Nay, but I Will be Thy Servant ~ Ammon

It has been almost a week since my last posting.  I left Ammon and his brothers at the crossroads in Los Encuantros.  Moving forward, Ammon went to the land called Ishmael, named after Lehi's cousin and one of the families of people who dissented from Nephi and followed Laman.  In Ishmael, Ammon was taken captive to the king or chief of that tribe.  The king's name was Lamoni and he was a descendant of Ishmael. 

The king or chief amongst the Lamanite tribes had absolute power.  He could have slain Ammon on the spot, thrust him into prison, run him out of the land, or allowed him to stay.  King Lamoni, whatever else his faults might have been, seemed to have been a fair-minded man.  He asked Ammon why he had come and what his desire might have been.  Ammon replied that he had come to live amongst them, perhaps until the day he died.

This answer pleased Lamoni.  He offered his daughter in marriage to this courageous yet humble Nephite.  I had often wondered why the king would make such an offer.  Then, about 3 years ago when I was on my mission, it dawned on me: Ammon was the crown prince of the Nephite nation!  Perhaps Lamoni thought to make a marriage of political alliance?  Suddenly, something that had always been a mystery to me made sense.

Ammon replied that, though he was honored by such an offer, he prepared to be a servant to the king, to serve him all of his days.  Lamoni accepted his offer and he became numbered among the servants who took care of the king's flocks.

Ammon, as we will find out, was one of the greatest emissaries for Messiah/Christ in the history of the Americas.  He never forgot his purpose; never lost his focus.  He had not come among the Lamanites for political reasons.  He had not come as a conqueror.  He had not come to judge and condemn them.  He had come to love and to serve.  Out of his love, came one of the most beautiful stories of absolute conversion ever written.

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org

His Eye is on the Sparrow

I have faith that this is true.

The Crossroads ~ Los Encuentros

What the Book of Mormon Says

While Alma went north from Zarahemla to preach among the Nephites, the sons of Mosiah went south to preach among the Lamanites.  They traveled many days into the wilderness until they were at the borders of Lamanite-held territory.  There the prayed for the Lord's guidance in their efforts.  When they arose, they took leave of one another, each going in a different direction.

What Archaeology Says

According to Sorensen, the most likely place for this crossroads is Los Encuentros, Guatemala.  Not only was this an ancient meeting point for paths from four directions, it is also a present-day highway junction. (p. 22)

From there, Ammon went to a place called Ishmael; Aaron went to a town the Lamanites had named Jerusalem after their land of origin; later, Aaron went to Ani-Anti where he met some of his companions. 

None of these places is mentioned earlier in the Book of Mormon account, so each must have been settled after King Lamoni's people left for Zarahemla.  Later, Ammon traveled to a land called Middoni, where he found Aaron.

I will be sharing Sorensen's comments on the possible location of these sites during the next week.

Quotes from Sorensen, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org

except

Los Encuentros from www,mayasautenticos.com
  

The Man Who Would Not Be King



Time to rewind our story to the day of the conversion of Alma the Younger.  If you will remember, Alma was not alone when the angel of the Lord appeared to him.  The four sons of King Mosiah were with him.  Although their experience didn't torment them as Alma's had, it was sufficiently awe-inspiring that they, too, repented of their many sins.  They were the ones who carried Alma to his father.  They, too, were born again and after their conversion, they went about with Alma, preaching the gospel of repentance. 

Not long after, King Mosiah spoke to his sons about the kingdom.  All four told their father that they had no desire to be king.  It had been laid upon each heart to serve a mission to the Lamanites.  Mosiah worried about them going into such a dangerous situation.  Nonetheless, he respected their choice.  It was at this time that he set about reforming the government and setting up a system of judges.

In the first year of the reign of the judges, Ammon, the chief among Mosiah's sons, came to him with word that they were ready to depart.  They took weapons with which to provide themselves food and departed into the wilderness.  There they fasted and prayed mightily that they might know where the Lord wanted them to go.  The voice of the Lord came to them and told them: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. (Alma 17:11)

They felt courage then to go into the land of their sworn enemies.  The Book of Mormon tells the story thus:

And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.

And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.

 

Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of repentance.  Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption. (Alma 17: 13-16)

 

With God, nothing is impossible.

