Subtle evidence that the latter-day Gentiles are meant to be a covenant people

32 (And these are the words which I spake unto my servant Moses, and they are true even as I will; and I have spoken them unto you. See thou show them unto no man, until I command you, except to them that believe. Amen.) (Moses 4)

As I finished up my most recent three part post series about Adam and Even in the scriptures, an idea grabbed my attention. It has a lot to do with the verse above, which is the final verse in Moses 4 contained in parentheses.  

The other important context has to do with the target audience in each sermon in the Book of Mormon that contains references to Adam and Eve:

• 2 Nephi 2:15-26 (Lehi speaking to his son Jacob)
• 2 Nephi 9:9,21 (Jacob speaking to Nephites)
• Jacob 4:3-5 (Jacob speaking to Nephites)
• Mosiah 3:11-26; 4:7 (King Benjamin speaking to his people/s as they enter a covenant)
• Mosiah 16:3 (Abinadi speaking to apostate Nephite priests)
• Alma 12:21-26 (Alma-2 speaking to rebellious Nephites)
• Alma 42:2-7 (Alma-2 speaking to his son Corianton)
• Helaman 14:16-18 (Samuel the Lamanite speaking to wicked Nephites)
• Mormon 3:20 (Mormon writing to latter-day Gentiles)
• Mormon 9:11-14 (Moroni writing to latter-day Gentiles)
• Ether 8:25 (Moroni writing to latter-day Gentiles)
• Moroni 8:8 (Mormon writing to his son Moroni)
• Moroni 10:3 (Moroni writing to latter-day Gentiles)

Do you see a pattern? Aside from the Gentiles, the audience is always comprised of covenant-keepers or those who were once covenant-keepers.

I see a message embedded in the fact that the last of these prophets spoke to us in the same way and about the same topics their predecessors spoke to other covenant-keepers. We are part of the house of Israel. We belong in the fold of God. That we have these words is an indication that the latter-day work has commenced (see Ether 4:17). This fits with the purposes outlined in the Title Page:

Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations

Furthermore, this detail gives us a plausible explanation for why/how these doctrines came to be suppressed/lost.  Suppose they were given to given from the beginning with the instruction that they only be shown to believers.  As apostasy set in, it wouldn't take long for these hidden doctrines to come to be viewed with suspicion and eventually left behind altogether.  

There is a pretty close parallel in the early Christian church that is well documented, where esoteric teachings and rites were widely practiced at first, but eventually considered heretical and excised from the practice of Christianity.

Even in the church today there are quite a few mainstream believing members who consider the temple problematic. This could be a pattern. Unlike previous dispensations, though, we know there won't be another global apostasy, so it becomes an individual question.  Will we embrace these doctrines and seek to understand them?  Or will we reject them and lose the understanding they offer?

Adam and Eve in the scriptures, part 3

This is the final post in a series about references to Adam and Eve in the scriptures. Part 1 offered a numerical overview. Part 2 looked qualitatively at references to Adam and Eve in the Bible and the Doctrine & Covenants. This final part will first look at references to Adam and Eve in the Book of Moses and Book of Abraham, and then we'll conclude with a look at the Book of Mormon.

Book of Moses

Moses 1:34 -- The first man of all men is called Adam.

Moses 3:19-23 -- Adam named all living things; Eve was created from one of Adam's ribs.

Moses 4:6-31 -- Satan beguiles Adam and Eve; the ground is cursed for their sake; they are clothed with coats of skins; they are driven out.

Moses 5 -- Adam and Eve obey the law of sacrifice and are taught by angels. Cain slays Abel and secret combinations are formed.

Moses 6 -- Adam and Eve hearken unto the voice of the Lord and repent. They teach their children the Gospel. Adam is baptized.

Moses 7:1 -- 

And it came to pass that Enoch continued his speech, saying: Behold, our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God, and many have believed not, and have perished in their sins, and are looking forth with fear, in torment, for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God to be poured out upon them.

Book of Abraham

Abraham 1:3, 26 -- The priesthood came to Abraham through Adam.

Abraham (Facsimile 2) -- Key-words of the Holy Priesthood were given to Adam in the Garden of Eden.

Abraham 5:13-21 -- Creation account.

