Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
Helaman Chapter 4
Hel 4:35 And it came to pass that it was expedient that there should be a stop put to this work of
destruction; therefore they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness, and upon the mountains to
search out this band of robbers, and to destroy them.
An army of strong men" went to seek out these Gadiantons and destroy them, but they were driven
back (36). They went again in the eighty-first year and destroyed many but met with great losses
themselves and had to retreat (39). The robbers became so strong that they came out of their
mountain hideouts and defied th.e whole army of the Nephites and Lamanites and filled them with
fear. The robbers carried away many captives, especially women and children (41).
For some years the people wavered back and forth between God and Satan. ..And thus they were
ripening again for destruction" as the eighty-fifth year of the reign of the Judges ended (47).
THE UNSTEADINESS AND NOTHINGNESS OF MEN, VER. 48-73
Hel 4:48 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;
Nephi calls attention to the fickleness of the people's loyalty to God. When he blesses them with
grain, flocks, herds, gold, and silver; when he softens the hearts of their enemies and contributes
"all things for the welfare and happiness of his people," then it is that they harden their hearts and
"trample under their feet the Holy One" (49-51).
No wonder Noah was troubled as is revealed in the Bible: "And it repented Noah, and his heart
was pained, that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Gen.8:13).
Hel 4:57 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of
the earth.
Nephi justifies this assertion by saying that the dust moves about on the command of God, while
mankind does not desire that he shall rule over them, and they set aside his counsel (56, 58; Mos.
1 :61). The earth obeys his command, as also do the waters. and the mountains. Therefore, when
man is accursed and cut off from God's presence because of iniquity, it will be that way (61-69).
In the last day of eternal judgment some shall be cast off and “consigned to a state of endless
misery”, but those who have done good shall have everlasting life (73).
Hel 4:62 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 sure it is the earth that moveth, and not the sun.
Claudius Ptolemaus, astronomer, geographer, and mathematician, whose great work in astronomy
was done A.D. 127-145, gave the world the theory that this earth was the center of the universe.
The sun, moon, and stars moved about "this immovable planet" according to the theories he
advanced. This was the commonly accepted view for twelve hundred years.
It was not until early in the sixteenth century that Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer,
seriously challenged this by proclaiming that the sun was the center of the universe, and the earth