 

Text from the Book of Mormon.  Additional text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org

Changing the World, One Pebble at a Time

 

AMEN

 

My quiver and my house are both full for the next two weeks and things passed hectic about last Tuesday.  I apologize in advance for a couple of weeks of spotty posts.  Thanks for understanding!

And Thus We See

Korihor was cast out, and he did go about from house to house, begging food for his support.  And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people, yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man whose name was Zoram—and as he went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead. (Alma 30: 58-59)

Poor Korihor.  Dying an ignoble death amongst apostate Nephites like himself.  He who always knew there was a God, but whose lying spirit led him astray.  A tragic story of pride run amok.

Then, in verse 60, we read this: And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. 

The time period covered by Nephite history is 1,000 years, from about 600 BC to 400 AD.  The records kept during those years would and did fill libraries!  Then, about 320 AD, the keeper of the Nephite records, a man named Ammaron, sought out a 10 year old boy.  The boy's name was Mormon.  He was large in stature and mature in spirit, a sober youth who love God when few others around him did.  Ammaron told Mormon that he had hidden up all the records in caves in a hill named Shim.  When Mormon was 24 years old, he was to go to the hill and recover the records.  It was his calling to edit and condense the records into a codex of gold plates such as could be carried by one man.

Mormon spent the rest of his life in this labor, but he was an interesting editor.  Periodically, he allows himself to intrude into the story line.  He did so in this verse.  It was Mormon who wrote: and thus we see.  He doesn't want us to miss the moral of the story.  He doesn't want us to repeat the mistake.

The Book of Mormon wasn't written for the people of that time.  It was written for us: 1) to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; 2) to the Jews; and 3) to the Gentiles.

Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ . . . (The Title Page of the Book of Mormon)

It is a cautionary tale.  And thus we see that if we miss the caution, it will be our own fault and not that of the book's stalwart editor.

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

Pictures from www.lds.org

The Lies Begin to Unravel

Dumbstruck!  The judge present during this exchange asked Korihor, if he believed in God now. You asked for it.  You've got it!

And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God.  But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me. (Alma 30: 52-53)

 

I find this to be an interesting argument.  He knows there is no god because an angel appeared and told him so?  Say what?!  He certainly must have believed in the devil for the devil told him what to teach to appeal to the licentious mind.  If there is a devil, then where did he come from? 

 

Like so many others before and since, his argument of "The devil made me do it" fell on deaf ears.  He asked Alma to lift the curse now that he had "confessed." But Alma knew his heart.  Just as he knew Zeezrom and knew that his repentance was genuine, he knew the Korihor's repentance was not.  He said, If this curse should be taken from thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people; therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will. (Alma 30:55)  Certainly the Lord knew Korihor's heart as well, for He willed that the curse not be taken away.

 

Korihor was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his food. (v 56)  Those who had been taken in by his false teachings were immediately sobered when news of what had happened reached them.  Many repented and came back to God.

 

God prefers us to come unto Him with love.  However, there will always be those who are motivated by fear.  The "fear of God" or "God-fearing" refers to respect, not actual fear.  Perhaps the people who came back gained a respect for God when they witnessed His power.

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Picture from www.lds.org

 

 

Dumbstruck! ~ Be Careful What You Ask For

When Korihor was brought before Alma, he continued to lash out against God; against the coming of Messiah/Christ; and against the leadership of the Church.  The Book of Mormon said: [Korihor]did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.  And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people. (Alma 30: 30-31)

Alma pointed out that he and all the leadership of the Church receive no payment for their service in the Church; that all labor with their own hands to provide their living and take care of there families.

Korihor asked Alma for proof that there was a God.  And Alma asked: What proof do you have that there is not a God?  Alma challenged him by saying that he knew Korihor believed in God, but had a lying spirit.

Then Korihor made a HUGE mistake.  This is how the Mormon recorded it:

And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.  But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.  And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me a sign.

And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed.  But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people any more. [Remember: this is what the angel told Alma when he was in rebellion!]

Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not believe.

Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance.

Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma. (Alma 30: 43-51)

Be careful what you ask for.  God will not be mocked!

