#36 May 18-24, Mosiah 25-28

May 23, 2020

#36 May 18-24, Mosiah 25-28                                                                                                                                                         

Resource links for this week:

Book of Mormon Video: Mosiah 27, Alma 36, https://media2.ldscdn.org/assets/scripture-and-lesson-support/book-of-mormon-video-library-season-3/2020-03-0300-alma-the-younger-is-converted-unto-the-lord-mosiah-27-alma-36-360p-eng.mp4

Come Follow Me Insights: Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson, https://youtu.be/Njkj_AWu4jg

John W. Welch notes: Book of Mormon Central, https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/mosiah-25-28

Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon

            We have talked about chiasmus before in this blog and pointed out some examples. Just to remind you, the term comes from the name of the Greek alphabet letter Chi which looks like an X. Chiasmus is a literary form of writing (or speaking) in which “words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form, a form of inverted parallelism.” (Wikipedia) The structure when diagrammed looks like a letter X, hence the name chiasmus. The structure of chiasmus focuses the main emphasis on the center rather than the last line of the construction, as a linear construct would do . Chiasmus is used in ancient Hebrew writing and is found in the Bible. It is also found throughout the Book of Mormon. It’s hard to believe that Joseph Smith, dictating to Oliver Cowdery at the speed they had to be going to translate nearly the whole book in about 65 working days, and working without notes, could have created chiastic forms and imbedded them in the Book of Mormon text “on the fly.” They are complex, carefully constructed, sometimes lengthy constructions that took very careful thought and insight to create. I suspect Joseph and Oliver had no idea when they were speaking and writing in chiasmus. It took a young, very bright missionary in Germany in the 1960s, John W. (Jack) Welch,  to discover chiasmus in the Book of Mormon and begin to write and tell the world about it.

            In diagnostic radiology, we have the saying, “You see what you look for; and you look for what you know.” Because Bro. Welch knows chiasmus, he looks for it and sees it where others have missed it. So he and others since him have brought to light a remarkable internal evidence of the truth of the Book of Mormon by discovering many chiastic passages imbedded in the text.

            The whole book of Mosiah is a chiasm! It is written in chiastic structure. Amazing! This is discussed in Bro. Welch’s notes for last week’s reading, Mosiah 18-24. Here is the link, if you’d like to read more for yourself. https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/sites/default/files/archive-files/pdf/welch/2020-05-09/mosiah_18-24_formatted.pdf

            Here is how he diagrammed the chiastic structure of the book of Mosiah:

A King Benjamin counsels with his sons, showing how much good a righteous king can do.

  B The angel of the Lord appears to Benjamin.

    C Ammon goes from Zarahemla to the land of Nephi and finds Zeniff’s grandson Limhi, whose                     explorers found the twenty-four Jaredite gold plates.

      D The record of King Zeniff is given.

        E Abinadi prophesies against King Noah and his priests answer by quoting from Isaiah 52.

          F Abinadi rehearses texts from the law (the Ten Commandments) and the prophets (Isaiah 53).

          F! Abinadi interprets Isaiah 52 and explains the coming mission of Christ.

        E! Noah and his priests execute Abinadi.

      D! The record of King Zeniff’s group continues and ends.

    C! Limhi’s group with Ammon and Alma’s group return from Nephi to Zarahemla with the twenty-four             gold plates.

  B! The angel of the Lord appears to Alma the Younger.

A! King Mosiah abdicates the throne rather than passing the kingship on to one of his four sons.

            I hope that the formatting will come through on whatever device you are using to read this. If it does, you will see the chiastic structure of the book of Mosiah, as diagrammed by Bro. Welch. Notice what is at the center, the most important part of the chiasm. It is Abinadi’s testimony – his teaching of the Ten Commandments and his teaching and testifying of the Savior and the mission of Christ. Amazing!

The flashbacks are over

            As Michael Wilcox says in his talk Noah Blindness (I hope you took time to listen to or read it.), “In the book of Mosiah, everyone gets lost in the wilderness. But everyone eventually gets back to Zarahemla.” The flashbacks are over. Everyone – the people of Limhi, the people of Alma, and Ammon and his 15 strong men are back in Zarahemla. We are also back in “real time” in the book of Mosiah. After jumping back in time about 80 years to the time of Zeniff, we are now back to the time of Mosiah II. It is now about 120 BC. The remaining 5 chapters of the book of Mosiah will cover nearly 30 years, from about 120 BC to 91BC, 509 years after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem. These years will be a time of important cultural, political and religious development for the Nephites.

