Past Present Future

Past, Present, Future

Poetic Hebrew, particularly in its oldest forms, is distinguished by its seamless integration of past, present, and future references. This characteristic is echoed in the Book of Mormon, where numerous instances highlight the multifaceted nature of time, encompassing the past, present, and future within its narrative framework.

Hebrews did not view time as linear but rather a circle.

Hence the (unique to the Book of Mormon) phrase 'The course of the Lord is One Eternal Round.'

(THE WORKS OF THE LORD ARE) ONE ETERNAL ROUND

1 Nephi 3:32

Wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

(LDS: 1 Nephi 10:19)

Alma 5:35

Neither doth He vary from that which He hath said,

Neither hath He a shadow of turning from the right to the left,

Or from that which is right to that which is wrong,

Therefore, His course is one eternal round.

(LDS: Alma 7:20)

Alma 17:42

And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose,

which purpose is known unto God,

For He doth counsel in wisdom over all His works And His paths are strait,

And His course is one eternal round.

(LDS: Alma 37:12)

PAST PRESENT FUTURE

1 Nephi 3:30-1 Nephi 3:32

And the mysteries of God shall be unfolded to them by the power of the Holy Ghost,

as well in this time as in times of old,
And as well in times of old as in times to come.
Wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

(LDS: 1 Nephi 10:19)

2 Nephi 11:132

And all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever hath been among the children of men,

and which ever will be.

Even unto the end of the earth.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 27:11)

2 Nephi 11:145

For behold, I Am God and I Am a God of miracles;

And I will show unto the world that I Am the same yesterday, today and forever;

And I work not among the children of men,

save it be according to their faith.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 27:23)

Jacob 3:20-Jacob 3:21

Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are

and of things as they really will be;

Wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly for the salvation of our souls.
But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things,

for God also spake them unto prophets of old.

(LDS: Jacob 4:13)

Jarom 1:24-Jarom 1:25

Wherefore, the prophets and the priests and the teachers did labor diligently, exhorting with all longsuffering the people to diligence, Teaching the law of Moses and the intent for which it was given,
Persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah and believe in Him to come as though He already was;

(LDS: Jarom 1:11)

Words of Mormon 1:6-Words of Mormon 1:8

And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ,

And my fathers knowing that many of them have been fulfilled,
Yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled,

And as many as go beyond this day must surely come to pass -
Wherefore, I chose these things to finish my record upon them,

which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi;

And I cannot write a hundredth part of the things of my people.

(LDS: Words of Mormon 1:5)

Mosiah 1:52-Mosiah 1:55

I say unto you my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole souls hath power to possess to that God who hath created you,

And hath kept and preserved you,

And hath caused that ye should rejoice,

And hath granted that ye should live in peace, one with another -
I say unto you, that if ye should serve Him who hath created you from the beginning, And art preserving you from day to day by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will,

And even supporting you from one moment to another -
I say, if ye should serve Him with all your whole soul, and yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
And behold, all that He requires of you is to keep His commandments;

And He hath promised you that if ye would keep His commandments, ye should prosper in the land;

(LDS: Mosiah 2:22)

Mosiah 1:97

For behold, the time cometh and is not far distant,

that with power the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth,

which was and is from all eternity to all eternity,

Shall come down from heaven among the children of men,

And shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay,

(LDS: Mosiah 3:5)

Mosiah 1:118

But men drinketh damnation to their own souls,

except they humble themselves and become as little children,

And believeth that salvation was and is and is to come,

in and through the atoning blood of Christ the Lord Omnipotent.

(LDS: Mosiah 3:18)

Mosiah 8:48-Mosiah 8:53

And, O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet.
And again,

how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that art still publishing peace.
And again,

how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace,

Yea, from this time henceforth and forever.

And behold, I say unto you, this is not all - For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that is, the founder of peace.
Yea, even the Lord who hath redeemed His people, Yea, Him who hath granted salvation unto His people;
For were it not for the redemption which He hath made for His people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, that all mankind must have perished.

(LDS: Mosiah 15:19)

Mosiah 8:35-Mosiah 8:37

And thus God breaketh the bands of death,

Having gained the victory over death,

Giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men,
Having ascended into heaven,

Having the bowels of mercy

Being filled with compassion toward the children of men,
Standing betwixt them and justice,

Having broken the bands of death,

Taken upon Himself their iniquity and their transgressions,

Having redeemed them and satisfied the demands of justice.

