Alma 33:12-23

After quoting Zenos, he asked if they believed in the scriptures written of old.  Scriptures are essential to understanding the word of God.  Paul wrote to the Romans,

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4); he also wrote Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable [GR beneficial or useful for instruction] for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Nephi established the essential nature of scriptures with his people.  After obtaining the brass plates, he wrote, “And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children” (1 Nephi 5:21); “And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning” (1 Nephi 19:23).

If they have read and believe the scriptures, how can they deny the Son of God?

Additional scriptural references to which the Nephites had accessed.  Jacob wrote, “For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us” (Jacob 4:4).

Abinadi prophesied, “Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions.  And now, are they not his seed? Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began?  I say unto you that they are his seed” (Mosiah 15:11-13).

Alma quotes another prophet lost to us but his words were recorded on the brass plates.  That prophet was Zenock.  He was first referenced by Nephi (see 1 Nephi 19:10).  Zenock, praying, told the Lord he knew He was angry because the people refused to accept and understand the mercies Christ would bestow on them.  The people refused to listen to his words and he died a martyr’s death, death by stoning.

Moses prophesied of Christ.  “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken … And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:15, 17-18).

When the Israelites were rebelling against Moses’s leadership (Numbers 21:6-7), the Lord sent serpents which bit the people.  The Lord commanded Moses, And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole:[1] and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9).

Those that looked at the serpent on the pole, lived.  Those who refused, died.

Nephi referred to the serpents in his writing.

“And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity.  He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished” (1 Nephi 17:41).

“And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err.  And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:20).

Referring back to the serpent incident, Alma asks, if giving the choice of looking at the raised serpents and being healed, or hardening their hearts with unbelief and refusing to look, wouldn’t you look at the serpent and be healed?

“The power of the story of the fiery serpents is multiplied when we learn from the Book of Mormon text that many perished because they refused to look upon the brazen serpent. With this additional detail, the story provides not only a type of Christ raised up as Savior but also a challenge for all people to choose Christ through simple obedience to his word.”^[2]

Should they refuse to accept Christ, woe shall come upon them.  They should cast their eyes on Christ and begin believing in Him and the redemption of His people. “Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come” (Alma 25:16).

Christ will atone for their sins and rise again so we may all take part in the resurrection.

“And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.  Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement” (2 Nephi 2:10).

“And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory” (Alma 22:14).

“That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:23).

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

“Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil” (Alma 11:44).

After the resurrection they will be judge by Him according to their works. 

Alma told them he wanted them to plant the word of Christ in their hearts.[3] As it grows, it will nourish their faith.[4]  As it is nourished, it will become a tree “springing up in you unto everlasting life” (Alma 33:23). 

He asked God to grant their burdens will be light,[5] through Christ. 

“Whatever the reason, Alma never suggested that the oppressed Zoramites leave Antionum or rebel against the elite. Instead, he promised that if they would nourish the seed of the gospel, it would grow … While this advice was pertinent to their problem of overcoming or enduring the oppression they were experiencing in Antionum, it may have led them to reflect on their situation before they withdrew from Nephite culture. Perhaps Alma’s words caused them to wonder how different their circumstances would have been had they remained in Zarahemla and stayed true to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”^[6]

The Lord is the ultimate caregiver. We must surrender ourselves to the Lord. In doing so, we give up whatever is causing our pain and turn everything over to Him. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee” (Ps. 55:22) … Through faith and trust in the Lord and obedience to His counsel, we make ourselves eligible to be partakers of the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that one day we may return to live with Him.[7]

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[1] “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14).

[2] Insights – A Window on the Ancient World, Volume 26, Number 2, pg. 3.

[3] “Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness” (Alma 34:4).

[4] “But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life” (Alma 32:41).

[5] “And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:13-15).

[6] The Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 84.

[7] Healing Soul and Body, Elder Robert D. Hales, October 1998 General Conference.

Alma 33:1-11

Alma finished his sermon on faith.  He was next questioned by the group.  First, they asked, should we believe in one God? The Book of Mormon makes it clear the answer is yes.  Nephi wrote, “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen” (2 Nephi 31:21).  Abinadi taught, “would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth” (Mosiah 15:1-4).

They also questioned how they might obtain he fruit of which he spoke.  How should they plant the seed?  How should they exercise their faith?  These were all very good and important questions and they needed guidance.

