Value of the High Mountains in the Land of Promise – Part II

Continuing from the previous post regarding the importance of the Andes Mountains in the Land of Promise.

Is southern Chile, the Andes descend into the sea, along the southwestern coast that extends 2,500 miles with at least x5,000 rocky islands

 

Continuing on with our coverage, then down the southern and northern tips of the continent, the Andes literally tumble into the sea, creating a myriad of islands. The Caribbean hubs of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are actually peaks of an extensive submerged continuation of the Andes in the north. In the southern end, in Patagonia, there are numerous islands as well which belong to the same mountain chain. The Andes are part of the larger American Cordillera, which is a near-continuous chain of mountains that extend north all the way through North America.

As Moroni stated, ”after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord” (Ether 13:2). In a physical sense, as the waters receded, large waves and deep seas proceeded the continuation of the mountain uplift before the waters eventually settled back into what is now the Atlantic Ocean. At this time, the city of Moroni, along the east seashore was sunk into the depths of this sea as the waters rose and receded eastward (3 Nephi 8:9).

Further, in this turmoil of the sea, the city of Onihah and the city of Mocum, and the city of Jerusalem were also sunk into the depths of these waters (3 Nephi 9:6-7). In addition, the cities of Gilgal, Gadiandi, Gadiomnah, Jacob, and Gimgimno, were sunk into the earth and hills covered them (3 Nephi 9:8). Moronihah was also covered with earth that became a great mountain (3 Nephi 8:10).

The cataclysm flattened the terrain, sunk cities into the ground and into the sea, and left a large area of destruction

Of course, none of these cities were ever mentioned again after the cataclysm because they were destroyed in the upheaval. The East Sea and the Sidon River were also never heard from again following the destruction that hit the Land of Promise at the time of the Savior’s crucifixion in Jerusalem, when the “whole face of the land was changed” (3 Nephi 8:12) and “the face of the whole earth became deformed” (3 Nephi 8:17). It is likely that the East Sea receded into the Atlantic Ocean, and the Sidon River because of the rising of the Andes that altered or eliminated the course of the river.

Also, it should be noted that the use of the term “narrow neck of land” was never used again to describe that narrowness of area between the Land Northward and the Land Southward (Alma 22:32) following the cataclysm. This despite Mormon’s use of the term in Alma before the destruction, he never used the term “narrow neck” in the writing of his own book when he described this area during the signing of the treaty with the Lamanites that used this narrow neck as the division line between their forces.

It is also of note that even Moroni used the term “narrow neck” when abridging the plates of Ether. In fact, both Mormon and Moroni lived in the 4th century AD., about 350 to 400 years after the cataclysm and never mentioned “narrow neck” when wrting about events following the upheaval.

It should also be noted, that prior to the crucifixion, not only was the term “narrow neck” not used after the cataclysm, but instead, the term “narrow pass” or “narrow passage” (Mormon 2:29; 3:5) used, suggesting a change in the terrain of the narrow neck of land. It should also be mentioned that the terms narrow neck, small neck, narrow pass, and narrow passage, were all written by Mormon or Moroni, both living in the 4th century A.D., about 350 to 400 years after the cataclysm.

While some may find it hard to believe that the Andes Mountains arose only two thousand years ago, there has to be some mountain range arising out of the ground at that time as Samuel prophesied, and the disciple Nephi witnessed (3 Nephi 8:10). And since geologists claim the Andes are the youngest mountain range in the world, there seems little doubt that these self-same Andes were the mountains Samuel prophesied about, Nephi predicted (2 Nephi 26:5), Zenos saw in a vision (1 Nephi 19:11), and the disciple Nephi witnessed.

It is also interesting to note that the area of Lake Titicaca, now 12,500 feet above sea level, and covering 22,400 square miles along the border between eastern Peru and western Bolivia, is considered by geologists, marine biologists, and oceanographers, that it was once at sea level.

The Uyuni salt flats, widely known as the largest salt flat on earth. It was formed from the drainage of Lake Titicaca when it was a salt lake

Referred to as a fresh water lake today, Titicaca was a salt water lake in the past and fed the salt water Lake Poopo, and the salt flats surrounding Titicaca’s drainage area. Salt water fish and marine life are still found in the lake, though its size has dwindled over time, having once encompassed the entire salt flats area and drainage lakes.

Ruins on the shore and on the islands attest to the previous existence of one of the oldest civilizations known in the Americas, antedating the Christian era. The chief site is at Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, at the southern end of the lake. Tiahuanaco, also called Tiwanaku, is one of the oldest sites in all of Peru and, except for Sacsayhuaman and Pachacamac, has the largest and most intricately designed ancient cities of the Andes. Sometime around 200 AD., the city was abandoned. When the Spaniards came, they asked the Inca about this city (whose ruins were still nearly completely standing). The Inca merely shrugged, claiming it was built by the ancient ones. Their myths and legends claim this area was the beginning or foundation of the ancient native civilization.

One interesting fact regarding the ruins of Tiwanaku is that Archaeologists claim the design of the city, and many artifacts and large stone blocks found there, showed that the city was once a seaport. Two rows of blocks showing a wharf and docking facilities can still be seen. Now, of course, the ruins are at 12,500 feet high, yet this seaport once looked out into the East Sea (Atlantic Ocean) when the port was at sea level.

Obviously, such an event during the time of man could only have been during the destruction prophesied by Samuel, and again, the Andes are the most recent mountain range to rise. All of these events and circumstances point directly to the fact that in South America that land rose to form the Amazon Basin and along what was once the shore of the East Sea, huge mountains rose “whose height is great,” that are called the Andes today.

Leh’s landing and Nephi’s movement northward

This is the land Lehi landed upon, and Nephi built his city and temple. It is the land of the Nephite Nation and Lamanite Kingdom. It is where the Jaredites lived out their history covering 1500 years, and the land where the Mulekites landed and settled in what was called the land of Zarahemla. This land covered for the most part the distance between Lake Titicaca on the south and the Ecuador/Colombia border to the north, and its width was from the Pacific Ocean (Sea West) to what is today the east side of the Andes Mountains.