Mosiah II is a remarkable king and the last one who will reign over the Nephites. In a prescient display of wisdom and statesmanship, he will guide his people from a five-century long pattern of rule by monarch to a democratic form of government, unheard of in that day. Alma, as high priest, will lead the church in important organizational and procedural developments. Under his guidance for 30 years, the church will mature and grow in important ways. But all will not be easy during these years. The “rising generation” will fight against the church. King Mosiah and Alma will find that their own sons are some of their greatest detractors and enemies of the church. In response to the prayers of their fathers, the Lord will intervene and send an angel to the four sons of Mosiah and to Alma’s son of the same name, known as Alma the Younger. (I don’t know why he isn’t Alma II, but I’ve never seen him referred to in that way.) Their experience with the angel is one of the powerful conversion stories in the Book of Mormon and sets the stage for wonderful doctrinal development and missionary experiences in the first 2/3 of the book of Alma, the longest book in the Book of Mormon. There is a lot going on in Zarahemla at this time and a lot for us to learn. Let’s get started!

Mosiah Chapter 25

            At the end of Mosiah chapter 24 and after being freed from the Lamanites by the hand of the Lord and traveling 12 days in the wilderness, the people of Alma arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also receive them with joy. (24:25) They are the last group to return to Zarahemla. In response to their return, king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together. (25:1) The people consist of two bodies, the people of Nephi and the people of Zarahemla. The right to reign has always belonged to the descendants of Nephi, so Mosiah II reigns over both groups. All the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon none but those who were descendants of Nephi. (25:13)

Mosiah directs that the records of Zeniff, Limhi and Alma, records which we have just finished studying, should be read to the people. Those who had tarried in the land (meaning those who had stayed in Zarahemla during this time) were struck with wonder and amazement. (25:7). Notice how real their emotions are. They demonstrate true empathy.

            … they were filled with exceedingly great joy. (25:8)

            … they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow. (25:9)

            … they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls. (25:11)

            As I’ve said before, these are real people having real experiences. They are a good example of how to listen – with empathy and with real feeling.

            The former wives and children of the priests of Noah, those who abducted 24 of the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites.

            This verse is a warning to fathers (and mothers). If we want our children to be with us in the next life, we need to obey the laws upon which such a privilege are based. If we fail to keep our covenants and don’t repent, we will forfeit the opportunity of future family associations in the next life. Millet and McConkie made the following comment in their Commentary:

            No one wants to bear a name that has been dishonored. Their action typifies that which is to happen in the world to come. Those whose fathers have no place in the kingdom of God will, like links of a chain, be removed, while their righteous seed will unite themselves with those of their progenitors worthy of that honor.

            So, now they are all Nephites, united in one body. Mosiah has Alma go among the large groups of people and preach unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord. (25:15) Like the people whom Alma taught at the Waters of Mormon, these people, beginning with king Limhi, have believing hearts and want to be baptized.

King Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also.

Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did baptize them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his brethren in the waters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did baptize did belong to the church of God; (25:17-18)

Presumably these people were taught the same baptismal covenant that those who were first baptized by Alma were taught. And hopefully, they, like the original “Alma 1^st Ward” had their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another (18:21) and began to work together to create a Zion society in their homes and in Zarahemla.

My good friend and regular reader of this blog, King Udall, sent the following insightful comment about this era in Nephite history.

This era was a pivotal time in the history recorded in the Book of Mormon not only politically but also religiously. With the return of Alma and his people, we see a singular change in the worship format of the people using the nomenclature of a “church”. There is no mention in Mormon's text of a ‘church of God” prior to Mosiah 25:18. I am hesitant to call this a “new dispensation” but there certainly was a major change in how the people worshiped. King Mosiah being a Seer himself appears to quickly recognize Alma as a Prophet. He also recognized the necessity for a religious organizational change because of the burden of ministering to a much larger population which included all the descendants of Nephi as well as the Mulekite people. I believe that Alma used his “Alma 1^st Ward” template that is described in Mosiah 18 as a basis for units of a new formally organized Church.  The Church, like now, could  then more efficiently administer the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel both locally and  more broadly to this increasingly metropolitan population.

The chapter concludes on a positive note. King Mosiah is directing the work.

Mosiah obviously held the keys of the kingdom. That is, the right of presidency rested with him, and Alma could take no action in organizing various bodies of the church except under his direction. (Millet & McConkie Commentary).