Alma responded by reminding them they said they could not worship[1] in their synagogues.  But, if they believed they could only worship in a synagogue, they were wrong.  They should search the scriptures an understand them. “I say unto you, that there are not any among you, except it be your little children that have not been taught concerning these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are; and also have been taught concerning the records which contain the prophecies which have been spoken by the holy prophets, even down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem” (Mosiah 2:34).

“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.”^[2]

Alma then quotes Zenos.   We first learned of Zenos in 1 Nephi 19:10.  Nephi quotes Zenos as prophesying about events in Christ’s life.^[3]  We have been promised the day will come when we will be given a translation of the brass plates.  “[T]he plates of brass will serve as a third witness to the Bible and also will testify that the Book of Mormon is a witness to the Bible. They will make known many of the plain and precious parts that had been lost from the Bible up to the time of Jeremiah (see 1 Nephi 13:26–29).”^[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,[5]

and thou didst turn them to me.

Yea, O God,

and thou wast merciful unto me

     when I did cry unto thee

          in my ^afield;[6]

      when I did cry unto thee

           in my prayer,

and thou didst hear me.

And again, O God,

when I did

     turn to my house

     thou didst hear me

          in my prayer.

And when I did turn

unto my closet,[7] O Lord,

     and prayed unto thee,

     thou didst hear me.

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.

Yea, O God,

thou hast been merciful unto me,

     and heard my cries in the midst

     of thy congregations.

Yea, and thou hast also heard me

when I have been cast out[8]

     and have been despised

          by mine enemies;

yea, thou didst hear

     my cries,

and wast angry

     with mine enemies,

and thou didst visit[9] them

     in thine anger

     with speedy destruction.

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 33:4-11

“Alma explained to the poor Zoramites that though their outward appearance excluded them from worshipping inside the Zoramite synagogues, their inner humility allowed them to worship outside the confines of the synagogues they helped to build. He taught the poor that they could pray with great effectiveness in their fields, in their closets, in the midst of their congregations (i.e., in their synagogues), and when they were ‘cast out and [had] been despised by [their] enemies’ (Alma 33:10), as they had been because of their coarse apparel.”^[10]

In researching for this post, I came across a story that was reminiscent of the Zoramites.  I share with you a short quote from the article, but I strongly recommend reading the entire article.  It’s seeing the Book of Mormon teachings in action.

During that time, I devoured the Book of Mormon as never before. As often as I could, I went home and read from the Book of Mormon with my family and partook of the sacrament in the comfort and safety of our home. We identified with the poorer class of the Zoramites who had been cast out of their synagogues “because of [their] exceeding poverty; and [they had] no place to worship [their] God” (Alma 32:5). We were comforted by the Spirit of the Lord and knew that, though we were cast out and despised by our enemies, the Lord heard our sincere cries in our afflictions (see Alma 33:10–11).^[11]

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[1] “And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?” (Alma 32:5).

[2] The Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 79.

[3] “And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel” (1 Nephi 19:10).

[4] Other Ancient American Records Yet to Come Forth, Monte S. Nyman, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/1 (2001): 56.

[5] “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

[6] “Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks” (Alma 34:20).

[7] “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:5-6).

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“But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness” (Alma 34:26).

[8] “And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?” (Alma 32:5).

[9] “Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly” (Psalms 3:7).

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“He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me” (Psalms 18:17).

[10] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 45.

[11] With Real Intent: A Priceless Gem, Andrew E. Dadson, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 12/1 (2003): 102.

Alma Chapter 32 Concept Map

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Alma 32:26-43

Alma continues teaching faith.

Faith is not a perfect knowledge. You cannot know with a perfect knowledge. He wants them to conduct an experiment, exercising “a particle of faith” (Alma 32:27). “Alma did not require people engaged in the most important research project of their lives to begin with something ‘known to be true’—they only had to ‘desire to believe’ (Alma 32:27).”^[1]

In the chapters following the confrontation with Korihor, we find Alma giving us his sermon on faith (see Alma 32). There Alma describes faith not as a perfect knowledge but as a thirsting after knowledge that causes us to experiment and try out the promises made to us by God. In doing this we find that our faculties are aroused and our understanding enlightened and that our faith has grown (Alma 32:26–28).[2]

Alma compares the word of God to a seed.[3] They take the seed and plant it in their hearts. If it is a good seed, and don’t get rid of it through unbelief, it will begin to grow in their breast. You will know it’s a good seed when you feel in enlarge your soul. You become enlightened and it becomes delicious. “Alma’s special regard for the word, and his recognition that inspired verbal truth can change lives, is evident in his sermon to the Zoramite castoffs. There he, too, employs metaphor in likening the word of God to a seed that we must plant in our hearts and nourish to a fulness of faith (Alma 32:28–43).”^[4]

The growth of the seed increases a person’s faith; it has not grown to perfect knowledge.  As the seeds sprouts and begins to grow, we know it is a good seed.  The growth of the seed strengthens your faith. 

