Samuel’s Preaching and Prophecies

Prophetic Rejection

Helaman 13:24

The Nephites reject and kill prophets sent from God.

Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.

Helaman 13:25

The Nephites claim that if they had lived in ages previous, they would not have rejected and killed the prophets.

And now when ye talk, ye say:

“If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old,
we would not have slain the prophets.

We would not have stoned them,
and cast them out.”

Helaman 13:26

But they reject and revile prophets that come to them to reprove them for their wickedness.

Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil.

Helaman 13:27

If a false prophet comes and tells the people to live wickedly, he is heralded as a true prophet.

But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say:

“Do this, and there is no iniquity.

Do that and ye shall not suffer;”

Yea, he will say:

“Walk after the pride of your own hearts.

Yea, walk after the pride of your eyes,
and do whatsoever your heart desireth.”

And if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.

Helaman 13:28

False prophets are sustained and encouraged.

Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.

Helaman 13:29

How long will evil prevail over good?

O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?