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The Great National Divorce

Isaiah foretold of a day when Israel as a people would again be established and he prophesied, “thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee.” Isaiah 62:5 

All the details of how and when that will be fulfilled are not mine to offer, but suffice this—Israel will be a righteous nation so loved by its native sons that their love and devotion for their country is likened unto marriage. When the sons of any land love their country that much in the Lord, surely that land is safe. But what happens when the sons and daughters of the land love themselves and their own selfish interests more than they love their country?

In 52 BC the chief judge among the Nephites died. Three of his sons, Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni campaigned to take his place. When the voice of the people was heard, Pahoran was appointed chief judge. Pacumeni conceded the election, but Paanchi refused to yield and was about to start a rebellion when he was taken, tried before the people, and executed. Partisan interests among the population became subservient to the will of the people, or said another way, there were enough people who loved their country more than their favorite candidate that they yielded to the will of the majority and cowed those who supported rebellion. Paanchi’s rebel followers were forced underground and worked from the shadows from that day forward to overthrow the free government. 

Fast forward some years later and this time, the chief judge was assassinated. “And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes…and thus they did destroy the government of the land.” 3 Nephi 7:2 They had so lost their love of the Lord and their land that they chose family, friends, kindred, and party over their free republic. The civil government was destroyed, unity was lost, chaos, anger, contention, and wickedness ran rampant. 

If the day ever comes that in our personal anger, we choose our party over the will of the people, we are in danger. If that time ever comes that the people of this land or any land care more about themselves than their country, they are in trouble. Referring back to Isaiah’s metaphor, the love of men has so waxed cold that I sense a great national divorce coming in America. I pray that I am wrong.  

Glenn Rawson March 2022