In the third section of Nephi’s vision, he sees the formation of a great and abominable church, the colonization of America by the Gentiles, and the publication of the Bible and of the Book of Mormon.
Chapter Outline
- The devil forms a great and abominable church which fights against the saints of God (v. 1-9).
- The Gentiles colonize America and obtain independence from other nations (v. 10-19).
- The Bible is distributed broadly, but many plain and precious things have been removed (v. 20-33).
- The Book of Mormon will complement the Bible (v. 34-42).
My Takeaways
- Sustainable leadership cannot be built on a foundation of worldliness and unkindness.
- We owe our liberty to the generations who preceded us.
- People do real damage when they withhold information which could bless another person.
- God will compensate for all that we suffer, including the suffering caused by a lack of knowledge.
- God will bring us back when we drift from Him if we are willing to hear His voice.
Featured Blog Posts
Nephi’s Vision
The prophet Nephi was so impressed with his father’s dream and his father’s prophecies that he prayed to see what his father had seen. As a result, he saw a sweeping vision in which an angel showed him many future events and used them to explain the symbols from his father’s dream. Today, I summarized the…
❖ The Great and Abominable Church – 1 Nephi 13:1-9
What Is the “Great and Abominable Church?”
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi sees many future events in a vision, including the formation of an organization which he calls a “great and abominable church” (1 Nephi 13:6). Nephi tells us several things about this organization: It murders, tortures, and imprisons good people (1 Nephi 13:5). It was…
❖ Gentiles Colonize America – 1 Nephi 13:10-19
“Wrought Upon” – 1 Nephi 13:12-13
After observing an odious society in which the wealthy oppressed the poor, Nephi saw some people from that society cross the ocean to the “land of promise” where his family’s descendants would live. The process began with a single individual: And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the…
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the United States of America?
About 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, a prophet named Nephi experienced a sweeping vision, in which he saw a number of events in the distant future. One of those events was the establishment of the United States of America. Here is how he describes it: I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who…
The Power of God Was with Them – 1 Nephi 13:16-19
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them. 17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to…
Out of Captivity
Nephi prophesied that people in the Americas would be freed from captivity because they would humble themselves before God. Lehi and Moroni added that God intends for this land to be free and that we will retain our liberty if we follow Him.
❖ The Bible – 1 Nephi 13:20-33
What Are “Plain and Precious” Things?
During the vision which Nephi experienced after praying to understand his father’s dream, he saw a time when scripture would be intentionally corrupted. “Many plain and precious things” would be removed. Because of those omissions, many people would “stumble” and fall under the power of Satan (1 Nephi 13:28-29). An angel promised Nephi that his…
That Awful State of Blindness – 1 Nephi 13:32
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen. (1 Nephi…
What Is “Awful Woundedness?”
During Nephi’s vision on the mountain (described in 1 Nephi 11-14), he saw a future time of great confusion. Important spiritual truths (“plain and precious things”) would be lost, and as a result, many people would stumble. The angel who served as Nephi’s guide throughout the vision reassured him that God would intervene on behalf…
❖ THE Book of Mormon – 1 Nephi 13:34-42
“These Last Records”
An angel taught Nephi that the Book of Mormon complements the Bible in at least three ways: 1. It affirms the veracity of the Bible. 2. It teaches interrelated principles. 3. It joins the Bible in testifying of Jesus Christ.
The Last Shall Be First
An angel taught Nephi, “The last shall be first.” One meaning of this sentence is that we take turns serving one another. We can’t all be first all the time. Another meaning is that activities which seem small may bring the greatest happiness in the end.
Old Testament Foundations
What Is Zion?
Six generations after Adam, there was a man named Enoch. The Bible tells us that “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). In 1830, Joseph Smith learned additional information about Enoch. He had preached the gospel courageously, performed miracles, and led the people of God. Those people organized…
New Testament Parallels
Apostasy and Restoration
Patterns of apostasy and restoration are an example of God’s grace. Left to ourselves, we tend to drift, both collectively and individually. But God loves His children, and He provides infusions of knowledge and invitations to act, because He loves us.