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Picture www.lds.org

The Doctrines of Korihor ~ Part 3

Eventually, Korihor came before the chief judge for disturbing the peace of the land with his preaching which caused great contention amongst the differing groups.  The judge, a man named Giddonah, asked him why he was going about causing contention?  Disrupting the peace and happiness of the people?  Speaking against the prophets?
 
Korihor answered:

 

Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.  Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true.  Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents.  And ye also say that [Messiah]/Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall be a [Messiah]/Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world—And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.  Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be.  (Alma 30: 23-28)

 
Here are the modern arguments  á la Korihor:

·       Men are fools if they bind themselves to God by “foolish ordinances” (even among some Christians, the need for ordinances, such as baptism for salvation, is denied.)

·       Religious leaders only want power: they want to:

•     assume authority over people;
•     keep them ignorant; and
•    make them feel bad about themselves just for doing what they want to do.

·     People who believe in Jesus Christ and seek to obey His commandments are slaves in bondage (today they call it “blind faith”.)

·       It is impossible for one man to die and save everybody from sin.

·       Clergy keep people slaves because they make them afraid to do anything they want to do for fear it will get them in trouble with the clergy or offend some unknown being - a god that never has nor never will exist.

Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was governor over all the land. (Alma 30: 29)

 

You have probably noticed how logical and even reasonable his arguments sound!  It is easy to see why so many people were led astray.  Paul wrote to the Romans, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8: 5)  Spiritual things cannot be understood by the rational mind; only by the testimony of the Holy Spirit.  To attempt a spiritual explanation to a carnal mind is like trying to explain the passion of the marriage bed to a 5-year-old.  That is why Giddonah sent Korihor to Alma.  Because Alma had once fought against the Church, perhaps he might have to words that would touch Korihor and soften his heart.

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures:

Korihor on trial from www.sugardoodle.net

Korihor bound from www.lds.org

 

 

The Doctrines of Korihor ~ Part 2

We continue with the teachings of the Antichrist, Korihor:

Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so. And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime... when a man was dead, that was the end thereof. (Alma 30: 16-18)

• Believing that Jesus Christ can cleanse you of your sins is insanity
• "Religion is the opiate of the masses." (Karl Marx)
• There is no sin, therefore there is no need for a remission of sins, no need for a Savior
• Everything a man gets in this life is by his own effort, intelligence, and strength (today this philosophy is known as secular humanism)
• There is no life after this one, so do whatever you want; it is not wrong
• If it feels good, do it.
• "Artists are allowed to create their own morality." (Woody Allen)
• This life is all we have.
• When we die, that is all there is.
• Live for the moment.  Live for yourself.

People were quick to believe Korihor and he led many of them astray.  After all, how appealing is to have someone tell you that you can do whatever you want and indulge any passion of the moment and it is not only okay, but mature and enlightened to do so?  The Book of Mormon tells us that the people were led to commit whoredoms (v. 18)

Can you recognize any of Korihor's arguments in things we hear today, politically as well as religiously? How about our being told in November, 2008, that America is no longer a Christian nation?

 

The Korihors of today are very persuasive. As Christians, we need to recognize them for what they are, liars, and the servants of the Father of Lies.  

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Picture of Karl Marx from various sites on the web.

 

The Third Antichrist



Korihor

One of the clearest examples of an Antichrist in the Book of Mormon is Korihor.

 

An Antichrist is defined as anyone or anything that actively opposes Jesus Christ - either openly or secretly.  When people talk about the Antichrist, they are often referring to the servant of the “beast” described in the Book of Revelation who is to come.  While this is the most common use of the word, in truth, there have been Antichrists in the world ever since Cain. The scriptures and the pages of history are full of them; for example: the Apostle John refers to many antichrists (See the books of 1st and 2nd John in the New Testament).

The Book of Mormon is very clear in its description of several antichrists: men like Nehor, Zeezrom - whom we have already discussed - and Korihor, the Third Antichrist. If we carefully read about these men and the things they taught, we can see concepts and philosophies that are prevalent in our day and that are leading people astray and away from Jesus Christ. I want to spend some time with Korihor this week as his teachings resonate with the political and even spiritual arguments you hear each day through the media.  His is a cautionary tale that, if heeded, can keep us from being led astray.  I hope you will follow along as I tell the tragic story of Korihor as I point out some of the false doctrine he taught.  Perhaps you can recognize in the messages the philosophies of the world today.

