Alma 21:2 a great city, which was called Jerusalem
“This
was a Lamanite city, built within the borders of the land of Nephi. Nephite apostates-the Amulonites and
Amalekites-aided in its construction. Its
inhabitants always warred against those sent to it with the message of
salvation. It is listed among those
cities destroyed at the time of Christ's death. ‘Waters have I caused to come up in
the stead thereof,’ the Lord said, ‘to hide
their wickedness and abominations from before my face, that the blood of the
prophets and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them’
(3 Nephi 9:7).”
(McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol.
3, p. 152)
Alma 21:3-4 the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder
By this time in the Book of
Mormon, the people are not divided on racial lines as much as religious and
political lines. There is a great amount of mixing of Nephite and Lamanite
blood. The Amulonites are the descendants of the priests of Noah who were half
Nephite (fathers) and half Lamanite (mothers). The Amalekites are apostate
Nephites. The story of their dissent from the Nephites is not given by Mormon.
They are a different group than the Amlicites spoken of in Alma 2-3. Given that
these Amulonites and Amalekites practiced religion after
the order of the Nehors (a recent religious movement), the dissent of
the Amalekites probably occurred not long before Aaron showed up (see Alma
1:15-16).
The story of these two
groups is crucial to the book of Alma. It won’t be long before we will be
reading about the many, hard-fought wars between the Lamanites and Nephites. It
is the Amulonites and Amalekites who are the instigators and main military
leaders of the Lamanite armies. They become a perpetual thorn in the side of
the Nephites. Of their wickedness, Mormon commented, And
thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by
the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to
righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they
become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had
never known these things (Alma 24:30).
“Both
of these groups of people believed in the ‘order of the Nehors’, and they were
so hardened in wickedness that only one Amalekite and no Amulonites were
converted by the four sons of Mosiah and their companions (Alma 23:14).” (Daniel
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p.208)
“When the Prophet [Joseph Smith]
had ended telling how he had been treated [by apostates], Brother Behunnin
remarked; ‘If I should leave this Church I would not do as those men have done:
I would go to some remote place where Mormonism had never been heard of, settle
down, and no one would ever learn that I knew anything about it.’ The great
Seer immediately replied: ‘Brother Behunnin, you don’t know what you would do.
No doubt these men once thought as you do. Before you joined this Church you
stood on neutral ground. When the gospel was preached good and evil were set
before you. You could choose either or neither. There were two opposite masters
inviting you to serve them. When you joined this Church you enlisted to serve
God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can get back
on to it. Should you forsake the master you enlisted to serve, it will be by
the instigation of the evil one, and you will follow his dictation and be his
servant.’ He [further] emphasized the fact that a man or woman who had not
taken sides either with Christ or Belial could maintain a neutral position, but
when they enlisted under either the one or the other they left the neutral
ground forever.” (Juvenile Instructor, Aug. 15, 1892, p. 492 as taken
from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas
Bassett, p. 228)
Alma 21:6 How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people?
Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and we do…worship God
This is one of Satan’s most
effective arguments. As missionaries knock on doors, they are frequently told,
“we have a religion, we have no need of your Book of Mormon.” In so saying, the
individual is often using this as an excuse to dismiss the new message. To
them, having a religion is like having a car, a family, or a dog—it doesn’t
matter what kind it is as long as you have one. For years, the missionaries in
Western Europe have struggled because the people there have felt like the
Amalekites, saying, in effect, “we have a religion, we have no need of yours.”
Satan would much rather have
people believe in a religion which teaches that all are saved than that they
have no religion at all. Those without religion often turn to God at some
point, looking for answers to the meaning of life. A perfunctory, superficial
religion, on the other hand, fosters spiritual complacency and keeps the
individual from searching for more. Such is the religion of the Amalekites.
Neal A. Maxwell
“Therefore,
as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as
he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend
with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel?
Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good as thy
people? (Alma 21:5.)
We
also see rationalzation in the raw…Likewise open to plain view are the
consequences of lapsed faith:
“’And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have
been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of
things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and
transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse
than though they had never known these things.’ (Alma 24:30.)
“We
see variations in disbelievers, such as the paradox of some who believe vaguely
but whose beliefs are not connected
with their daily behavior. Some assume that the god they worship is a
very permissive as well as passive god.