Using the keys he holds, Mosiah directs Alma to ordain other priests and teachers and to organize the people into seven separate “churches” so they could be taught and looked after. This is similar to how our church is organized today in separate stakes and wards, but they were, just as we are today, all one church. They were called the people of God. And the Lord did pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and prospered in the land. (25:24)

Mosiah Chapter 26

The Rising Generation

            Before long, there is trouble in Zarahemla. A new generation is growing up in Zarahemla, “the rising generation”. They were too young to understand the words of Benjamin’s sermon and now they are rejecting the teachings of their parents.

            There were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.

And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God. (26:1-4)

Look at the progression (or regression) of the attitudes of the rising generation. At first, they were young so they could not understand the words of Benjamin. As they became older, they did not believe in the traditions of their fathers or the prophecies about Christ. They become responsible for their own choices. Because they chose not to believe, now they could not understand the word of God. Their hearts were hardened. As a result, they would not be baptized or join the church. The downhill slide is from “could not” to “did not” to “would not.”

This progression of attitudes reminds me of a favorite children’s story from my youth, The Little Engine That Could. It teaches an important lesson about attitude. An engine pulling a train with cars filled with toys for the children in another town broke down and could not get over the mountain. First a rusty old engine came by but couldn’t help. He said, “I would if I could, but I can’t!” Then a powerful shiny, big engine came by but refused to help saying, “I could if I would, but I won’t.” Finally, a cheerful little blue engine came by and offered to help. He said, “I will if I can and I’ll try!” He pulled the train over the mountain saying “I think I can! I think I can!” all the way up the mountain and saying “I thought I could; I thought I could!” all the way down the other side. Some of us in the Church are like the rusty old engine and have no confidence in ourselves (or, apparently, in the Lord) and in effect when asked to help say, “I would if I could, but I can’t.” Others are like the shiny big engine and have had a wealth of experience in service in the Church but when given a new, challenging assignment say, “I could if I would, but I won’t!” The Lord and His kingdom are best served by those who, like the little blue engine, cheerfully say, “I will if I can and I’ll try!” Let’s try to be like that engine.

 We don’t know if there was an element of parental complacency in the teaching of the “rising generation” as a cause of their spiritual decline. Perhaps things were a little too good, a little too comfortable in Zarahemla and the parents became casual in their responsibility to teach their children. On the other hand, perhaps, as we have seen too many times in our current time, the parents were faithful and did all they could to teach this generation of young people but, despite their diligent efforts, some of their children chose to leave the covenant path (or never begin on it.)

Millet and McConkie wrote,

When a generation of young people grows to maturity without a proper doctrinal foundation—whether because of parental negligence or through rebellion on the part of the youth—then a foundation has indeed been laid, a foundation, unfortunately, for faithlessness and immorality. Such appears to have been the case in the days of Alma: the “rising generation” grew into adulthood without a tie to the theology of their parents, without that saving and settling witness of the Savior and his gospel which had been the focus of the teachings of King Benjamin.

An instructive experience for Alma

Apparently Alma, although the high priest, was not aware of what was going on among the “rising generation.” Maybe he was like some of us, myself included on occasion, who have been so busy in church meetings that sometimes we run the risk of being a little out of touch and fail to appreciate some important things going on around us. Perhaps Alma was so busy setting up and strengthening all of the seven churches that he missed the fact that the youth, including his own son Alma, were not accepting the gospel and were making poor choices. When the priests brought the unbelievers to Alma, he did not know concerning them; but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance. Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit. (26:9-10) Alma tried “passing the buck” to Mosiah but the king gave the problem right back to Alma. This was an ecclesiastical not a political problem. Mosiah in his wisdom wanted to keep some separation of church and state.

And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.

Notice Alma’s desire to do the right thing. He was troubled in his spirit. He wanted to please the Lord. Sometimes we think answers come easily, almost automatically, to prophets, but I believe they have to pay the price just like the rest of us to get answers and guidance from the Lord. I’ve told you before in this blog of a difficult situation I dealt with as stake president. We needed to make an important decision as a presidency which would affect a lot of people in the stake. We studied it out, prayed, fasted, went to the temple and prayed some more, but couldn’t get a confirmation that the decision we had made was right. Decisions in the Church are not made by committee. Counselors and others give their recommendations and provide their best input, but ultimately one person has the responsibility to pay the price to get an answer from the Lord. My experience is that the price always requires us to humble ourselves and repent. Finally, after studying it out again and coming this time to a different decision, I took the matter once more to the Lord in fervent prayer. The answer was not audible but was very clear, “You finally got it right!” The years since then have proven that it was the best course of action.

