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

Book of Mormon Commentary
Mormon Chapter 1
This effort was productive of good, for "they did stand with boldness against them," though it was
30,000 Nephites against 50,000 Lamanites. The latter fled with Mormon's army in hot pursuit.
They confronted the Lamanites again and won another battle (55).
MORMON REFUSED TO LEAD UNREPENTANT NEPHITES, VER. 56-89
Mormon 1:56 Nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that
the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak, like unto our brethren.
Nevertheless, they drove the Lamanites out and took possession of the lands of their inheritance.
This, however, was only a temporary victory. Two years later they had to give up part of this land
through a treaty .The Lamanites gave them the land northward, while they had all the land
southward. Peace thus came to the land for ten years (60-63). Mormon knew this would not last,
so he set his people to work "preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle" (64).
Mormon 1:65 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me, Cry unto this people, Repent ye, and
come unto me and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.
The effort seemed fruitless, for "they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God" (67).
In A.D. 360 King Aaron '.sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were
preparing to come again to battle against us" (68). Mormon gathered his people '.at the land
Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led to the land
southward" (69). “We did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again" (71).
In A.D, 362 the Lamanites came down again to battle "We did beat them again, and did slay a
great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea" (72, 73 ).
Mormon 1:74 And now because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they
began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens, that they would avenge
themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.
They also swore by the heavens and by the throne of God that they would cut their enemies off
from the face of the land (75). This was too much for Mormon, so he utterly refused to be their
commander and leader, though he “had loved them, according to the love of God which was in
me, with all my heart" (76, 77). Besides leading "them many times to battle, ...my soul had been
poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long, for them; nevertheless, it was without faith"
(77, 78) ...When they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them" to avenge themselves in
battle, “the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay" (80).
These things caused Mormon to refuse “to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord
had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness" (81). (See also A. 20:50-52; 21:13'5 ff.; D.
and C. 95:6.)
Mormon 1:82 Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you, house of Israel, when the work
shall commence, that ye shall be about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance;