Moroni could not write all of Ether’s prophecies. Although Ether saw the days of Christ, Moroni wrote very little of what Ether saw concerning the days of Christ, perhaps because he knew that such things were already written in the Bible and his father’s abridgment of the large plates of Nephi. But Moroni was also writing for the benefit of the future seed of Joseph so that they, and we, might know of the prophecies concerning things to come. Therefore, Moroni recorded more of Ether’s prophecies about the New Jerusalem in order to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Moroni wanted to write more. He had much more to tell us about Ether’s great and marvelous prophecies. But the Lord forbade Moroni from writing any more of Ether’s prophecies, perhaps for the same reason that the Lord forbade Nephi and other Nephite prophets to write any more, in order to test our faith and prepare us for greater things.
How was the great and last Jaredite prophet Ether received among his people in his time? Moroni records that despite Ether’s great and marvelous prophecies, the Jaredites “esteemed him as naught,” and “cast him out.” In other words, the Jaredites treated Ether much like the Jews treated Jesus Christ. As an outcast, Ether hid himself in a cave during the day. During the night, Ether emerged to witness everything that befell his people.
I imagine that Moroni, who was also an outcast from his society, felt a great affinity towards Ether. I wonder if Moroni followed in Ether’s footsteps, hiding himself in a cave during the day, and emerging at night to witness the destruction of his people. If I understand correctly, there is even considerable overlap between the locations where the Jaredites fell and where the Nephites fell. Perhaps Moroni even hid himself in the same cave where Ether once hid.
Whatever the case, Ether finished his record of the Jaredites inside his cave. It was a lonely task, as was Moroni’s task. As I consider what seems to me like the downfall of yet another great civilization upon the American continent, the United States of America, sometimes I feel like Moroni and Ether. From inside my well-lit and furnished cave, I observe and write about the same pattern that Ether observed among the Jaredites and that Moroni observed among the Nephites. As I read about the rise and fall of the Jaredites and the Nephites, my own heart groans as I study the rise and fall of the United States of America. Is there still hope for us? I hope so.
Not coincidentally, as soon as Ether was rejected and went into hiding, a terrible war broke out among the Jaredites. This war was caused by the “mighty men” who “sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness.”
When I read these passages, I can’t help but think of the modern “mighty men” who seek to destroy Donald Trump by their secret plans of wickedness. Anyone who is paying attention knows that the United States of America has been governed by modern Gadianton robbers and secret combinations for many generations, and that even the great state of Utah, the current center place of Zion, has long been infested by similar evils. These secret combinations have not only infested national, state, and local governments, but they are pervasive in the culture and in our communities as well.
It’s difficult to discern at this point whether Donald Trump leads one faction of Gadianton robbers against other factions, or if he, like Coriantumr, is simple resisting the secret combinations of our own time in one final effort to defeat them. Whatever the case, we, like Ether, can see how secret combinations are destroying our country. The next passage of Moroni’s abridgment of Ether’s record also reminds me of Donald Trump and the current state of our country:
And now Coriantumr, having studied, himself, in all the arts of war and all the cunning of the world, wherefore he gave battle unto them who sought to destroy him.
But he repented not, neither his fair sons nor daughters; neither the fair sons and daughters of Cohor; neither the fair sons and daughters of Corihor; and in fine, there were none of the fair sons and daughters upon the face of the whole earth who repented of their sins. (Ether 13:16-17)
Ether had already frequently shared the solution to every problem of the Jaredites, namely, repentance. But as is common and human nature, Coriantumr tried everything else but repentance. Coriantumr had studied in all the arts of war and all the cunning of the world. He had a Jaredite Ph.D. in military and business, and he thought that he could resist his enemies with his own military might and intellectual insight. He gave battle unto them who sought to destroy him. But he rejected the only sure solution, namely Ether’s patient and loving invitation to repent.
Because Coriantumr and his people refused to repent, many people died. There were many people who were slain by the sword of those secret combinations. The sons of Coriantumr also fought much and bled much. Amidst the carnage and bloodshed, the Lord in His mercy sent Ether one more time to call Coriantumr and his people unto repentance:
And in the second year the word of the Lord came to Ether, that he should go and prophesy unto Coriantumr that, if he would repent, and all his household, the Lord would give unto him his kingdom and spare the people-
Otherwise they should be destroyed, and all his household save it were himself. And he should only live to see the fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning another people receiving the land for their inheritance; and Coriantumr should receive a burial by them; and every soul should be destroyed save it were Coriantumr. (Ether 13:20-21)
This is a very powerful, personal, and specific prophecy. Can you imagine if a modern prophet called upon Donald Trump and all his household to repent, that the Lord would give unto him the presidency and spare the citizens of the United States of America? I miss the good old days when Abraham Lincoln called for national days of repentance, prayer, fasting, and Thanksgiving. Repentance is the only real solution to what ails us in the United States of America, the repentance of our leaders and the repentance of We the People. But I won’t be surprised to see us try everything else but repentance, including the arts of war and all the cunning of the world.
What was Coriantumr’s response to Ether’s merciful and patient invitation? Not only did Coriantumr and his people reject Ether’s message and refuse to repent, they even sought to kill him. This was the last straw for the Jaredites.
Ether fled and hid inside his cave. The wars continued. Shared rose up and battled against Coriantumr, beating him and bringing him into captivity. Then the sons of Coriantumr beat Shared and obtained the kingdom again for their father. It may have seemed as though Coriantumr was victorious for a time, but because of the lack of repentance, it was a short-lived victory. Jaredite society descended into utter chaos. It was a war of all against all, every man with his band fighting for that which he desired. The land was also infested by robbers and all manner of wickedness.
In his rage, Coriantumr and his armies retaliated against Shared, and there was a fierce battle in the valley of Gilgal. After three days of battle, Coriantumr prevailed and pursued Shared into the plains of Heshlon. Then Shared prevailed and drove Coriantumr back into the valley of Gilgal. Back and forth, back and forth. Finally Coriantumr defeated Shared and slew him in the valley of Gilgal. But before he perished, Shared wounded Coriantumr in his thigh, which prevented Coriantumr from fighting for two years. Meanwhile, everyone else continued to fight and to shed blood, with none to restrain them. Jaredite society was in utter chaos again.
Why does Moroni tell us about all of these things? What did Moroni see concerning his latter-day audience and the circumstances in which they (we) would live? I shudder to think of the modern Coriantumrs and Shareds who engage in see-saw battles, back and forth, while society descends into utter chaos. Wouldn’t it be better, and much easier, to apply Ether’s merciful remedy, namely repentance? How many modern Ethers have been driven from their communities and are now hiding in their proverbial caves where they observe and record the downfall of yet another mighty civilization upon the America continent?