This Promised Land

2 Nephi 1

Lehi speaks of the promises made to groups of people whom the Lord leads to the American Continents.

6 "Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

7 "Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever."

According to Book of Mormon history, a group was brought here from the Tower of Babel when the languages were confounded (about 2200 B.C.). Jared was the righteous leader of a small group of family and friends, and he and his prophet-brother were inspired and directed to make the great journey across the seas to the Americas. They became known as the Jaredites. Later, two other groups were led here just before the destruction of Jerusalem at the time of King Zedekiah. Lehi's group left in 600 B.C., and the other group at about the same time under the leadership of Mulek - a son of Zedekiah. They became known as Mulekites. These two later groups eventually joined together, but divided into Nephites and Lamanites according to their beliefs and desires.

By 600 B.C. the huge Jaredite nation had destroyed itself through wickedness. There was only one known survivor, the "king" named Coriantumr, who had fought the final battle to the death with the opposing "king" named Shiz. Coriantumr was found by and lived with the Mulekites for nine months before he died. During all that time from 2200 B.C. until 600 B.C. there is no record of other groups being led here. Verses 8 and 9 tell why:

8 "And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

9. "Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever."

And then the downside of the promise:

10 "But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord. . .if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

11 "Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

12 "Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words."

Due to their awful wickedness the Nephites were finally destroyed by the equally wicked Lamanites in about 385 A.D. Clear back in Lehi's time, the descendants of Laman and Lemuel were promised that they would not be totally destroyed as a people, but if they were wicked they would be scattered and smitten by others who would come. That prophesy proved true as other groups came to the Americas after Columbus, and the remaining Lamanites were treated so badly.

It isn't recorded anywhere that the promises - both positive and negative - have ever been recinded. North America has truly been a promised land for those living under the Constitution of the United States, a divinely decreed document. For many years this was a Christ-loving nation whose laws were based upon righteous principles and commandments that came from God. But where are we headed now? We who have the Book of Mormon know what happens to civilizations upon this land that turn their backs upon God. Will we be destroyed from within like the Jaradites and Nephites? Or will the Lord allow some other nation to overrun us? Will the innocent and righteous people have to suffer because of the wickedness of others? Keeping the Lord's commandments is our only hope for protection in this life, and is our guarantee of a Promised Land in the eternities.