So Alma did the right thing, he took the problem to the Lord. What happens is remarkable! After he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:

What follows are 18 verses (26:15-32) of personal revelation to Alma spoken in the first person by the Lord. It reads very much like many of the revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants. He doesn’t tell us whether he heard an audible voice or if it was, as Enos described, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again. (Enos 1:10) Regardless, the communication was clear. After Alma had heard these words, he wrote them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God. (26:33) It is important to write down the answers we get in prayer or other forms of communication from the Lord. In my experience, He doesn’t tell us again. He expects us to remember and get it the first time. I remember once hearing a statement attributed to Joseph Fielding Smith to the effect that, it is offensive to the Lord for us to repeatedly ask Him for answers to questions for which He has already given us an answer. (If anyone can find that quote, please share it with me.)

It is interesting that the first part of this revelation is very personal to Alma. It begins with a beautiful series of statements by the Lord using the word “blessed” six times, a series of personal “beatitudes” to Alma from the Lord. Alma is blessed for believing in the words of Abinadi. And those who believed in Alma’s words and were baptized in the Waters of Mormon are also blessed. And all those who have covenanted with the Lord and taken His name upon them are blessed. Then the Lord makes a remarkable statement to Alma, I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life. (26:20) It sounds as if the Lord is making Alma’s calling and election sure at this time. He had sufficiently proven himself that the Lord knows He can trust him. It is as if Alma’s judgment has been advanced to this time and he is judged worthy of exaltation.

Notice that the Lord initially speaks personally to Alma giving what is contained in seven verses in our scriptures but has not yet addressed Alma’s question about the unbelievers. Instead, the Lord is speaking to Alma about Alma, himself, and about those who are believers. My experience is that, whenever the Lord parts the veil even in the smallest degree to give us direct answers to our prayers, He gives us more than we asked for. Elder Scott taught this principle about prayer in a most instructive general conference talk on receiving answers to prayer in October 2006. He said:

Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask, “Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2009/10/to-acquire-spiritual-guidance

           

The Savior will freely forgive

            The Lord then goes on to teach Alma about His sheep and about forgiveness:

            He that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive.

For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.

For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.

For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand. (26:21-24)

Our merciful Savior will “freely forgive” all those who come to Him, believe on His name, repent and are baptized. He is in the “forgiveness business.” His work and glory, along with His Father, is our immortality and eternal life. (Moses 1:39) He wants to forgive us so He can save us and present us clean and whole and pure to our Father in Heaven.

But He knows that we will still make mistakes, even after taking His name upon us and being cleansed by His atonement through baptism. His instruction to His prophet about those who sin and repent is wonderfully merciful and generous:

If he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also.

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. (26:29-30)

We can’t intentionally sin and plan to “repent” later knowing full well that we will sin again. That is not repentance. Pre-planned repentance, intentionally sinning with the anticipation of repenting later, “sowing our oats” or “living it up now” with anticipation of later repentance is offensive to the Lord and is a mockery of the Atonement which He wrought in our behalf. But if we sincerely repent, He will forgive. He will forgive us “as often as my people repent.”

President Nelson says we should repent daily.

“Does everyone need to repent?” The answer is yes.

Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2019/05/36nelson

            If we truly repent daily, we can be forgiven daily and we can be made clean daily! Amazing!

Instruction regarding those who don’t repent

            Alma also received important instruction about those who don’t repent. Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward. (26:32)

            Alma now knows how to deal with the unbelievers. If they sincerely repent, forgive them and retain them in the church. If they will not repent, they will not be numbered with the other members of the church, i.e. they need to be excommunicated.

            This information from the Lord is of great value to Alma. When Alma had heard these words he wrote them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God. (26:33) What he wrote down is in a sense the first General Handbook of Instructions for the Church. He will use what he wrote down, refer to it often, quote from it and teach from it as he leads the church.

These words describe what has come to be known in the modern Church as the process of “Church Discipline.” For many years, the purposes of church discipline have been very clear. Priesthood leaders have ben charged to (1), save the soul of the transgressor, (2) protect the innocent and (3) protect the good name and integrity of the Church. However, the order of these priorities for church discipline was changed with the new General Handbook released earlier this year:

Three Purposes of Church Membership Restrictions or Withdrawal

Help protect others

Help a person access the redeeming power of Jesus Christ through repentance

Protect the integrity of the Church

When members are guilty of serious transgressions, priesthood leaders, functioning in their role as judges in Israel, though definitely not perfect themselves are none-the-less responsible to help members repent and to guide them through the process necessary to again be worthy of the all the blessings of the gospel. I don’t have time to go into detail here about this remarkable process. I’ll just say that this process, invisible to most of the membership of the Church, is one of the strongest witnesses in my life of the infinite scope of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and one of the most powerful witnesses of the truth of this Church. Though difficult and many times heart-wrenching, my experiences with the process of church discipline have reinforced my love for the Savior and my appreciation of His forgiveness, love and mercy for all of God’s children.

