June 20, 2020
#40 June 15 – June 21, Alma 13-16
A slightly different approach
Since starting this project at the first of the year, I’ve been continually trying to figure out a better way to share my thoughts and insights with you in hopes of enhancing your personal and family study of the Book of Mormon this year. After some naïve exuberance in the first few weeks, I’ve settled down to a much more manageable (for you and for me) one blog post each week (unless I post a comment from a reader during the week.) And I’m consciously trying to write less, knowing that your time is precious and hoping that, if I choose wisely among the many things I’d like to share, less will actually be more. Hopefully, more of you will take time to read each week and still have time to follow some links and references and search on your own.
With that in mind, I’m going to try something a little different this week. I’d like to present fairly briefly the storyline of these four chapters with only a few comments as we go. After finishing that, if you are out of time, at least you’ll have an overview. If you would like to read further, I plan to add footnotes at the end which will provide some additional ideas and information. Sound ok? Let’s try it and see how it works out.
The other minor change I’d like to make is to not clutter the text of what I write with giving you the reference to each quote from the Book of Mormon. I’ll identify the chapter and if the quote is from that chapter, I won’t bother you with the verse. You can find it. Only if a quote is from some other chapter or source will I give you the reference as I write. Hopefully, that will make the text a little more fluid. You’ve probably figured out by now, that quotes are in italics so that you’ll be able to readily recognize them.
Please feel free to give me your feedback in a brief email, if you have an opinion – pro or con – on this slightly different approach. Here is my email address to make it easy for you: rsboyer46@gmail.com. Thanks! (By the way, I’ll be out of email range Monday through Thursday next week, if I don’t reply until the end of next week, it doesn’t mean I’m offended.)
Four chapters – five years
Chapters 13-16 in the book of Alma cover Nephite history for about five years, the 10th through 14th years of the reign of the judges (BC 82-77) Mormon is very particular to account for each year in the reign of the judges. He is a very conscientious editor!
Remember that Alma has given up the position of chief judge to Nephihah, who now sits in the judgment seat. The sons of Mosiah are still on their missions in the land of Nephi among the Lamanites. They will return home after these chapters and then we’ll have a flashback for several chapters to learn about their missions.
As I was reading the chapters for this week, I found it useful to refer to the relational map of Book of Mormon geography produced by BYU. Here is the link, if you’d like to do that. https://bom.byu.edu/download-bom-maps-in-hd/. The map is very helpful in understanding the relative location of Ammonihah, where the story begins, to other places referred to, including Sidom, Manti, Zarahemla and the River Sidon. Remember that this map is only relational and does not attempt to locate where in North, Central or South America these events took place.
Alma chapter 13
We pick up the story for this week as Alma and Amulek are teaching the people of Ammonihah. At the end of chapter 12, Alma was answering an interesting question from Antionah, one of the chief rulers, who asked, What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden, lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of the tree of life, and live forever? (12:21) Alma’s response included references to the Fall, the Plan of Redemption, the importance of the commandments, and the redemptive mission of the Savior.
In chapter 13, Alma continues to teach the people of Ammonihah. It appears that he was speaking to a mixed audience of those who were honestly seeking truth and those who were of the profession of Nehor and were there to trap Alma and his companion. Alma gives a nine-verse dissertation on the priesthood, its existence from the pre-earth life and its relationship to the Savior. I’m not sure why he is teaching this deep doctrinal material to the people of Ammonihah. Maybe it’s because some of them will accept the gospel, so this is for them. This is almost a stand-alone sermon by itself, suggesting that he may have given this sermon or this part of it somewhere else at another time. He may even be reading from his notes for that sermon. Another possibility is that he is being inspired by the example of Melchizedek (see below) who preached to the wicked people of Salem. They repented and were eventually translated. Maybe Alma thinks that will happen for the wicked people of Ammonihah. Anyhow, this material is of such significance that he closes these verses with an Amen.
Alma goes on to discuss important doctrinal topics including the mission of Melchizedek,1, 2 the Order of the Son of God, 3 and sanctification by the Holy Ghost. 4 He concludes his answer to Antionah by saying, I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction. In other words, Antionah (and all of you Nehorites), you can read the scriptures and learn these things for yourselves. But if you “wrest” (wrestle with, distort, fight against, twist) the scriptures it will be to your destruction.
