Remember when the Lord warned folks throughout the scriptures that if they chose iniquity they would be cursed such that their riches would become slippery – that they would not longer be able to hold onto them?
Are we there? If we rephrased that from “slippery riches” to decimated savings accounts, wiped out pension plans, staggering foreclosures, depressed economy, destroyed Wall Street, or other similar terms – do we now recognize the Lord’s involvement in our lives when we, as a people, turn from Him?
In Helaman 13 Mormon records some of Samuel the Lamanite’s prophesying: “Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity.
“And behold, the time cometh [and is here!] that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them” (verses 30-31).
Mormon then records how the people will lament and cry out, “O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us” (v. 33).
“Yea, we have hid up our treasures [tax shelters, CDs, mutual funds, and other investments wherein one’s riches are hidden, not readily accessible], and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land” (v. 35).
Again, why does this happen? Because the people choose iniquity over righteousness. They choose momentary pleasure and ease instead of lasting worth. In fact, Samuel tells the people specifically why the land has been cursed in verse 38: “. . . for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head” (emphasis added).
Seems crystal clear to me why a land, or people, are cursed when iniquity is chosen. One cannot choose to do evil and find happiness; the two are, by their very nature, incompatible. Wickedness will never bring happiness – only sorrow, heartache, and misery. While righteousness will always bring happiness.
“Why will ye die?” (Jeremiah 27: 13; Ezekiel 18:31; 33: 11; Jacob 6: 6; Helaman 7:17).