Comments on 1 Nephi 14 v1-7 The angel continues talking with Nephi. He tells Nephi that if the Gentiles accept the Lord, then they will be numbered among natural Israel (v. 1-2) and those who sought their destruction will be destroyed themselves (v. 3) according to God's justice (v. 4). But, after the Lord has removed the stumbling block from before the Gentiles, if they harden their hearts and reject what the Lord has done for them, then the Lord will punish them (v. 5-6). For, the Lord is doing a great work that will cause complete division between the children of men (v. 7, cp. 2 Ne. 30:10). v3 "utter destruction...not the destruction of the soul", i.e., the spirit is condemned, not annihilated. v8-27 The conversation (v. 8, 20-26) with the angel then turns towards the eschatological as Nephi sees an apocalyptic vision focusing on the polarization of good and evil just prior to the Second Advent (v. 9-17). v8 The connection of this verse to the subsequent ones is that it is what separates the church of the devil from the church of the Lamb. Those who have covenanted with the Lord according to the Abrahamic Covenant are part of the church of the Lamb, per v. 4. Everyone else is in the church of the devil by default. v9-17 are an emphatic presentation of the last days which intentionally draws a sharp contrast between good and evil. There are only two camps, so everyone is either in one or the other (v. 10), with most people being in the kingdom of the devil (v. 11-12). The kingdom of the devil combines against the kingdom of the Lamb (v. 13), but the righteous are supported by the Lord (v. 14). The Lord pours out his anger on the kingdom of the devil, and the result is wars and intrigue among all of the nations of the earth (v. 15-16). These wars indicate the commencement of the Lord's fulfilment of his covenant to natural Israel (v. 17). v17 "the work of the Father shall commence", cp. 22:7-11. v18-27 The angel informs Nephi that the remainder of the vision he will see will be documented by someone else (v. 21-22), so he is not to write any of it down (v. 25). The other author will be an apostle (v. 20) named John (v. 27) and his record will be preserved in the Bible (v. 23). Others besides Nephi and John have seen this vision as well and written it down, and it will go forth at some later time to Israel (v. 26, cp. Ether 3:21). v28-30 Nephi concludes his retelling of the vision and conversation with the angel by saying he can't write anymore, and what he has written is just a small portion of what he actually saw (v. 28). He then states what he saw was the same as what Lehi saw earlier (v. 29). He then ends it with his testimony that what he has related was a revelation of the Spirit. And, even though it is an incomplete accounting, it is still an accurate and truthful one (v. 30). Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.