(LDS: Mosiah 15:9)

Alma 8:27-Alma 8:34

Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom - having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices -
Yea, well did he say, that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, That is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction.
And now I say unto you, that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; Well doth He cry unto this people by the voice of His angels, 'Repent ye. repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. '
Yea, well doth He cry by the voice of His angels that 'I will come down among My people with equity and justice in My hands. '
Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous which are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction;
Yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine and by pestilence and the sword;
But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared.

Now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you, then will not the Lord stay His hand,

but in His fierce anger He will come out against you;
Then ye shall be smitten by famine and by pestilence and by the sword;

And the time is soon at hand except ye repent.

(LDS: Alma 10:23)

Alma 14:123-Alma 14:124

Now have we not reason to rejoice?

Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we since the world began;
Yea, and my joy is carried away,

even unto boasting in my God,

For He has all power,

all wisdom and all understanding;

He comprehendeth all things,

And He is a merciful Being.

Even unto salvation to those who will repent and believe on His name.

(LDS: Alma 26:35)

Alma 16:177-Alma 16:184

Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, hath said concerning prayer or worship?
For he saith: Thou art merciful, O God. (Present)

For Thou hast heard my prayer,

even when I was in the wilderness.

Yea, Thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those which were mine enemies,

And Thou didst turn them to me. (Past)
Yea, O God, and Thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto Thee in my field,

when I did cry unto Thee in my prayer,

And Thou didst hear me. (Past)
And again, O God, when I did turn to my house,

Thou didst hear me in my prayer. (Past)
And when I did turn unto my closet O Lord and prayed unto Thee,

Thou didst hear me.

Yea, Thou art merciful unto Thy children when they cry unto Thee to be heard of Thee and not of men,

And Thou wilt hear them.
Yea, O God,

Thou hast been merciful unto me and heard my cries in the midst of Thy congregations;

Yea,

and Thou also hast heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies;
Yea, Thou didst hear my cries and wast angry with mine enemies,

And Thou didst visit them in Thine anger, with speedy destruction;

And Thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity.
And it is because of Thy Son that Thou hast been thus merciful unto me;

Therefore, I will cry unto Thee in all mine afflictions, (Future)

for in Thee is my joy,

For Thou hast turned Thy judgments away from me because of Thy Son.

(LDS: Alma 33:11)

Alma 16:90

Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof, And stretch forth his hands toward the heavens and cry with a loud voice, saying:

Holy, Holy God.

We believe that Thou art God,

And we believe that Thou art holy,

and that Thou wast a Spirit, (Past)

and that Thou art a Spirit, (Present)

and that Thou wilt be a Spirit forever. (Future)

(LDS: Alma 31:15)

Alma 16:92 And also, Thou hast made it known unto us that there shall be no Christ, But Thou art the same yesterday, today and forever;

And Thou hast elected us that we shall be saved,

whilst all around us are elected to be cast by Thy wrath down to hell,

For the which holiness, O God, we thank Thee.

(LDS: Alma 31:17)

Alma 17:25-Alma 17:26

And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, (Past)

yea, and in all manner of afflictions.

Yea, God hath delivered me from prisons and from bonds and from death,

Yea, and I do put my trust in Him, (Present)

and He will still deliver me. (Future)
And I know that He will raise me up at the last day to dwell with Him in glory. (Future)

Yea, and I will praise Him forever.

For He hath brought our fathers out of Egypt.

And He hath swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea.

And He led them by His power into the Promised Land.

(LDS: Alma 36:28)

Alma 17:48

For He will fulfill all His promises which He shall make unto you, (Future)

For He hath fulfilled His promise which He hath made unto our fathers, (Past)

(LDS: Alma 37:17)

Alma 17:50

And now behold, one purpose hath He fulfilled,

even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth;

And He hath shown forth His power in them, (Past)

And He will also still show forth His power in them unto future generations,

Therefore, they shall be preserved; (Future)

(LDS: Alma 37:19)

YESTERDAY TODAY FOREVER

1 Nephi 3:27

For He is the same yesterday, today and forever,

(LDS: 1 Nephi 10:18)

2 Nephi 1:65

For the Spirit is the same yesterday, today and forever;

(LDS: 2 Nephi 2:4)

2 Nephi 11:145

For behold, I Am God and I Am a God of miracles;

And I will show unto the world that I Am the same yesterday, today and forever;

And I work not among the children of men, save it be according to their faith.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 27:23)

2 Nephi 12:62

And I do this

that I may prove unto many that I Am the same yesterday, today and forever.

And that I speak forth My words according to Mine own pleasure.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 29:9)

Mosiah 1:59

And ye are still indebted unto Him

and art and will be forever and ever;

Therefore, of what have ye to boast?

(LDS: Mosiah 2:24)

Mormon 4:68

For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today and forever?

