I. Ripe In Iniquity Leads to Destruction
In 1 Nephi 16 we learn that God doesn't destroy a nation until its "ripe in iniquity". Nephi explains why God destroyed the Canaanites.
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this (Canaanites) people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
This idea is repeated often throughout the Book of Mormon
Understanding this idea allows us to understand when and why God will fully intervene to destroy a nation. It also shows that God has a system and that he does not judge and destroy a nation capriciously.
Meaning of Ripe in Iniquity
Given that God's standard for destroying a nation is when that nation is "ripe in iniquity" we should then ask what does it mean for a nation to be "ripe in iniquity." Understanding this definition requires us to look at the meaning of ripeness and iniquity. Because iniquity is more complex, let's start defining it.
For many of us, we don't distinguish the different types of sin. Instead, we tend to group sin, transgression, and iniquity into one big category. However, these words refer to specific types of sin.
Iniquity comes from the Hebrew word "avon". Avon refers to the act of bending or twisting something. In the context of how it's used in the Old Testament, iniquity (avon) refers to a bending and twisting of God's will. Because Nephi and the Book of Mormon writers come from a Hebrew tradition and wrote in Hebrew (see Moroni), it's fair to assume that Nephi, Mormon, and Moroni, would've understood that meaning (albeit with some nuances that we don't get into).
In addition to the Hebrew definition, Webster's 1828 dictionary, which represents the meaning of words used in Joseph Smith's day, defines iniquity as "particular deviation from rectitude (moral uprightness)". Although this definition doesn't conceptualize iniquity as a bending or twisting, it does conceptualize iniquity to refer to a "deviation" (departure) from moral uprightness. Thus both of these definitions, although using different concepts to express the meaning, get at the same idea -- the idea of missing truth. Hebrew conveys this idea by distortion. The 1828 conveys this by the concept of deviation. In short, iniquity occurs when one acquires and adopts falsehood instead of truth.
The next component to this definition is "ripeness." Because the Book of Mormon used 19th century English, we'll turn back to the 1828 dictionary's definition. The 1828 dictionary provides many definitions. Given that we are referring to ripeness as negative, the best definition. is that when something is ripe it means that something as "maturated"
A nation that is ripe in iniquity hasn't just accepted some falsehood. Instead, it means that the falsehood has permeated every strata of society. The adoption of falsehood has become continuous and overwhelming.
The Iniquity of the United States
Given that ripe in iniquity refers to a society that has adopted falsehood and this falsehood has spread to permeate society, we should look at how the United States has become ripe in iniquity.
The main iniquity of the United States that has ripened is our society's rejection of truth and are unwillingness to accept truth. Our society has reached a point where good things have become offensive and evil things accepted. Moreover, our society has rewarded thinking emotionally over thinking rationally. This result has led many people to act in certain ways because of how they feel. It also means that people will cling on to their beliefs out of comfort instead of truth.
The scriptures teach us that the truths of God may not be pleasant at first. As the saying goes, the "truth hurts." If we use emotions to gauge the veracity of truth, then we'll discern incorrectly. Those who exist in this state, which are growing in number, can't be taught truth. You can point to the scriptures to explain a truth, but if the principle being taught is uncomfortable for the hearer, the hearer will be inclined to reject it. As a side note, this is why we are commanded to be humble. If we are not humble, then we'll fail to learn what God desires to teach us.
This is the ultimate ripeness because God can't do anything else except bring judgment to awaken people to the consequences of their actions.
The iniquity of the United States includes, but is not limited to:
- Widespread acceptance and practice of abortion which has led to more deaths than Hitler, Stalin, and Mao, and Khmer Rogue.
- The allowance of hook-up culture, which has perverted and twisted the role of men and women into one of transaction for pleasure, instead of the binding of two souls out of love
- The propagation of violence and sex in the media, causing our spirits to be dulled and desensitized. And unlike before where such images were kept at a distance from the home, thanks to technology the boundary is removed, meaning that we invite darkness into the very homes that are supposed to me made temples.
