This is one of a series of posts about what is referred to as the war chapters in the Book of Mormon (chapters 45 through 62). The Kingdom of Light, the Lord of Light (Christ), the church of Christ, and the doctrine of Christ stand completely opposed to the Kingdom of darkness, the lord of darkness, the church of the devil, and the doctrine of the devil. The modern war chapters are being written as we speak. See with new eyes how the parallels in these specific chapters fulfill one of the three purposes of the Book of Mormon and it is a divine witness and a warning for each soul today.

Previously: Chapter 53

CHAPTER 54 (About 63 B.C.)

1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring that he would exchange prisoners.

2 And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his own people; and he also desired his own people for the strengthening of his army.

3 Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites as it were possible.

4 Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni. Now these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:

5 Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which thy brother hath waged against them [Offensive, not defensive], and which ye are still determined to carry on after his death.

6 Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of Nephi. [What does “the justice of God” mean?]

7 Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands. [Invitation, threat, and/or promise?]

8 But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do it again.

9 And now behold, we are prepared to receive you [defensive, not offensive]; yea, and except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your utter destruction.

10 But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will maintain our religion and the cause of our God.

[Where is he getting authority/permission to say such things? If this is his own words, then this would be taking the Lord’s name in vain.]

11 But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning these things in vain [as if, “I fear you think I am saying this of myself, not from the Lord.”]; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will exchange.

12 And behold, if ye do not this, I will come against you with my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the earth. [i.e. I will not stop ever pursuing freedom and liberty for all… ever!]

13 Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy you [defensive, not offensive]; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first inheritance. [The land was simply a means of living peacefully and providing for their families… a space where they each could worship their Lord and work out their own salvation with the Lord. (Alma 34:37; Mormon 9:27)]

14 Now I close my epistle. I am Moroni; I am a leader of the people of the Nephites. [Notice he did not say “king” of the Nephites.]

15 Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and these are the words which he wrote, saying:

16 I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites [“King” is a title of elite status in contrast to Moroni’s title of “a leader.”]; I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his blood upon you [He needs a reason, rationale, or even a cause to sell to the Lamanite people—he needed to stir up the people sufficiently enough to be willing to fight for his own selfish cause (to remain king and maintain dominion over more land), not the selfless cause of personal freedom, liberty for all.], yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for I fear not your threatenings.

17 For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them. [A long-standing feud soiled by generations of lies and false traditions that have been propagated by Lamanites and specifically the Lamanite leaders in an effort to maintain the people’s loyalty and subject them to bondage. The same tactics exist today where politicians, governments, and institutional leaders create a perceived “evil” or “axis of evil” (a scapegoat)—anything they can construe as “bad for society”—and then they position themselves as opponents of this evil. This is how politicians get elected, re-elected, or maintain the people’s loyalty. It is how politicians convince people they are ultimately the answer or they are “the saviors of society” and that government and institutions have your best interest. Through popular, controlled media, what are the popular “evils” you are or have been told of?]

18 And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject yourselves to be governed by those [to be governed “by people,” not governed by principles/laws of personal liberty, freedom] to whom the government doth rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down their weapons and shall be at war no more.

19 Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings. [You would expect that after he sent this letter, Ammoron sent out his publicist among the people saying something to the effect of, “Read here what our brave king said in response to those horrible Nephites.”—all in an effort to stir up the convictions and loyalty of his people. The truth is that Ammoron thinks nothing of the welfare of his own people and their families—sending other people to battle for his selfish causes. The same thing happens today and has happened for decades. Do your study of history to see how government leaders send millions to war for the false cause of “preserving democracy” or similar war slogans.]

20 Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to your request, gladly [What a tough guy!], that I may preserve my food for my men of war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal extinction. [Ammoron’s publicist probably even twisted this to try and portray how smart Ammoron is and how stupid Moroni and the Nephites are—”How stupid is this guy that he wants to give us back warriors for women and children, LOL.” It happens today.]

21 And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected, behold, we know not such a being [No kidding?]; neither do ye; but if it so be that there is such a being, we know not but that he hath made us as well as you. [“He likes us equally as much and we’re gonna tell our people that too. So there.”]

22 And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have murdered [The false cause he sells to his own people], whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place? But behold these things matter not.

23 I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers pressed and brought out of Jerusalem. [He knows the history and uses it as propaganda to his people.]

24 And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.

[I recommend to a person to increase their awareness of the reality happening around them. If you ask for help from the Lord He can open your eyes to help you see things or at a minimum, He can help you identify situations where you should stop and ask questions instead of passively accepting potential propaganda at face value.]

Next: The Modern War Chapters: Alma 55

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