The Lord, in his great wisdom, has had his prophets and apostles throughout the ages proclaim
liberty unto all who would listen. Moses admonished his people to “proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all
the inhabitants . . .” (Lev 25:10). Isaiah recorded “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me . . . to proclaim liberty
to the captives . . .” (Isa 61:1). Paul declared, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2
Cor 3:17), and “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage” (Gal 5:1). James reminded “the twelve tribes scattered abroad” that “whosoever
looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work .
. . shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:25).
Then came the apostasy (Acts 20:29-30 & 2
Thes 2:3) that covered the earth in spiritual darkness. Knowing of these future days the Lord’s Spirit rested upon Nephi
and showed him in vision these future days: “And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from
the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and
he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. And it came to pass
that I beheld the Spirit of God that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.
And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God,
that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten. And I beheld the Spirit
of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance . . .” (1
Ne 13:12-15).
Nephi, quoting his father Lehi, then wrote, “that there shall none come unto this land save it be by the hand
of the Lord. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according
to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; . . .” (2 Ne 1:6-7), then, expounding
on liberty, Lehi said “Wherefore men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.