Book of Mormon

Doctrinal topics found in connection with references to "Adam" or "Eve" or "first parents" abound in the Book of Mormon. It's impressive to see how often and how deeply the doctrine connects.  There is also a conspicuous amount of overlap with doctrinal concepts in the Book of Moses.

2 Nephi 2:15-26 (Lehi)

• God created all things “to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man” including opposition in all things. 

• Satan seeks our misery.

• In mortality mankind is given the opportunity to repent.

• Men are that they might have joy.

• Christ came to redeem mankind.

2 Nephi 9:9,21 (Jacob)

• Satan seeks our misery.

• Satan beguiled our first parents.

• He “transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light”

• Christ suffered the pains of all mankind.

Jacob 4:3-5 (Jacob)

• “All the holy prophets” had a hope of Christ’s glory.

Mosiah 3:11-26; 4:7 (King Benjamin -- quoting an angel in ch. 3)

• The natural man in each of us can be “put off” through:

• The Atonement of Jesus Christ

• Yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit

• Becoming submissive meek, and humble

• The atonement was prepared “from the foundation of the world for all mankind who ever were, are, or will be.

Mosiah 16:3 (Abinadi)

• Satan beguiled Adam and Eve and caused their fall

Alma 12:21-26 (Alma-2)

• Death came about by the fall.

• Space was granted unto man to repent

• The purpose of life is to prepare to meet God and prepare for the endless state that comes after the resurrection.

Alma 42:2-7 (Alma-2)

• Becoming cut off from God’s presence allowed mankind to “[become] subjects to follow their own will”

Helaman 14:16-18 (Samuel the Lamanite)

• Adam’s fall cut us off from the presence of the Lord.

• Christ brought about the resurrection and conditions of repentance to bring us “back into the presence of the Lord”

Mormon 3:20 (Mormon)

• Every soul must stand before the the judgment seat of Christ to be judged

Mormon 9:11-14 (Moroni)

• The fall came by Adam, the redemption of Adam came by Christ

Ether 8:25 (Moroni)

• Satan beguiled our first parents.

Moroni 8:8 (Mormon -- quoting the word of the Lord)

• The curse of Adam is taken from little children through Christ.

Moroni 10:3 (Moroni)

• God was merciful to Adam

Conclusion

I can't help but marvel at the amount of deep yellow in that Book of Mormon list.  There is a tight connection between references to deep gospel doctrine and Adam and Eve.  This is essentially absent from the Old Testament.  Why? Was it because the temple doctrines once had by ancient Israelites ended up suppressed and stripped away?  Was this doctrinal tradition preserved on the brass plates?

Internal consistency -- Nephi's prophecy

In my last post, I quoted 2 Nephi 26:3, where Nephi prophesies of the coming of Christ.

And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them.

I had not noticed all these details before, but this is another example of internal consistency, where different parts of the Book of Mormon correspond to an astounding level of detail. Compare with the following scriptures from the prophecies of Samuel 5 years before the coming of Christ and the fulfillment of Nephi's prophecies as described in 3 Nephi 8 and 9.

Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God (Helaman 14:2)

And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign of his death. (Helaman 14:14)

23 And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.
24 And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been burned in that great city Zarahemla.
25 And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn, saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that great city Moronihah. And thus were the howlings of the people great and terrible. (3 Nephi 8)

hide their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them. (3 Nephi 9:5, 7, 8, 9, 11)

 

 

Angels declaring the time of the coming of Christ

In this post, Lord Wilmore demonstrates that angels are the source of the name of Christ. I just realized that angels also are the source of the timing for the coming of Christ. This is special, sacred knowledge not normally revealed, except in special circumstances by holy angels. Considering all cases of the timing of the coming of Christ in the Book of Mormon certainly leads to this conclusion. The first time this is brought up in the Book of Mormon is 1 Nephi 10:4

Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

There is no mention of any angel here. But in 1 Nephi 19:8, Nephi repeats this and reveals the source of information

And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 25:19 may be more ambiguous

For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Here we have the source of both the name of Christ and the timing of his coming. The timing is "according to the words of the prophets", but "the word of the angel" is added indicating where the prophets got their knowledge in the first place.

Even though the 600-year prophecy is repeated a few times, there is no count-down in the Book of Mormon. I am speculating here, but I believe that this was information only contained on the small plates and not generally revealed and distributed to the people. The time of Christ's coming is only mentioned in unclear terms after the Book of Omni when the small plates were full and only the large plates continued. Not until Samuel the Lamanite prophesied 5 years before his coming, was a specific time mentioned again.