He then makes a passionate plea with his arm outstretched and his voice raised to a mighty level, Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh! He reminds them that angels are declaring it [that Christ will come] unto many at this time in our land; and that we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Alma expresses a personal wish, Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.
This is how I feel about the Second Coming of the Savior. I wish it would be in my day, but whenever it is, I will rejoice. There was a time as a younger man when I thought I would live to see the Savior’s return and the start of the great Millennium, but now I’m not so sure. At age 74, I figure I’ve only got about 10-15 more years to live, so He’ll have to hurry! And I’m not sure I want to go through all of the destruction and cleansing of the earth that will precede His coming.
Alma concludes his message with this impassioned plea:
And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.
We can put ourselves into this scene and read those words as if spoken to us. They are an echo of Alma’s words to the people of Gideon in chapter 7 and of King Benjamin’s words quoting the angel in Mosiah chapter 3. Wonderful words! Powerful preaching!
Alma chapter 145
Sometimes we forget that many of them [the people of Ammonihah] did believe on his words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures. We tend to think that all of the people of Ammonihah were wicked Nehorites, but that’s not true. There were honest-seeking good people in Ammonihah who believed the messages of Alma and Amulek. Some of those who believed included some of the members of Amulek’s family. As is often the case, we don’t hear much about the righteous. But we hear a lot from those who oppose them.
In this case, it was the more part of them [who] were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek so they they took them and bound them with strong cords, and took them before the chief judge of the land.
Apparently, the chief judge was not present for the preaching of Alma and Amulek. Remember that Alma was the chief judge over all of the land and presumably was therefore this man’s boss until just a few months ago. This must have been an interesting meeting. The chief judge was a wicked man. This judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew Gideon. Witnesses from the people testify against Alma and Amulek and the chief judge appears to believe it all.
Zeezrom, who had been the missionaries’ chief adversary just hours ago, is now remorseful. He says, Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth. But his former friends and associates turn against Zeezrom and they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.
We don’t know until the next chapter what happens to Zeezrom and these other men. They end up in Sidom where Alma and Amulek found all the people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of Alma. (15:1) But it appears that only the men were allowed to escape from Ammonihah for Alma and Amulek related unto them all that had happened unto their wives and children. (15:2)
What did happen to their wives and children? It is almost too horrible to relate. They brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire.
How could they burn women and children? How hard does someone’s heart have to be to do that to helpless women and to children? How evil is the profession of Nehor? To make matters worse, they force Alma and Amulek to watch the scene of murder by fire. They took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.
I have long felt that Amulek must have been watching his wife and children and probably others he knew and loved being consumed in the fire. Bro. John Welch expresses the same thought in his notes for this week and a KnowWhy on Book of Mormon Central from last week also alludes to this opinion. How painful it must have been for Amulek! When Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
How great is Amulek’s restraint when Alma says to him, The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory. Amulek asks if they will also be burned. Alma says, Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
Alma’s response ranks with that of Shadrach, Mechach and Abed-nego to king Nebuchadnezzar,
Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:17-18)
And it ranks with the faith of Queen Esther going to plead the cause of her people before the king,
So will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)
Alma and Amulek are spared the flames for themselves but are forced to watch loved ones consumed by the fire. I’m not sure which would be worse – to die by fire or to watch those you love dying in the flames and not be able to help them. It’s too hard to think about.
But things only get worse for Alma and Amulek. They are put in prison, stripped naked, and starved of food and water. The chief judge and the lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor, come day after day to question and accuse them, spit on them, gnash their teeth on them and smite them on the face. Last week I wrote about how it feels to be spit on. I was slapped on the face once by another boy when we were about 13 or 14. It hurt so bad that I can still remember how much it hurt, physically and emotionally. I can’t imagine what this was like for Alma and Amulek.
Finally, after they had thus suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) and after all of those who came to the prison to abuse them had had their their chance to do so,
The power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.
And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound.
Their abusers try to flee from the prison but so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
Alma and Amulek come out of the prison naked, starved, thirsty, bruised, gnashed and spit upon, but alive. The people of Ammonihah hearing the great noise of the earthquake and falling prison walls come running. When they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek.