- The removal of accountability.
- The removal of gender differences.
- The welcoming and acceptance of people as role models who are themselves morally bankrupt.
As Isaiah depicts, iniquity starts out small and almost imperceptible. But like the cracks on the wall, as the cracks accumulate, the integrity of the wall lessens. If nothing is done, then the wall crumbles.
Why God Destroys a Nation Ripe In Iniquity
Although it's true that God is a God of love, we err when we think that His love extends to allowing the wicked to corrupt the righteous, or when God does not permit justice to have its say.
Zenos' allegory of the vineyard illustrates the problem of allowing wickedness to thrive without intervention. Left unattended, the bad fruit will overtake the good fruit. If the Lord of the vineyard doesn't intervene to prune away the bad fruit, then the bad fruit will take over the tree.
Additionally, the other reason is because being just is in God's character. If God did not exercise justice, then he would not be God. God can withhold justice from us, but He can only do so for so long. If we refuse to repent and persist in wickedness, then God has no other choice.
Justice refers to receiving the consequences of our actions. Every action we take will either go to improving the world or undermining it. There are big actions and little actions. But they all have an impact.
When we act wickedly, we put out that action into the universe. That action can have a big ripple or a small one. But it still has a ripple. The big ripples are obvious. A person who kills another impacts the victim and his associates. The murder will be felt by all those who knew the victim. Although time can dilute the pain and hurt, those who knew the victim will still be hurt. Justice demands that the murder receives retribution.
But besides the big ripples, there are also little one. These little ripples occur in discrete sinful behavior that accumulates overtime. For instance, a person who is promiscuous doesn't realize that his actions are affecting others. This effect can happen in a number of ways.
Thus when God judges, he actually judges by stepping out of the way. He lets the sum total of our actions return against us.
II. Judgment
Because the United States is ripe in iniquity, which is primarily manifested by our society's rejection of truth, God must destroy it. And he must do this or else he would cease to be God. And this is because if God did not destroy a wicked nation, then he would not be a God of justice. It would also mean that he is a respecter of person, as those who are wicked are able to enjoy the same privileges (or even more so) that the righteous.
There will be two phases of judgment: civil war and foreign invasion.
Civil War
Because this land can only be maintained by covenant, the breaking of the covenant results in destruction of the people on the land. As we recall, both the Nephite and Jaredite nation warred against each other. The same thing will happen in the United States. Thus civil war will break out.
Using Egypt to represent the United States, Isaiah prophecies the following about the Lord's judgment against Egypt:
The burden [oracle] of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved [tremble] at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. 2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. (Isaiah 19)
In addition to what the Isaiah revealed, Orson Pratt also prophesied:
But what about the American nation. That war that destroyed the lives of some fifteen or sixteen hundred thousand people was nothing, compared to that which will eventually devastate that country... [Referring to D&C 87] Should I not, then, expect that the balance of them should be fulfilled? That same God who gave the revelations to his servant Joseph Smith in regard to these matters, will fulfil every jot and every tittle that has been spoken, concerning [the United States] What then will be the condition of that people, when this great and terrible war shall come?...It will be a war of neighborhood against neighborhood, city against city, town against town, county against county, state against state, and they will go forth destroying and being destroyed and manufacturing will, in a great measure, cease, for a time, among the American nation. Why? Because in these terrible wars, they will not be privileged to manufacture, there will be too much bloodshed--too much mobocracy--too much going forth in bands and destroying and pillaging the land to suffer people to pursue any local vocation with any degree of safety. What will become of millions of the farmers upon that land? They will leave their farms and they will remain uncultivated, and they will flee before the ravaging armies from place to place; and thus will they go forth burning and pillaging the whole country; and that great and powerful nation, now consisting of some forty millions of people, will be wasted away, unless they repent.
