Cast out -- Part 2

In part 1, we saw several examples of messengers with the word of God being cast out. This resulted in the wicked people casting them out being destroyed and the word being preserved. One of the outcasts we read about is Jesus Christ himself, who is also known as "the Word". But the pattern looks a bit different in this case. 

When Nephi sees the coming of Christ in a vision

And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them. (1 Nephi 11:28)

According to the pattern discussed in part 1, we would expect to see those who cast him out destroyed. But it is Christ who dies

32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world. (1 Nephi 11)

He is also judged of the world. When Nephi's vision is over, he explains the meaning of what he and his father saw to his brothers

33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy.

35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken.

36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. (1 Nephi 15)

When Nephi saw the tree of life in 1 Nephi 11, he asked for an interpretation and saw the Savior in a vision. He saw Jesus Christ being cast out and judged of the world. But he also saw that all this would lead to the resurrection and judgment, where the wicked would be judged by him and cast out from the tree of life. There is neat symmetry here.

We see the same in Abinadi's speech.

And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. (Mosiah 15:5)

Again, it is the outcast who dies in this specific case

Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15:7)

But it all happens for a reason. 

The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just. And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them not. (Mosiah 16:1-2)

There is a certain irony at play: The Savior is cast out and suffers physical death, leading to the resurrection. Those who cast him out will be among the resurrected and brought to stand in front of him on judgment day to be cast out and suffer spiritual death.

While there are many examples of the righteous cast out from among the wicked on earth, we never see the wicked cast out by the righteous. The wicked are only cast out on the final day of judgment, when there is no probation any longer. Here on earth, God's people is even instructed not to cast out anyone.

therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him. Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name (3 Nephi 18:29-30)

The act of casting out may seem brutal in any circumstance, but when studying this topic, I see God's mercy on display. 

• Even though Samuel the Lamanite was cast out, God asked him to return to give them a chance to be warned about the consequences of casting out the righteous and the prophets. "never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord."(2 Nephi 25:9). They are always warned first.
• When there is anyone righteous left among them, God will spare the people (see Genesis 18:23-33)
• When there is none righteous left and they are ripe in iniquity, God destroys them to cleanse his vineyard and give others a chance
• When the roles are reversed and there are wicked among the righteous, the righteous are asked not to cast them out but minister unto them instead
• The only time when the wicked are described as cast out from the righteous, is on judgment day. This is of necessity because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God

In the next part, we will see how "cast out" applies on a personal level