Alma 40:1-5

1  NOW my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead.
2  Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immorality, this corruption does not put on incorruption—until after the coming of Christ.
3  Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.  But behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet.  Now, I unfold unto you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself.  But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know—that is concerning the resurrection.

Alma 40:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

There is now a shift in topic.  Alma(2) begins to discuss the resurrection.

The first point he makes is that there will be no resurrection until after the coming of Christ. 

Isaiah wrote:

8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces...

Isaiah 25:8 (Emphasis mine)

Hosea wrote:

14  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death

Hosea 13:14 (Emphasis mine)

This is a concept that was known and taught by other prophets.  Somewhere along the line, Corianton missed the message.

Then, Alma(2) makes an intriguing statement "there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself..." (v3).  There are things that the  "Lord  GOD" will not reveal to man.  No one, "save God himself" will know these things.  I can't help but wonder what these mysteries are.  I guess, in the words of an institute teacher I had, that will  have to be one of the questions that I will ask when I get on the other side.  I sure hope there will be some answers!

4  Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead.  Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God knoweth the time which is appointed.
5  Now, whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case—that there is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead.

Alma 40:4-5 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) shares one of the mysteries - only God knows when all shall be resurrected.  No one, save God, knows this.  

Mormon didn't record Corianton's concerns, so we have to piece things together reading Alma(2)'s response.  Reading the scriptures to this point, I feel he had the following questions/concerns:

1. Is there going to be a resurrection?  I think he had doubts about this.(v1)
2. If there is, when will it happen? (v4)
3. How many times will people be raised from the dead? (v5)

Questions #1 & #2 were answered.  Alma(2) testifies there is going to be a resurrection for all men.  No one knows when, save it be God.

From my perspective, I think Corianton is getting caught up in the little, unimportant stuff.  Alma(2) makes it clear that, not only doesn't he know, but it doesn't matter.  Alma(2) is satisfied to know that there is going to be a resurrection from the dead.  That's all that matters to him.  Everything else is small stuff.

All too frequently, we get caught up in the small stuff.  These things become important to us and we spend too much time worrying about them.  

I'd like to share an experience that I had in a ward  in which I lived.  In the late 1980's, there was a guy that was going around and telling people he knew when the Second Coming would occur.  It would occur sometime during 1989.  (I can't remember if he gave an exact date, but it doesn't matter).  

There was a group in our Ward who really got caught up in this nonsense.  Their entire life was planned around the Second Coming.  For example, they didn't bother to celebrate Christmas 1988.  Why?  Because the Second Coming would occur next year.  Their lives became consumed by this.  Everything they did was based on the Second Coming.  

Obviously, 1989 came and went and there was no Second Coming.  What surprised me most was a conversation I had with a member of our Ward.  I always looked on him as Mr. Stalwart Faithful Member.  He was a member of the stake presidency and had a powerful testimony of the Church.  During the conversation, we talked about this topic.  During the conversation, he looked embarrassed  and said that "a lot of us" got caught up in this.  I was shocked that he had been caught up in this.  I was made clear that no one is immune to getting caught up in things that don't matter.

 

God has not, and will not, reveal all things.  What should matter to us is that God has revealed to us the most important things pertaining to our salvation.  This is what should matter.  Alma(2) was trying to tell Corianton to stop sweating the small stuff and remember what matters. It doesn't matter when the resurrection will occur.  It doesn't matter if there's one, two, or three occurrences.  What matters is that there is going to be a resurrection of the dead.  What matters is that God reveals his words to the prophets.  What matters is that we have records that contain God's words to man.  

These are the things that should matter in our lives; nothing else should.  Thanks be to Alma(2) for these wise words.