This day is almost upon us, and you can see its beginnings in the nightly news. All it takes for a war to erupt is the right kind of spark.
Those who are righteous will not fight but instead take refuge. Those who take up arms will likely be killed.
Foreign Invasion
The next major phase will be a foreign invasion. Just as Israel and Judah were destroyed by foreign invaders, the same is in store for the United States. Given that China and Russia pose the biggest threat, it will likely be either one of those (or even both).
Isaiah spends much of his prophecy detailing this foreign invasion. He uses the events that happened to Israel and Judah as a parallel of what will happen to the other covenant land (i.e., the United States). Isaiah uses the Assyrian and Babylonian king to refer to a future Assyrian like empire:
O [Hail the] Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6 I will send him [Assyria] against an hypocritical [chaneph -- godless] nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (Isaiah 10:5, Annotations Added]
III. How Do We Prepare?
Given that God has initiated judgment against the United States, and this is happening by removing peace from the earth and allowing the devil to create contention, we should ask how we prepare for the coming trials and tribulation.
Preparing breaks down into two components: the spiritual and the temporal.
1. Spiritual Preparation
There six things we can do to spiritually prepare for what's to come
1. Repent
The first and foremost thing is to repent. The obvious reason why we need to repent (and make sure that we have fully repented) is so that we can be saved.
To repent means to turn away from our sin and towards God. We turn to God by forsaking our sin.
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7, ESV)
To forsake comes from the Hebrew word 'azab, which means to "leave behind" and "abandon." Thus to forsake sin means that we have stopped sinning. To leave an object behind or abandon means that the object is not ours. Thus we need to divest ourselves of our sin -- we can possess it no longer.
If we repent and retain a remission of our sins through faith in Christ, we are saved.
However, in addition to being saved, we also receive other blessings for repentance. The first blessing is that we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This means that the Holy Ghost is our constant companion to guide and direct us. Given that the end times trials and tribulation will be full of uncertainty and challenges, we'll need the Holy Ghost to guide us so we know what to do.
The second blessing of repenting is that we receive peace. The Lord promised us that if we take upon his yoke, he will give us peace. To take upon his yoke means to take upon his name. We take upon his name by repenting of all our sins.
To have peace does not mean that life will be easy during the coming trials and tribulation. Instead, it means that no matter what's happening, your inner self will know that what's happening is for your good and that God is not subjecting you to trials to judge you, but to increase your capacity.
You see, the wicked and righteous will both go through trials. The difference for the righteous, however, is that they'll know each trial they face is to improve them. This means that the Lord will support and strengthen them to endure. It also means that the Lord will send his love. When the righteous cry to the Lord for help, he will, in his compassion, hear and respond to them. The wicked (unless they repent) will not have this assurance. Instead, the Lord will not hear their prayers and thus they'll be left to the power of the devil.
This concept is best illustrated in 3 Nephi.
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.
...
21 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. (3 Nephi 7)
Here, we see that both groups of Nephites (righteous and wicked) experienced the same trials. However, the righteous were supported and blessed with spiritual manifestation and gifts from God. The wicked were not. These gifts and manifestations served to not only reinforce their faith, but to give them strength to endure.
But we can only have this blessing if we've repented. And as our nation further collapses, we'll need the Lord's guidance to make it through.
Another benefit of repenting is the receiving of spiritual gifts. Having spiritual gifts will serve to aid and support to endure the trials.
The last benefit of repenting is that we qualify ourselves for Zion. Although many righteous will die during the trials and tribulations, the righteous who do survive will be led to Zion. And for those who die but who remain righteous, their reward is glorious:
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7)
But we can only have assurance of this if we've repented.
2. Feast Upon the Words of Christ
If we are not reading the scriptures, then we are missing out on an opportunity to learn of God's character and also learn and prepare for the end times. Although the end times will come to everyone, those who read and study about the end times will be better prepared. This preparation can be both temporally but also mentally. Knowing what it's going to be like, a person can mental envision various scenarios and then meditate about how they'll respond. By doing this the person is able to mentally prepare for what might actually happen.