I have seen a significant evolution in how the process of church discipline is applied on a case-by-case basis over nearly 50 years of participating in the process. No longer do we hold “church courts” or “disciplinary councils”, but now priesthood leaders convene “membership councils” in behalf of persons guilty of serious transgression and bless their lives by doing so. It is a remarkable process! In the past, the guidelines for church discipline were fairly opaque, being available only to certain Church leaders in restricted volumes of the Church General Handbook of Instructions. But earlier this year, the Church consolidated the Handbooks into one volume and made it available online. The process is now very transparent and is detailed in a document available to members and non-members of the Church. If you are interested, read chapter 32 of the new General Handbook.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/32-repentance-and-membership-councils

Having received a seminal revelation in answer to his prayer, Alma now knows how to proceed. Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly before God, receiving many, and baptizing many. (26:37) Life is good again in Zarahemla, but not for everyone.

Mosiah Chapter 27

A bit of Zion in Zarahemla

            At the beginning of chapter 27, the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests. (27:1) As a result king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God. (27:2)

            The Zion character of the churches in the land of Zarahemla is reflected in this advice from their king:

            There was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men;

That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support.

Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of God. (27:3-5_

Sounds like Zion, doesn’t it? So much so that, the Lord did visit them and prosper them. (27:7)

Alma and the Sons of Mosiah

            Among the unbelievers were the four sons of Mosiah the king and Alma, one of the sons of Alma the high priest. (Alma had other sons, but we don’t hear anything about them.) Interesting that these guys are hanging out together! We don’t know how old they are, probably later teens or early twenties. They wouldn’t have known each other until the people of Alma came to Zarahemla. But they have had time to become friends with each other and colleagues in persecuting the people of the church. Mormon tells us about Alma and how bad he was, but the sons of Mosiah were not far behind him, if at all, in wickedness. In the next chapter, they are called the very vilest of sinners. (28:4)

            Alma became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.

And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.

And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king— (27:8-10)

“What goes around, comes around”, at least for Alma the Elder. He was also a wicked man in his youth when he was in the court of king Noah. Now his son Alma, probably at about the same age, is following in his footsteps. Was young Alma influenced by knowing that his father was once a wicked man? We aren’t told how Alma the Younger got off the covenant path. It’s hard to believe that it was because his father was derelict in teaching the gospel to his sons. I suspect that his father and mother tried, but the younger Alma frankly rebelled. The same is probably true for the sons of Mosiah. Their father was an exceptionally good man. I suspect he did his best, along with his wife, to teach his sons, but they also rebelled.

What is the response of Alma the father to the rebellion of his son Alma? He pleads with the Lord for his son. The Book of Mormon movie shows Alma praying, pleading for his son with his wife at his side. (The Book of Mormon movies always show faithful women as part of the story and rightly so!) But Alma isn’t the only one praying for his son. The people are also praying for these wayward young men. And we have to believe that Mosiah and his wife are praying for their sons, as well. In response to all these prayers, the Lord sends an angel from His presence.

As they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them. (27:11-12)

Why does the Lord send an angel to some rebellious souls but not to others? Perhaps because of the faith of Alma, Mosiah and the people. Perhaps because of the work that Alma and his friends would do. Perhaps because they were so effective in their opposition to the church. Maybe it is a combination of all three of these reasons or others. In their excellent Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Millet and McConkie have some insightful comments on this question of why the Lord would send an angel to some but not all who are straying from the covenant path.

It ought be observed that if all rebellious souls were accorded a personal visit from an angel assuring the reality of the world to come with its rewards and punishments, there would be little need for faith on anyone’s part. Such appearances of angels would create the temptation to obtain a testimony by negative behavior rather than through righteousness. Given that few among the faithful are privileged to enjoy the ministering of angels, it would seem a strange system of theology that freely granted such a privilege to the wicked.

It could be that some appreciable number of people have had such an experience and have rejected the divine counsel and chosen not to repent, and thus we have no record of the experience. We know, for example, that Laman and Lemuel were rebuked by an angel and that they disregarded it (1 Nephi 3:29). And there is no evidence that they ever recorded such things.

The Savior explained that those who reject the testimony of scripture and living prophets would also reject the testimony of angels were they to appear to them (see Luke 16:31).

