Book of Mormon (Plain English Version)/Ether/Chapter 4

by Timothy B. Wilson

More to come to the sanctified...
(compare Ether, chapter 4)

The Lord commanded Jared's brother to go down the mountain, away from His presence, and engrave the things he had seen-things that were forbidden to come to the people until after He would be lifted up on the cross.

King Mosiah withheld this translated record (from the twenty-four pure gold plates) so they would not come to the world until after Christ had shown Himself to His people.

After Christ had shown Himself to His people, He commanded this record to be made known.

And now, after knowing these great things, the Nephites have all fallen because of their unbelief.

Only the Lamanites are left, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ, so I, Moroni, have been commanded to hide the record of Jared's brother in the earth.

Before hiding it, I engraved his vision upon my plates, and there never have been greater things made known than what is revealed in this vision.

Because these things are so great, the Lord commanded me to engrave them on my plates. He also commanded me to seal them up along with the interpreters (the two stones affixed to the ends of a bow).

The Lord told me,

"The Gentiles will not have this record unless they repent of their sinfulness and become clean before the Lord. But when they exercise faith in me, even as Jared's brother did, which will make them sanctified in me, then I will show them what Jared's brother saw. Then I will unfold all my revelations to them, says Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth.

All who fight against the Lord's word and reject these things will be cursed, for I will not show greater things to them.

At my command, the heavens are opened and are shut. At my word, the earth will shake, and at my command, the inhabitants of the earth will pass away, even by fire.

Those who reject my words reject my disciples.

You may use you own judgment now and say that my words are not true, but at the last day you will know that it is I, Jesus Christ, who speaks the truth. Those who believe in me will be visited with the witness of my Spirit. They will know and bear record that these words are true, for they persuade all to do good.

Note: Three statements (underlined and bold in above paragraph), made by the Savior to Moroni concerning,

1. Judging for yourself.

2. Being shown the truth of the words with power (will know).

3. The words persuade (teach) all to do good.

These three statements are parallel with the then 1,000 year old words of Nephi...

"...for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.......And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye — for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words.”

(2 Nephi 33:10-11).

Anything that persuades people to do good comes from me. Those who will not believe my words will not believe me...that I am. Neither will they believe the Father who sent me. For I represent the Father. I am the light, life and truth of the world.

Come to me, oh Gentiles, and I will show you greater things—knowledge that has been hidden because of unbelief.

Come to me, oh house of Israel, and the great things that the Father has laid up for you since the beginning of the world will be shown to you...things that have not yet come to you because of your unbelief.

When you tear down your veil of unbelief, which causes you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, then the great and marvelous things that have been hidden since the beginning of the world will be shown to you.

And when you, oh house of Israel, call upon the Father in my name with a broken heart and contrite spirit--with true sorrow, then you will know that the Father has remembered the covenant He made to your forefathers.

Then my revelations, written by my servant John (see The Book of Revelation), will come to pass as all people watch.

When you read this (The Book of Mormon), know that the time is near when these things will happen, that the Father's work has already begun in all the land.

Therefore, repent, everyone from the ends of the earth.

Come to me, believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name, for those who believe and are baptized will be saved, and signs will follow them.

But those who do not believe in me will be damned (end of progress).

Blessed are those who are found faithful to my name at the last day, for they will be lifted up to live in the kingdom prepared for them since the beginning of the world.

And it is I, the Lord, who has spoken this. Amen."