Scriptures also serve to teach us truth and provide guidance, as well as instruct and correct. The more we align our will to God, the more God becomes a part of our lives. Reading the scriptures allows us to learn about God and by doing, learn about His will.
Reading scriptures should take high priority. Given that sports are different this year should be a push to turn off the TV and read and study the scriptures.
I've almost completed my book about teaching how to read the scriptures. I've completed the final draft and now need to do one last edit. Then I need to format the book and get it published. I'm expecting the book to be out before the end of this month.
3. Seek Out the Gift of Charity
As society breaks down, we'll begin to see that we've taken a lot of things for granted. For instance, having a warm shower or 3 meals a day will be a luxury. This may cause many to become discouraged and even tempted to steal in order to survive. Although many people will do this, if we want God's blessing with us we can't succumb to this temptation. One way to avoid this is to develop charity.
44...[a man[ must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must failIn essence, charity means that we abase ourself for the benefit of the other. Those who have charity will be willing to give up a meal so that someone else can be fed. And the great thing about having charity is that giving up the meal will feel like you had the meal because of the love you have for the person. In other words, seeing them happy will make you happy. (Moroni 7)
Moreover, many people in the coming months and years will be suffering. Failure to help those in need out results in the Lord ignoring our prayers. After all, if we don't show mercy to those in need, the Lord will not show mercy to us. And during the trial and tribulation, we'll need all the help from heaven we can get.
Lacking charity will reduce how much we receive the Spirit to guide us. Although temporal preparations are to be made, those preparations are of little use if we don't have access to God. Having charity will cover many of our sins, thereby reducing our chance of being cut off from the Spirit. (see 1 Peter 4:8)
In addition to this, we also learn from Revelation that persecution will occur against the righteous. This type of persecution will be in varying degrees. However, if we don't have charity in the face of persecution, we may develop hateful emotions towards those persecuting us. Hate drives the Spirit away. And without the Spirit, we lose guidance from the Lord. Having charity will help us to be humble in light of the persecution we face.
Last, as learned above, civil war is decreed against this nation. And this civil war will involve all aspects of society. If we don't have charity, we may be tempted to fight against those whom we deem wicked. However, the Lord in Revelation has taught a higher law for the righteous -- those who kill with the sword, shall be killed by the sword. The end times serves as no justification to join in warfare.
To learn more about the importance of charity I recommend watching this video by David Wilkerson, who explains this principle better than I could.
4. Seek Out Promises
The coming trials and tribulations will be unlike anything we've experienced. Having been blessed with advances in technology, which has led to a standard of living never before experienced on the earth, means that our descent will be drastic. Having been blessed with so much, means that our trials will be greater than anyone has experienced. After all, there is opposition in all things. This descent into challenges will grow progressively worse and worse.
Because the challenges will be greater than anyone else has experienced, we'll need a way to maintain hope. One way we can maintain hope is by receiving promises from the Lord. Promises from the Lord allow us to endure the challenges we're facing. For instance, Lehi's promise from the Lord that he and his family would be led to a promised land allowed them to endure the harshness and challenges of wandering the desert for 9 years.
If we don't have promises from the Lord to give us hope, our endurance will eventually wane. We can obtain promises in a few ways. First, is to read the scriptures and list all the promises the Lord has extended. Another is to look through your patriarchal blessing for promises the Lord has extended. Another way is to go to the Lord directly and seek promises directly from him. If you've repented, you'll have greater likelihood of receiving promises than those who haven't.
5. Pray
Like scriptures, prayer is the way we connect with God. Christ prayed constantly during his ministry. Prayer serves many functions. One function is it serves as a channel to communicate with God. We'll need a channel of communication during the times of trials and tribulations.
But prayer is like riding a bike. It's a skill and takes time and practice. Today is the time to start refining your prayer practice so you can be confident in how to pray to the Lord and receive answers from him.