Just as soil needs preparation for a seed, so does a human heart for the word of God to take root. Before he told the people to plant the seed, Alma told them that their hearts were prepared. They had been persecuted and cast out of their churches. Alma with his love and the circumstances of their lives, which led them to be humble, had prepared them. They were then ready to hear the word of God. If they chose to plant it in their hearts, the growth in their souls would surely follow, and that would increase their faith.[5]

As the seed grows, we go from faith to knowledge.^[6]  Faith how now become dormant because you know.^[7] The word has grown and expands in your soul. “If we exercise our faculties and develop the moral character necessary for the experiment to work, the seed, which is the true word of Christ, swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow’ (v. 30). Alma then makes the crucial distinction: ‘Are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea’ (v. 31).”^[8]

Truth is light and whatever is light is good.  Is your knowledge perfect is you know the light?  No. You must not lay aside your faith.  You have just experimented with the seed and learned the seed was good.

The word of God, as Alma said, is like a seed planted in our hearts that produces faith as it begins to grow within us (see Alma 32:27–43; see also Romans 10:13–17). Faith will not come from the study of ancient texts as a purely academic pursuit. It will not come from archaeological digs and discoveries. It will not come from scientific experiments. It will not even come from witnessing miracles. These things may serve to confirm faith, or at times to challenge it, but they do not create faith. Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word.[9]

If you neglect the seed, it will be on rocky ground, scorched by the Sun.  Though it be a good seed, it will never take root.  It will never grow and take root.^[10]  It will not bring forth good fruit as it will die. Failing to nourish the word means you will never be able to pluck the fruit of the tree of life.[11]

Because of their diligence and faith, the word will take root and grow.  They will be able to pluck the fruit of the tree of life.  They shall reap the rewards of faith through diligence, patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bear fruit. “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).^[12]

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[1] Often in Error, Seldom in Doubt: Rod Meldrum and Book of Mormon DNA, Gregory L. Smith, FARMS Review 22/1 (2010): 117.

[2]The Gospel and the Captive Woman, Ted Vaggalis, FARMS Review 18/1 (2006): 282.

[3] “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:11-15).

[4] The Book of Mormon: Passport to Discipleship, Marilyn Arnold, Mormon Studies Review 23/1 (2011): 3.

[5] To Touch a Life with Faith, President Henry B. Eyring, October 1995 General Conference.

[6] “And because of the ^aknowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had ^cfaith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting” (Ether 3:19).

[7] “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalms 19:7).

[8] Faith, Reason, Knowledge, and Truth, Richard N. Williams, FARMS Review 20/1 (2008): 107.

[9] The Blessing of Scripture, D. Todd Christofferson, April 2010 General Conference.

[10] “And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony [IE rocky land over which a thin layer of soil spread] places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them” (Matthew 13:3-7).

[11] “Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren.  Amen” (1 Nephi 15:36).

[12] “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth and endureth; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 13:23).

Alma 32:17-25

Alma continues teaching the Zoramite poor.

Many ask for signs.  If we see a sign,[1] we will for sure what Alma teaches is true and we will believe.  The Savior addressed signs during His earthly ministry in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.  “Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:27-31).

Alma asks a key question, “I ask, is this faith?” (Alma 32:18) and answers it.  If a person sees a sign, they no longer believe as they have knowledge.  If a person knows the will of God, and doesn’t do it, he is more cursed than those who only believe but fell into sin.[2]  “Hearken and hear, O ye my people, saith the Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of all blessings, ye that hear me; and ye that hear me not will I curse, that have professed my name, with the heaviest of all cursings” (D&C 41:1).

Alma defines faith.  “[F]aith^[3] is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). “Now faith is the substance [GR assurance, basis, foundation] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).^[4]

God, Alma taught, is merciful to those who believe in Him; therefore, He desires all to believe in His word.^[5]

Another interesting biblical theme might be noted in connection with the passage just discussed (Alma 32:21). Because “things” can be read as “words,” it would seem that Alma speaks of words as things that can be seen. That might seem odd, but it is a venerable biblical tradition as well. Seeing words appears on occasion in biblical prophetic texts, including the superscription to Isaiah 2:1 (cited in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 12:1): “The word that Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.” While as contemporary readers, we might typically associate words with the physical act of hearing rather than seeing, as illustrated via Isaiah 2:1, it was not uncommon for Israelite and later Jewish sources to conceptualize a prophetic word as something that could, in fact, be seen.^[6]

God gives his words to men by angels.  Alma makes it clear that not only are men given His word, but women[7] and children[8] as well.  With His words, they are able to confound the wise.

