Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Twenty-Two

The Reign of the Judges - Lesson for the Latter Days

The reign of judges in the Book of Mormon constitutes 120 years or 12% of the 1,000 year Nephite history. Importantly, the reign of the judges comprises 204 pages or 41% of the 531 pages of the Book of Mormon. The oversized portion of the Book of Mormon devoted to the reign of the judges indicates the importance of these years for us in the latter days.

By the voice of the people. King Mosiah was concerned that a wicked king could again lead the people to destruction. Therefore, as recorded in Mosiah 29, he proposed a new form of government comprised of judges chosen by the voice of the people who would judge the people “according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord” (Vs 25). Mosiah further explained:

1. The voice of the people usually desire that which is right, but often the lesser part of the people desire that which is not right, “therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law to do your business by the voice of the people” (Vs 26).

2. But, if the voice of the people chose iniquity, “then is the time that the judgements of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land” (Vs 27).

Unlike the rule of kings, a government by the voice of the people gives people choice and thereby makes them accountable. “If these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads. For behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings” (Vs 30, 31).

The rule of kings, dictators, autocrats, or bureaucrats brings “inequality” which is incompatible with “a land of liberty” where “every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike” (Vs 32). Mosiah further explained “that the burden (responsibility) should come upon all the people, that every man might bear their part” (Vs 34, parentheses mine).

If equal rights are to be preserved there must be equal responsibilities. “The people were convinced of the truth of [Mosiah’s] words. Therefore they relinquished their desires for a king, and became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal chance throughout all the land; and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins” (Vs 37, 38)

When people understand the importance of freedom they greatly esteem those who sacrifice for their freedom. When the people of Mosiah “cast their voices (voted)…they were exceedingly rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them” (Vs 39). They recognized they had been “delivered from all manner of bondage; therefore they did esteem [Mosiah], yea, exceedingly, beyond measure” (Vs 39, 40).

“Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again” (Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address as Governor of California, January 1967). These words proved to be true with the Nephites. Within five years “Amlici had, by his cunning, drawn away much people after him; even so much that they began to be very powerful; and they began to endeavor to establish Amlici to a king over the people” (Alma 2:2). A serious war commenced, “And in one year there were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works…” (Alma 3:26-27).

The Nephites were ripening for destruction. After 62 years of internal rebellions and wars, the Nephites “had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and they had become a wicked people” (Helaman 4:22). The warnings of king Mosiah were realized: “For as their laws and their government were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore, they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had been corrupted” (Helaman 5:2).

The reign of judges was destroyed after 120 years of mostly war and rebellion (See 3 Nephi 7:2) The following are some of the many lessons to be learned from the reign of judges:

1. Government by the voice of the people (voting) is the Lord’s way. (See Helaman 4:22)

2. Government by the voice of the people require citizens to exercise their agency and make judgments concerning candidates and policies. Therefore, the people are responsible to elect honest people and support wise policies. (See Mosiah 29)

3. There will be great opposition to leaders who are honest and to policies that are wise. Of the thirteen Nephite chief judges, five were assassinated.

4. Those who would deprive us of our rights would also destroy the Church of God” (Alma 2:2)

5. Great wickedness can be caused by “one very wicked man” (Alma 46:9).

6. “The church of God” is “the foundation of liberty” (Alma 46:10).

7. We should pray mightily “for the blessings of liberty” and that “the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored” (Alma 46:13, 16).

8. While the wicked seek to obtain “power by fraud and deceit” we should “prepare our minds to be faithful unto the Lord [our] God” (Alma 48:7).

Testimony – There is a role and a need for every man and woman of God, regardless of their background and experience, to be prepared and active in the defense of freedom. (See Alma 48:18-20) “And those who [are] faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord [will be] delivered at all times” (Alma 50:22). In this way we “live after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27, see also Alma 50:23).

Released on August 18th. 2024.