More on the 20-year cycle
I've been giving this some more thought since last week.
First, I'm not sure about what might constitute the beginning or ending of the approximate 20-year cycle. It was just something that I was guided to discover, and it happened to be with the king-men. Or, instead of king-men we could generalize it more by saying the cycle appears to be mostly around those who are attempting to reduce freedoms and subject the people to rulers, and an increased period of wickedness.
It would definitely appear that with each cycle the people become more wicked.
Something I am curious about, and it will require more in-depth study, are the cycles before major destruction a little shorter?
There are periods of repentance when the people also appear to have their hearts turned back to God more, but that doesn't last. One example is after the robbers are defeated in 3 Nephi and the people return to their lands in about A.D. 26. The people had gathered together against a common cause, repented, and turned back to God. Verses 4 and 5 of 3 Nephi 6 state, in part, that the people "began again to prosper and to wax great" and "there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression."
This peace (after the people returned to their lands) only lasted for few years. The robbers had been all been defeated by A.D. 22, so the peace lasted from A.D. 22 to 28.
Then things started getting really bad. Wickedness came back with a vengeance.
Three years later, the people had become so divided, contentious, and wicked that they actually separated and divided into tribes after the collapse of the central government.
America is becoming increasingly divided. On many issues the people are no longer "united we stand." While I am sure we will see only greater division happen, will the nation actually split apart?
There has been talk in Texas about leaving the Union. Not enough for it to actually happen, and it probably wouldn't happen.
In California there is movement (a very small one) to divide the state into two. Those in the more rural areas are getting tired of the liberal coastal cities dictating what they should do, and making laws and regulations that they don't agree with.
Part of the division in the country is the conservatives (and a lot of moderates and independents), particularly in the non-coastal states, becoming fed up with the liberals in the big cities wanting to tell everyone in the country what to do. The liberals think they know what is best for everyone (or at least they have been led to believe that by their leaders) and they want to force their values on the rest of the country.
When you seriously consider the liberal/Democrat agenda, and compare it to communism and socialism, there are too many similarities to ignore. This is not to say that the Republican agenda is all good. However, with the Democrat push for increased government involvement in the lives of Americans, and the continual push against various Constitutional freedoms, it is just like in the Book of Mormon where there are those who want to take away the freedoms of the people.
In today's world, taking away freedoms in exchange for the (illusionary) promise of safety and security is what we are being sold. "Taking away freedoms" is a not what the Democrats/Liberals say they are doing. They say they are making us safer, and protecting our communities and children. But the reality is, if a regulation/law reduces, limits, or removes a liberty mentioned in the Constitution (which includes its Amendments) it is taking away a freedom.
Too often restrictive laws and regulations are enacted so the politicians can say they did something, and their constituents can "feel good" and believe something is being done. But, too often these laws and regulations end up hurting the little guy, the poor, and those who cannot afford to jump through the legal loopholes. Sounds similar to Helaman 7:5 (dated about 23 - 21 B.C., or shortly after one of the 20-year periods mentioned in the previous post), which states:
Let's look briefly at the Nephite government of chief judges, which lasted for about 120 - 125 years:
During that time, five chief judges were murdered, one was killed by an invading army, and a murder attempt was made on one other. There were 12 chief judges of the land (sometimes also referred to as the governor) that we know of. Half of them were killed in office.
In early 2016, U.S. Chief Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead. An autopsy should have been performed, especially since initial reports stated he was found with a pillow "over his head."
"Instead, we have a marshal and the property owner calling up a justice of the peace, and everyone agreeing that there must have been 'no foul play.'"
(https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/18/opinions/justice-scalia-no-autopsy-melinek/index.html). Is this similar to when a chief judge of the Nephites was murdered? Probably.
If the Democrats gain the majority, and win the presidency in 2020, will we be seeing more chief justices retire early or unexpectedly, or die of "natural causes" but under questionable circumstances? This is not the imply this wouldn't happen under the Republican control, but its probably less likely. Unlike with the Nephites, the U.S. Chief Justices are not governors over the land, but they do hold a lot of power in making judgments. And too often the judgments of these justices, as well as the judges of lower federal courts, end up legislating from the bench. That is their rulings end up becoming laws, instead of their rulings being the interpretation of whether a law is legal and Constitutional. It is this power of the Chief Justices and other judges that is becoming a big focus of the political parties.