The people of Ammonihah have sealed their fate. Alma told them that if they cast out the righteous, they would be ripe for destruction. They have killed the righteous women and children, cast out the men who believed and now rejected the message of two prophets. Their fate is sure. Less than four months later, the Lamanite armies, after killing more than 1000 of the people of Anti-Nephi Lehi, are so incensed that they come into the land of Zarahemla and destroy Ammonihah in one day.
And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year,6 there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.
The people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.
But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.
Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate. (16:1, 9-11)
Satan will not support his followers in the end. He’s done with the people of Ammonihah and leaves them to be destroyed. That’s how he treats all of his followers. Eventually, they are destroyed. If not physically, they are destroyed spiritually and emotionally.
Alma chapter 15
Alma and Amulek go to the land of Sidom and tell the survivors of Ammonihah all that had happened unto their wives and children. They learn that Zeezrom is sick with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat.7 Repentance can be painful. Zeezrom thinks Alma and Amulek are dead and that it’s his fault. You can imagine his anguish.
They could have turned their backs on Zeezrom considering all the grief he caused them, but instead they went immediately, found that he now believed all their words including a belief in Christ. Moved by compassion, Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ.
Zeezrom leaped upon his feet, and began to walk! The people are astonished. Alma baptizes Zeezrom who then becomes their missionary companion. What an interesting threesome - Alma, Amulek and Zeezrom! Each of them was once a sinner, two of them (Alma and Zeezrom) in strong opposition to the church and one of them (Amulek) indifferent. Each is now converted in a miraculous way and they will go on to become together powerful missionaries. Amazing!
Alma puts the church in order in Sidom and heads home to Zarahemla. He takes Amulek with him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord. Amulek’s father, kindred (extended family) and friends have rejected him and it appears that his wife and children have been martyred. What does he have left? He has the gospel and hope for the future. He will stay with Alma and do a lot of good in the future. His sermon to the outcast poor of the Zoramites in Alma chapter 34 contains some of the most eloquent teachings about the Savior and the infinite atonement and some of the best counsel about prayer in all scripture. What a good man! As I said last week, he’s one of my heroes in the Book of Mormon.
Alma chapter 16
This chapter gives the account of the destruction of Ammonihah which I have already quoted. After that, an interesting military episode occurs. The leaders of the Nephite army are Zoram and his sons Lehi and Aha. They go to Alma, the high priest, to ask the Lord where to go to meet the Lamanite army. Alma inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. He tells them where to meet the Lamanites, whom they meet and defeat.
Why don’t the military leaders do that every time they go against the Lamanites? Maybe it is too simple. Maybe the Lord won’t always tell them where to go to fight their battles. It’s a little like our lives. Sometimes the Lord gives us very specific answers to our prayers and guidance for our “battles” and sometimes He leaves us to work it out for ourselves. Obviously, He knows best and both types of experiences are important for our growth.
For the next three years, Alma and Amulek go forth preaching repentance to the people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues and have great success. There is a reformation among the people and the church grows in strength and righteousness. Mormon uses an interesting phrase to describe the success of their efforts, having got the victory over the devil. That’s a good description of what missionaries and church leaders do – endeavor with all their efforts to get the victory over the adversary. Because they were successful in doing so, the word of God [was] preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord [poured] out his blessings upon the people.
That is the end of the 14th year of the reign of the judges. It is time for the sons of Mosiah to come home from their mission to the Lamanites. That’s where we will pick up the story next week.
Additional insights
So that’s the storyline for the four chapters in Alma for this week. As I promised, I tried to go through the story a little faster than usual and save some of the longer comments for later. If you’re out of time or have heard enough, then then you’re done. Thanks for reading. If you’d like to read on, I’ll try to make a few more comments and attach some supplementary materials that may be helpful to you in your study of these chapters.
I’ll be interested in any feedback you want to share with me on this change in format. I’m not sure I’ve got it right, but will continue to try to improve the format for what I share. I’m honored that anyone would read anything that I write, so thank you so much for reading.
The Book of Mormon is wonderful! It is filled with truths that are as big as all eternity. And it is filled with small nuggets of truth for our individual lives. It is amazing! And it is a daily witness that God loves His children; that Jesus is His living Son and our Savior; and that They have called prophets and established Their church again in our time. How blessed we are to have this sacred text!
Thanks for reading!
