14-Year Cycles - Part 6 - 3 Nephi 4-7: The destruction of the wicked Nephites

This seems to me to be the most informative and pertinent to our time.  I think Mormon carefully laid this out for us to demonstrate what we'll be going through collectively right before Christ comes again.  I think the 14-year cycle is something that will happen to everyone individually at some point along the path (in some cycle of mortality) and I also think that the earth will go through the same experience.

To me what is most striking is that when laying out these two 7-year cycles, Mormon pauses in the middle to talk about the latter-day restoration of Israel.  Is he implying that this will happen in the middle of the final 14-year cycle?

It's also interesting that the year after this 14-year cycle ends the wicked are destroyed and Christ comes to visit the Nephites/Lamanites.  Will we see a similar 14-year cycle right before the Second Coming of Christ?

Year 1-2

•  3 Nephi 4:5 And it came to pass that in the nineteenth year Giddianhi found that it was expedient that he should go up to battle against the Nephites, for there was no way that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder.
• 3 Nephi 4:11-12 And the battle commenced in this the sixth month; and great and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was the slaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left Jerusalem. 12 And notwithstanding the threatenings and the oaths which Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch that they did fall back from before them.
• 3 Nephi 4:15 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites did return again to their place of security. And it came to pass that this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not come again to battle; neither did they come again in the twentieth year.

Year 3

• 3 Nephi 4:16 And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege round about the people of Nephi; for they did suppose that if they should cut off the people of Nephi from their lands, and should hem them in on every side, and if they should cut them off from all their outward privileges, that they could cause them to yield themselves up according to their wishes.
• 3 Nephi 4:33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

Year 4-7

• 3 Nephi 5:6-7 And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed. 7 And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, and the twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the twenty and fifth; and thus had twenty and five years passed away.  (Mormon names the 7th year twice)

Here Mormon pauses and starting with verse 8 until verse 26 discusses the records he's making as well as the last days when a remnant of Joseph will be restored along with the remnant of Jacob from the four quarters of the earth according to the covenant made to the House of Jacob.

Then he picks up again:

Year 8

• 3 Nephi 6:1-2 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them. 2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward.

Year 9

• 3 Nephi 6:4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according to equity and justice.

Year 10

• 3 Nephi 6:9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had continual peace.

Year 11

• 3 Nephi 6:10-12 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;  11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers. 12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.
• 3 Nephi 6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

Year 12

• 3 Nephi 6:17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.
• 3 Nephi 7:1-2 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.  2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.
• 3 Nephi 7:8 And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

Year 13

• 3 Nephi 7:14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they were divided into tribes, every man according to his family, kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.
• 3 Nephi 7:21-22 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed. 22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.

Year 14

• 23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins.

In the 33rd year (the year following the 14-year cycle) the wicked were destroyed.

14-Year Cycles - Part 5 - First fourteen years of the reign of judges

This one doesn't fit the pattern perfectly, but there were a few things that stood out to me.

There were some wars in the 5th year and there were some civil problems throughout the cycle but otherwise it was mostly peaceful.  Then in the 7th year they gained 3,500 converts.  Then in the 8th year (first year of second cycle) the people began to be wicked.  It also stood out to me that Mormon mentions the fourteenth year twice - in Alma 16:12 and then again in Alma 16:21.  Also, the missionary efforts of the sons of Mosiah took fourteen years.  I'm not sure if it was also split up into two 7-year cycles but I still think there might be a correlation.

1

• Mosiah 29:44-46:  44 And thus commenced the reign of the judges throughout all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who were called the Nephites; and Alma was the first and chief judge. 45 And now it came to pass that his father died, being eighty and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.  46 And it came to pass that Mosiah died also, in the thirty and third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.

2

• Alma 1:23 – “Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the cause of much trial with the church.”

3
4
5

• Alma 1:33 - And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon them, every man suffering according to that which he had done, they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.
• Alma 2:1 – “And it came to pass in the commencement of the fifth year of their reign there began to be a contention among the people; for a certain man, being called Amlici, he being a very cunning man, yea, a wise man as to the wisdom of the world, he being after the order of the man that slew Gideon by the sword, who was executed according to the law”
• Alma 3:25 – “Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the reign of the judges.”

