1 Nephi 13:4-9

Nephi sees that a great church was formed among the nations of the Gentiles. This church is the most abominable of all other churches. They slay the saints of God. They torture them and bind them down under a yoke of iron and bring them down under captivity.

A possible interpretation of this verse is the Medieval, Spanish, and Portuguese Inquisitions. However, I think that it has a broader meaning as well. Many have said over the years that the great and abominable church is the Catholic church. I don't think that is necessarily true. I remember an institute class discussion on this subject. The teacher posed the thought that these people in the dream were persecuting the saints of God, or the people who followed the teachings of Christ. There are good people that go the the Catholic church, or any church. There are also people that persecute the saints that go the our church. You may profess to belong to a church, but of what church do your actions belong? In 1 Nephi 14:10, it says that there are only two churches on the earth, the church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil. If you aren't in the church of God, you are in the church of the devil. It's that white and black.

The next couple of verses goes into more of what church do your actions belong to. This is kind of a hard thing. The angel shows Nephi that gold, silver, silks, scarlets, fine-twined linen, all manner of precious clothing, and harlots were the desires of this great and abominable church. They also desire the praise of the world. So, do we desire those things above all? I think that a great connection is to Jacob 2:18-19, which says:

"18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted"

It is all based on your desires and actions. Do good with the things the Lord has blessed you with. This is why He has blessed you with them, to be instruments in His hands.