Richard
1. Melchizedek
Melchizedek is a somewhat enigmatic person in the Old Testament. Little is written about him and yet he is very important. We learn in the Doctrine and Covenants that the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God is named for him out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called the priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood. (D&C 107:3-4) We still call it that today. We know much more about him than the rest of the Christian or Jewish world because of modern revelation, primarily in the Book of Mormon and in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. If you’d like to know more about Melchizedek, here are some references and links that you can follow.
A good place to start is with the Bible Dictionary. Here is the link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/melchizedek?lang=eng
The Millet and McConkie Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon has an excellent summary of what we know about Melchizedek. They also discuss seven ways in which Melchizedek is a type of Christ. Rather than copy and paste it all here, I have copied it into a separate document. For those viewing this on the blog website, you'll need to go to the FaceBook group page for this blog at
The question is sometimes asked, were Melchizedek and Shem (son of Noah) the same person? The quick answer is – we don’t know for sure. I personally think that they were but there are arguments on both sides of the issue. There was a good article in the Ensign in the 1960s on that question by Alma E. Gygi. Here is the link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1973/11/i-have-a-question/is-it-possible-that-shem-and-melchizedek-are-the-same-person?lang=eng
Another excellent article about Melchizedek occurred 25 years later in the Ensign. This is also very good. Here is the link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1998/02/none-were-greater-a-restoration-view-of-melchizedek?lang=eng
Finally, in his notes for this week, John Welch makes some interesting comments about Melchizedek and information about him obtained from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here is the link to his notes for this week: https://bookofmormoncentral.org/come-follow-me/book-of-mormon/come-follow-me-2020-alma-13-16
If you’ve followed all of these links and read all of the material, you know more as much (or more) about Melchizedek as I do and more than pretty much the rest of the world, probably except for scholars in our Church who have made this a matter of significant study. I hope you have found it interesting.
2. Salem
As you read in the references to Melchizedek, he was king of a city called Salem. Initially the people of Salem were wicked, but because of his faith and their repentance, his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven (JST, Genesis 14:34)
Though we have very little information, mainly just this reference, it appears that the people of Salem, like the people of Enoch’s city, Zion, before them, were translated and taken from the earth. That means that there are actually two groups of righteous people, translated beings, in heaven waiting to return to earth during the Millennium. Enoch’s people and their city, Zion, will return to the American continent (see 10th Article of Faith) and Melchizedek’s people, Salem, will return to the old world at the site of their city which is now Jerusalem. Won’t it be wonderful?
So, what about Jerusalem? I was taught years ago by an excellent teacher, but I can’t produce for you a reference, that Jerusalem, the name of the city which David, king of Israel, founded on the site of the original Salem, actually means “new Salem” (jeru = new, salem = peace). I was taught that the current Jerusalem (new Salem) is built on the site of the original Salem, the city of Melchizedek, which was taken into heaven.
3. Order of the Son of God
In their excellent YouTube video/podcast for this week, Tyler Griffin and Taylor Halverson contrast the Order of the Son of God with the order of Satan as represented by the people of Nehor. It is very good! Here is the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Ri_LVU1ZArc.
Millet and McConkie have some good comments about the Order of the Son of God in their excellent Commentary.
“There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. Why the first is called the Melchizedek Priesthood is because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.” (D&C 107:1–4.) The Book of Mormon designates what in this dispensation we have been instructed to call the Melchizedek Priesthood as “the holy order,” “the holy order of God,” “the order of his Son,” or in some instances just “the order.”
The holy priesthood is administered to the children of men according to different orders. As Joseph Smith taught, “All priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it” (Teachings, p. 180). The preparatory gospel (law of Moses) operates under that order we know as Aaronic. The fulness of the everlasting gospel operates under different orders. The Church operates under an ecclesiastical order of offices, quorums, and councils. In our day one enters into the patriarchal order in holy temples through entering into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage (see D&C 131:1–4; Bruce R. McConkie, CR, October 1977, p. 50). In addition, one enters into the holy order of God through proving worthy of all the blessings of the temple, through eventually receiving what the scriptures call the fulness of the priesthood. President Ezra Taft Benson thus explained: “To enter into the order of the Son of God is the equivalent today of entering into the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which is only received in the house of the Lord” (Ensign, August 1985, p. 8).