Under Nephite law, men could be judged of crimes if they broke the law like Nehor when he murdered Gideon, but a man could not be tried because of his beliefs.  Korihor was very careful to keep himself just inside the law.  Let's look at the first of his arguments against the teachings of a coming Messiah/Christ:

For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.  And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be no [Messiah]/Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:  O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come. (Alma 30: 11-13)

• No one knew about a coming Messiah/Old Testament prophecies concerning His coming are false
• There is and never will be a Messiah/Christ
• Believing in the Son of God is foolish

Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.  How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a [Messiah]/Christ. (Alma 30: 14-15)

• No one can predict the future; therefore, belief in prophets and prophecies are just foolish traditions. 
• The only things a person can know are those things he can see, touch, or hear.  Today, this philosophy is know as naturalistic empiricism and is very popular among humanists.

How often do we hear today?  If you can't see it, you can't know it.  Things of the spirit are foolish.  We need to grow up as a people and realize that everything we have is what we have created.  Earth wasn't created but is the result of a Big Bang.  No one can know the future.  Jesus was just a man, not a god; it was only his later followers who declared him a god.  If it isn't mentioned in the original book of Q (an hypothetical source for Matthew, Mark, and Luke that no one, by the way has any proof ever existed) then Jesus didn't say it.  He didn't say he was the son of god in Q so therefore he never said he was the son of god (note: all lower case!)  Or this one from the Koran: Allah has no son, has no need of a son, therefore Jesus was a prophet, but not the son of god. (I'm paraphrasing.)  A dear friend just told me three days ago: "Why should I believe in Christ?  I've never seen him."

Tomorrow: more about the teaching of Korihor and how similar they are to be belief of many in our day.  Follow along in Chapter 30 of Alma and see how many you recognize.

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education
Pictures: Korihor from www.bookofmormonbattles.com; Law and Gavel from www.healthcarereform.org

 

Alma's Sermon @ Ammonihah on the Fate of the Hard of Heart

We receive the wisdom and knowledge of God according to our spiritual maturity and ability to receive it.  Those who harden their hearts to God don't receive this knowledge for to do so would bring them under condemnation.  True repentance can open the heavens to us, but continual pride and an arrogant manner towards God and His Kingdom closes the heavens.  This is what Alma taught in Ammonihah.

The Mysteries of God

Alma began to expound these things unto [them], saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.  And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.  And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his [God's] mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell. (Alma 12: 9-11)

 

The Judgment of God

 

And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works.  Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned.  For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence.  (Alma 12: 12-13)

 

Our thoughts, words, and deeds will condemn us if we totally turn away from God and we will wish that we might cease to exist rather than face Him.  Mercy is available to all who come unto Christ.  But mercy cannot rob justice for those who turn their backs on Him.

 

The Second Death

 

But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance. (Alma 12: 14)

 

And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness. [Spiritual death is eternal separation from God.]  . . . Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to God’s justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more corruption.   (Alma 12: 15-16, 18)

 

Hard doctrine.  Hard words.  But Alma was preaching to a hardened people.  Love of God didn't move them.  Perhaps fear of God would.

 

There is Hope in Repentance

 

And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God . . . (Alma 12: 24)

 

This life is a time to prepare to meet God.  Words of Wisdom from an ancient prophet.

 

Text from the Book of Mormon

 

Pictures:

Mysteries of God from www.brotherjohn.org

Judgment Day from www.elijahreturns.blogspot.com

Final Judgment from www.lds.org

Repentance from www.lds.org

 

 

 

 

A Lesson, Short, But Not Sweet ~ God Will Not Be Mocked



Nehor

But as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they yet remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor, and did not believe in the repentance of their sins. (Alma 15: 15)
That was in the 10th year of the reign of the judges among the people of Nephi.

Just when they thought they were unapproachable, Alma's prediction for an unrepentant people came true from an unexpected source.  Here is what Alma wrote:

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, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.  For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.  And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah . . . (Alma 16: 1-3)

 

Be careful.  God will not be mocked.

 

Text from the Book of Mormon

 

Pictures

Nehor from www.bookofmormonbattles.com

Slaughter at Ammonihah from www.lds.org

 

 

Doom Looms!