We have the testimony of scripture that “some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2), and we might suppose that in many instances angels have sought to entice transgressors from their course in unobserved or less dramatic ways than this appearance to Alma and the sons of Mosiah.

The prayers of the righteous cannot go unheard. Alma the Elder and Mosiah were both men of great faith who no doubt implored the heavens night and day with a plea of help to save their wayward sons. Nor did they pray alone, for their pleadings were joined by those of all the faithful of the Church in and around Zarahemla.

Finally, it must be remembered that the Lord, who can manifest his power in a great variety of ways, is hardly limited to angelic ministrations or open visions. Many have had conversion experiences of spiritual impact and consequence equal to Alma’s, experiences which are the result of a coalescence of circumstances divinely contrived: life-changing experiences involving such things as a confrontation with death, an inspired sermon, a caring parent or relative, or a sensitive priesthood leader.

You can’t miss the similarity between the experience of Alma and his brethren to the experience of Saul of Tarsus who was visited by the Lord Himself on the road to Damascus as he was going about persecuting the believers in Christianity. (See Acts chapter 9). There are many similarities between Alma and Paul. Brother John Welch has detailed these in his notes for this week, if you want to learn more.

Who is this angel? Well, if you’ve read past entries in this blog, you’ll know who I think it was. In our family, we think it was Abinadi. He is now in the spirit world after having been killed by king Noah and was responsible before his death for the conversion of Alma’s father. Who would be a better choice than Abinadi to visit the son of his one convert and call him to repentance?

            The angel’s message is powerful!

            Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.

            Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.

And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God. (27:13-15)

The angel goes on with a very specific message for Alma:

Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off. (27:16)

Isn’t that an interesting instruction from the angel? “Go and remember …” In our recent General Conference, Elder Renlund used this scripture to teach an important point about remembering:

Of all possible exhortations, that was what the angel emphasized. Alma repented and remembered. … Alma understood that by remembering deliverance from bondage and support during “trials and troubles of every kind,” we come to know God and the surety of His promises.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/26renlund

Many years later when relating this event to his son Helaman, Alma will say,

The angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more. (Alma 36:11)

Back to the account of Alma and his brethren in Mosiah:

Alma and those that were with him fell again to the earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.

And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father. (27:18-19)

Paul was struck blind. Alma is struck dumb and is so weak that he has to be carried by others to his father.

“I have repented of my sins”

Fortunately, the sons of Mosiah are still functional and could carry Alma to his home. What was the response of his father? His father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power of God. (17:20) I’m sure his father was concerned for his son. Who wouldn’t be seeing his son dumb and unable to move? But he rejoiced because he knew it was an answer to his prayer. He may have wondered if his son were going to die or would always be like this. So he calls the priests, his fellow servants in the Lord’s work, to fast and pray that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God. (27:22) They fast and pray for two days and two nights. It’s been three days now since his encounter with the angel because he will later say to his son, For three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. (Alma 36:16) It’s probably no accident that he was in that state for “three days and three nights”, just as Christ was in the tomb for that long (Matt 12:40) and the earth was in darkness after He died for 3 days of darkness. (See 3 Nephi 8:23)

After three days, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort. (17:23)

            Alma is a changed person! He has been born again! He is as persuasive and powerful in his testimony of the truth as he was in trying to draw people away from the covenant path. He launches into a marvelous exposition of the need to be born again and even quotes the Lord in what he says.

            I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off. (27:24-27)

We must all be born again. We must become new creatures. We must be redeemed and become sons and daughters of Christ through faith on Him and His atonement. We talked about this when we read about the people of Benjamin and their response to his sermon. (See Mosiah 5) They became the children of Christ. Alma has been born again! He is the “poster child” of those who have been born again. He will come back to this theme many times in his sermons as he becomes the high priest. It has to happen to us, as well. For us, it will not be as dramatic as it was for Alma. We will not likely see an angel and it will likely take a lot longer than three days. But it can and must none-the-less happen to us if we are to also become sons and daughters of Christ.