Christ is the pattern, the standard, the example in all things. In heavenly councils he was called and ordained to his earthly ministry on account of his exceedingly great faith and good works in that first estate. He complied fully with the discipline and order of that heavenly kingdom. All who held the priesthood before the day of his mortal ministry were to be types and shadows of what he would be and do as he labored in mortality. Their ordination and ministry were to be living prophecies of his own. In like manner, all who have been called to the holy priesthood since the day of his coming in the flesh are to serve as he served, imitating his example in all that they do; they are to be living witnesses of what he was.
4. Sanctification
Again from Millet and McConkie some excellent commentary on sanctification and the Holy Ghost:
By the magnifying of our callings, that is, by serving faithfully where and as we are called to serve, we sanctify ourselves. Sanctification is the process of becoming clean, pure, and spotless before the Lord. That process involves faithful service, which in turn is essential to the remission of sins and the refining of our souls.
Applying this principle, James wrote that “if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19–20). James’s point is that the sins being hidden are those of the minister, not just those of the one being ministered to. Commenting on this verse, Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written: “By reclaiming an erring brother, we save both him and ourselves. Our sins are hidden (remitted) because we ministered for the salvation and blessing of another member of the kingdom. In principle this special reward for Christ’s ministers applies also to those who preach the gospel and bring souls into the kingdom. The minister is rewarded with salvation and, of necessity, in the process, is freed from his own sins.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 3:279.)
The whole concept of priesthood revolves around this doctrine. Men are entrusted with the priesthood so that they may serve and bless others. Through faithfulness in this divine investiture of authority they sanctify their own souls, that they lay up the blessings of heaven in store, that they perish not, but bring salvation to their own souls (see D&C 4:1–4).
The Holy Ghost is a sanctifier. The sanctified soul is one that has been baptized of water and of the Spirit. The Spirit baptism is frequently referred to in holy writ as the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost (see Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; 2 Nephi 31:13–14; 3 Nephi 11:35; 12:1–2; Mormon 7:10; D&C 20:41; 33:11; 39:6). It is the work of the Holy Ghost to burn out of the repentant soul the dross or iniquity, carnality, sensuality, and evil in any form. The persons thus cleansed become new creatures of the Holy Ghost (see Mosiah 27:24–26). They are born again.
“The baptism of fire is not something in addition to the receipt of the Holy Ghost; rather, it is the actual enjoyment of the gift which is offered by the laying on of hands at the time of baptism. ‘Remission of sins,’ the Lord says, comes ‘by baptism and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost.’ (D&C 19:31; 2 Nephi 31:17.) Those who receive the baptism of fire are ‘filled as if with fire’ (Helaman 5:45).”
“Sanctification is a state of saintliness, a state attained only by conformity to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. The plan of salvation is the system and means provided whereby men may sanctify their souls and thereby become worthy of a celestial inheritance.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 73, 675.)
5. Contrast between Chapters 13 and 14
Mormon is an inspired, wise editor-writer of the book which bears his name! It is no accident that chapters 13 and 14 are next to each other in the text which he wrote/edited. The two chapters are great contrasts – the sublime teachings of Alma and the wickedness of the Nehorites of Ammonihah.
Tyler and Taylor contrast some of the words found in these two chapters and make the very valid point that these words are attributes of heaven and hell, the way of God contrasted with the way of Satan. I’ve given you the link to their presentation for this week above. Here is a summary of the words they pulled out of each chapter.
Chapter 13 – Order of God - attributes of heaven – the way of God
Priesthood, ordain, holy, order, faith, repentance, righteousness, sanctified, joyful, humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love, long suffering, hope
Chapter 14 – Order of Nehor – attributes of hell – the way of Satan
Lying, reviling, angry, wickedness, blindness, guilty, casting out, casting stones, casting into the fire
Very interesting contrast! You can listen to their presentation for more discussion on this point.
6. Dates in the Book of Mormon
My good friend Steve Doxey shared with me some thoughts about dates in the Book of Mormon. (Note: it is in outline format. “R.J.” stands for “Reign of the Judges”.)
