people to openly and purposefully rebel, but probably more often he lulls “into carnal security,” and he “cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell” (2 Nephi 28: 21). One graphic example of this is when Amaliciah led Lehonti slowly and carefully from the high ground he had taken, making him believe that he (Lehonti) was in charge of his own destiny at all times. In fact, Amalikiah had deceived him, or lulled him into carnal security until Lehonti was eventually poisoned “by degrees” until he died (see Alma 47: 9–19). This can happen so gradually that we don’t even know it’s happening.

I have experienced how this must feel. When you are reading a book by natural light from a window, and all of a sudden someone enters the room and turns on the light. So engrossed have you been in your book that you never noticed it getting darker. It took someone on the outside to tell you that you were trying to read in the dark and didn’t even realize it. Or maybe you did realize it was getting darker, but you figured you could handle it, so you don’t bother to get up and let the greater light shine.

Lehi is trying to be that person who turns on the spiritual light for his rebellious sons so they can see the error of their ways and repent. They have been lulled away and are being led carefully down to hell.

• Alma 12: 11 (9–11)
• 1 Nephi 12: 18
• 1 Nephi 15: 28 (28–30)
• 2 Nephi 28: 21–24
• Alma 47: 18 (12–18)

2 Nephi 1: 12

12 Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words.

It seems almost inevitable, and certainly a matter of history that a people or society that rejects the gospel will end up at war. Sometimes they start it; sometimes they don’t. This would be an interesting research project to verify that claim. But it seems that if the Lord’s covenant people reject that covenant, war ensues at some point. Of course, this prophesy of Lehi’s was fulfilled to his sons, and about 400 years after Christ’s visit this society was torn apart by war. Not surprisingly, Mormon makes the observation that once a people have been “enlightened by the Spirit of God,” and they fall away into sin, “they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things” (Alma 24: 30). So this prophecy of Lehi’s not only applies to his posterity; it applies to any people who accept, then reject the gospel.

• Alma 24: 30

2 Nephi 1: 11

11 Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

While I have been applying these verses to the inhabitants of this land generally (today as well as in Lehi’s time), this verse seems to be directed specifically to Lehi’s seed. While the prophecy may yet come to pass applying to us in our day, it has already been fulfilled in regards to the American Indians. They have been scattered and placed on reservations and had their lands taken away from them during the 1800s. Of course, the world in general would not acknowledge this, but these last few verses make it clear that history would have been much different and kinder to the children of Lehi if they had not rejected the Lord. By so doing they lost the Lord’s protection.

The spiritual application seems obvious. As we maintain our covenant relationship with the Lord, we have his protection. As we stray, that protection erodes and we are open to being conquered by Satan. The Savior spoke of this in his parable of the talents (see Matthew 25: 14–30). If we don’t “prosper in the land,” an indication that we are keeping His commandments, then the “land” will be taken from us. Or you could plug in “talents” instead of “land.” Or more to the point, spiritual gifts and eternal rewards are what we are really talking about. Let’s do all we can to retain the lands of our eternal inheritance.

• 1 Nephi 13: 14 (12–20)
• 1 Nephi 22: 7
• Mormon 5: 19 (19–20)

2 Nephi 1: 10

10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

One thing that makes this scripture significant is the concept of taking for granted the knowledge and blessings we receive from God. This verse makes a list of things we have knowledge about that we wouldn’t have without the Lord’s revelations. These include knowledge of the creation of this world and the origins of man (which is significant partially because it points to the Atonement), power to do all things by faith (referring at least in part to the priesthood, or God’s power), the commandments (what amounts to a divine rule book, teaching and preparing us to be like Him), and finally, just the blessing of being brought to this promised land. If, after all of those significant blessings we turn our backs on their source, God, then justice takes over. It has to, because those who reject these things are rejecting mercy. The system is binary. There is nothing between the two, and justice is the default judgment. So if we reject mercy, we must take justice. If we do not let the Savior pay for our sins, we must pay for them. Someone must make a payment. I believe that is a law of the universe that God could not break without losing His position as God (see Alma 42: 25). I don’t believe this arrangement is out of meanness, it’s just the way it is.

• D&C 82: 3
• D&C 59: 21

2 Nephi 1: 9

9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

This concept of prosperity for keeping the Lord’s commandments is not unique to the Book of Mormon people, but we can certainly see it play out throughout the length of the record. In fact, it’s a critical part of what has come to be known as the “pride cycle.” The people keep the commandments, and they become wealthy. They take credit for the wealth to themselves and become proud, forgetting the Lord (or sometimes outright rejecting Him). Their pride leads to destruction and humility, then to repentance and righteousness, and back to prosperity. And so the cycle starts again. This cycle can play out in individual lives as well as the population as a whole. The cycle can be fast or slow, but it always takes effort to avoid falling into the spiral. When we talk about a whole nation going through the cycle we are really talking about the popular trend. Our nation today (time of writing is 9/9/2010) is going through this cycle in fulfillment of Lehi’s prophecy. Where are we in the cycle? I would have to say that we, as a nation have been prosperous for a long time. In 2001 the attack on the twin towers in New York City really woke people up. Many people turned to prayer at that time. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, that more humble, unified, and prayerful attitude did not last long. Since then the attacks on the morality, family, religion, and other social/moral issues has been fierce. Truly many of the elect are being deceived as prophesied (see Matthew 24: 24). I’m afraid the part of the pride cycle we are in is that we are ripening for destruction. That being said, the Church keeps progressing and growing, which runs counter to the rest of the country. I just think the final wrap-up and Second Coming of Jesus Christ can’t be too far off.