So, just what happened to Alma while he was speechless and motionless? We have to wait until Alma relates this story to his son Helaman 25 years later in Alma chapter 36 to learn what happened during that time. We’ll talk about his experience again when we get to that point in the Book of Mormon. But since some of you may miss it then, there is one aspect of his conversion experience which I want to mention here. In relating this experience to his son Helaman, Alma says,

For three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. (Alma 36:16-19)

Notice that, when Alma remembered “one Jesus Christ” and cries out to the Savior, he didn’t forget his sins, but he “could remember the pains no more.” Some people who have gone through the repentance process feel that they are not forgiven because they can still remember their sins. I think they are confused by a verse in the Doctrine and Covenants in which the Lord says, Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. (D&C 58:42) They feel that, since they can remember their sins, they must not be forgiven. I don’t think that is the correct interpretation of this verse in the Doctrine and Covenants. I don’t think the Lord “forgets” anything. I don’t think his memory is like Swiss cheese (though sometimes I feel like mine is!) all filled with holes in the places where he has forgotten the sins of people who have repented. Rather, I believe that the correct understanding of the word remember in this verse is an older usage, in which it means to mention to or convey greetings from one person to another. “Remember me to your parents when you see them.” I believe that the Savior has such control over His mind that, even though He is omniscient and knows all things, He can and will choose not to remember our sins. They will not come to His mind when we see Him at the judgment. Rather than saying to me at the judgment bar, “Oh, Rich, wow! We went through some tough ones together! I wasn’t sure you’d make it. Remember the time you …” and then go on to mention times when I sorely repented. No, I don’t think that is how it will be. I believe that He will choose not to remember our sins after we have repented of them. On the other hand, there is actually value in our remembering our sins in this life so they will serve a deterrent value for us in keeping us from making the same mistakes again.

So what was it that Alma could remember no more? It was “my pains”. It was the anguish of having sinned and the pain of his sins that was gone. So if you have truly repented for some mistake(s) in the past but can still remember what you did wrong, it doesn’t mean you have not been forgiven. The Atonement of Jesus Christ removes the “pain” and “anguish” of sinfulness so that we can have peace and feel joy, just like Alma.

            Alma is now converted and will not look back. He bears powerful testimony of the Savior.

            I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.

Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye. (17:30-31)

Alma will spend the rest of his life trying to make up for what he has done wrong and trying to save others from the mistakes he has made.

Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the commandments of God. (17:32-33)

The same is true for the sons of Mosiah. They, too, have been born again. They are also trying to make restitution for all of their sins. For the first time, we learn their names. Apparently Mormon feels that when they are the vilest of sinners, we don’t need to know their names. They are anonymous and faceless. But now that they, like Alma, have been born again and are going to try to save others, they become “real” and have names – Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni.

They traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them.

And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.

And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth. (27:35-37)

They will spend the rest of their lives in the Lord’s service. More specifically, as we will see in the next chapter, they will embark on a 14-year mission to the Lamanites to try and restore them to the knowledge of the true gospel.

The last verse of this chapter is reminiscent of Isaiah 52, the chapter from which one of the priests of Noah (possibly Alma senior) quoted in questioning Abinadi. There is no accident in this similarity! Like the Savior Himself and like the prophets, the sons of Mosiah and Alma, as is true of all missionaries, are “blessed” because they “publish peace” and declare that “the Lord reigneth.” How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever! (15:17)

Mosiah chapter 28

            If chapter 27 is mostly about Alma, then chapter 28 is mostly about the sons of Mosiah. These four newly reborn princes take a few others with them and go to their father to petition him for his permission for them to go to the land of Lehi-Nephi, the same land from which the people of Limhi and the people of Alma have recently escaped, to preach the gospel. Why would they want to do that? It seems like the last place where they would want to go!

            Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. (28:3)

            After many days of pleading with their father, Mosiah decided to take the matter to the Lord.

            And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites. (28:7)

            So off they go on their mission. We will learn more about them later in Alma chapters 17-26, another flashback.

Transition in leadership

            With his sons gone on a mission, Mosiah II has no one to succeed him on the throne. We’ll talk about that next week when we read Mosiah 29. It’s an interesting story! But he also needs to see that there is continuity in church leadership. He knows that Alma the Elder is getting older. There needs to be a succession strategy for leadership in the church.

We have an interesting situation here. Alma is a prophet and is in many ways the leader of the church as high priest. But Mosiah II is also a prophet and from a lineage of prophets. It’s kind of like he is “chairman of the board” and Alma is the “CEO” of the church. Mosiah II seems to have the final say as to how things happen in the church. Alma clearly has authority, but it appears that Mosiah II has the keys to direct the work. In addition, he has the sacred records which have traditionally been carried down through the lineage of the prophets. Who will get the records?

            Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for there was not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom.

