Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/2 Nephi/Chapter 9

by Timothy B. Wilson

Jacob explains resurrection, justice, accountability, then calls his people to repentance...
(compare 2 Nephi, chapter 9)

My brothers and sisters, I, Jacob, have read these things to you from Isaiah so you will know about the covenants the Lord made with all of Israel's descendants—-so you will know that He has spoken to the Jews through His holy prophets since the time of Adam and Eve.

The Lord will continue to speak to the Jews until they are restored to the true church and fold of God—until they are gathered home and established in all their lands of promise.

I have read these things so you will rejoice forever over the blessings the Lord God will bring to your descendants.

I know many of you have been searching our scriptures to know of your future. From your searching you have learned that we will all die, but with resurrected bodies we will see God.

We know He will be born on earth and will minister to those in Jerusalem. For in His wisdom, the Great Creator will subject Himself to a mortal body and die for all people, that they may become subject to Him.

After Adam and Eve fell, all people were cut off from the Lord's presence. Being cut off, they all became subject to death, which is to leave the mortal body.

Because of this death, there must be a resurrection so that the spirit and body will be reunited, able to see God and walk and talk with Him again. This is why the Great Creator's plan included a merciful resurrection.

This resurrection, wherein all are changed to living immortal matter, is only made possible by an infinite atonement--without limits or bounds. Otherwise, the judgment of death would be endless, and all bodies would forever remain as dead mortal matter.

Oh the wisdom of God, His mercy and grace! For if we were to die, never to rise again, then our spirits would become subject to the devil, who fell from the presence of the Eternal God, never to rise again.

For without bodies, our spirits would become devils--angels to a devil, shut out from our God's presence, and remain in misery with the father of lies.

We would be controlled forever by that being who deceived our first parents, who made himself appear to be an angel of light, and who inspires people to create all types of secret combinations, murder and works of darkness.

Note: "Secret combinations" are groups of people who meet in secret to devise plans that will give them more money, power and glory of the world (3 Nephi 6:27-28, Ether 8:20-25).

Oh how great is the goodness of our God in preparing a way for us to escape the grip of this awful monster--the death and hell of body and spirit.

And because the Holy One of Israel has prepared a way for our deliverance, the mortal grave--death--will deliver up all the dead to immortality.

And the spiritual grave-hell, will deliver up its captive spirits.

Death and hell will be overcome, and the freed spirits will be restored to their immortal bodies by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

Oh how great is our God's plan! For His paradise must deliver the righteous spirits, the devil's hell must deliver the wicked spirits, and the grave must deliver up the bodies of all.

The spirit and body will be restored to one another, because everyone, righteous and wicked, must become immortal.

We will be living souls, having knowledge as we do now, except our knowledge will be perfect.

The wicked will have a perfect knowledge of all their guilt and uncleanness, being exposed before God, and the righteous will have a perfect knowledge of their joy, being clothed in robes of righteousness.

After we have all become immortal souls, we will stand before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel, to be judged according to His holy judgment.

Those who were righteous on earth will still be righteous, and those who were filthy on earth will still be filthy--the devil and his angels. They will go away from God with their souls burning within them like flames that ascend forever.

Our God's justice is great because He fulfills all the words and laws He gives us.

On the other hand, the righteous saints of the Holy One of Israel -- those who have believed in Him and have endured the trials of the world without shame -- will inherit God's kingdom, and their joy will be full forever. This kingdom has been prepared for them since before the world was created.

Oh the great mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! He will deliver His saints from that awful monster, the devil. He will deliver them from death, hell and that endless anguish which will come to all who separate themselves from Him.

Oh how great the holiness of our God, for He knows all things.

He will come into the world to save all who will listen to Him.

He will suffer the pains of all people--of every man, woman and child descended from Adam and Eve. He will do this so that the resurrection will be brought to everyone, that all may stand before Him at the great judgment day.

He commands all people to repent, to be baptized in His name, and to have perfect faith in Him, the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in God's kingdom.

If they refuse to repent and believe in Him, and are not willing to be baptized in His name, and will not continue in righteousness throughout their lives, then their spiritual progress must end, for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken His law.

Those who have not been given the law--the gospel of repentance--are not condemned. Because of the atonement, the mercy of the Holy One of Israel claims and delivers them.

