Brightest of Nights

We believe that because God loves all of his children—and that in every land and every time, he has sent prophets to teach them about his Son and the plan of redemption. We believe that that like the Old Testament, which is a record of God’s dealings with the children of Israel, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ is a record of God’s dealings with a group of people who lived somewhere in the American continent.

Recently I was asked if I had a favorite Christmas story to share. I explained that my favorite Christmas story is the story told in the Book of Mormon. I love to read the story of the first Christmas as told in the New Testament, but I also love to read of the drama that occurred on the other side of the world.

Through all time each prophet has proclaimed
God would send his Son, redemption in his name.
Tiny baby, humble virgin birth,
Brings the gift of life to everyone on earth.

The prophet Samuel the Lamanite was one of many prophets in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon who prophesied about the coming birth of the Messiah. Samuel, however, was unique in several ways. First and most obvious was the fact that he preached to the Nephite people from the top of the wall surrounding the city. Samuel was also unique because of the time in which he was prophesying—6 BC. Because of this he was prophesying not only of future events, but also of events that would occur within the lifetime of most of the people listening to him.

After Samuel told the people of the destruction that would befall them if they did not repent of their wickedness, he prophesied of the coming of Christ.

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.
3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.
5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.

Watch for the sign, a heavenly sight,
Days without night, a sky filled with light
Behold, a new star will follow this morn
And far away our Salvation is born.

There were some who heard his words and were baptized. Many who did not were angry with him, and cast stones at him upon the wall, and tried to shoot him with bow & arrow. When they saw that the spirit of the Lord was with him, and that he could not be hit by the stones or arrows, many more did believe his words and went away to be baptized.

But the more part did not believe, and tried to capture him.

The last several verses in the book of Helaman tell the state of the righteousness of the people as these next years pass.

87th year —The more part remaining in their pride and wickedness, the lesser part walking before God.
88th year —little change.
89th year –the people became more hardened in iniquity.
90th year —great signs given unto the people, and wonders, and words of the prophets fulfilled. Angels appear unto men, declare glad tidings of great joy. Nevertheless the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both Nephites and Lamanites.

The more wicked part of the people began to say that it was not reasonable that the Son of God would come to earth—and that if he really was going to come to earth, certainly he would come to their land as well as to Jerusalem. They decided that this was merely a wicked tradition that was being used to keep them in ignorance and servitude to their leaders.

23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.

I can’t imagine the conditions that existed in the beginning of the book of 3rd Nephi. The 91st year of the reign of the judges had passed, it was 600 years since Nephi and Lehi left Jerusalem, and 5 years since Samuel the Lamanite had prophesied.

The prophecies began to be fulfilled more fully and greater signs and more miracles were wrought among the people.

5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.
6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.
7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.
8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.
9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

I cannot imagine being the prophet Nephi –trying to encourage the faithful followers not to give up hope—to continue to believe that the sign would come, and that Christ would be born. At the same time knowing that if it did not happen exactly as prophesied they would all be put to death by the wicked unbelievers.

The scriptures say that he went out, and bowed himself upon the earth, and cried mightily to the Lord all the day long…

Faithful watchers in a distant land
Fearing for their lives, the sign not yet at hand.
Pleading prophet heard the heav’ns reply
“I come unto my own, behold the time is nigh.”

15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.
19 And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.
21 And it came to pass also that a new star did appear…

They saw the sign, oh heavenly sight
Days without night, the sky filled with light.
Transcendent joy in each heart did sing
Saved from sure death by the birth of their King.

Each Christmas as we read this story with our children, I am struck by the beauty of the foreshadowing in these scriptures. It is amazing to think that the birth of a baby half a world away saved the lives of the righteous Nephites. And even more amazing to realize that the birth, life, and death of that same child saves each of us as well.

Now each Christmas my heart fills with joy
Thinking of that hour announced by heaven’s voice
“Lift up your head and be of good cheer
Comes this night the sign; rejoice, my time is here.”

I think of that sign, the heavenly sight
Sky filled with light, brightest of nights
So long ago one small child’s birth
One perfect life saves each person on earth.