1 Ne 8:26 a great and spacious building
This building stands in the air
because it has no foundation. Its architect is Satan who would never design a
stable foundation for any of the buildings in his kingdom. Rather, the building
is precariously perched in anticipation of its imminent fall, for ‘the devil will not support children at the last day’
(1 Ne 11:36, Alma 30:60). It rightfully floats on the other side of the
terrible gulf which separates the righteous from the wicked—separated by the word of the justice of the Eternal God. Although
the separation is dramatic in the symbolism of the dream, oftentimes the
scoffers can be right amongst the righteous. The saints must be careful not to
sympathize with the scoffers.
Harold
B. Lee
“Unfortunately,
some are among us who claim to be Church members but are somewhat like the
scoffers in Lehi’s vision—standing aloof and seemingly inclined to hold in
derision the faithful who choose to accept Church authorities as God’s special
witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church.”
(Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 91
as taken from Latter-day Commentary on
the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p.34)
Neal A. Maxwell
“We
see a few around us who simply can't stand to be separated from the
‘politically correct’ multitudes in the great and spacious building. These
multitudes are ‘in the attitude of mocking and
pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the
fruit’ ("1 ne. 8:26"1 ne. 8:271 Nephi 8:26-27). The ‘finger of scorn’ has its
own way of separating the faithful from those who have little or no faith (see "1 ne. 8:331 Nephi 8:33).
“Like
Lehi, the faithful in our time will endure the pointing fingers of scorn from
the world and ‘[heed] them not,’ even when the ironical fact is that some of
those pointing fingers of scorn once grasped the iron rod.”(Lord, Increase
Our Faith, p. 99.)
Glenn L. Pace
“Even
though a person may have a testimony and want to do what is right, it is difficult
not to be drawn to that great and spacious building. From all appearances, the
people in the building look happy and free and seem to be having a great time.
But don't mistake telestial pleasure for celestial happiness and joy. Don't
mistake lack of self-control for freedom. Complete freedom without appropriate
restraint makes people slaves to their appetites. Don't envy a lesser and lower
life.” (Spiritual Plateaus, p. 81.)