Some judges try to turn the crowd against Nephi, but many people want to keep listening. Nephi continues his remarks by reminding them that God spoke to earlier generations through prophets like Moses, Abraham, and Jeremiah. He asks, If God gave these men knowledge, why can’t He give knowledge to me? Then, he provides a dramatic example: He tells them to go to the judgment seat. Their chief judge has just been murdered by his brother.
Chapter Outline
- Judges attempt unsuccessfully to turn the crowd against Nephi (v. 1-10)
- Nephi reminds them that God has revealed truth to many prophets, including Moses and Abraham (v. 11-23)
- Nephi tells them that their chief judge has been murdered (v. 24-28)
My Takeaways
- Beware of arguments that become personal. Questioning the motives of the messenger may detract from the message itself.
- Numerous prophets have revealed the truth even when it’s not popular.
- God can empower you to accomplish great things if you have faith in Him.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Judges criticize Nephi – Helaman 8:1-10
Why Seest Thou This Man…Revile Against This People and Against Our Law? – Helaman 8:1-3
1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him…
❖ Nephi reminds them of past prophets – Helaman 8:11-23
Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi
Helaman named his sons Nephi and Lehi, so that they would remember and follow the examples of their first parents who came from the city of Jerusalem and established their civilization in a new land (Helaman 5:6-7). Nephi and Lehi took this charge seriously. Years later, as they embarked on a mission, they remembered their…
God Gave Power unto One Man – Helaman 8:11-12
11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying: Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground,…
What Can We Learn from the Brass Serpent?
As Moses led the Israelites to the promised land, they came to a place where there were “fiery serpents.” Many people were bitten by the snakes and died. God told Moses to make a snake out of brass and place it on top of a pole. Whenever any of the people was bitten by one…
There Were Many Before the Days of Abraham – Helaman 8:18
18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand…
Old Testament Foundations
Moses
When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered a Hebrew baby floating in a small basket in the river, she decided to adopt him. The writer of Genesis explains that she named him Moses, or Mosheh (משֶׁה) because she “drew him out of the water” (Exodus 2:10). The Hebrew word mashah (מָשָׁה) means “to draw out” or “to pull…
Church History Connections
“After the Order of His Son”
Alma taught that God ordains priests to operate “after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption” (Alma 13:1-2, 7). In other words, when we exercise the authority of the priesthood, we turn people toward the Savior. The…
All Posts Referencing Helaman 8
- Four Foundational Strategies (1/4/2026)
- The Sealing Power (9/8/2024)
- On Seeing and Believing (9/6/2024)
- Moses (3/22/2022)
- “After the Order of His Son” (9/25/2021)
- Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi (8/27/2020)
- Who Were Zenos and Zenock? (7/17/2020)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Ripe in Iniquity?” (11/23/2019)
- What Can We Learn from the Crossing of the Red Sea? (8/16/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham? (7/20/2019)
- What Can We Learn from the Brass Serpent? (6/12/2019)
- There Were Many Before the Days of Abraham – Helaman 8:18 (7/16/2018)
- Why Seest Thou This Man…Revile Against This People and Against Our Law? – Helaman 8:1-3 (5/23/2018)
- God Gave Power unto One Man – Helaman 8:11-12 (12/6/2017)
- As Many As Should Look – Helaman 8:14-15 (9/16/2015)