I start with a challenge: Read through the Isaiah chapters and Nephi's prophesies found in 2nd Nephi; find one page that doesn't have deep meaning to it. Just one. Can't be done.
Nephi talks a lot about the future he has seen and relates it to the classic struggle between those who heed God's commandments and those who don't. He points out some things that have happened that were future to his time:
He sees the lives of his posterity; both those who, in their iniquity, would be destroyed from the earth and those who would exist in our time. He sees the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. He relates the incident with Martin Harris, who takes translated manuscript and copies of the characters Joseph Smith was translating to a professor of Egyptian antiquities (see the account in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History). He sees our day and the multitude of churches. He sees the Book of Mormon being taught to and read by his descendants. That is what these chapters are about: Nephi explains what he saw and how the people dealt with God's commandments. Here's a few things that jumped out at me:
The people or nations that fight against God's kingdom on earth will be left empty and wanting, as a starving man who wakes after dreaming about a sumptuous meal (2 Ne. 27: 3). How descriptive! Hopefully we won't have first hand experiences like this...
The Book of Mormon will come forth, and the words will be "...of them which have slumbered" (2 Ne. 26:6). Nephi says that the Book of Mormon will "...be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ..." (2 Ne. 27:11). Learned men will not translate the book, but a man who is not learned will bring the book forth (2 Ne. 27 15-22); by doing so, God shows that He is a God of miracles, and is the same in all times (2 Ne. 27:23). The things written in the Book of Mormon "...shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially [Nephi's] seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel" (2 Ne. 28:2). These few passages alone could be pondered for hours. I testify that the Book of Mormon truly is a divine work, written by God's prophets and miraculously translated and published for our day.
Our times were seen by Nephi; think of these vividly recognizable things: Many churches would be built up and their doctrine would be based upon the principles of man, mingled with some of God's teachings. They would contend with each other but would deny the spirit of God in their teachings and actions. People would believe things that are not of God and treat the true word of God with disdain. Pride would corrrupt God's word, and people would call good evil and evil good. Do any of these things remind you of this day and age? We hear about these things happening every day. Just try to talk to a proponent of gay marriage about God's commandments!
God has promised that in the end He would welcome those who repent and accept him: "...nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them [the gentiles], sayeth the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts" (2 Ne. 28:32).
I pray that we can recognize and accept the gifts from Heaven. I pray that we can recognize and reject the snares of Satan. If we can only hold true to the promises and covenants we have made with God, God our Father will hold true to the marvelous blessings he has in store for us.
Don
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