A Few Scriptural Examples of the Righteous Leaving Before Destruction
One of the many lessons the Book of Mormon teaches is how often the Lord saves his people physically by leading those who will listen to his voice to safety.
But while most know Lehi's family spent years in the wilderness before the reached the land they called Bountiful, and then crossed the seas to the promised land, what is less known is time frame back in Jerusalem.
Lehi's family left about 600 B.C.
They probably arrived in the promised land (America) about 589.
In about 588 B.C. Lehi tells his family that he saw a vision that Jerusalem was destroyed.
So, about 11-12 years after Lehi's family left, and probably within a year after reaching the America's, the Jews were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.
In verse 6 Nephi states, in the second half of the verse, " And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words."
Undoubtedly they had little forewarning to leave and the fall of Jerusalem happened quickly after they left.
Apparently Mulek and those who followed him were righteous enough to be guided to the Americas.
In Omni 1:16 it states, "And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters..."
They eventually built the city of Zarahemla, which was later found by the first king Mosiah.
Mosiah (the first)
Also in the book of Omni, we read in verse 12 that Mosiah was "warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out the land with him into the wilderness."
Omni 1:13 is also interesting reading as it mentions that the people were led by "many preachings and prophesyings." And they were led through the wilderness "by the word of God" and "by the power of his arm" until the reached the land of Zarahemla.
Then there is a period of about 2 years during which time Alma is secretly teaching among the people.
When the king's spies finally get word and are able to track this "disturbance" down, Alma is warned to take the believers and leave. So, the king's little army isn't able to find them.
"And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness." (Mosiah 18:34).
"Now Alma, having been awarned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and bdeparted into the wilderness before the armies of king Noah." (Mosiah 23:1).
Within the next year, and it probably wasn't even a full year, is when the Lamanite army invades, takes everyone captive, King Noah is killed, and the wicked priests flee into the wilderness (to cause later havoc).
The main focus in this timeline is the Lamanite invasion, resulting in enslavement of the wicked people, which happened within a year of the righteous leaving the land.
About 24 to 25 years later, the length of time that King Limhi and his people were under rule of the Lamanites, Alma's people had another opportunity to be led to safety.
King Limhi's people, with the help of Ammon (not King Mosiah's missionary son), planned and escaped from the Lamanites and went to the land of Zarahemla. The Lamanite army followed after them but got lost in the wilderness. That's when the Lamanites discovered the wicked priests of King Noah (who had kidnapped a number of Lamanite women), and then they found Alma and his people. For whatever reason, the people of Alma needed some testing and they were under bondage and persecuted by Amulon and the Lamanites.
However, it appears their bondage was fairly short lived. Their faithfulness resulted in their burdens being lightened, and then the Lord told them he would deliver them.
A side note on both King Limhi's people and Alma's people. When they were delivered they basically had one night to prepare and leave. (Mosiah 22:10-11 and Mosiah 24:17-18).
While it seems from the text that it was while the language was being confounded among the people that the brother of Jared prayed to the Lord that their language would not be confounded, I see two possibilities.
First, the brother of Jared may have been warned that the language of the people was going to be confounded. Having this forewarning and sharing it with Jared, resulted in the requests to the Lord that their language, along with their families and friends, would not be confounded.
The second possibility is maybe the confounding of the language at the tower of Babel was not an immediate occurrence. Most depictions of the event show that it happened immediately. But if it happened over a short period of time, maybe days or weeks, and the news was being shared, then it would make sense that Jared and his brother would implore the Lord not to confound their language, as well as the language of their families and friends.
Personally, I think the first option is the more likely. Although, maybe the brother of Jared was warned of the coming event, and the confounding of the language did not happen instantaneously.
In any case, these people, who at least heeded the Lord to some degree by following Jared and his brother, were led out of the land and eventually to a new land.
Alma (the younger) and Amulek were imprisoned, but were eventually freed when the prison walls collapsed and their bonds were broken. This happened "on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year" (Alma 14:23). When Alma and Amulek left the city, they were the last of the righteous to leave.
