Ye Shall Prosper

Yesterday I wrote about one of the important themes in the Book of Mormon introduced by Nephi: that the Lord will deliver the faithful. A second important theme that we see repeated numerous times throughout the book was first introduced by Nephi in this passage: “And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart. And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands” (2 Nephi 2:19-20). He mentioned this again in his account of obtaining the plates: “And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise” (1 Nephi 4:14). Lehi repeated this and highlighted what would happen if they did not keep the commandments of the Lord: “And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (2 Nephi 1:20). He repeated again to his grandchildren, “For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (2 Nephi 4:4). Many other passages also repeat this idea. Jarom wrote, “And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land” (Jarom 1:9). King Benjamin said to his sons, “And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers” (Mosiah 1:7). He then repeated to his people, “As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you” (Mosiah 2:31). Mormon summarized at a time of war: “The promise of the Lord was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in the land” (Alma 48:25). Helaman, son of Helaman, was one who saw the fulfillment of this promise: “He did observe to keep the statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land” (Helaman 3:20). This promise given to Lehi and Nephi guided the righteous Nephites throughout their history of over a thousand years.

            This promise that those who keep the commandments would prosper in the land seemed to be especially important to Alma. He taught the people of Ammonihah, “Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord” (Alma 9:13). He taught his son Helaman, “My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land…. But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word” (Alma 36:1, 30). He then repeated with great urgency to Helaman, “O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence” (Alma 37:13). He then similarly said to Shiblon, “My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence” (Alma 38:1). Alma knew what it was like both to keep the commandments and to live a life outside the commandments, and he testified that we prosper when we do keep God’s commandments.

            At face value there might seem to be a little tension between these two themes from the Book of Mormon. One says that if we have faith the Lord will deliver us out of our trials; the second said that if we keep the commandments we will prosper in the land. If we are to prosper in the land when we are righteous, why do we need to be delivered at all? Why would we have the trials and troubles that require deliverance if we are prospering in the land? The second promise seems so straightforward that we might think, like Job’s friends, that if we don’t appear to be prospering for a while that we must be unrighteous. But especially in the words of Alma there is no conflict between these two promises, for he used them together. We see this in the way he opened his message to Helaman: “My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land. I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions. And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 36:1-3). Alma promised Helaman that he would prosper in the land if he kept the commandments, and then in the next breath he promised his son that if he trusted the Lord he would be supported in his trials and troubles and afflictions, delivered out of them just as his fathers. So ultimately perhaps these two promises really are the same thing: to prosper in the land doesn’t mean that we don’t have trials and afflictions; it means rather that we will always (ultimately) be delivered from them. To prosper is not to have no struggles or setbacks or sorrows; rather, it is to have the presence of the Lord with us so that we can conquer them all. Helaman saw great trials in the war as he led the stripling warriors despite the fact that he kept the commandments. But he did eventually prosper as he was delivered out of the hands of his enemies. Perhaps this summary from Mormon is the best connection between these two promises: “Inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord…. And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times” (Alma 50:20-22). To prosper is to have the presence of the Lord with us and, in the end, to be delivered from all our trials.