A Great and
Marvelous Work

During this portion of Nephite history, Nephi (son of Helaman) performs a central role. Looking to prophecy for a counterpart in the latter days, we discover that Christ's description in Third Nephi of a particular servant closely matches Nephi and the part he played. This prophecy of the Lord's servant paints a most fitting portrait of Joseph Smith. The context, however, suggests a time immediately preceding the destructions that will come upon the Gentiles. Therefore, this prophecy probably bears a dual fulfillment.

The comparison between Nephi and this servant yields many similarities, some of which are more characterizing than others. First, the words that this servant shall bring forth, shall be the words of Christ. (3 Ne. 21:9.) Nephi also declared "the word of the Lord" unto the Nephites, "...and nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God." (Hel. 10:14; 8:3.) Second, this servant will play an integral role in the "great and marvelous work" which will be wrought by the Father. (3 Ne. 21:9.) Similarly, "God...commanded [Nephi] to prophesy...marvelous things...." (Hel. 9:2.) Third, the servant will direct his words "unto the Gentiles...." (3 Ne. 21:11.) Nephi was commanded to declare his words to the Nephites (who parallel the Gentiles in significant ways)⁽¹⁾. (Hel. 10:11.) Fourth, the Father "shall give unto [the servant] power...." (3 Ne. 21:11.) Similarly, the Lord told Nephi, "Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels...that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people." (Hel. 10:6.) Fifth, Christ said destruction would come upon the Gentiles if they would not believe in the words which the servant would bring forth. (3 Ne. 21:11-21.) Likewise, Nephi was commanded by the Lord to declare to his people, "Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even unto destruction." (Hel. 10:14.) And sixth, the Gentiles "shall not hurt" the servant. However, though he "shall be marred because of them," the Lord "will heal him"; for, as Christ said, "...The life of my servant shall be in my hand...." (3 Ne. 21:10.) Possibly foreshadowing this, after Nephi declared the word of God, the angry Nephites "did revile against [Nephi], and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison..., but...they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them." (Hel. 10:15,16.)

First Nephi chapter 14 tells us a fair amount about this great and marvelous work which shall be wrought. It associates the marvelous work with a polarization--among other things--that will take place. A statement made recently by President Benson epitomizes the message of this chapter. He said, "As the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for the kingdom of God or for the kingdom of the devil."⁽²⁾

The predicting picture painted by Book of Mormon history seems to vividly illustrate this situation to arise in the days ahead. There too, a serious division arose among the people as Nephi declared the word of God in plainness. (Hel. 10:18; 9:39-41; 10:1; 8:7.)

The Lord said that in the last days when he will "work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men" that the work "shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other...." (1 Ne. 14:7.) He then explained that people would either be convinced "unto peace and life eternal," or they would be delivered "to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds...." (1 Ne. 14:7.) The end result of the later would be to be "brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil...." (Ibid.)

The Book of Mormon account also presents these two opposing alternatives in conjunction with talking about Nephi and the polarization of his people. One alternative was to believe in the word of God, for, as Nephi said, "as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal." (Hel. 8:15.) On the other hand, there were many who, "when Nephi had declared unto them the word..., did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words...." (Hel. 10:15.)⁽³⁾

The issues that caused the division among the Nephites and the issues that will likely bring a polarization in the last days seem to center on two matters. A concise statement by Isaiah indicates what these are. He declared two fundamental reasons why destructions will come--apparently on our nation. First, he said, "they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts;" and second, "they have...despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." (2 Ne. 15:24 = Isa. 5:24.)⁽⁴⁾ We know what the word of the Lord is: it is the gospel of Jesus Christ. President George Albert Smith identified the "law of the Lord" as the principles of the Constitution of the United States.⁽⁵⁾ In Book of Mormon history, these same factors--casting away the laws of Mosiah and despising the word of God--seem to have laid at the root of the division that occurred among the Nephites. (Hel. 4:22; 8:25) No wonder President John Taylor declared, "Besides the preaching of the Gospel, we have another mission, namely, the perpetuation of the free agency of man and the maintenance of liberty, freedom, and the rights of man."⁽⁶⁾ Ezra Taft Benson once quoted this statement and then remarked, "It was the struggle over free agency that divided us before we came here [from the pre-mortal life]; it may well be the struggle over the same principle which will deceive and divide us again."⁽⁷⁾

Another similarity between the ancient and latter-day situations is that due to the clarity of the issues, the people are left with no excuse. Nephi told his people: "[Because of] so many evidences which ye have received..., seeing that ye know these things, [ye] cannot deny them except ye shall lie...." (Hel. 8:24.) Likewise, the Gentiles will either be convinced to believe in Christ, or they will be delivered "to the hardness of their hearts" (1 Ne. 14:7), being "angry because of the truth of God" (2 Ne. 28:28). In Book of Mormon history as well, certain corrupt Nephites "were angry with [Nephi] because he spake plainly unto them..." (Hel. 8:4).

Considering these fundamental principles which identify God's people, we gain a greater appreciation for the Book of Mormon. It sets forth both directly and through parallels in its history the stand we should take concerning both the word and the law of the Lord.

This division among the Nephites grew to a point that "there began to be contentions..., and [they] began to slay one another with the sword," until eventually "there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi." (Hel. 10:18; 11:1.) "And it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness." (Hel. 11:2.) This sounds very much like the "wars and the rumors of wars" that are prophesied to come "among all the nations and kindreds of the earth" (1 Ne. 14:15) in our day, as those who belong to "the mother of abominations" pit themselves against those who belong to "the church of the Lamb of God" (14:10). When the time comes "that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people," we can be buoyed by the knowledge that eventually "the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire." (2 Ne. 30:10.)

Index of Studies Relating to the Davidic Servant