If the Book of Mormon had been written by Joseph Smith, Hugh Nibley explains, it would have been full of imagery of the apocalyptic destruction, as this doctrine was popular in Joseph’s day. But apocalyptic imagery is noticeably absent in the Book of Mormon. According to Nibley, “The fire and smoke of hell, and other apocalyptic images, are clearly stated to be types, rather than realities, as is the monster death and hell. This practice agrees with the old apocrypha.” Alma’s utterance, “I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God” (Mosiah 27:29) is noticeably similar to Barnabas’ declaration, “He has freed us from the darkness to prepare himself a holy people” (Epistola Catholica). Numerous Book of Mormon passages mirror those found in the apocrypha, which of course Joseph Smith had no access to as they were not discovered until long after his death. (See Echoes, 484).