The scene is now set for Samuel the Lamanite who comes into the land of Zarahemla and delivers his message of repentance along with a specific timeline of events. He indicates that Zarahemla would already be destroyed by fire if it were not for the righteous within the city.
Now if you’re among the wicked, at whom do you turn your wrath? A wicked mind accepts no blame, therefore, the righteous are going to get the consequences. To those who repent he gives them an out, but to those not willing to change Samuel says that their days of probation are over. Imagine a prophet of God telling you that your mortal probation is over while you are still alive.
Two timelines are significant to the people, 1) they will prosper for the next 400 years and then be wiped off of the earth. Let’s put this in perspective. A stranger saunters into what is perceived as the strongest city in all the land. Economic prosperity and the wickedness are rampant. He stands and delivers this message of doom to the wickedest of people.
How often do we walk up to an enemy with a known volatile temper and tell him that he’s been very wicked, that he should repent and join the church, and if he doesn’t God is going to destroy him shortly and there is not much he can do about it? Perhaps this is a good sport if you’re into adrenaline rushes, but these guys had bows and arrows.
The 2nd timeline put every member of the Church at risk for his or her life, Samuel prophesied that Jesus Christ would be born in 5 years and he was specific about what would happen right before the birth.
“And behold, this will I give unto 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.[1]”
“And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld;[2]”