Moreover, those who have repented and thus have received the Holy Ghost will have an easier time connecting with God. In Romans 5, Paul explains that the Spirit (Holy Ghost) intercedes on our behalf. It intercedes by making up for what we lack.
To faithfully endure the coming trials and tribulation, we must be like David who "fixed" his eyes upon the Lord, taking "refuge" in him and him alone. If we don't know how the Lord communicates and are unable to communicate with him, trusting in the Lord will be much harder.
2. Temporal
There are three main ways you can prepare temporally for what's to come.
1. Food Supplies
Make sure that you and your family (if applicable) have enough food to survive if you were locked down in your house for a few months. Also make sure you have lots of water -- at least to survive 30 days. You can buy 55 gallon drums and fill them up with water to store them. There are many Youtube videos explaining how to do this.
When it comes to food, make sure the food is non-perishable. Canned foods and freeze dried foods are great for this. Costco sells freeze dried food that contains enough food for 127 servings. I recommend keeping an inventory to keep track of the food you've stored so you can plan. Make sure you have at least enough food storage for a 30-day supply (at the minimum)
2. Flee
Unless the Lord's tells you otherwise, consider getting out of major cities. This is especially true for coastal cities, which will likely be overrun by anarchists and gangs. I believe the Lord is making certain cities uninhabitable to encourage the righteous to move out (or at least giving them a chance to). Although no city or place is spared from wickedness (including SLC), the coastal cities are the hotbeds of iniquity. I believe that these will be the first to go.
Fast and pray, asking the Lord what his will is for you. Giving my circumstances, I am unable to move out of SLC. I've prayed to the Lord about it and have not received any direction to flee immediately. I'm at peace with staying in SLC for the time being.
3. Emergency Kit
Make sure to have an emergency kit on hand. If there is a natural disaster or war, this will make it harder for EMTs to get to you. Moreover, society may have collapsed so badly that there will be no such thing as a hospital.
4. Backpack Gear
It's possible that you may be driven from your home. In that case, it's best to have a backpack (preferably a backpacking backpack) with supplies -- such as a sleeping bag, mat, tent, axe, clothes, water purifiers, etc. I have a backpack on stand-by packed with all the essential in case we need to leave our home. I encourage others to do the same.
IV. Conclusion
In short, the time to prepare is now. God will soon unleash His wrath on this nation. What he spoke to Jeremiah who lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem:
11 So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and reform your ways and your deeds.”’ 12 But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’ (Jeremiah 18, NIV)
And the Lord's judgment will not let up until the wicked are wiped off the earth:
19 For a desolating scourge [def: A punishment; vindictive affliction] shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming. (Doctrine and Covenants 5)
However, despite the outpouring of God's wrath, there will also be the outpouring of His spirit in greater abundance than ever experienced on the earth. As Lehi taught, there must be an opposition in all things. This means that whatever degree of darkness we experience, we'll also commensurate joy. God's spirit will be poured out abundantly upon the righteous.
39 And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. 40 And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath. 41 And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke. (Doctrine and Covenants 45)
Moreover, the Lord's intends for everyone to know him.
97 And plagues shall go forth, and they shall not be taken from the earth until I have completed my work, which shall be cut short in righteousness— 98 Until all shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.. (Doctrine and Covenants 97)
And this will come from the Lord's purging of his vineyard, sifting the weeds from the wheat -- to find and discover who of us truly love him.
34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days. 35 And the rebellious shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit the land.
36 For, verily I say that the rebellious are not of the blood of Ephraim, wherefore they shall be plucked out. (Doctrine and Covenants 64)
Now is the time to prepare our hearts. Take the time that we have to put away Babylon and instead seek for heaven. Today is a day of fasting and much prayer. Pray to the Lord morning and night. Pray to him during your commute; at work. Go into the secret places and pour you hearts to the Lord, asking him to purify your heart.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