6

• Alma 4:1 – “Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor wars in the land of Zarahemla;”

7

• Alma 4:5 – “And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.”

8

• Alma 4:6 – “And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.”

9

• Alma 4:11 – “And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people.”   NOTE – also in this year Alma gives up his role as Chief Judge and appoints Nephihah to take his place)

10

• Alma 8:3 - “And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness.”
• Alma 14:23 “And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, *in the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and Amulek were bound with cords.”
• Alma 15:19  “And thus ended the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.”

11

• Alma 16:1 “And it came to pass in the *eleventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.”

12
13
14

• Alma 16:12  “And the Lamanites did not come again to war against the Nephites *until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did the people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.” 
• Alma 16: 21 And now after the church had been established throughout all the land—having got the victory over the devil, and the word of God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people—thus ended the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.”
• Alma 17:4  “And they had been teaching the word of God *for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him.”

14-Year Cycles - Part 4 - Captain Moroni

Laying out the events of Alma 43-62 chronologically it's interesting to note that there is a 14-year time-span for all of the events involving Captain Moroni.  The first seven years are surprisingly peaceful - there is a battle with Zerahemnah in the first year and Amalickiah becomes king of the Lamanites in the second year but not much happens until the eighth year.  The second half of the 14 years is full of war and atrocities.  Captain Moroni was given seven years to prepare for the events of the following seven years.

• Year 18 (1)
• Zerahemnah brings the Lamanites to attack Antionum
• With the help of Alma, Moroni and his army defeat Zerahemnah

• Year 19 (2)
• Alma leaves and is never heard from again
• Moroni raises the Standard of Liberty
• Amalickiah and his followers flee to the land of Nephi
• Amalickiah becomes king of the Lamanites
• Lamanites fail to conquer cities of Ammonihah and Noah

• Year 20 (3)
• Four years of peace begins
• City of Moroni is founded in the southeast and the city of Lehi in the north

• Year 21 (4)
• Nephites become rich and prosper in the land

• Year 22 (5)

• Year 23 (6)
• Year 24 (7)
• Morianton rebels in the north and is killed by Teancum
• Pahoran becomes chief judge

• Year 25 (8)
• King-men rebel
• Moroni ends king-men rebellion
• Amalickiah and Lamanites attack the land of Moroni
• Lamanites take cities of Nephihah, Lehi, Morianton, Omnger, Gid, and Mulek all in the east
• Teancum kills Amalickiah on new year's eve (a very hot day)

• Year 26 (9)
• Amalickiah's brother Ammoron becomes king of the Lamanites
• Teancum fortifies Bountiful in the north
• Lamanites take cities of Manti, Zeezrom, Cumeni, and Antiparah
• Helaman leads the 2000 Ammonite warriors

• Year 27 (10)
• Moroni moves north towards Bountiful, leaving Teancum in east
• Helaman and Antipus achieve great victory in southwest
• Near the end of the year Moroni arrives at Bountiful

• Year 28 (11)
• Moroni, Lehi, and Teancum take back Mulek by strategem
• Lamanite prisoners fortify Bountiful
• Ammoron tries to make a prisoner exchange with Helaman
• Helaman takes city of Antiparah

• Year 29 (12)
• Ammoron tries to make a prisoner exchange with Moroni
• Moroni frees prisoners in the city of Gid in the east
• Helaman and Antipus lay seige to the city of Cumeni and take it back
• Lamanites attack Helaman and Antipus but are driven back to the city of Manti
• Helaman and Antipus take the city of Manti without any loss
• Lamanites are driven out of southwest quarter

• Year 30 (13)
• Moroni asks for assistance from the government and threatens to attack them
• Moroni and Pahoran attack Zarahemla and take down rebels

• Year 31 (14)
• Moroni sends reinforcements to both fronts
• Moroni and Pahoran take back city of Nephihah and then move north towards city of Lehi
• They keep moving until meeting with Teancum and Lehi
• Moroni, Pahoran, Teancum, and Lehi lay siege to Ammoron in the city of Moroni in south east
• Teancum kills Ammoron and is himself killed
• Lamanites are defeated, Moroni and Helaman retire

14-Year Cycles - Part 3 - Joseph in Egypt

The first seven years of plenty were meant to prepare for the second seven years of dearth.  It gives hope that the people heeded and were able to prepare sufficiently.