“Empty
homage to a passive deity inevitably results in a permissive laity, as Alma
explains: ‘Now this was the tradition of Lamoni,
which he had received from his father, that there was a Great Spirit.
Notwithstanding they believed in a Great Spirit, they supposed that whatsoever
they did was right.’ (Alma 18:5.)
“We
can better understand, therefore, why the adversary is anxious that people not
be given those particularized saving truths that pertain to the past, present,
and future. In the Book of Mormon we see several incidents of people who
strayed and faltered because of their proud provincialism, and who then stoutly
maintained that they could not know that which is to come. One example is the
Zoramites, who, Alma said, ‘did offer up, every man,
the self-same prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him,
and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren, and
that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they
knew nothing about.’ (Alma 31:22.)
“How
fascinating to see adherence to a false religion in which superficial ritual,
proud contentment, and a haughty rejection of prophecy were so adroitly
combined! Sanctioned agnosticism can be very insistent on its own orthodoxy.” (Plain
and Precious Things, pp. 66-67)
Alma 21:16 they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit
of the Lord
How many prayers have been
offered on behalf of the missionaries that they might be led to those who are
searching after the truth? The missionaries themselves are praying for that
same blessing, but it takes some real spiritual courage to depend
wholeheartedly on the Spirit. A good missionary, like Aaron, must know how to
be led by the Spirit.
Harold B. Lee
“I
must go on many occasions, as did Nephi of old, being
led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do (1
Ne 4:6). Yes though the night be dark, ‘I do not ask to see the distant
scene—one step [is] enough for me.’” (Conference Report, Apr. 1970, pp.
125-6)
Harold B. Lee
“Walk
to the edge of the light, and perhaps a few steps into the darkness, and you
will find that the light will appear and move ahead of you.” (Boyd K.
Packer: A Watchman on the Tower, p. 138)
Wilford Woodruff
“I
went one evening to fill an appointment in the Town Hall, at the town of
Hanley. There was a very large congregation, and I had appointments out for two
or three weeks in that town and adjacent villages. As I went to take my seat
the Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said to me, ‘this is the last meeting
you will hold with this people for many days.’ I was surprised, because I did
not know, of course what the Lord wanted me to do. I told the assembly when I
rose, ‘This is the last meeting I shall hold with you for many days.’ They
asked me after meeting where I was going. I told them I did not know. I went
before the Lord in my closet and asked him where he wished me to go, and all
the answer I could get was to go to the South. I got into a stage and rode
eighty miles south, as I was led by the Spirit of the Lord. The first man's
house I went into was John Benbow's…and I told him that the Lord had sent me to
that place. But without wishing to dwell on this subject particularly I will
say that I learned that there were six hundred people there, under Elder
Kington, called ‘United Brethren,’ and that they had been praying to the Lord
for guidance in the way of life and salvation. Then I knew why the Lord had
sent me to that place—he had sent them what they had been praying for. I
commenced preaching the Gospel to them, and I also commenced baptizing, Elder
Pitt being among the first who was baptized by me into this Church and kingdom.
The first thirty days after I arrived there I had baptized forty-five
preachers, which flung nearly fifty preaching places, licensed by law, into my
hands; and out of the six hundred belonging to Elder Kington's body all were
baptized but one in seven months' labor. I brought eighteen hundred into the
Church in that mission, and I will say that the power of God rested upon me and
upon the people.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 15, p. 344)
Alma 21:21 he did teach them many things
The Book of Mormon has many
stories of recent converts becoming great missionaries. Lamoni, Amulek, and
even Zeezrom become great instruments in the hand of the Lord. Lamoni’s ability
to teach his people is key. The Lamanites are naturally suspicious of the
Nephites and they are much less likely to listen to Ammon without the testimony
of someone they trust. Lamoni provides that much needed second witness.
Alma 21:22 the liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to
their desires
Religious liberty under a
monarchy is a rare phenomenon in the history of the world. The royal history of
England is the best example of incredible conflict over religion. Yet Lamoni uses
no coercion. He teaches his subjects the gospel but explains that they are free
to worship according to their desires.
Brigham Young
“It
is a love of liberty which inspires my soul—civil and religious liberty to the
whole of the human race…I ask, Did I ever exercise any compulsion over any man?
Did I not give him the liberty of disbelieving any doctrine [that] I have
preached?” (Hugh Nibley, Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, pp.
518-9)