In the Book of Mormon we read that the Lord had blessed the people greatly, delivering them from their enemies and saving them from sickness and famine. If they fell away after all that had been given to them, their state would be worse than that of the Lamanites. If they would rebel, they would be utterly destroyed. Alma 9:22-24 "Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all manner of things— And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them. For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from off the face of the earth?"
In the Old Testament we read a verse that says that because the people trusted in their works and treasures instead of trusting in the Lord, they would be taken into captivity. Jeremiah 48:7 "For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together."
Going right along with the idea of trusting in worldly things instead of in the Lord, some scriptures with a thought booklet recount the story of the rich fool. He had so much that he thought he'd need to build bigger barns to hold it all. He had so many worldly goods he thought he could take his ease and spend the rest of his days eating, drinking and being merry. But what a fool he was! That very night he suddenly died and then all his worldly goods would belong to someone else. They would do him no good in the next life. This is what happens to people who have worldly treasures, but are not rich toward God. We all need to examine our own lives. Do we trust money and status for our security and leave God out of the picture? If so, we are fools! Luke 12:15-21 "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
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