Genesis 41:

  

14 ¶Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:

 18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:

 19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:

 20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:

 21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

 22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:

 23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:

 24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

 25 ¶And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

 26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

 28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:

 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

 36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

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46 ¶And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

 47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

 48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

 49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

 50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.

 51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.

 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

 53 ¶And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

 54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

 55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

 56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

14-Year Cycles - Part 2 - Jacob

Leah represents the first seven years and Rachel the second seven years.  It's interesting that Rachel was barren.  

Genesis 29 King James Version (KJV)

16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

14-Year Cycles - Part 1 - Intro

We're familiar with Pharaoh's dream of seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine.  But there appears to be something deeper going on.  Jacob had to work two seven-year periods in order to receive his two wives.  Joseph Smith had seven years of relative prosperity from 1830 to 1837 and then seven years of horror until his death in 1844.  Captain Moroni had seven years of mostly peace followed by seven years of war with the Lamanites.  The Nephites spent the years 18-25 holed up safely against the Gadianton Robbers and then the years 25-32 were filled with wickedness and societal collapse and ultimately culminated the following year in total destruction and a visit from Christ.

So what's going on here?  What are the scriptures trying to tell us?

Is this 14-year cycle a personal one that each of us will go through in our lives, or are all of these instances pointing to one final 14-year cycle that the whole world will go through before Christ comes again?

Or maybe it's one of those ordinances that we'll receive from God in our personal lives but like other ordinances it's also something this earth will go through?  I tend to think this is the case - there must be a higher law in operation here.  Maybe this pattern matches something that occurs on a higher level.

The next few posts will focus on individual instances of this pattern.  Good times!

D&C 124 - promised blessings, penalties, and what actually happened

Requirements:

• Build a Temple in the allotted time:
• 31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.

Promised Blessings:

• God would restore the fulness of the Priesthood, which He had already taken away
• 28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.
• God would restore mysteries hidden from before the foundation of the world:
•  41 For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times.
• If the Temple is completed in time the Saints will be able to stay there (in Nauvoo):
•  45 And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
• Ordinances would be revealed in the Temple
•  40 And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people;

Promised Penalties:

• Church would be rejected if the Temple is not completed in the allotted time:
•  32 But behold, at the end of this appointment your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
• Baptisms for the Dead would not be acceptable:
•  35 And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.
• Curse will last 3-4 generations (Eldred Smith just died - 4th generation from Hyrum Smith):
• 50 And the iniquity and transgression of my holy laws and commandments I will visit upon the heads of those who hindered my work, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord God.
• Promised blessings won't be given:
•  47 And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promises which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord.

What happened:

• Joseph Smith  died almost exactly 3 1/2 years after this revelation was received
• January 19, 1841 - June 27, 1844
• Joseph gave the endowment in the Red Brick Store, but it was a ceremonial enactment of what was really supposed to happen in the Temple.  The veil wasn't pierced in reality but merely in ceremony.
• When Joseph died the Temple had not yet been completed to the second floor
• When the Twelve prayed in the Temple on February 8, 1846 that the Lord would bless the Saints to be able to complete the Temple, the Temple caught fire the next day.
• On April 29, 1846 the Nauvoo Temple was complete enough to dedicate.
• In June of 1847 the Temple was almost sold to the Catholic church for $75,000 but the sale failed.
• On October 9, 1848 an arsonist destroyed the Temple.
• On May 27, 1850, the north wall was blown down by a storm.  The rest of the building was then torn down.

What didn't happen:

• The Lord never came to this Temple
• The saints were not allowed to stay in Nauvoo as promised but had to flee
• Mysteries hidden from before the foundation of the world were not restored