Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/2 Nephi/Chapter 16

by Timothy B. Wilson

Then one of the angels came to me, holding a live coal he'd taken from the alter with a pair of tongs. Touching my mouth with it, he said,

“This coal has touched your lips. Your sins are taken away and have been atoned for."

Then I heard the Lord's voice ask,

“Whom will I send to these unclean people?”

Having been forgiven, I said, "Here I am, send me!"

Then the Lord said to me,

"Go and tell the people they will continue to hear the Lord's words without understanding them, that they will continue to see His hand in their lives without acknowledging it.

Tell the people what they want to hear, again and again, so their ears and eyes will grow content and heavy, for they will not hear the fullness of the gospel with their ears, see it with their eyes, and understand it with their hearts. They will not repent, be converted and healed.”

I asked the Lord, “How long should I do this?"

The Lord answered,

"Until my judgments fall upon them...

...until their cities are destroyed and emptied.”

But before their cities are destroyed, the Lord will remove His people out from among the wicked. A tenth of the people will return to the cities, only to be consumed. But like the teil and oak tree, their seed, or children, will remain and will be called holy.

Note: Compare "holy seed" to 2 Nephi 14:3-4.