1 Nephi 22:16-17


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Reference Search: 1 Nephi 22:16-17

16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.

Quotes for Discussion

Yes, it was here under a free government and a strong nation that protection was provided for his restored Church. Now God will not permit his base of operations—<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://www.lds.net/forums/ /><st1:country-region w:st=<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>—to be destroyed. He has promised protection to this land if we will but serve the God of the land. He has also promised protection to the righteous even, if necessary, to send fire from heaven to destroy their enemies (Ether 2:12; 1 Nephi 22:17).

No, God’s base of operation will not be destroyed. But it may be weakened and made less effective. One of the first rules of war strategy—and we are at war with the adversary and his agents—is to protect the base of operations. This we must do if we are to build up the kingdom throughout the world and safeguard our God-given freedom.

Elder Ezra Taft Benson, CR, April 1962, 104-05<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> The Saints are preserved by the hand of God, not by personal righteousness. Righteousness is a companion to faith, and together these principles open the heavens so that God’s blessings may be poured upon the Saints. The blessings, however, come from God, not from the goodness and righteousness of the Saints. We acknowledge the hand of God in all things (see D&C 59:21).

Millet & McConkie, BOM Commentary, Vol 1, p. 175<o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Do not think for a moment that the days of trial are over. They are not. If we keep the commandments of the Lord, we shall prosper, we shall be blessed; the plagues, the calamities that have been promised will be poured out upon the peoples of the earth, and we shall escape them, yea, they shall pass us by. But remember the Lord says if we fail to keep his word, if we walk in the ways of the world they will not pass us by, but we shall be visited with floods and with fire, with sword and with plague and destruction. We may escape these things through faithfulness.

Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:34<o:p></o:p>

It is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and “the righteous shall hardly escape;” still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death….

Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:11<o:p></o:p>

Of course, Satan will slay some of the righteous that their blood—with the blood of all the martyrs of all the ages—may cry from the ground as a witness against those who fight against God. Yet, as a people the true saints shall prevail. The Lord “will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fullness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire.” This refers to the day of burning that shall attend the Second Coming. “Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.”

Bruce R. McConkie, Millennial Messiah, p. 313<o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Saved, even if it so be as by fire—<o:p></o:p>

In the mist of all these tribulations God will send fire from heaven, if necessary, to destroy our enemies while we carry forward our work until it fills the whole earth!...You do not need to fear about anybody. Just serve the Lord and keep his commandments and build the kingdom, and as you do so you will be protected in these last days. God will have his hand over you, and you can plan your lives in confidence.

Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report, Oct. 1960, pp. 81-83

<o:p>Yes, it was here under a free government and a strong nation that protection was provided for His restored Church. Now God will not permit his base of operations—<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>—to be destroyed. He has promised protection to this land if we will but serve the God of the land. He has also promised protection to the righteous even, if necessary, to send fire from heaven to destroy their enemies (1 Nephi 22:17). No, God’s base of operations will not be destroyed. But it may be weakened and made less effective. One of the first rules of war strategy—and we are at war with the adversary and his agents—is to protect the base of operations. This we must do if we are to build up the kingdom throughout the world and safeguard our God-given freedom. How will we protect this base of operations? We must protect this base of operations from every threat—from sin, from unrighteousness, immorality, from desecration of the Sabbath day, from lawlessness, from parental and juvenile delinquency. We must protect it from dirty movies, filthy advertising, from salacious and suggestive TV programs, magazines, and books. We must protect this base from idleness, subsidies, doles, and soft governmental paternalism which weakens the initiative, discourages industry, destroys character, and demoralizes people. We must protect this base from complacency—from the dangerous feeling that all is well—from being lulled away into a false security. We must protect this American base from the brainwashing, increasingly administered to our youth in many educational institutions across the land, by some misinformed instructors and some wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their false indoctrination, often perpetrated behind the front of so-called academic freedom, is leaving behind many faithless students, socialist-oriented, who are easy subject for state tyranny.

Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, Apr. 1962, pp. 104-105<o:p></o:p>

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….I am grateful that the Lord gave me the vision and strength to refrain from trusting in the arm of flesh and to put my trust in the protecting care of our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon promise to us of the last days that the “righteous need not fear,” for the Lord “will preserve the righteous by his power.” (1 Ne. 22:17.) I am grateful for the protection promised to those who have kept their covenants and qualified for the blessings promised in sacred places.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Bible Stories and Personal Protection, Ensign (CR), November 1992, p.37<o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>How are the righteous saved “by fire”?

Because the wicked will be destroyed by fire at the Second Coming, this verse might seem better worded if it said that the righteous will be saved from fire, not by fire. Another verse of scripture lends understanding. At the time of the flood, Noah and his family were saved not from the water but the water but by the water (see 1 peter 3:200. At the time of both events the world was and will be completely cleansed of wickedness—once by water and once by fire. At the first cleansing the earth experienced a baptism of water; the second cleansing will be a confirmation of spirit by fire. If the waters that saved the family of Noah and condemned the wicked were the waters of baptism, then those saved by the fire at the Second Coming must be saved by the fire of the Holy Ghost.

Brian D. Garner, Search These Things Diligently, p. 42<o:p></o:p>

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Some unnamed Old Testament prophet, who obviously was Zenos, as the Book of Mormon testifies, spoke of the day when the wicked would be destroyed as stubble; when the righteous would be “led up as calves of the stall;” when Christ should “rise from the dead, with healing in his wings;” and when the Holy One of Israel would then reign on earth.

Malachi, who lived more than two hundred years after Nephi, uses these very expressions in his prophetic writings. Can we do other than conclude that both Nephi and Malachi had before them the writings of Zenos (or Isaiah)?

Bruce R. McConkie, "The Doctrinal Restoration,'' pp. 17-18, emphasis added; see also A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 402. <o:p></o:p>

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