1. Only seven specific dates (day, month, and year) are mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
a. The most momentous is the beginning of the storms and destruction at the crucifixion of Christ (1/4/34 A.D.) (3 Nephi 8:5).
b. Mormon also mentions the day (New Year’s Day in the Nephite calendar) when Amalickiah is found dead in his tent (1/1/26 R.J.) (Alma 52:1), and the day Captain Moroni receives Helaman’s letter (1/2/30 R.J.) (Alma 56:1).
c. The other four references to specific dates have to do with Ammonihah:
i. Amulek met by an angel on the fourth day of the seventh month of the tenth year (7/4/10 R.J.)—Alma 10:6.
ii. Alma and Amulek delivered from prison and its occupants destroyed on the 12th day of the tenth month of the tenth year (10/12/10 R.J.)—Alma 14:23.
iii. Ammonihah destroyed in one day on the fifth day of the second month of the 11th year (2/5/11 R.J.)—Alma 16:1-3.
iv. Lamanites astonished that city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt and fortified (11/10/19 R.J.)—Alma 49:1-12.
2. Why did Mormon include these specific dates?
a. Perhaps to emphasize how quickly destruction comes after the people reject the words of the prophets.
b. Amulek met the angel who told him to return to his own house and host Alma on 7/4/10 R.J. Alma “tarried many days” thereafter in Amulek’s house before he began to preach with Amulek (Alma 8:27).
c. After preaching, Alma and Amulek were imprisoned for “many days” (Alma 14:22-23).
d. Alma and Amulek were delivered on 10/12/10 R.J.—some three months after Amulek met the angel (Alma 14:23). That means Alma and Amulek could have preached for only a few days or weeks between the time Alma tarried with Amulek for many days and the time they were imprisoned for many days.
e. Destruction came to their persecutors (in prison) within weeks, and to the population generally within a few months, after Alma and Amulek had prophesied their destruction.
f. The city of Ammonihah, including all of its remaining inhabitants were destroyed “in one day” on 2/5/11 R.J. (Alma 16:1-3, 9-10). This was less than four months after Alma and Amulek were delivered from prison and only perhaps five months after they had prophesied the city’s destruction.
3. Is there a lesson in these verses for us? Pay attention to prophetic counsel! Sometimes prophecies take years, decades, or even centuries to be fulfilled. But sometimes prophetic warnings of trouble if we don’t repent are fulfilled rapidly. The wicked people of Ammonihah thought their city could not be destroyed because of its greatness. Within just a few months after Alma and Amulek warned the people, it was leveled in one day.
7. Relationship between physical illness and transgression
Often when adversity such as illness comes into our lives, we are tempted to ask ourselves, “What did I do wrong to deserve this?” Usually, it’s not because we’ve done anything wrong to bring physical illness on ourselves. Physical ailments are part of a fallen world, part of the school and testing of this life. But there are times when there is a very strong connection between transgression and physical illness, between our spirit and our body. Zeezrom is an excellent example of how that connection can occur. He is physically ill because his spirit is tormented by his sins and thinking that he caused the death of Alma and Amulek.
Millet and McConkie make the following comments on this issue:
The Savior taught that there is not necessarily a tie between sin and natural disaster, that a person’s being persecuted or plagued or constantly pummeled with calamity and tragedy is no reason to suppose that he or she is guilty of transgression against God or his laws (see Luke 13:1–5; John 9:1–3). Joseph Smith explained: “It is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly escape;’ still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’” (Teachings, pp. 162–63.)
At the same time, it is important to note that some physical ailments have their roots in spiritual maladies. The Apostle Paul spoke of the consequences of partaking unworthily of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,” he wrote, “ye do shew [proclaim, announce] the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep.” (1 Corinthians 11:26–30) The tentacles of guilt descend to the depth of the human heart to do immeasurable damage to the soul.
The physical and the spiritual are inseparably connected. We cannot do despite to the spiritual without at the same time damaging the physical. When a person sins against light—when he or she wantonly goes at cross purposes to the ways of the Lord and sets at naught honor and decency and conscience and principles—that person does damage to the soul, of which the physical body is an integral part. When Jesus of Nazareth commanded the infirm of body to rise up, and further declared, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” his enemies accused him of blasphemy. The Master asked simply: “Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk?” (JST, Luke 5:23; see also JST, Matthew 9:5.) That is to say, the same power by which death is rebuked or ailments are cured is able to rebuke the evil one and cure a sin-sick soul. In like manner, if one has the faith to be healed physically, he has the faith by which that cleansing and healing power can work a spiritual miracle and purify him from the stains of sin. (See James 5:15; Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 3:275.)
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