And in Him there is no variableness, neither shadow of changing? (But this not in King James, other records in the Brass Plates weren't included in Bible)

(LDS: Mormon 9:9)

Moroni 10:14

And I would exhort you my beloved brethren,

That ye remember that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

And that all these gifts of which I have spoken which are spiritual,

Never will be done away,

Even as long as the world shall stand.

Only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

(LDS: Moroni 10:19)

PRESENT FUTURE

Moroni 10:7

And ye may know that He is by the power of the Holy Ghost;

Wherefore, I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God;

For He worketh by power according to the faith of the children of men,

the same today and tomorrow and forever.

(LDS: Moroni 10:7)

PAST, FUTURE EVENTS

2 Nephi 3:61

O Lord, I have trusted in Thee and I will trust in Thee forever;

(LDS: 2 Nephi 4:34)

2 Nephi 12:98

Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed;

(LDS: 2 Nephi 30:18)

3 Nephi 4:55-3 Nephi 4:58

And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people - and all the people did hear and did witness of it - saying: O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, which are a descendant of Jacob, yea, which are of the house of Israel, O ye people of the house of Israel,

How oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and have nourished you.
And again –

How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,

Yea, O ye people of the house of Israel which have fallen,
Yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen;

Yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens,

And ye would not.
O ye house of Israel whom I have spared,

How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto Me with full purpose of heart;

(LDS: 3 Nephi 10:6)

PAST TENSE OF FUTURE EVENTS

2 Nephi 13:8

And now I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfill all righteousness in being baptized by water - Know ye not that He was holy?

(LDS: 2 Nephi 31:7)

2 Nephi 13:10 Wherefore, after that He was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost descended upon Him in the form of a dove.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 31:8)

Jacob 3:17 That ye may obtain a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, And be presented as the firstfruits of Christ unto God, Having faith and obtained a good hope of glory in Him before He manifesteth Himself in the flesh.

(LDS: Jacob 4:11)

Mosiah 1:109

And the Lord God hath sent His holy prophets among all the children of men to declare these things to every kindred, nation and tongue,

That thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come,

the same might receive remission of their sins and rejoice with exceeding great joy,

even as though He had already come among them.

(LDS: Mosiah 3:13)

Mosiah 8:78-Mosiah 8:80

Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made,

being an enemy to God;

And also is the devil an enemy to God.
And now, if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption;
And if Christ had not risen from the dead,

or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory and that death should have no sting,

there could have been no resurrection.

(LDS: Mosiah 16:7)

Mosiah 8:22-Mosiah 8:29

'He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people was He stricken.
And He made His grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death, Because He had done no evil, Neither was any deceit in His mouth.
'Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied; By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore, will I divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He hath poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bear the sins of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.'
And now Abinadi saith unto them: I would that ye should understand that God Himself shall come down among the children of men and shall redeem His people;
And because He dwelleth in flesh, He shall be called the Son of God;

(LDS: Mosiah 15:2)

Mosiah 8:33-Mosiah 8:37

And after all this, and after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, He shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said - ' As a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so He opened not His mouth ' -
Yea, even so He shall be led, crucified and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death,

The will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
And thus God breaketh the bands of death,

Having gained the victory over death,

Giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men,
Having ascended into heaven,

Having the bowels of mercy being filled with compassion toward the children of men,
Standing betwixt them and justice,

Having broken the bands of death,

Taken upon Himself their iniquity and their transgressions,

Having redeemed them and satisfied the demands of justice.

(LDS: Mosiah 15:9)

Mosiah 8:52-Mosiah 8:53

Yea, even the Lord who hath redeemed His people,

Yea, Him who hath granted salvation unto His people;
For were it not for the redemption which He hath made for His people,

which was prepared from the foundation of the world,

I say unto you were it not for this that all mankind must have perished.

(LDS: Mosiah 15:19)

Mosiah 8:64

For salvation cometh to none such, for the Lord hath redeemed none such;

(LDS: Mosiah 15:27)

Mosiah 8:76

Thus all mankind were lost;

And behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed His people from their lost and fallen state.

(LDS: Mosiah 16:4)

Mosiah 9:53

Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord who hath redeemed His people.