The atonement satisfies the demands of His justice upon all who have not been taught the law. They are delivered from the devil and restored to the Holy One of Israel, who created them and gave them life.

But cursed are those who have been given all of God's commandments, as we have, and who break them, wasting the days of their probation, for their condition is awful!

Note: Being in an "awful state" refers to those given “all" the commandments, or the "fullness" of the gospel, and who then pollute God's “holy church.” (3 Nephi 16:10-13, 20:28, Mormon 8:35-38, Ether 8:24).

Oh that cunning plan of the evil one! Oh the vanity, frailty and foolishness of men! When they are educated they think they are wise, and they stop listening to God's counsel. They put it aside, thinking they know better themselves. Their wisdom is foolishness because it does not benefit them, and they will die spiritually.

But it is good to learn many things, as long as you learn how to listen to God's counsel.

The rich who have many things of the world are cursed. Because of their worldliness, they despise the poor and criticize the humble, for their hearts are set upon their possessions--their false gods—their riches. They will die spiritually and their possessions fade away.

Cursed are those who will not listen to or see the truth, for they will die spiritually.

Cursed are those who are not pure in heart, who refuse to repent, for a knowledge of their sins will condemn them at the last day.

Cursed are those who lie, for they will be sent to hell.

Cursed are those who unjustly kill others, for they will die spiritually.

Cursed are those who are not sexually pure, for they will be sent to hell.

Cursed are those who worship idols, for the devil delights in this.

And finally, cursed are those who die in their sins, for they will return to God, still sinful, and see His face.

Remember how awful it is to break the laws of our Holy God and to give in to the devil's enticing.

Remember, to be carnally-minded is to die spiritually, but to be spiritually-minded is to live with God forever.

Listen to my words and remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.

If you say I have spoken hard things against you, then you fight truth, for these are your Creator's words. I know the words of truth bring fear and anger to those who will not repent.

The righteous do not fear the truth, they love it and not upset by it.

Oh then, my brothers and sisters, come to the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that His ways are righteous.

His path is narrow and it leads straight to Him. At the end of the path there is but one gate.

He alone is the keeper of that gate, employing no servant there, for He, the Lord God, will not be deceived.

He will open that gate to whomever knocks, but He despises those who are proud of their education and wealth. Unless they give up their pride, seeing themselves as fools before God, and humble themselves before Him, He will not open the gate to them, and the happiness prepared for the saints--those who are truly wise--will be hidden from them.

Oh my brothers and sisters, remember my words. Look as I take off my coat and shake it before you. I pray that God will view this, too.

You will know at the last day, when we are all judged by our works, that after I preached the gospel of Christ to you, the God of Israel witnessed that I shook your sins from my soul. Then I will stand before Him, resurrected with brightness, and will not be responsible for your sins.

Turn from your sins. Shake off the chains of the devil, who wishes to bind you down. Come to that God who is the rock of your salvation. Prepare your souls for that glorious day--the day of judgment--when justice will be administered to the righteous.

If you are prepared, you will not be afraid, for you will not remember your awful guilt with perfect clarity and have to say,

“Holy, holy are Thy judgments, oh Lord God Almighty, for I know my guilt. I transgressed Thy law, and these transgressions are mine. The devil has obtained me, and I have become prey to his awful misery."

My brothers and sisters, it is necessary for me to awaken you to the awful reality of these things. And would I speak so sharply if your minds were pure? Would I need to speak the truth so plainly if you were free from sin?

If you were holy, I would speak to you of holiness. But you are not holy, and because you look to me as your teacher, I must teach you the results of sin. My soul hates sin, my heart delights in righteousness, and I will praise the holy name of my God.

Come, everyone who is thirsty. Come to the fountain of salvation, all who have no money. Come, buy and drink wine and milk without money.

Do not spend your money on worthless things, working for things that will never satisfy you. Listen closely and remember what I'm telling you.

Come to the Holy One of Israel, enjoy His gifts of eternity, and let your soul delight in His abundance.

Remember the words of your God. Pray to Him continually by day, and give thanks to Him by night, letting your hearts rejoice.

The Lord's covenants are great, and because of them, He will come down to His children with grace and mercy.

He has promised us that our descendants will not be completely destroyed because He will preserve them. In future generations, they will become a righteous branch of the house of Israel.

Brothers and sisters, I would like to speak more today, but instead, I will finish speaking tomorrow.