Alma 9:2 Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony of one man?
The last time Alma preached
in Ammonihah, he did it alone. The wisdom of the Lord’s plan to have Amulek
provide a second witness now becomes evident. The trap they set for Alma backfired
because of Amulek’s testimony, when Amulek had
spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more
than one witness (Alma 10:12). The Lord hereby demonstrates that his wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil (DC
10:43).
The tone of the question
asked of Alma implies that the people understood that every word should be
established at the mouth of two witnesses, or three
witnesses (Deut 17:6), but they had no real intention of believing the
testimony regardless of how many witnesses there were. This demonstrates that
they were willfully rebellious, knowing the letter of the law but ignoring the
Spirit.
Alma 9:3 they knew not that the earth should pass away
There are two terms in the
scriptures which can be confusing. There is a difference between “the end of
the world” and “the end of the earth.” The end of the world refers to the
destruction of the wicked at the advent of Christ’s Second Coming. The end of
the earth refers to the literal death of planet earth. This occurs after the
Millenium and the short season when Satan is loosed, when
the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will
I spare the earth but for a little season; And the end shall come, and the
heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new
heaven and a new earth (DC 29:22-23, see also Rev. 21:1, Ether 13:9).
Alma 9:8 O ye wicked and perverse generation
Amulek later repeats these
words exactly in describing the wickedness of the people (Alma 10:17). Alma and
Amulek had perceived by the Spirit that they were laying
traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God (Alma 10:17). The
Savior’s favorite phrase in the same situation was “O
generation of vipers” (Matt 3:7; 12:34; 23:33; Lu 3:7). The pattern of
wickedness is repeated in our day as evidenced by anti-Mormon literature which
is laden with hidden traps and snares for the unwary.
Alma 9:15 it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment
than for you
One of the most fundamental
principles of the justice of God is that He will judge us according to the
amount of light, truth, and knowledge which we were privileged to receive in
mortality. This is the primary difference between the Lamanites and the
Nephites. The Lamanites were ignorant of God because of the transgressions of
their fathers. Therefore, their fathers are partially to blame for their
wickedness. Lehi told Laman’s posterity, if ye are
cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken
from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents (2 Ne 4:5). For the atonement
satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given
to them (2 Ne 9:26).
On the other hand, the
Nephites were rebellious after having had so much light
and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their God (v. 19).
Their punishments are thereby more severe. For of
him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the
greater light shall receive the greater condemnation (DC 82:3).
Similarly, endowed members
of the church today should understand that there is no going back. After having
been given such great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God, they are
responsible for keeping their covenants. The word of the Lord as given to the
Missouri saints applies equally well to them, beware
from henceforth, and refrain from sin, lest sore judgments fall upon your heads
(DC 82:2).
“…one
who fails to live up to his covenants tries to hide first by looking for
loopholes in the language of the endowment. Brigham Young has commented
on the futility and hypocrisy of this procedure; there is no way, he observes,
by which one can possibly misunderstand or wrest the language of the covenants,
no matter how determined one is to do it. We can rationalize with great
zeal—and that is the next step—but never escape from our defensive position.”
(Donald W. Parry, Temples of the Ancient World, p. 610)
Bruce R. McConkie
“Those
who are not able and determined to keep the commandments are better off outside
the Church, ‘For of him unto whom much is given much
is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the
greater condemnation.’ (D. & C. 82:3.)” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, vol. 1, p. 504)
Brigham Young
“Those
who do not profess to know anything of the Lord are far better off than we are,
unless we live our religion, for we who know the Master's will and do it not
will be beaten with few stripes. This is perfectly reasonable. We cannot
chastise a child for doing that which is contrary to our wills, if he knows no
better; but when our children are taught better and know what is required of
them, if they then rebel, of course, they expect to be chastised, and it is
perfectly right that they should be.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 16,
p. 111)
Alma 9:16 there are many promises which are extended to the
Lamanites
The promises extended to the
Lamanites are great. Many of these promises are given because of the
righteousness and prayers of preceding prophets. The first prophet of all is
Joseph of Egypt who was given the promise that his seed would be preserved
(Alma 46:24). Lehi blessed the posterity of Laman that they would likewise be
preserved (2 Ne 4:7). Nephi, Jacob, and Enos all prayed for the welfare of
their brethren. The promises given are as follows:
Marion G. Romney
“…all
who have seeing eyes and understanding hearts may rest assured that the
fulfillment of the promises to the Lamanites is at hand. Most of the foregoing
prophecies have already been fulfilled, and others are now in course of
fulfillment. The apostasy and fourth generation destruction, the degeneration
of the remnant, the coming of the gentiles, their establishment by the power of
God as a free people in this land, their harassment of the remnant, the
preservation of the promised record, and its coming forth by way of the
gentiles are now all documented history.