(LDS: Mosiah 18:20)

Mosiah 11:133-Mosiah 11:135

And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound, then shall they that never knew Me come forth and shall stand before Me;
And then shall they know that I Am the Lord their God, that I Am their Redeemer, but they would not be redeemed;
And then will I confess unto them that I never knew them;

And they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

(LDS: Mosiah 26:27)

Alma 9:62 And again my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time which the Lord God gave these commandments unto His children;

(LDS: Alma 13:1)

Alma 19:92-Alma 19:93

And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption - laying it aside - As soon as they were dead, their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.
And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience;

(LDS: Alma 42:12)

HOW MUCH MORE

2 Nephi 13:7

And now if the Lamb of God,

He being holy,

Should have need to be baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness,

O then, how much more need have we,

Being unholy,

To be baptized, yea, even by water.

(LDS: 2 Nephi 31:5)

Jacob 2:58

And their unbelief and their hatred toward you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; Wherefore, how much better are you than they in the sight of your great Creator?

(LDS: Jacob 3:7)

Mosiah 2:37

And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance, that he perish not, and condemn him, How much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance which doth not belong to you, but to God to whom also your life belongeth?

(LDS: Mosiah 4:22)

Mosiah 3:17

For how knoweth a man the master which he hath not served and which is a stranger unto him and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?

(LDS: Mosiah 5:13)

Mosiah 13:22

For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed.

Yea, and what great destruction.

(LDS: Mosiah 29:17)

Alma 16:141

And now how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression? Now of this thing ye must judge.

(LDS: Alma 32:20)

Alma 19:99

Now how could a man repent,

Except he should sin?

How could he sin,

If there was no law?

How could there be a law,

Save there was a punishment?

(LDS: Alma 42:17)

3 Nephi 6:23

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,

How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him.

(LDS: 3 Nephi 14:11)

Moroni 9:12

O my beloved son,

How can a people like this that are without civilization,

And only a few years have passed away and they were a civil and a delightsome people But O my son,

How can a people like this,

Whose delight is in so much abomination.

How can we expect that God will stay His hand in judgment against us?

(LDS: Moroni 9:14)

WHY SHOULD

2 Nephi 3:42

O then, if I have seen so great things,

If the Lord in His condescension unto the children of men hath visited me in so much mercy,

Why should my heart weep

and [why should] my soul linger in the valley of sorrow?

And [why should] my flesh waste away and my strength slacken because of mine afflictions? (Ellipsis added '[why should]')

(LDS: 2 Nephi 4:26)

2 Nephi 3:43-44

And why should I yield to sin because of my flesh?

Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul?

(LDS: 2 Nephi 4:27)

Alma 15:57-58

Now seeing that I know these things,

Why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?

Why should I desire that I was an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the

earth?

(LDS: Alma 29:6)

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

2 Nephi 7:16

Wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles,

For He hath spoken it.

And who can dispute?

(LDS: 2 Nephi 10:9)

Jacob 3:100

But what could I have done more in My vineyard?

(LDS: Jacob 5:47)

Jacob 3:101

Have I slackened Mine hand, that I have not nourished it?

(LDS: Jacob 5:47)

Alma 3:65

Behold, I say unto you that the devil is your shepherd and ye are of his fold;

And now who can deny this?

(LDS: Alma 5:39)

Alma 14:97

Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord?

Yea, who can say too much of His great power

And of His mercy and of His longsuffering toward the children of men?

Behold I say unto you,

I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful sinful and polluted state?

(LDS: Alma 26:16)

Alma 14:99

Behold, we went forth, even in wrath with mighty threatenings to destroy His church;

O then, why did He not consign us to an awful destruction?

Yea, why did He not let the sword of His justice fall upon us and doom us to eternal despair?

(LDS: Alma 26:19)

Alma 15:57-Alma 15:58

Now seeing that I know these things,

why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?
Why should I desire that I was an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

(LDS: Alma 29:7)

Alma 16:212

Now if a man murdereth,

Behold will our law which is just take the life of his brother?

I say unto you, Nay,

(LDS: Alma 34:11)

Alma 19:25-Alma 19:27

Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of His coming?
Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children?
Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send His angel to declare those glad tidings unto us as unto our children or as after the time of His coming?

(LDS: Alma 39:19)

Alma 19:101

Now if there was no law given,

If a man murdered he should die.

Would he be afraid he should die if he should murder?

(LDS: Alma 42:19)

Helaman 3:56-Helaman 3:57

And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was not destroyed?

Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek?
Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us?

And they were driven out of the Land of Jerusalem?

(LDS: Helaman 8:21)

Mormon 3:18-Mormon 3:20

And my soul was rent with anguish because of the slain of my people.

And I cried:

O ye fair ones,

how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord?

O ye fair ones,

how could ye have rejected that Jesus who stood with open arms to receive you?
Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen;

But behold, ye are fallen and I mourn your loss;
O ye fair sons and daughters,

ye fathers and mothers,

ye husbands and wives,