King Benjamin brings it up without a specific time stamp but with the assurance that these are the words of an angel.

2 And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me by an angel from God...
5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay...

The topic is brought up again in Alma 13:24-25

24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.
25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.

This one might seem strange. Alma says he does not know when Christ will come. Had he not read the small plates? A careful reading suggests that Alma was talking about Christ's coming to the Nephites. The 600 year prophecy was about Christ's coming to earth, i.e. his birth at the land of their fathers. In verse 24 above, we read about the people in "our land" receiving "his word at the time of his coming in his glory". This must be referring to his appearance to the Nephites. Alma probably knew from 2 Nephi 26:1 that it would happen sometime after his death and resurrection, but he didn't know when. Even though he probably knew about the 600 year prophecy, he was not giving away too much. 

Another puzzling statement here is "would to God that it might be in my day". If Alma knew that Christ's coming to earth was yet 82 years away and Christ would appear to the Nephites after that, how could it possibly be in his day? The answer is simple: Alma knew that was not the case. "Would to God" in the Book of Mormon means "I know it is not the case but I wish it were". This expression is used twice elsewhere in the Book of Mormon (Jacob 1:8 and Alma 39:7) and we can see from both of those verses that this is what is meant.

Then, finally, we get to Samuel the Lamanite.

2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name...
9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel... (Helaman 14)

I might have missed something, but as far as I know, these are all the occasions where the Book of Mormon mentions the time of the coming of Christ. Every time, angels are the source of information. They are messengers bringing sacred knowledge in special circumstances. Before the coming of Christ, this sacred knowledge included his name and the time of his coming.

Matthew 24:36 is interesting in this context

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

This is of course talking about the second coming. The time of his second coming is also special, sacred knowledge. When the angels don't know, nobody knows! Perhaps, one day they will and perhaps they will also bring this sacred knowledge to prophets. But I expect and am content with never knowing the time before it actually occurs, "quickly" (D&C 39:24) and "like a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

Cast out -- Part 1

In my previous post I mentioned that I have noticed the Book of Mormon occasionally using certain recurring key phrases to teach the reader a lesson. In the final chapters of Helaman about Samuel the Lamanite, I see this happening.

And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, a Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land. (Helaman 13:2)

I believe "cast out" to be a key phrase here. Even though Samuel was cast out, the Lord asked him to return because He had an important message for the inhabitants of Zarahemla.

But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction (Helaman 13:14)

Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets (Helaman 13:24)

Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him (Helaman 13:26)

And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say: O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. (Helaman 13:32-33)

The fact that they cast him out to begin with should count as a great warning to them. It is a sign of a people ripe for destruction. This was a message that all the inhabitants needed to hear and the reason why Samuel was commanded to go back and climb on the city wall. Obviously, it was also to teach them about the coming of Christ.

10 And now, because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you the words which the Lord hath commanded me, and because it was hard against you, ye are angry with me and do seek to destroy me, and have cast me out from among you.
11 And ye shall hear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of the judgments of God which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of repentance (Helaman 14)

I will get back to the purple part. Notice the similarity to Helaman 13:14: "Cast...out...from among you". The people are in a state where they cast out the righteous and the prophets, as evidenced by the casting out of Samuel initially. This is a dangerous state to be in and the reason why Samuel has been assigned by God to warn them.

Studying this phrase in the Book of Mormon in general, it becomes clear that this was not just a unique case for the people of Zarahemla in the end of Helaman. As far as I have been able to find, every time people cast out the prophets, righteous or any messenger with the word of God, they are destroyed. The inhabitants of Zarahemla were warned by Samuel, but they didn't listen and were burned (see 3 Nephi 8:8,24). 

We see the same trend over and over. Alma-II was "cast out" of Ammonihah (Alma 8:13). Like Samuel, he was asked to return, and his missionary companion, Amulek, gave the people a similar warning.

But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand except ye repent. (Alma 10:23)

The people in Ammonihah didn't heed the warning. They cast out the righteous in Alma 14 and the whole city was destroyed in Alma 16.