Assuming there was only 12 months in the year, less than four months later--"the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year" (Alma 16:1)--a Lamanite army came in and destroyed the city of Ammonihah in one day.
What is interesting is that once the population of the people grows to fill the land, the focus shifts towards fighting the secret combinations and enemies, both internal and external, of freedom. As the people become more wicked more widespread wars and destruction occur, until finally the people are wiped out. Moroni is the last righteous person we know of in the land. The once great civilization of the Nephites is wiped off the map.
America is a land of promise. It is the land of Zion. But it is full of wickedness, evil, and those who want to strip liberty and freedom from the people.
While small groups of people could flee into a wilderness environment, there isn't any way the New Jerusalem can be built and Zion cannot become fully established in the current society. A cleansing is required.
The only logical way the New Jerusalem can be built is if the land becomes available. The only way that can happen is for a majority of the people to be gone, and for the current corrupt governments to be overthrown, replaced, or destroyed.
In the current wicked and evil society, there is no way the devil and his followers will allow the New Jerusalem to be built.
While I am not discounting other possibilities, perhaps more peaceful resolutions, the most likely scenario is as many have seen in dreams and visions.
Personally, I think the initial mass calamities will likely be plagues, along with some earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes. But these natural disasters will probably increase in destructiveness. The final step will probably be the invasion of America, after some nukes are detonated in a number of key areas. These nukes will be EMP and actual destruction of some cities.
However, I don't think the invasion will result in a full and lengthy occupation and conquering of America. The reason is I think the world will collapse into full war, countries will break into civil wars, and natural disasters will devastate many areas of the world. The result is America, or what is perceived to be left of it, will be essentially forgotten about and problems in home counties will become of greater concern.
From my perspective it will be during this period of time, when America is essentially forgotten about, that Zion can begin to be more fully established, and the faithful saints can begin building the New Jerusalem. The world will think that because most of the inhabitants of America are dead or dying, and the infrastructure is destroyed (due to the EMP, nuclear strikes, and numerous disasters), it will be easy to return at a future time to take over the country.
Should the time come when the righteous are called to gather, or guided to flee and depart from among the wicked, there will probably only be a short time to prepare for the actual departure.
According to the pattern of several departures, the righteous often had little warning to leave. Basically they had about an overnight period, maybe as much as a day, before they were to leave.
It would be be most appropriate for us to not only have food storage and supplies, but to also have the means to quickly pack all that we can should a quick departure be needed. I'm not advocating everything being packed, although we certainly should maintain 96-hour kits and other emergency items that can be grabbed quickly if we need to leave immediately.
What I am suggesting is that food storage be kept in the boxes they may have come in, rather than having the cans stacked. Extra boxes should be kept on hand should the time and situation allow for us to pack and take our food storage and supplies.
I would not be surprised if Lehi had already been preparing for a possible quick departure. Most likely he already had tents and supplies, but most of those were probably already prepped and ready to go, considering how quickly he left.
We would be wise to have our preparations ready as well.
Lehi and his family
This story is fairly well known in the Church. Most people who have started, and re-started reading the Book of Mormon, have probably read this story several times before getting stopped at the Isaiah chapters.But while most know Lehi's family spent years in the wilderness before the reached the land they called Bountiful, and then crossed the seas to the promised land, what is less known is time frame back in Jerusalem.
Lehi's family left about 600 B.C.
They probably arrived in the promised land (America) about 589.
In about 588 B.C. Lehi tells his family that he saw a vision that Jerusalem was destroyed.
So, about 11-12 years after Lehi's family left, and probably within a year after reaching the America's, the Jews were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.
Nephi
In 2 Nephi chapter 5, Nephi was warned to flee into the wilderness, along with "all those who would go with [him]" (2 Nephi 5:5).In verse 6 Nephi states, in the second half of the verse, " And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words."