I think the Republicans are expecting to retain majority control of both houses of Congress this year. It would be good if they do, but I don't think it's likely. I think they will lose majority in one or both houses. If they do, there will be little or no chance a conservative justice will replace a vacancy. The Democrats will pull the same stunt the Republicans did when Scalia died, and refuse to appoint a replacement.
And, with the way the country is going, and increasing sentiment against the Republicans (particularly in area of gun control), I think it is unlikely Trump, or even another Republican candidate, will get re-elected as president in 2020.
This will only deepen and widen the division in the country. It would probably increase the division no matter if a Republican or Democrat wins.
Returning to some thoughts on the 20-year cycle.
In A.D. 16, Lachoneus received a letter (and threat) from Giddianhi, the leader of the robbers. From that time to the Savior's death, and the destruction that happened in the Americas, it was about 17-18 years. We don't know if it was at the beginning, middle, or end of A.D. 16 that the letter was received, but I suspect it was near the end. Giddianhi threatened to come the "morrow month" (3 Nephi 3:8), but it was apparently a bluff because the robbers didn't come until the end of A.D. 18. But, Lachoneus had been able to convince the people to become prepared, to repent, and to gather together. Using the invasion time, at the end of the year 18, until the destruction its around 16 years.
Prior to the robbers' invasion, the people had become increasingly more wicked and disbelieving. Then they had a short period where things got better, and it went rapidly downhill from there.
From the 2007 Great Recession (which began in December 2007 but was most severely felt in 2008, so it's sometimes referred to as the 2008 Recession) to 2024 it is 17 years. 16 years if you don't count the one month in 2007. Is there a time correlation?
It was several years before economic conditions really started to look like they might actually be improving. Now, a little more than halfway from 2008 to 2024, the economy is looking much better. Along the Wasatch Front, in Utah, construction is booming. Home prices are increasing. The area is becoming much more prosperous and wealth in increasing. With the increased prosperity, there is also an increase in homelessness and drug abuse.
Wickedness is also quickly increasing. There used to be a feeling that cities along the Wasatch Front were different from those in many other states. Now that feeling is decreasing, and there are often times when it looks, and feels, much like cities outside of Utah.
While there is no direct event correlation from the Nephites to our time, is there a time correlation? Of course, I might just be grasping at straws to match the 2024 time when I think it's most likely for America to receive the biggest judgments, the collapse and fall of America. But, it is interesting how the number of years fit so closely.
First, I'm not sure about what might constitute the beginning or ending of the approximate 20-year cycle. It was just something that I was guided to discover, and it happened to be with the king-men. Or, instead of king-men we could generalize it more by saying the cycle appears to be mostly around those who are attempting to reduce freedoms and subject the people to rulers, and an increased period of wickedness.
It would definitely appear that with each cycle the people become more wicked.
Something I am curious about, and it will require more in-depth study, are the cycles before major destruction a little shorter?
There are periods of repentance when the people also appear to have their hearts turned back to God more, but that doesn't last. One example is after the robbers are defeated in 3 Nephi and the people return to their lands in about A.D. 26. The people had gathered together against a common cause, repented, and turned back to God. Verses 4 and 5 of 3 Nephi 6 state, in part, that the people "began again to prosper and to wax great" and "there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression."
This peace (after the people returned to their lands) only lasted for few years. The robbers had been all been defeated by A.D. 22, so the peace lasted from A.D. 22 to 28.
Then things started getting really bad. Wickedness came back with a vengeance.
"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" (3 Nephi 7:8).
Three years later, the people had become so divided, contentious, and wicked that they actually separated and divided into tribes after the collapse of the central government.
America is becoming increasingly divided. On many issues the people are no longer "united we stand." While I am sure we will see only greater division happen, will the nation actually split apart?
There has been talk in Texas about leaving the Union. Not enough for it to actually happen, and it probably wouldn't happen.
In California there is movement (a very small one) to divide the state into two. Those in the more rural areas are getting tired of the liberal coastal cities dictating what they should do, and making laws and regulations that they don't agree with.
Part of the division in the country is the conservatives (and a lot of moderates and independents), particularly in the non-coastal states, becoming fed up with the liberals in the big cities wanting to tell everyone in the country what to do. The liberals think they know what is best for everyone (or at least they have been led to believe that by their leaders) and they want to force their values on the rest of the country.