Here is what happened to Alma-II's father, Alma-I

3 But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him.
4 But he fled from before them and hid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken. (Mosiah 17)

This is on a smaller scale, but we notice the same pattern. Abinadi preached to the wicked King Noah and his priests. They executed Abinadi but the also cast out Alma, the only one among them who believed and repented. When there were no more righteous among them, King Noah was killed and the other priests were hunted and later slain by the Lamanites (Alma 25:8).

Another example is found in the Book of Ether.

13 And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great and marvelous were the prophecies of Ether; but they esteemed him as naught, and cast him out; and he hid himself in the cavity of a rock by day, and by night he went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people.
14 And as he dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night. (Ether 13)

Like Alma, Ether was cast out, and wrote the word of God while in hiding. What happened to the Jaredites who cast him out? They were all destroyed.

As a final example, these are the words of Zenos, quoted by Alma in Alma 33:10

Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

There is a pattern where a group of wicked people are given the word of God by a messenger. The wicked group of people cast out the messenger and reject the word. By so doing, they risk having none righteous among them and suffer destruction. The word, however, is preserved.

"Cast out" is a very common expression in the Book of Mormon, used in different contexts. I will spend two more posts diving in. In the next parts, we will look at an interesting exception to the pattern demonstrated in this post: When "The Word" himself, Jesus Christ, is the outcast, he is also the one dying. But his death and resurrection brings life to the righteous and a second death to the wicked, who are ultimately cast out from his presence. In the third part, we will see how "cast out" applies on a personal level. 

Plain speech, plainness, and highways

The covenant path is plain, not in the sense of being mundane, but rather in the sense that it is not complicated or convoluted. The Book of Mormon states this repeatedly in many different ways, often centering the description on the word 'plain.' This post will offer an overview of how this word is used in reference to God's word and God's way.  

Here are a few key themes I've taken away from this study:

• God delights in plainness, and those who love Him should as well. (2 Nephi 25:4)
• The wicked despise plainness, because it exposes their wickedness (Alma 14:3)
• Plainness can lead those who turn away to seek to destroy the work and servants of God (Alma 14:2, Alma 24:30, Helaman 8:4)
• God's word is plain, but over time wicked men take away the plainness, causing many to stumble. (1 Nephi 13:26, 28-29)

The metaphor of the "plain road"

• In his psalm, Nephi asks God: "O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road! O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy." (2 Nephi 4:32-33) 
• "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." (Isaiah 40) 
• "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies." (Psalm 27)

In addition to the references above, a slight variant of this metaphor is prophesied as a literal manifestation of Christ's death:

And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great. And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate. (Helaman 14:23-24)

This same prophetic metaphor was emphasized again at the time of its fulfillment:

13 And the highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough. (3 Nephi 8)

The Restoration is one of Plainness

40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. (1 Nephi 13)

What is the opposite of being "led ... down to destruction"?

In a recent post I asked this question and pointed out that in Alma 12:9-11, each element is presented in contrast to an opposing element, except for the eternal consequence of rejecting the word.  I hinted that this is one of the mysteries of God.

In this post, I'll be outlining other passages which present the same contrast between the fate of the righteous and the fate of the wicked. By doing so, my hope is to spell out the blessings of receiving the word with a heart that is not hardened.

What is the opposite of being "led ... down to destruction"?

Intuitively, the opposite of being led down to destruction is to be led up to salvation. The idea that we are led one way or the other fits nicely with this interpretation of Lehi's tree of life dream. 

Many other passages offer a glimpse at what this eternal reward is:

"The resurrection of everlasting life"

4 And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
5 If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ, who was before the world began. (3 Nephi 26)

"The greater things shall be made manifest unto them"

8 And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
9 And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. (3 Nephi 26)

A reader offered these four passages as examples of what the Book of Mormon teaches us about the contrast between the fate of the wicked and righteous:

"Dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness"

38 Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.
39 And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.
40 O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression.
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. (Mosiah 2)

"Have that which is good restored unto you"

30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.
31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you. (Helaman 14)

"Peace and life eternal"

7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken. (1 Nephi 14)

"Dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness"

11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth, while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo.
12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness.
13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.
14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life. (Alma 28)

Summary

To recap, here are the descriptions of the reward

• "The resurrection of everlasting life"
• "The greater things shall be made manifest unto them"
• "Dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness"
• "Have that which is good restored unto you"
• "Peace and life eternal"
• "Dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness"

I find it very interesting how often the eternal reward (in green in the passages above) is directly contrasted with its alternative (in red above).

