“God Shall Command You”

Brant Gardner

Mormon reveals his vision of the future. While he may have seen the last days, he does not describe any of the cultural and social changes that occurred between the record’s burial and its coming forth. Mormon pictures the descendants of the “remnant of this people” as still dominated by the Lamanites, their conquerors. Even though he had recorded prophecies about the Gentiles, he apparently saw the Lamanites as the dominant culture. The Lamanite conquerors are Mesoamerica’s immediate future—a future of increased warfare. Mormon condemns this development. Speaking to these Lamanite/Gadiantons of the future, he tells them to stop killing. They did not listen. Sadly, neither has humankind.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 6

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