When you seriously consider the liberal/Democrat agenda, and compare it to communism and socialism, there are too many similarities to ignore. This is not to say that the Republican agenda is all good. However, with the Democrat push for increased government involvement in the lives of Americans, and the continual push against various Constitutional freedoms, it is just like in the Book of Mormon where there are those who want to take away the freedoms of the people.
In today's world, taking away freedoms in exchange for the (illusionary) promise of safety and security is what we are being sold. "Taking away freedoms" is a not what the Democrats/Liberals say they are doing. They say they are making us safer, and protecting our communities and children. But the reality is, if a regulation/law reduces, limits, or removes a liberty mentioned in the Constitution (which includes its Amendments) it is taking away a freedom.
Too often restrictive laws and regulations are enacted so the politicians can say they did something, and their constituents can "feel good" and believe something is being done. But, too often these laws and regulations end up hurting the little guy, the poor, and those who cannot afford to jump through the legal loopholes. Sounds similar to Helaman 7:5 (dated about 23 - 21 B.C., or shortly after one of the 20-year periods mentioned in the previous post), which states:
Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—
Let's look briefly at the Nephite government of chief judges, which lasted for about 120 - 125 years:
- Alma, the son of Alma, was the first chief judge (beginning in 91 B.C.). About 3 years after he becomes king, Amlici tries to become king.
- Nephihah becomes chief judge (about 83 B.C.) when Alma decides to devote his entire time to preaching the word of God. He gets to deal with a number of invasions from the Lamanites, but this is also the beginning of the time of Captain Moroni.
- Chief judge Pahoran (the son of Nephihah) had the king-men try to change the laws to establish a king (67 B.C.). There were several invasion attempts by the Lamanites. A coup attempt was made on the government in 62 B.C., during which he escaped. With Moroni's help, the government gets restored.
- Chief judge Pahoran (the son of Pahoran) was murdered by Kishkumen (the original leader of the Gadiantons) in about 52 B.C.
- Pahoran's brother, Pacumeni, was then elected chief judge, and he was killed by leader of an invading Lamanite army the next year.
- Helaman, the son of Helaman, was chosen to be the next Chief Judge in about 50 B.C. An attempt to murder him was made that year.
- Helaman's son Nephi became chief judge in 39 B.C., and, like previous chief judges of the land, he also dealt with Nephite dissenters, invading Lamanite armies, as well as increasing pride and wickedness among the people. In 30 B.C. he retires from being a judge so he can teach the gospel, along with his brother, Lehi.
- Cezoram becomes the next chief judge in 30 B.C.
- Two chief judges (Cezoram and his son) were murdered in 26 B.C.
- Another chief judge (Seezoram) was murdered sometime between 23 and 20 B.C. by his brother Seantum (both were members of the Gadiatons). Incidentally, we don't find out what happened to Seantum, whether he was killed, punished, or let off because of his connections.
- I have yet to discover who was the chief judge after Seezoram and before Lachoneus, who is first mentioned in A.D. 1. But, it was a time of wickedness, a great famine killed off a lot of the population, and Samuel the Lamanite made his prophesies concerning the Savior's birth, death, and the destruction that would come upon the people as a result of their wickedness.
- Lachoneus was the chief judge from at least A.D. 1. until probably sometime in the mid-20s. Like others, he deals with dissenters and increasing wickedness. But, instead of Lamanite armies, the Gadianton robbers increasingly becoming a threat, and they threatened to invade the country. Lachoneus, along with some other righteous leaders, managed to get the people to repent, return to God, gather together, and be prepared for a siege. After the robbers are defeated, the people experience a brief period of prosperity and peace.
- Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, becomes the next chief judge sometime after the people return to their lands, after the robbers are defeated. By this time the people have returned to their wickedness. Sometime after he becomes judge, there was an increasing number of "men inspired from heaven" (3 Nephi 6:20) who came and many of them were killed by the lesser chief judges. Many of these judges, along with "almost all the lawyers and high priests" (3 Nephi 6:27) conspire together to overthrow the government,
- The chief judge of the land was murdered around A.D. 29-30. The scriptures don't identify this one, although it was probably Lachoneus, the son of Lachoneus (3 Nephi 6:19), who was identified as the chief judge right before that time.