One of the most sacred experiences in the Book of Mormon occurs during Christ’s ministry to the Nephites.  He had them gather their children together.

“And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter. And it came to pass that after he had ascended into heaven—the second time that he showed himself unto them, and had gone unto the Father, after having healed all their sick, and their lame, and opened the eyes of their blind and unstopped the ears of the deaf, and even had done all manner of cures among them, and raised a man from the dead, and had shown forth his power unto them, and had ascended unto the Father—Behold, it came to pass on the morrow that the multitude gathered themselves together, and they both saw and heard these children; yea, even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things; and the things which they did utter were forbidden that there should not any man write them” (3 Nephi 26:14-16).

Alma realized in the group there were those who were forced to be humble; however, there were others who would have been humble regardless of their circumstances.

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[1] “For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith … And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God” (Ether 12:12, 18).

[2] “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke [IE pretext, excuse] for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. (John 15:22-24).

[3] “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”

(John 20:29).

[4] “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Joseph Smith Translation, Hebrews 11:1).

[5] “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6).

[6] The Word and the Seed: The Theological Use of Biblical Creation in Alma 32, David E. Bokovoy, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 23 (2014): 13.

[7] “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29).

[8] “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank [GR praise] thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes [GR innocent people]” (Matthew 11:25).

Alma 32:8-16

They had asked, what can we do as we are cast out of the synagogue?   How can we worship God?  Alma asked if they believed they could only worship in their synagogues?  Do they believe they only have to worship once per week?[1]

Their being cast out of their synagogues was a good thing as it made them humble.  Through their humility, they were ready to learn wisdom.[2]  They had been brought to their humility through their treatment. 

The scripture makes it clear to be in tune with the Spirit and serve the Lord, we must be humble.  It is through our humility we serve the Lord.  It is best we become humble before the Lord on our own. Others have humility forced upon them.  Those who humble themselves voluntarily a more blessed than those who are compelled to be humbled.[3]

Since it was the clothing of the poor that caused them to be cast out of the synagogues, Alma was proclaiming that the coarseness of their clothing had compelled them to be humble and was therefore directly connected to their blessed state. Ironically, by the end of the story the rich Zoramites would be placed in a similar position to the poor, having been compelled to be humble through their defeat in battle. However, unlike the positive example of the poor Zoramites, the narrative never shows the rich seeking repentance because of that compulsion. These literary ironies are once again made possible through the contrast in appearance of the poorly and richly dressed Zoramites.[4]

Now they are humble, they should seek to repent.  If they repent, they will find mercy.  If they but endure to the end, they will be saved.  Speaking to his son, Shiblon, he would tell him, “And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end” (Alma 38:2).

By taking Jesus’ yoke upon us and enduring, we learn most deeply of Him and especially how to be like Him. (See Matt. 11:29.) Even though our experiences are micro compared to His, the process is the same.

There are so many things to be endured: illness, injustice, insensitivity, poverty, aloneness, unresponsiveness, being misrepresented and misunderstood, and, sometimes, even enemies. Paul reminds us that meek and lowly Jesus, though the Lord of the universe, “endured contradiction of sinners against himself.” (Heb. 12:3.) Smaller variations of these contradictions or hostilities will be felt by His disciples.

We tend to think only in terms of our endurance, but it is God’s patient long-suffering which provides us with our chances to improve, affording us urgently needed developmental space or time. (See Alma 42:4–5.)

Paul observed, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” (Heb. 12:11.) Such “peaceable fruit” comes only in the appointed season thereof, after the blossoms and the buds.

Otherwise, if certain mortal experiences were cut short, it would be like pulling up a flower to see how the roots are doing. Put another way, too many anxious openings of the oven door, and the cake falls instead of rising. Moreover, enforced change usually does not last, while productive enduring can ingrain permanent change. (See Alma 32:13–16.)…

[T]rue enduring represents not merely the passage of time, but the passage of the soul—and not merely from A to B, but sometimes all the way from A to Z. To endure in faith and doeth God’s will. (See D&C 63:20; D&C 101:35) therefore involves much more than putting up with a circumstance. Rather than shoulder-shrugging, true enduring is soul-trembling. Jesus bled not at a few, but “at every pore.” (D&C 19:18.)[5]

During His ministry to the Nephites, the Savior would tell them, “Behold, I am the law, and the light.  Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life” (3 Nephi 15:9).  “And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:6).

