Mormon gives us this information for two reasons. The first is that it is historically correct that the Nephites began to rebuild the cities that had been destroyed or severely damaged in the destructions accompanying the volcano. The rebuilding of Zarahemla is at least symbolic in that it renews the heart of the old Nephite lands. It is interesting that while Mormon tells us that Zarahemla is rebuilt, he never discusses it as the seat of power. He will make a reference to being taken to Zarahemla (Mormon 1:6), so that might indicate that Zarahemla returned to its status as a capital city, but from this point on in his narrative, Mormon is really very little interested in history.
Given the way Mormon breezes through two hundred years of history in a few verses, where the last hundred years before the arrival of the Savior required an enormous amount of text, tells us where Mormon’s historical focus was. Everything about his text moved to the story of the visit of the Savior, and his authorial intent was to describe the events leading to that appearance. Having described it, Mormon moves to his next concern, which is not historical, but similarly spiritual. Mormon will be creating a second half of time that will be set up as a parallel to the first “half” of time. The events leading up to the destruction of the Nephites prior to the coming of the Messiah will form the model for the events leading to the destruction of the Nephites – prior to the Savior’s second coming.
Mormon describes the effect of the Savior’s visit by noting that everything becomes better. The gospel is preached and “all the face of the land” is converted. There are no wars. There is rebuilding and past glories are returned. Mormon is setting up the symbolic scene of the result of a Messiah coming to his kingdom. Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He came the first time in his role as the Atoning Messiah, but he is the same as the Messiah who will also fulfill the role of the Triumphant Messiah. Mormon is showing us that the effect of God on earth is the same even when his mission is temporal rather than associated with the end of time on earth. The conditions of the triumphant Messiah that are predicted happen in the Nephite lands because Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and these are the traits that accompany the arrival of the Messiah. While the traits are the same, they do not last forever, precisely because the mission of the Atoning Messiah was tied to time. Nevertheless, they necessarily accompany the coming of the Messiah, and last for two hundred years before the effect of the Messiah begins to fade.
Textual: Mormon has a replicated pattern in the years he cites:
38
39
41 51
42 52
49 59
The years thirty eight and nine appear to be necessary to tie the 41;42;49/51;52;59 set to a set chronology coming from the events of the Savior’s appearance. Mormon moves from “real” time to symbolic time. The events closer to the time of Christ’s appearance are given in the particular years in which they occur. For most of the events that Mormon will give in 4 Nephi, they are given in generic time, not real time. This is signaled by the duplication of the empty year sets. The pattern tells us that the particular years are intentional. Since nothing is marked by them, the only information they communicate is a particular time of passage of time. In this case, Mormon’s presentation of “history” in 4 Nephi will fit into this symbolized and generalized time, rather than specific history.
There is a repeated gap of seven years between 42 and 49 and 52 and 59. When anyone with a background and understanding of the Old Testament uses the number seven, we should suspect that it is done purposefully. Since no event is marked, it is this symbolic spacing that is important, and likely set as seven to mark a “week of years.”
Chronology: The fifty-ninth year correlates to 55 A.D.