Mulek
For whatever reason, one of King Zedekiah's sons, of which there is no record of in the Bible, left with a group of people at the time of the Babylonian invasion. His name was Mulek. We don't know much more than that. It would seem that because they left "at the time Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon" (Omni 1:15) their flight may have happened sometime during the siege of Jerusalem, but if it's to be taken literally then they probably left in 589 or 588 B.C.Undoubtedly they had little forewarning to leave and the fall of Jerusalem happened quickly after they left.
Apparently Mulek and those who followed him were righteous enough to be guided to the Americas.
In Omni 1:16 it states, "And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters..."
They eventually built the city of Zarahemla, which was later found by the first king Mosiah.
Mosiah (the first)
Also in the book of Omni, we read in verse 12 that Mosiah was "warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out the land with him into the wilderness."
Omni 1:13 is also interesting reading as it mentions that the people were led by "many preachings and prophesyings." And they were led through the wilderness "by the word of God" and "by the power of his arm" until the reached the land of Zarahemla.
Alma's people and King Limhi's people
Unless you pay attention to the approximate years, the story of Abinadi, King Noah, and Alma leaving all appears to happen fairly quickly in succession. According to the approximate timeline, Abinadi first prophesies to the people and then leaves and isn't seen for about 2 years. Then he returns, gets taken prisoner, preaches and prophesies to King Noah and his priests. Alma wants Abinadi to be spared and ends up having to flee. Abinadi is burned to death.Then there is a period of about 2 years during which time Alma is secretly teaching among the people.
When the king's spies finally get word and are able to track this "disturbance" down, Alma is warned to take the believers and leave. So, the king's little army isn't able to find them.
"And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness." (Mosiah 18:34).
"Now Alma, having been awarned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and bdeparted into the wilderness before the armies of king Noah." (Mosiah 23:1).
Within the next year, and it probably wasn't even a full year, is when the Lamanite army invades, takes everyone captive, King Noah is killed, and the wicked priests flee into the wilderness (to cause later havoc).
The main focus in this timeline is the Lamanite invasion, resulting in enslavement of the wicked people, which happened within a year of the righteous leaving the land.
About 24 to 25 years later, the length of time that King Limhi and his people were under rule of the Lamanites, Alma's people had another opportunity to be led to safety.
King Limhi's people, with the help of Ammon (not King Mosiah's missionary son), planned and escaped from the Lamanites and went to the land of Zarahemla. The Lamanite army followed after them but got lost in the wilderness. That's when the Lamanites discovered the wicked priests of King Noah (who had kidnapped a number of Lamanite women), and then they found Alma and his people. For whatever reason, the people of Alma needed some testing and they were under bondage and persecuted by Amulon and the Lamanites.
However, it appears their bondage was fairly short lived. Their faithfulness resulted in their burdens being lightened, and then the Lord told them he would deliver them.
A side note on both King Limhi's people and Alma's people. When they were delivered they basically had one night to prepare and leave. (Mosiah 22:10-11 and Mosiah 24:17-18).
The Jaredites
Jared, his brother, and their families and their friends, were guided by the Lord out of the land of Babel and led to a promised land (which was in the Americas).While it seems from the text that it was while the language was being confounded among the people that the brother of Jared prayed to the Lord that their language would not be confounded, I see two possibilities.
First, the brother of Jared may have been warned that the language of the people was going to be confounded. Having this forewarning and sharing it with Jared, resulted in the requests to the Lord that their language, along with their families and friends, would not be confounded.
The second possibility is maybe the confounding of the language at the tower of Babel was not an immediate occurrence. Most depictions of the event show that it happened immediately. But if it happened over a short period of time, maybe days or weeks, and the news was being shared, then it would make sense that Jared and his brother would implore the Lord not to confound their language, as well as the language of their families and friends.
Personally, I think the first option is the more likely. Although, maybe the brother of Jared was warned of the coming event, and the confounding of the language did not happen instantaneously.
In any case, these people, who at least heeded the Lord to some degree by following Jared and his brother, were led out of the land and eventually to a new land.
