Chapter 33
Zenos taught that men should pray and worship in all places, and that judgments are turned away because of the Son—Zenock taught that mercy is bestowed because of the Son—Moses had lifted up in the wilderness a type of the Son of God. About 74 B.C.
1 NOW after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith.
2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them.
Alma 33:1-2 (Emphasis mine)
The people had questions for Alma(2). In order for the seed to grow and be able to partake of the tree, should we believe in one God? We’ve been cast out of the synagogues. How can we worship?
Alma(2) responded that if they think they can’t worship because they’ve been cast out of the synagogues, they have made a mistake. If you think this is what you have been taught in the scriptures, you don’t understand them.
In verse 2, we learn about education and the Zoramite society. This is that they were a literate people. Alma(2) comments that they should “search the scriptures.” If you can’t read, it doesn’t do you much good to search the scriptures.
Sherrie Mills Johnson writes:
“It is interesting to note that usually education and ability play a part in class discrimination. However, when Alma addressed the Zoramite poor, he assumed they could read (see Alma 33:2—3, 12, 14). This is a revealing insight into both Zoramite and Nephite culture. Despite the fact that these people were poor and of the lowest social class, they were literate.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?
4 For he said:
Thou art merciful, O God,
for thou hast heard my prayer,
even when I was in the wilderness;
yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed
concerning those who were mine enemies,
and thou didst turn them to me.
5 Yea, O God, and
thou wast merciful unto me
when I did cry unto thee in my field;
when I did cry unto thee in my prayer,
and thou didst hear me.
6 And again, O God,
when I did turn to my house
thou didst hear me in my prayer.
7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord,
and prayed unto thee,
thou didst hear me.
8 Yea, thou art merciful
unto thy children
when they cry unto thee,
to be heard of thee
and not of men,
and thou wilt hear them.
9 Yea, O God,
thou hast been merciful unto me,
and heard my cries
in the midst of thy congregations.
10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me
when I have been cast out
and have been despised
by mine enemies;
yea, thou didst hear my cries,
and wast angry with mine enemies,
and thou didst visit them
in thine anger
with speedy destruction.
11 And thou didst hear me
because of mine afflictions
and my sincerity;
and it is because
of thy Son
that thou hast been
thus merciful unto me,
therefore I will cry unto thee
in all mine afflictions,
for in thee is my joy;
for thou hast turned
thy judgments
away from me,
because of thy Son.
Alma 33:3-11 (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) then quotes an unknown prophet – Zenos. While he is unknown to us, obviously he was known to the people. He was probably known to the Nephites through his writings on the brass plates.
Daniel Ludlow gives us more information about Zenos.
“Zenos is one of four Israelite prophets of Old Testament times cited in the book of Mormon whose writings appeared on the plates of brass but who are not mentioned in the Old Testament (see also Zenock; Neum; and Ezias). Zenos is quoted or mentioned by Nephi1 (1 Ne. 19:10—17), Jacob (Jacob 5:1—77; 6:1), Alma2 (Alma 33:3—11, 13, 15), Amulek (Alma 34:7), Nephi2 (Hel. 8:19—20), and Mormon (3 Ne. 10:14—17).
“Although specific dates and details of Zenos' life and ministry are not known, the Book of Mormon provides considerable information about him from his teachings and related facts. Evidently he lived sometime between 1600 and 600 B.C. because he was apparently a descendant of Joseph of Egypt and his writings were on the plates of brass taken from Jerusalem to the Americas by Nephi(1) about 600 B.C. He may also have been a progenitor of the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi (cf. 3 Ne. 10:16). Zenos spent time ‘in the wilderness’ (Alma 33:4), but also preached ‘in the midst’ of the ‘congregations’ of God (Alma 33:9) … Finally, he was slain because of his bold testimony of the coming of the ‘Son of God’ (Hel. 8:13—19).
“A major theme in the teachings of Zenos was the destiny of the house of Israel …” [2] (Emphasis mine)
The point of Alma(2) quoting this passage is to show the people that there is no one place where you can worship. Zenos prayed and worshiped in his field, after he had been cast out, in his afflictions, in his house, in his closet, in his congregation.
This was important for the new believers. They had been taught and believed that, only in the synagogue, could one worship. Here Alma(2) clarifies you can worship anywhere and any time you desire.
[1] The Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 3, 2011.
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