The message of Ether, like the message of all of God’s prophets, is that we are to repent and act with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, thus receiving the hope for a better world. Hope is the anchor of our soul—the expectation for things to be better in our lives. True hope is based upon the Lord Jesus Christ and upon the concept of eternal life, which God promised to the faithful before the world began (see Titus 1:2). Hope provides us with a sense of optimism and confidence in looking forward and inspires us to good works. The anchor of hope is sure and steadfast (see Hebrews 6:19). When we lose hope, life becomes difficult in every sense. We then fail to enjoy life or to do anything to build a better future. In our society, many appear to be dejected, depressed, and in a state of hopelessness. Without hope, sin often lies at the door. The causes for a lack of hope vary, but a solution is always possible through our Savior Jesus Christ. If we do not build upon the rock of our Redeemer, we cannot have lasting hope. Hope comes of faith in Jesus Christ and confidence in the plan of redemption.
In the final chapters of Ether, Moroni describes the tragic demise of the mighty Jaredite nation. What does this have to do with hope? Why must modern readers be exposed to these unprecedented scenes of devastation and woe? Because, as Moroni’s father, Mormon, has taught him in summarizing the similar chronicle of the Nephite extinction, “a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people. And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come” (Mormon 5:9–10). Such gripping scenes convey both a warning to avoid the lethal choices of unremitting sinfulness—“and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished” (Mormon 4:5)—as well as the promise of hope to receive the redeeming blessings reserved for the righteous. No matter what our weaknesses may be, the Lord’s compensatory and elevating grace will transform mortal weakness into strength if we will humble ourselves in full devotion and obedience. Rather than fall prey to the annihilating forces of evil that consume the Jaredites through their secret combinations, we can instead rise toward the state of spiritual purity reflected in the life of the brother of Jared, whose faith was such that he could not be withheld from the presence of the Lord. We can also look to the example of prophets such as Ether, who, while enduring the deep sorrows occasioned by the universal wickedness during his day, still magnified in thought and action the hope that is central to the gospel.
Pervasive throughout the Book of Mormon are the stark contrasts between good and evil, humility and pride, contrition of soul and hardness of heart. It is through an awareness and understanding of these opposites that we can accelerate our acquisition of truth and wisdom in discerning the consequences that flow from either pole—punishment and death on the one hand, and joy and immortality on the other. In this presentation of opposites, the book of Ether follows with consummate precision the pattern of instruction ordained of the Lord. Elder W. Cole Durham Jr. speaks of the hope that infuses the writings of the prophet Moroni:
Moroni’s writings reflect two dimensions of his own experience. First, having witnessed the destruction of his people, Moroni was vitally interested in identifying the personal attributes that must be nurtured to avoid the onset of social decay. Where individual faith flourishes, society is less likely to enter into the pathway of unbelief and wickedness that ultimately destroyed Jaredite and Nephite civilization. One of the great passages Moroni included in the book of Ether proclaims: “Whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.” (Ether 12:4.)
Faith and hope for a better world are mutually supportive, and whether directed at improved conditions in this life or in the next, both inhibit the process of decadence. Both allay the despair and self-abandonment which lead to disintegration; both engender in their stead the abundance of good works that is the outer manifestation of charity. Moreover, men cannot possess faith, hope, and charity unless they are “meek, and lowly of heart” (Moro. 7:43); and accordingly, where these traits are found, the pride and envy and self-seeking that undermine social order cannot take root (see Moro. 7:45). Finally, to the extent that men are engaged in the humble quest for Christ, they are involved in a process whereby they may “lay hold on every good thing” (Moro. 7:21), which is quite the reverse of courting tragedy through decadence. (“Moroni,” Ensign, Jun. 1978, 56ff)
When we believe in God, we have hope, which comes of faith. This empowers us to good works and righteousness. Without hope, we are lost; with hope, we are guided along the pathway to exaltation.