In a rare editorial note about the reasons for the captivity of Israel, 2 Kings specifically identifies their rejection of prophets:
The Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
2 Kings 17:13-14
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.
Note that Israel rejected living prophets, who in turn reminded them of the words of former prophets. Israel’s rejection was twofold: failing to listen to God’s living messengers and failing to follow the instructions of prophets who predated them.
This is the predicament of the prophet. No one has to listen to them. They may receive protection, as Jaredite prophets did from Shule (Ether 7:23-25) and Israelite prophets received from Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4). They may be persecuted by kings like Heth (Ether 9:28-29) or Ahab (1 Kings 18:9-10; 1 Kings 19:10). But regardless of the official response, they feel sorrow when their listeners ignore or reject their message. “And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts, and would not hearken unto their words; and the prophets mourned and withdrew from among the people” (Ether 11:13).
Nephi tells us that the pattern identified in 2 Kings is a universal pattern. God always warns His people when catastrophe looms:
As one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord.
2 Nephi 25:9
The question is: will they heed the warning, or will they be like Nephi’s neighbors in Jerusalem, who “were angry with [his father]; yea, even as with the prophets of old” (1 Nephi 1:20)?
Prophets have no way to enforce their words, nor do they try. Their messages evoke such a strong reaction because people sense they are true, and sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth (see 1 Nephi 16:2; Helaman 13:24-28).
Prophets can feel lonely, persecuted, and ineffective (see Isaiah 49:4; 1 Nephi 21:4). Yet as Nephi testified, God continues to send them. Why? Because He loves His children:
And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people…
2 Chronicles 36:15
Today I will open my heart to warnings from prophets, present and past. I will be grateful for God’s compassion in sending messengers to help me turn away from sin before tragedy strikes.
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