- After the chief judge is murdered, the people are completely divided, and "the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combinations of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets" (3 Nephi 7:6). These secret combinations also caused "a great contention in the land" which caused "the more righteous part of the people [to] nearly all become wicked" (3 Nephi 7:7).
- For the next three years, there was no central government. There was some peace, because of strict laws the various tribes agreed upon, but "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 7:14). The leader of the secret combinations that overthrew the government, whose name was Jacob, was made king, but he and his band ended up fleeing the land because the tribes were united in their hatred of them.
During that time, five chief judges were murdered, one was killed by an invading army, and a murder attempt was made on one other. There were 12 chief judges of the land (sometimes also referred to as the governor) that we know of. Half of them were killed in office.
In early 2016, U.S. Chief Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead. An autopsy should have been performed, especially since initial reports stated he was found with a pillow "over his head."
"Instead, we have a marshal and the property owner calling up a justice of the peace, and everyone agreeing that there must have been 'no foul play.'"
(https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/18/opinions/justice-scalia-no-autopsy-melinek/index.html). Is this similar to when a chief judge of the Nephites was murdered? Probably.
If the Democrats gain the majority, and win the presidency in 2020, will we be seeing more chief justices retire early or unexpectedly, or die of "natural causes" but under questionable circumstances? This is not the imply this wouldn't happen under the Republican control, but its probably less likely. Unlike with the Nephites, the U.S. Chief Justices are not governors over the land, but they do hold a lot of power in making judgments. And too often the judgments of these justices, as well as the judges of lower federal courts, end up legislating from the bench. That is their rulings end up becoming laws, instead of their rulings being the interpretation of whether a law is legal and Constitutional. It is this power of the Chief Justices and other judges that is becoming a big focus of the political parties.
I think the Republicans are expecting to retain majority control of both houses of Congress this year. It would be good if they do, but I don't think it's likely. I think they will lose majority in one or both houses. If they do, there will be little or no chance a conservative justice will replace a vacancy. The Democrats will pull the same stunt the Republicans did when Scalia died, and refuse to appoint a replacement.
And, with the way the country is going, and increasing sentiment against the Republicans (particularly in area of gun control), I think it is unlikely Trump, or even another Republican candidate, will get re-elected as president in 2020.
This will only deepen and widen the division in the country. It would probably increase the division no matter if a Republican or Democrat wins.
Returning to some thoughts on the 20-year cycle.
In A.D. 16, Lachoneus received a letter (and threat) from Giddianhi, the leader of the robbers. From that time to the Savior's death, and the destruction that happened in the Americas, it was about 17-18 years. We don't know if it was at the beginning, middle, or end of A.D. 16 that the letter was received, but I suspect it was near the end. Giddianhi threatened to come the "morrow month" (3 Nephi 3:8), but it was apparently a bluff because the robbers didn't come until the end of A.D. 18. But, Lachoneus had been able to convince the people to become prepared, to repent, and to gather together. Using the invasion time, at the end of the year 18, until the destruction its around 16 years.
Prior to the robbers' invasion, the people had become increasingly more wicked and disbelieving. Then they had a short period where things got better, and it went rapidly downhill from there.
From the 2007 Great Recession (which began in December 2007 but was most severely felt in 2008, so it's sometimes referred to as the 2008 Recession) to 2024 it is 17 years. 16 years if you don't count the one month in 2007. Is there a time correlation?
It was several years before economic conditions really started to look like they might actually be improving. Now, a little more than halfway from 2008 to 2024, the economy is looking much better. Along the Wasatch Front, in Utah, construction is booming. Home prices are increasing. The area is becoming much more prosperous and wealth in increasing. With the increased prosperity, there is also an increase in homelessness and drug abuse.
Wickedness is also quickly increasing. There used to be a feeling that cities along the Wasatch Front were different from those in many other states. Now that feeling is decreasing, and there are often times when it looks, and feels, much like cities outside of Utah.
While there is no direct event correlation from the Nephites to our time, is there a time correlation? Of course, I might just be grasping at straws to match the 2024 time when I think it's most likely for America to receive the biggest judgments, the collapse and fall of America. But, it is interesting how the number of years fit so closely.
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