To say that things were bad in Ammonihah would be an understatement.  Spiritually speaking, they were disastrous beyond belief.  I saw a cartoon the other day that showed a young man in ancient clothing wearing a sandwich board that said: "Doom Looms" and his mother saying to him, "If you can't prophecy something nice, don't prophecy at all!" 

 

Many of the more open-hearted people listened to Alma's message and sought out the prophet for instruction.  But the powers-that-be did not.  Most, including the main judge in Ammonihah, were members of the cult of Nehor (remember him?) and did not believe in the coming of Messiah/Christ nor in repentance - even in the need for repentance.  There is no one more hateful and vicious to a Believer than an apostate who had once been a believer.

 

Those of the Nehor cult brought Alma and Amulek before the judge and twisted their words; many apostates bore false witness against the prophets, saying that they had spoken out against the judges and against the law.  The two men were beaten and spit upon, and then beaten again.  They were stripped of their clothing and thrown naked and bound into prison.  They were questioned again  and again by many lawyers and judges and each time a "smiting" occurred as well.  Food and water were withheld.

 

While the prophets were in prison, the people rounded up all of the believers who had listened to their message.  They took the women and the children and burned them alive along with any documents they had.  (According to Sorensen, book burning was a common practice in Mesoamerica, with the "winners" destroying all records and documents of the "losers.")  Alma and Amulek were brought from the prison and forced to watch this brutal deed, along with the husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers of the victims.

 

Those refugees who survived fled for safety to Sidom.  Among them was Zeezrom, who had spoken up for the prophets at their trials saying that he was wrong and the Alma and Amulek were good men and servants of God.  Alma and Amulek were thrown back in prison and tortured because they would not recant their testimonies and because they continued to preach against the wickedness of the people; that they would be destroyed if they did not repent.

 

On one such night the group were taunting them saying, in essence, "We are doomed?  Who is doomed.  Who will be destroyed?  It is we who have the power to destroy!  You saw that for yourselves!"  Then they began to cry out, "If your God is so powerful,  let Him free you."  Alma and Amulek stood and the bonds fell away from their hands and feet.  The guards began to run, for they felt their doom was upon them.  As the prophets left the prison, there was a great earthquake and the walls of the prison were split in two and many of the lawyers and judges who had been there to ridicule the two men were crushed in the earthquake.

 

Alma and Amulek then departed from the city and went to Sidom where they found Zeezrom and the refugees who believed.

 

The guards felt that their doom had come when the earth shook.  Little did they know that their doom was yet to come.  "Doom Looms!"

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org

Repentance ~ No One is Beyond It

The more Amulek taught, the more concerned Zeezrom became.  In the course of his heckling, the prophet and his companion were able to expose the thoughts of Zeezrom's heart.  This probably upset him more than anything else, for how could they know things he had hidden from everyone unless they were, indeed, prophets of God.  Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble.  (Alma 11:46)

Alma confronted Zeezrom in these words:  Now Zeezrom, . . . thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;  And thou seest that we know that thy plan . . . This [plan]was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity. (Alma 12: 3-4, 6)

Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them that they might know of these things according to the spirit of prophecy.  And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. (Alma 12:11-12)
 

Years later, Alma got word that Zeezrom was extremely ill, the illness having been brought on by his grief over his own part in the persecution of Alma and Amulek.  Alma wrote that his sins did harrow up his mind (v. 3) just as Alma's own sins had done to him in his youth. 

When Zeezrom heard that Alma was  near by, he sent for him.  Alma went immediately.  He could see genuine repentance in Zeezrom's eyes and he asked the man if he believed in God and the coming of His Son.  When Zeezrom answered in the affirmative, Alma administered a priesthood blessing and Zeezrom was healed.  So amazing was his recovery that the word went throughout all the land.

 

And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he [Zeezrom] began from that time forth to preach unto the people. (Alma 15: 12)

 

This was a miracle repentance like Alma's and Saul's/Paul's.  The fact that it didn't involve a theophany tells me that we should not limit the Lord's power to save.  Never give up.

 

What of the other people in Ammonihah who believed the words of the prophet?  We will talk about their fate tomorrow.

 

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org