The Righteous of Ammonihah
After preaching to the people of Ammonihah, many of those who believed, including Zeezrom, were cast out (Alma 14:7. It would seem that most of those cast out were men as verse 8 says "their wives and children" were brought, along with "whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God", and those people were burned, along with their scriptures and records.Alma (the younger) and Amulek were imprisoned, but were eventually freed when the prison walls collapsed and their bonds were broken. This happened "on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year" (Alma 14:23). When Alma and Amulek left the city, they were the last of the righteous to leave.
Assuming there was only 12 months in the year, less than four months later--"the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year" (Alma 16:1)--a Lamanite army came in and destroyed the city of Ammonihah in one day.
Commentary and Follow-up
I know there are some similar examples of gathering for protection, and escaping enemies. However, these examples are sufficient.What is interesting is that once the population of the people grows to fill the land, the focus shifts towards fighting the secret combinations and enemies, both internal and external, of freedom. As the people become more wicked more widespread wars and destruction occur, until finally the people are wiped out. Moroni is the last righteous person we know of in the land. The once great civilization of the Nephites is wiped off the map.
America is a land of promise. It is the land of Zion. But it is full of wickedness, evil, and those who want to strip liberty and freedom from the people.
While small groups of people could flee into a wilderness environment, there isn't any way the New Jerusalem can be built and Zion cannot become fully established in the current society. A cleansing is required.
The only logical way the New Jerusalem can be built is if the land becomes available. The only way that can happen is for a majority of the people to be gone, and for the current corrupt governments to be overthrown, replaced, or destroyed.
In the current wicked and evil society, there is no way the devil and his followers will allow the New Jerusalem to be built.
While I am not discounting other possibilities, perhaps more peaceful resolutions, the most likely scenario is as many have seen in dreams and visions.
- Increasing persecution of the righteous
- More calamities as a result of the majority of people not repenting
- When the people are fully ripe in iniquity, destruction will come.
- Most likely, based on scripture pattern, a short time before that destructive time period the faithful will be invited to gather, be led out, and/or have to flee if they don't heed the invitation to gather.
- Once the faithful have left, it will likely only be a short time, before a series of destructive calamities overtake the land.
Personally, I think the initial mass calamities will likely be plagues, along with some earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes. But these natural disasters will probably increase in destructiveness. The final step will probably be the invasion of America, after some nukes are detonated in a number of key areas. These nukes will be EMP and actual destruction of some cities.
However, I don't think the invasion will result in a full and lengthy occupation and conquering of America. The reason is I think the world will collapse into full war, countries will break into civil wars, and natural disasters will devastate many areas of the world. The result is America, or what is perceived to be left of it, will be essentially forgotten about and problems in home counties will become of greater concern.
From my perspective it will be during this period of time, when America is essentially forgotten about, that Zion can begin to be more fully established, and the faithful saints can begin building the New Jerusalem. The world will think that because most of the inhabitants of America are dead or dying, and the infrastructure is destroyed (due to the EMP, nuclear strikes, and numerous disasters), it will be easy to return at a future time to take over the country.
Should the time come when the righteous are called to gather, or guided to flee and depart from among the wicked, there will probably only be a short time to prepare for the actual departure.
According to the pattern of several departures, the righteous often had little warning to leave. Basically they had about an overnight period, maybe as much as a day, before they were to leave.
It would be be most appropriate for us to not only have food storage and supplies, but to also have the means to quickly pack all that we can should a quick departure be needed. I'm not advocating everything being packed, although we certainly should maintain 96-hour kits and other emergency items that can be grabbed quickly if we need to leave immediately.
What I am suggesting is that food storage be kept in the boxes they may have come in, rather than having the cans stacked. Extra boxes should be kept on hand should the time and situation allow for us to pack and take our food storage and supplies.
I would not be surprised if Lehi had already been preparing for a possible quick departure. Most likely he already had tents and supplies, but most of those were probably already prepped and ready to go, considering how quickly he left.
We would be wise to have our preparations ready as well.
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