Helaman 13-16

Helaman 13

While the Nephites remained in their great wickedness

Lamanites strictly followed all the commandments.

In the 86^th year Samuel, a Lamanite,

Came to Zarahemla to set the people right.

After preaching many days the people cast him out

But when God told him to return he turned around.

He climbed on the wall of the city to impart

Any prophecy that the Lord put in his heart.

“An angel has brought glad tidings unto my soul

“And I have been sent to share it with you, also.

“Destruction awaits you and it surely will come

“Unless you repent and have faith in the Lord’s son.

“The only reason Zarahemla has been spared

“Are the righteous for whom the Lord will always care.

“When you cast them out you’ll be ripe for destruction

“Because of your evil and abominations.

“And in all the land, they will find that there’s a curse.

“None of them will be able to find their treasures.

“You have set your hearts on your riches.  You do not

“Thank the source of all that you have: the Lord your God.

“You cast out the prophets and you seek to destroy them

“But you will receive any who say you can sin.

“And in the future, when your desolation comes

“You will weep and howl and regret all that you’ve done.

“All things will be slippery so you can’t keep them

“And you’ll feel surrounded by the devil’s demons.
“Oh that you’ll repent now so that you can be saved!

“Don’t wait!  It will be everlastingly too late!”

Helaman 14

Then Samuel would prophesy that in five years’ time

Jesus would come to earth to save all of mankind.

“When the Savior comes the heavens will have great lights.

“It will be so bright there’ll be no darkness that night.

“There will be a new star and many other signs

“And those who believe will have everlasting life.

“Later, Jesus will die and be resurrected

“So all may come back to life and be perfected.

“When the Savior dies there will be another sign

“For three days there’ll be tempests and there’ll be no light.

“Cities will be desolate.  There will be earthquakes

“And many who have died will come back from the grave.

Helaman 15

Samuel kept on speaking and went on to explain

That the Lord planned to prolong the Lamanites’ days,

“Lamanites who repent remain firm and steadfast.

“Nephites are becoming more wicked, by contrast.

“Even in the future when they’re wicked again,

“Their firmness will lead God to bless and preserve them.

“Nephites’ unbelief, despite all that God has done,

“Finally will lead to their utter destruction.”

Helaman 16

Some of those who heard Samuel’s words went to Nephi

And confessed their sins so that they could be baptized.

Others tried to kill Samuel with stones and arrows

But no one could hit him, no matter what they’d throw.
Many more believed, seeing he could not be hurt

And were baptized just as the other people were.

All the rest cried out, rejecting this miracle,

“Take this man and bind him, for he has a devil.”

But they couldn’t catch him.  Samuel leapt from the wall

And went home to prophesy to his own people.

Little changed among the Nephite people until

The 90^th year when the scriptures were fulfilled.

Even as these signs and these wonders had their start

All but the believers chose to harden their hearts.

They rationalized, “The idea that God’s own son

“Would come among us is a wicked tradition.”

They imagined many more vain and foolish things

That would prevent their hardened hearts from believing.

© 2020 by N. Noelle Maes