“For
more than a hundred years the record of their fathers, the Book of Mormon, has
been going to the Lamanites by way of the gentiles. And it is now being carried
to them with increased tempo…
“So
you see, my brethren and sisters, the Lord is pouring out his spirit upon the
Lamanites. They are accepting the record of their fathers and are coming to a
knowledge of the ‘things’ referred to by Jesus…they are now accepting the
gospel. And they will continue to accept it in ever-increasing numbers. As they
receive and live it they are certain to regain their favored status in the
house of Israel and participate in the redemption of Zion and the building of
the New Jerusalem here in America. Jacob, even now, flourishes in the
wilderness, and shortly the ‘Lamanites shall blossom
as the rose,’ heralding ‘the great day of the
Lord,’ which God grant may not be long delayed, I humbly pray.” (Conference
Report, Apr. 1963, p. 77)
Alma 9:19-23 after having had so much light and so much knowledge
If there is any people in
the history of the world who have had as much light and knowledge as did the Nephites,
then it must be the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since the Book of Mormon was designed for our day and Nephi has taught us that
we should liken the scriptures to ourselves, we should read these five verses
as if the Lord was speaking directly to us.
Hugh Nibley
“The
Book of Mormon goes to great lengths to describe just what a wicked society
looks like and how it operates, with enough examples to type it beyond
question; and with clinical precision it describes the hysteria that leads to
its end. It also tells us how to recognize a righteous society, usually
presenting the two types to us in close proximity. With these two images firmly
in mind we are told why this presentation is being given, for whose benefit,
and why it is so singularly important. The authors do not ask us to make
comparisons and see ourselves in the picture, because that would be futile: the
wickeder the people are the more they balk at facing their real image and the
more skillful they become in evading, altering, faking, and justifying. So the
book does not tell us to make the comparison—it does it for us, frankly and
brutally.” (The Prophetic Book of Mormon, p. 508)
Alma 9:26 quick to hear the cries of the people and to answer their
prayers
Bruce R. McConkie
“Proper
prayers are made to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the
Holy Ghost. The Father answers prayers,
but he does it through the Son, into whose hands he has committed all
things." (Promised Messiah,
p. 557, as taken from McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, vol. 3, p. 66)
Alma 9:31 the people were wroth with me
Alma uses great boldness
which is not well received. This is according to the recurring Book of Mormon
theme, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for
it cutteth them to the very center (1 Ne 16:2).
Alma 9:32 sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me
into prison
This is the second time in
this short sermon that the people were upset enough to try to cast Alma into
prison (see v. 7). Like Abinadi who was preserved long enough to deliver his
message and the Savior who slipped out of the hands of his enemies until his
time had come, Alma is preserved by the power of God until he and Amulek had delivered
their message. For the people of Ammohihah, this is how the Lord fills their
cup of iniquity. He waits until they have received the full warning before he
allows them to persecute or kill his prophets. Then he is justified in
punishing them in full measure. The Lord said to the scribes and Pharisees:
‘ye are the children of
them which killed the prophets.
Fill ye up then the
measure of your fathers (in opposing me
and consenting to my death).
Ye serpents, ye
generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Wherefore, behold, I
send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye
shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your
synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
That upon you may come
all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel
unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple
and the altar.
Verily I say unto you,
All these things shall come upon this generation.’ (Matt 23:31-36).