Paul Rebukes Elymas
Disciples of Jesus Christ are builders, not destroyers. They are healers, not wounders. They are advocates, not antagonists. Satan is our adversary, and his mission is defined by what he opposes. In contrast, we should pursue uplifting goals.
Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People
In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John repeatedly uses four words to convey the expansiveness of God’s saving work: He sees heavenly beings worshipping Jesus Christ and acknowledging that He has redeemed them “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9). He later sees a huge crowd, “of all nations,…
Church History Connections
The Constitution
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi describes an expansive vision in which he viewed many future events. One of those was the immigration of Europeans suffering religious persecution to the American continent and the establishment of the United States of America: I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out…
“Bring Forth My Zion” – 1 Nephi 13:37
The prophet Nephi experienced an expansive vision in which he saw many future events. After witnessing a period of spiritual darkness, he saw the publication of the Book of Mormon. The angel narrating the vision, quoting the Savior, said this: Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall…
All Posts Referencing 1 Nephi 13
- “Thus Shall My Church Be Called” (10/14/2025)
- Devouring Fire and Divine Mercy (4/5/2025)
- “Contend Against No Church” (2/28/2025)
- By the Gift and Power of God (1/3/2025)
- Authority Restored (1/2/2025)
- Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether (11/12/2024)
- Out of Captivity (7/4/2024)
- Stumbling Blocks (3/13/2024)
- Nephi’s Vision and Nephi’s Prophecy (3/12/2024)
- The Remnant Shall Return (3/5/2024)
- The Book of Mormon and the Bible: Growing Together and Establishing Peace (2/14/2024)
- The Last Shall Be First (1/27/2024)
- Belonging (1/6/2024)
- The Title Page and Nephi (1/4/2024)
- Apostasy and Restoration (10/22/2023)
- Paul Rebukes Elymas (7/20/2023)
- What Is the “Abomination of Desolation?” (5/25/2023)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Angels (11/9/2021)
- The Constitution (9/9/2021)
- Restoration of All Things (8/7/2021)
- Endure in Faith (6/8/2021)
- Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People (4/20/2021)
- “Bring Forth My Zion” – 1 Nephi 13:37 (2/13/2021)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- Nephi’s Vision (1/25/2020)
- “Wrought Upon” – 1 Nephi 13:12-13 (1/23/2020)
- Learning How to Learn – Nephi’s Vision (1/21/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Fulfill? (12/30/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Refute? (12/29/2019)
- What Are “Plain and Precious” Things? (12/12/2019)
- What Is the “Great and Abominable Church?” (11/22/2019)
- What Is “Awful Woundedness?” (11/13/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the United States of America? (10/28/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Publish Peace?” (9/26/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Minister? (8/3/2019)
- What Is Zion? (7/31/2019)
- How Do Book of Mormon Prophets Use the Title “Savior?” (3/11/2019)
- What Do Book of Mormon Prophets Teach Us About Coming Unto the Savior? (2/13/2019)
- What Is the Fulness of the Gospel? (1/27/2019)
- That Awful State of Blindness – 1 Nephi 13:32 (7/16/2017)
- He Went Forth upon the Many Waters – 1 Nephi 13:12-13 (8/1/2016)
- The Power of God Was with Them – 1 Nephi 13:16-19 (7/4/2016)
- The Gift and the Power of the Holy Ghost – 1 Nephi 13:37 (6/23/2016)
- Many Covenants…Have They Taken Away – 1 Nephi 13:26 (5/31/2016)
- They Who Shall Seek to Bring Forth My Zion – 1 Nephi 13:37 (1/21/2016)
- 1 Nephi 13:37 Blessed Are They Who Shall Seek to Bring Forth My Zion at That Day (1/18/2015)