When the Wicked Rule
Throughout the record of scripture, there is a chilling pattern that appears again and again: when evil men rise to power, they do more than enforce policy—they control perception. They don’t just govern—they silence, punish, and deceive. And when they do, the cost is always the same: liberty is lost, righteousness is hunted, and the people are left to suffer under the weight of twisted truth.
These are not just ancient cautionary tales. They are relevant warnings for modern application—divine instruction for recognizing tyranny in every age, including our own. From the hands of men like Mao, Stalin, and Hitler to their 21st-century peers, the blueprint of oppression hasn’t changed. What has changed is how willing we are to see it.
Pharaoh of Egypt
The Pharaoh of Moses' day didn’t merely enslave the Hebrews—he sought to control the narrative of how they were perceived. He painted the children of Israel as a threat:
He used fear as justification for cruelty. He implemented population control by commanding the death of Hebrew male infants—a policy rooted in fear of a potential uprising.
Under this kind of rule, tyranny can only last so long. God loves His people, so He will show His power for their deliverance one way or another. The people of God left Egypt by the Lord’s strong hand, but only after the courage to obey was matched by the readiness to flee on a moment’s notice.
Pharaoh’s kingdom, though vast and rich, collapsed under the weight of his pride and lies.
King Noah
King Noah inherited a righteous foundation from Zeniff—but rather than preserve it, he twisted it for personal gain. He surrounded himself with flattering priests, taxed the people to support lavish living, and built a church not to honor God, but to protect his own power.
When Abinadi came among the people preaching repentance, Noah didn’t engage—he demanded silence. He wanted Abinadi killed not because Abinadi was wrong, but because he was inconvenient. Free thought, prophetic warning, and even living what the scriptures teach became criminal if it disrupted the comfort of the court.
Under Noah’s reign Alma and his followers were compelled to flee. The wilderness became their refuge because their homes were no longer safe for righteousness.
King Noah’s end was both tragic and just: burned by his own people as the Nephite society crumbled from within.
King Herod
In a desperate attempt to control the future, Herod tried to rewrite prophecy through bloodshed. He ordered the murder of innocent children just to eliminate one baby—the promised Messiah.
Herod’s actions were driven by the fear of being replaced, not by justice or truth. Like Pharaoh before him, Herod thought the solution to divine threat was censorship and violence.
And so, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt—not because they lacked faith, but because the tyrant’s sword left no other option. God preserved the Jesus by making flight the path of faith.
Zarahemnah, Amalickiah, and the Kingmen
The Book of Mormon and Covenant of Christ teach us of political manipulators who sought power through deceit and suppression. Zarahemnah tried to rally Lamanites through lies. Amalickiah rose to kingship through assassination, false alliances, and stirring up hatred.
He silenced opposition, forbade dissent, and used war as a distraction while he secured his throne. The king-men, who sought to destroy the voice of the people, openly fought against what we call free elections to remove accountability.
Captain Moroni saw it for what it was: tyranny disguised as structure. He tore his garment and raised the Title of Liberty not as a symbol of rebellion, but as a declaration that freedom—both civil and religious—is sacred.
And so the people had to choose: either arm themselves for battle under Moroni’s standard, or submit to bondage under men who would not listen. There was no neutral ground when liberty was on the line. This discussion is prophetic and applicable today.
Godly Persuasion Takes Time—but Builds Eternity
One of the reasons evil men appear so effective is because they force things quickly. They control through fear and coercion, and the results can seem immediate. But their kingdoms never last.
In contrast, the Lord never forces righteousness. His method is persuasion, long-suffering, meekness, and love unfeigned. That kind of growth takes time. And if we’re impatient, we might mistake slow progress for no progress.
But what’s built by truth, agency, and godly invitation can endure for generations.
We need to become a people who think not just in terms of the next quarter or the next election (we're literally becoming a nation that thinks in 4-year stints), but in terms of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Zion is a multi-generational work. It is planted now so it can flourish later.
If we truly believe in the way of Christ, then we must be willing to build things that may not bloom fully in our day, but will bless the third and fourth generation.
Choosing what is Best is a Sacrifice
Choosing the better path is rarely the easier path. That’s why Paul called us to become a living sacrifice—not a one-time offering, but a daily, deliberate yielding of our will to God’s.
“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God - which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 1:59 RE)
If biting your tongue when you want to lash out was easy...
If speaking up when you’re afraid was effortless...
If submitting to the Spirit when pride flares up came naturally...
It wouldn’t be called a sacrifice.
True discipleship requires self-restraint in the moment for a better outcome down the road. It demands long-term vision and eternal perspective. Zion isn’t built by people who always say the right thing—it’s built by people who strive to be led by the Spirit, even when it costs them something.
Zion will not come merely because we believe noble ideas in our minds. It will come because we walk in them under the tutelage of the Spirit, yielding our hearts, shaping our households, and disciplining our desires.
It’s a labor of love, of sweat, and of quiet course corrections. But every act of honest effort, every sacrifice made for what’s better, brings Zion just a little closer.
Lessons for Us Today
These stories are more than history. They are spiritual blueprints showing how evil works when it sits in high places.
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Evil rulers fear truth, so they silence it.
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They fear agency, so they enslave it.
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They fear opposition, so they criminalize it.
And always—always—the people suffer.
This is why the Lord said:
“We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men… as soon as they get a little authority… they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” (T&C 139:5)
These warnings are not just about government. They’re about every system—religious, political, or personal—that exchanges persuasion, gentleness, and long-suffering for fear, flattery, and control.
So What Do We Do?
We choose to be governed by what Christ would do if He were in our place.
We use discernment, remembering that God’s way never requires compulsion, and His truth is never afraid of honest questions.
We teach our children to think, to reason, and to love truth more than comfort and we show this by example.
Because in the end, Zion cannot be built by despots. It must be built by disciples.
👑👑👑👑👑.
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