“Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.”
The truth will be revealed. But truth of this nature will involve something else. Satan will have no power. When we gather enough light and truth, Satan’s influence and power ends. We find that Satan is “cast out” because he can no longer deceive.
The truth will be revealed. But truth of this nature will involve something else. Satan will have no power. When we gather enough light and truth, Satan’s influence and power ends. We find that Satan is “cast out” because he can no longer deceive.
His primary tool is the lie. When there is enough truth, there is no longer any reason to believe or teach a lie. Therefore, he has lost power.
His secondary tool is the lusts and appetites of the flesh. When these are controlled, he is rendered completely ineffective. He is bound.
Once the lies are exposed and the appetites of the flesh are subdued, the hearts of men are freed from captivity. Nephi is describing a future day when this will be the the common situation for mankind.
Of course, this doesn’t have to be a future day. It is possible to gain enough light and truth today so the lies are exposed to your view. It is also possible to subdue the appetites of the flesh. In any event, the desires, appetites and passions ought to be kept within the bounds which the Lord prescribes. We say that, but we don’t often do that. Most people are not willing to actually subdue their desires, passions and appetites. It seems weird to suppress the desire for revenge, to actually turn the other cheek, and to return good for evil. In short, it would appear the Savior’s conduct in willingly going to His death without accepting Peter’s offer to use the sword in His defense was a bit nutty. At least from the perspective of the damned. (They can’t even stop watching pornography. Latter-day “Saint” indeed. What’s saintly about the vengeful, lustful, and gluttonous? But that’s an aside…)
Binding Satan so he has no “power over the hearts of the children of men” is an interesting phrase. Why “power?” Why “power over the hearts?” Why “children of men” rather than sons of God? (See the dialogue between Moses and Satan where Moses refers to himself as a “son of God” but Satan calls him a “son of man” in Moses 1: 12-13.) Isn’t that interesting?
Why is it that such power over the hearts of the children of men will be lost? It is as if entry into a Telestial World will bring about the binding of Satan, even before becoming a “son of God,” and beginning the final journey into the Lord’s presence. This is interesting – as if Nephi understood the Temple itself. (2 Nephi 5: 16.)
Satan’s power is lost for a “long time” but not forever. Why? How will Satan be loosed again? (Rev. 20: 7; D&C 43: 31; D&C 88: 110.) I’ve described this event and the reasons in “The Great Competition” in Ten Parables
.The final phrase is because Nephi was through with his message for a while. He may have intended to take his writing up again, but the final phrase indicates he was done for the time. We cannot tell how long it was between the last verse of Chapter 30 and the first verse of Chapter 31. When he takes up his writing again, he is clearly ending his ministry. How long he took to compose his final thoughts is undisclosed. But this will be an old man, finishing his mortal warning to us.
Let’s take a look at it…
Denver,
You said, “It is as if entry into a Telestial World will bring about the binding of Satan…”
Did you mean Telestial or Terrestial? It makes sense to me if you meant Terrestial, but I am confused if you really meant Telestial since you have often mentioned this world now is a telestial kingdom and clearly Satan is not even close to being bound in such a world (unless we do it individually, as you always point out). Am I missing something of a critical teaching you are trying to convey and the temple, too? Or was this a mistype? Would love your help.
That’s right, should be “Terrestrial” instead.
DS said, “Why is it that such power over the hearts of the children of men will be lost? It is as if entry into a Telestial World will bring about the binding of Satan, even before becoming a “son of God,” and beginning the final journey into the Lord’s presence.”
I suggest that “telestial” is correct; perhaps the ‘mistake’ was not a mistake.
Per my reasonings in other posts, this earth is terrestrial (by defintion), which has upon its’ face the possibility of 3 Kingdoms, or styles of government.
I suggest, we must pass through the “telestial kingdom”, also known as the ‘lone and dreary world’ who’s controlling law is the law of the jungle that we might overcome the impulse and need for ‘the power of might’.
Once that is accomplished, we then are ready to become members of a “terrestrial kingdom” governed by the law of justice and the power of right.
If we successfully negotiate the terrestrial kingdom and laws of justice, we become candidates for the celestial kingdom where we may become ‘sons of God’.
Note the difference between a terrestrial earth and terrestrial kingdom (one is a planet, the other a politic unit with a government).
Binding of “Satan” is certainly more probable in a terrestrial kingdom where justice prevails than in a kingdom where raw power of strength dominates–nonetheless, the binding of ‘Satan’ begins in the lower kingdoms and is more tightly bound as one progresses into ‘higher’ kingdoms (both individually and collectively).