Lehi's dream

Getting back to elements from Lehi's dream, we see contrasting elements in the paths leading to each of two destinations:  We can enter in at the strait, narrow gate being led by the iron rod which runs along the river of living water (implying a gain in altitude as we travel), until we reach the tree of life (presumably on Mount Zion). Alternatively, we can choose the broad road which takes us down to the gulf of filthy water and then to the great and spacious building, which stands upon no foundation at all. It's powerful imagery.

Being led to Zion along the covenant path leads us to this promise:

...I am Messiah, the King of Zion, the Rock of Heaven, which is broad as eternity; whoso cometh in at the gate and climbeth up by me shall never fall; wherefore, blessed are they of whom I have spoken, for they shall come forth with songs of everlasting joy. (Moses 7:53)

Desolate and inhabited

Whenever I notice that certain words tend to appear several times in certain context, I have often found it worthwhile to study it more closely. This is the case with the word "desolate". It often seems to appear when there is a curse, destruction or scattering, especially in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon. Given the meaning of the word, that shouldn't come as a big surprise, but it seems that the authors sometimes go out of their way to include the word.

Here are some examples

Ammonihah

Alma 16 tells about the destruction of Ammonihah. In verse 11 we read 

And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate.

This is what happened to a people that Alma called "highly favored" (which I believe to signify a covenant people) that had fallen into transgression.

Nephites at the time of Christ

We see a similar pattern when Samuel the Lamanite warns the inhabitants of the great city of Zarahemla. Samuel declares

And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate. (Helaman 14:24)

And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you desolate. (Helaman 15:1)

This is what would happen to a people that Samuel called "a chosen people of the Lord" (Helaman 15:3). In 3 Nephi we read the fulfillment of this prophecy.

And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and the places were left desolate. (3 Nephi 8:14)

The Jaredites

The Brother of Jared was also "highly favored" (Ether 1:34). He was given a land of promise along with his brother and their families.

And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance. (Ether 1:38)

Ether 2 and Ether 13 are also full of promised land/covenant language. The Jaredites are a chosen people who should serve God. Eventually they fall, just like the Nephites. The Book of Ether tells us about their complete destruction. This happens in the land that the Nephites later referred to as the land northward. What was this land called? Desolation!

And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation, it being so far northward that it came into the land which had been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken (Alma 22:30)

It started out as a promised land and an inheritance for a favored people, but because of wickedness it became Desolation.

Biblical connections

When a voice is heard from heaven after the signs of Christ's death and the destruction among the Nephites, it says:

6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.
7 But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers. (3 Nephi 10)

This is an echo of something Jesus had told his disciples a little more than a week earlier.

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23)

In Matthew, Jesus goes on to talk about the destruction of Jerusalem and scattering of the Jews by the Romans. Keep in mind the other examples shown here that all ended with destruction. Jesus also goes on to talk about the last days culminating in his second coming. Notice the addition in 3 Nephi: "until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers". This leads me to the following insight: When desolation is used in the scriptures, it often describes a promised land not inhabited by its original covenant people. It does not necessarily mean that it is empty. It only means that the covenant people that God established there broke the covenants and were cursed, bringing destruction upon themselves. The scattering of Israel happened in several promised lands with several branches at different times. But in the latter days, they will be restored. That is "the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers".

There is a lot of desolation language in the Old Testament, often connected to the scattering of Israel as a result of disobedience or breaking covenants. The prophet Jeremiah states

4 For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.
5 But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.
6 For thus saith the Lord unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. (Jeremiah 22)

Psalm 69 is another example. This is a Messianic Psalm and contains prophecies about the Jews being scattered for rejecting the Messiah

25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

A few verses later, the Psalmist describes "the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers". 

35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

This is a latter-day reversal of the various "desolations". We find plenty of this language in Isaiah too, both the desolation as a covenant curse/scattering and the regaining possession of the promised land/desert blossom as a rose/building Zion etc. in the latter days as a renewal of the covenants. But I think the examples given here suffice for now. I will let Nephi have the final word, though.

36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.
39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool.
40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. (1 Nephi 17)