It’s also interesting to note in passing that Lehi specifies those who “the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem” for these promises. It’s as if he already was aware of Mulek. The Mulekites wouldn’t be discovered for a few hundred years yet at the time of this record.

• Deuteronomy 29: 9
• Deuteronomy 30: 9
• 2 Nephi 4: 4
• Alma 9: 13

2 Nephi 1: 8

8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

Lehi makes the valid point here that if this land were not hidden it would be overrun. This has been considered by the Lord to be a choice land from the very early days of human history. At some point it appears to have been physically separated from other landmasses. This can be seen by looking at a world map. The east side of the Americas looks like a match for the west side of the old world. It seems a reasonable conclusion to say that this was for the purpose of preserving it as a Promised Land, and keeping knowledge of it from those who were not led here. I don’t think we know when that separation happened, but it may have been during the days of Peleg, a descendant of Shem (see Genesis 10: 25). The Bible says the earth was divided in his days, which would make it some time after the great flood, if we understand this verse to mean the physical separation of landmasses. However, it could also refer to the time of the Tower of Babel, when the people were divided into nations, based on language. If that is the case, then the land was divided prior to that, since the Jaredites were led here at that time, and they had to cross the oceans (see Ether 1: 33; 2: 6).

This is not as important as the fact that this land was kept from the world. One of the reasons for that is that if this land was long established at the time of Joseph Smith the chances of there being religious freedom to restore the Gospel would have been slim. That was critical for God’s plan to move forward in this dispensation. I think that is why it was so important that the land not be overrun by other nations too early.

• 3 Nephi 5: 20

2 Nephi 1: 7

7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

If the Lord brings people to this land they will be blessed with liberty here, as long as they serve him. If they do this, here is a powerful promise that they shall never be brought down into captivity. I love how this verse concludes that if you find yourself in captivity in this land it’s because of iniquity. This is certainly true if the people as a whole, or even a majority of people in this land fall into iniquity, as King Mosiah prophesied when he rearranged the government (see Mosiah 28: 26–27). He talks about how if the majority of the people elect wicked men to govern them it will lead to destruction.

Lehi says something here that seems to bring this verse right down to a personal level. He says “if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.” This makes it sound like in the midst of abounding or general iniquity the righteous will prosper in spite of their environment. What a comfort that is as we watch the general population slip more and more into iniquity to know that we don’t have to slip along with it.

• 2 Nephi 10: 11
• Mosiah 29: 26–27
• Mosiah 29: 32
• Alma 45: 16 (10–14, 16)
• Alma 46: 10 (10–28, 34)
• Mormon 1: 17
• Ether 2: 11 (8–12)

2 Nephi 1: 6

6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

As I read this verse I wonder how literal it is, this prophecy about the only people who “come into this land” shall be “brought by the hand of the Lord.” I don’t think, for example, it extends to those who come here with malicious intent. For example, I doubt that those people who destroyed the World Trade Center in 2001 were here because the Lord brought them. On the other hand, if they were, we should have taken it as a major call to repentance, a warning. Many people at the time went back to church, but unfortunately it didn’t last very long.

I think, however, that this verse is prophesying more about people who come here to live. And in this case, I don’t know if it is referring to “this land” as a geographical or political location. Of course, the political boundaries that exist today did not exist in Lehi’s time. We often think that these kinds of prophecies refer to the United States, but really, immigrating gentiles have had just as much impact on South America as they have in North America. One big difference is the inspired beginning or founding of the United States. We learn in the Doctrine and Covenants that the Lord himself established the U.S. Constitution “by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood” (D&C 101: 80). I don’t suppose other countries in the Americas can make that claim.

So, assuming we are talking about immigrants being “brought [here] by the had of the Lord,” does that mean we should have a different and more merciful and tolerant views of so-called “illegal aliens?” A political football that gets tossed around from time to time in the U.S. is illegal immigration. Because of the freedoms we enjoy, we often have people of other countries and nationalities who want to move here. Many do this legally by going through the proper channels. Many others simply come here, sneaking across borders, and start making a living to support their families. Does the hand of the Lord also bring these people who bypass the lawful procedure here? If so, what is our responsibility toward them, if any?

2 Nephi 1: 5

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

Obtaining a Land of Promise seems to be a type of our lives in general. Just as Lehi was promised a land of promise through his obedience and faithfulness, we can also obtain an eternal Land of Promise through our obedience and faithfulness after we leave this earth life. And it is choice above all other rewards or lands. Like Lehi, we obtain that Land of Promise by covenant.

In this verse Lehi made it clear that the Land of Promise he was led to claim is not just to him, but to anybody who is led here by the Lord. Examples of other people who were led by the Lord to this land include the Jaredites (Ether 2: 10 (7–12), the Mulekites (Omni 1: 15–16), and the Gentiles (1 Nephi 13: 12–16). I believe there are still people coming here, being led by the Lord. In terms of covenants with the Lord as it relates to our eternal rewards of obtaining the Celestial Kingdom, it is interesting to note that two of the four groups mentioned in the Book of Mormon to obtain the Land of Promise were not of the house of Israel. The Gentiles certainly were not, and the Jaredites came here before Abraham was even born. So we learn that salvation is offered to all who covenant with the Lord, regardless of their ancestry. Truly the Lord is no respecter of persons in that sense. How comforting that is to me.

• 1 Nephi 13: 12–16
• Omni 1: 15–16
• Ether 2: 10 (7–12)