Therefore he took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things which he had kept and preserved according to the commandments of God, …

… he took the plates of brass, and all the things which he had kept, and conferred them upon Alma, who was the son of Alma; yea, all the records, and also the interpreters, and conferred them upon him, and commanded him that he should keep and preserve them, and also keep a record of the people, handing them down from one generation to another, even as they had been handed down from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem. (28:10-11, 20)

Alma the Younger will become the leader of the church. He receives the records and the interpreters (see below). These will qualify him as a seer. There will be no king, but Alma will also become the chief governmental leader, the chief judge. (see next week’s lesson) The keys that Mosiah holds and the power and authority that his father, Alma the Elder, holds will be given to Alma the Younger to lead the church, which he will do for nearly 20 years, covering some 45 chapters of the book of Alma. So the stage is set for the roles held by Mosiah II and Alma the Elder, both of whom will die at the end of the next chapter, to be consolidated in one person, Alma the younger. He is definitely a major figure in the Book of Mormon!

The plates of Ether and the Interpreters

            As an almost parenthetical thought, Mormon spends several verses in this chapter writing about the plates of gold found by the people of Limhi when they were searching for Zarahemla but instead found the Land Desolation where the Jaredite nation had perished. He also writes about the Urim and Thummim, the interpreters, which Mosiah II gave to Alma the younger. We have considered these subjects previously when we read Mosiah 8, but it is worth considering what Mormon teaches us here.

            Mormon writes that Mosiah translated the records found by the people of Limhi

… by the means of those two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow.

Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of interpreting languages;

And they have been kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord, …

Whosoever has these things is called seer, after the manner of old times. (28:13-16)

            I have written previously about the Urim and Thummim in writing about Mosiah 8. Here is what Millet and McConkie write about these verses:

            Two stones . . . fastened into the two rims of a bow. When Moroni told Joseph Smith of the responsibility that would be his in translating the Book of Mormon, he explained that secreted with the plates upon which the book was written Joseph would find two transparent stones in silver bows fastened to a breastplate. Moroni said that these stones were what the ancients called the Urim and Thummim and that their use constituted one a “seer.” (Joseph Smith—History 1:35; HC 4:537.)

“The things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer.” (Mosiah 8:13.)

“Because of the sacred nature of these holy instruments, they have not been viewed by most men, and even the times and circumstances under which they have been held by mortals are not clearly set forth. Undoubtedly, they were in use before the flood, but the first scriptural reference to them is in connection with the revelations given the Brother of Jared. (Ether 3:21–28.) Abraham had them in his day (Abraham 3:1–4), and Aaron and the priests in Israel had them from generation to generation. (Ex, 28:30; Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; 1 Sam. 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Neh.7:65).” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 828)

In some instances this divine interpreter and revelatory device, the Urim and Thummim, has been handed down from generation to generation; in others apparently it has been used for specific purposes and then returned to the heavenly messenger from whence it came. Scriptural references verify its use by prophets in both the Old World and the New. We have no way of knowing how many different Urim and Thummim may have been used at various times.

The Urim and Thummim is one means by which the Lord can give a panoramic perspective, the means by which all things—including the evil and abominations of the day—can be made known to his servants the prophets. Thereby those prophets can clearly judge and discern good from evil and provide the necessary warning and admonition to their people.

The plates and the Urim and Thummim will now be in the possession of Alma the Younger and will be passed down from him through his descendants until they are given by Ammaron to a young man by the name of Mormon, more than 300 years after the visit of Christ to the New World. (see Mormon chapter 1)

We learn a little about the contents of the 24 gold plates found by the people of Limhi.

It gave an account of the people who were destroyed, from the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of Adam. (28:17)

Not all of what is described here as being contained in the record of the Jaredites is contained in our book of Ether. What we have is Moroni’s abridgment of the writings of Ether. Perhaps some of what is listed here is contained in the 2/3 of the plates which were not translated by Joseph Smith. Hopefully, we’ll have them someday.

Testimony

            To some, reading these four chapters about organizational changes among the Nephites, the rebellion of the rising generation, the conversion of five young men and the preparation for the transition of leadership after their last king might be considered boring and mundane. Perhaps as Mark Twain is reported to have written of the Book of Mormon. “It is chloroform in print.”

            But for me, these chapters are wonderful! Like each week’s reading in the Book of Mormon for Come, Follow Me, I find so much to think about, so much to help me be a better person and so many evidences, occult to the casual reader, that I know again even as I write that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the word of God! It is the writings of ancient prophets. It was translated by “the gift and power of God” by a modern prophet. What a blessing and a gift it is to us! I’m grateful for this wonderful book, the “keystone of our religion”, the “proof-text” that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually— (D&C 1:30), this additional witness of Jesus Christ and source of light and truth. What a blessing it is! It is a treasure!

Thanks for reading!

Richard