“Alma had emphasized inward evidences that come by experimenting upon the word of Christ rather than on outward indications of elect status before God. These inward evidences—made available through humility and faith (Alma 32:16, 27)—include knowledge (32:34), feelings of enlightenment (32:34), expansion (32:34), light (32:35), growth (32:41), and sweetness (32:42).[6]

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[1] “And there was one day in every week that was set apart that they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in their power, to assemble themselves together” (Mosiah 18:25).

[2] “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right” (Proverbs 16:8).

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“The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out” (Proverbs 28:11).

[4] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 45.

[5] “Endure It Well,” Elder Neal A. Maxwell, April 1990 General Conference.

[6] Ibid.

Alma 32:1-7

After Alma’s prayer, his party went forth and began to preach to the Zoramites. They preached in their synagogue, their houses, as well as in the streets.

Like the prologue to John’s Gospel, Alma 32 is structured around the term word. Alma 32 begins with an editorial statement that prepares readers for Alma’s sermon concerning the word of God:

And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their streets. (Alma 32:1) (Italics in original)

The narrator’s two references to the term word in this passage, together with repeated mention of word later in Alma’s sermon, suggest the attestation of a biblical-like theme word or leitwort (the technique of word repetition[1]). Following the repetition of word in the introduction, the chapter continues with this theme.[2]

They began to have success among the poor class. They were cast of the synagogues because their clothing didn’t meet the standards of the main body of the Zoramites. They were considered filthy; they were considered scum.

The Lord has made it clear it is our responsibility to care for the poor.

·       “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).

·       “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached” (Luke 7:22).

·       “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor” (Psalms 10:2).

·       “The poor is hated even of his own neighbor” (Proverbs 14:20).

·       “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker” (Proverbs 17:5).

·       “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13).

·       “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27).

In his description of Alma’s teaching, Mormon further develops the connection between the costly apparel of the Zoramites and their form of worship. Mormon reveals that the Zoramite people contained a lower class, a poor group that had been cast out of the synagogues “because of the coarseness of their apparel” (Alma 32:2). (The Book of Mormon shows a nuanced understanding of the poor, as does the Bible, often portraying them as the group truly prepared to follow God because of their humility and encouraging the rich to provide help to the poor without judging them. See Lindon J. Robison, “‘No Poor among Them,’” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 86–97. See also Compton, “Spirituality of the Outcast,” 139–60.)[3]

Instead of establishing a more equitable system that focused on nurturing one another, they not only marginalized the poor in their society (see Alma 32:3) but refused to care for others. For example, when the smitten antichrist Korihor sought refuge among them, he found no safety even though he professed a similar belief system, but was run down and killed (see Alma 30).[4]

Caring for the poor was an important part of Nephite society. King Benjamin made the clear in his farewell sermon. We are commanded to not to turn away the beggar.

We are all beggars before God. He does not turn us away. We do not beg for forgiveness of our sins in vain. They Lord grants us forgiveness. We have been given everything we have from God, including the very air we breathe.

We are not to judge the person, saying, “The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.” (emphasis mine) (Mosiah 4:17-18).[5]

Alma was preaching on a hill called Onidah. While he was preaching to a group of people, a large group of the poor (both in hear and as to the things of the world) approached Alma.

One in the group, acting as the spokesman, addressed Alma directly. What should we do, he asked, because we have been cast out of our synagogues. We’re hated by the rich because of our poverty.^[6] We helped build the synagogues, and now there is no place in there for us to worship.^[7]

According to Mormon’s narrative, for which he accessed the records of Alma, the poor Zoramites originally “labored abundantly” (Alma 32:5) to build the synagogue, apparently anticipating their participation in the worship of the community. After the completion of the synagogue, however, the poor Zoramites found that their labors did not merit their inclusion in the community’s central religious ritual. Since the form of that ritual was uniquely designed to emphasize appearances, it became clear that the poor Zoramites were not appropriately prepared. Given the Zoramites’ love of fine adornments, it would have been difficult to justify their central doctrine of superiority if those who were poorly attired were allowed to be seen in the influential position atop the Rameumptom.[8]

Hearing this, Alma turned away from the congregation to whom he was preaching towards the poor. He rejoice in their afflictions.[9] They had been humbled and were prepared to hear the word of God.[10] He ceased speaking to the other group and began preaching to the group of the Zoramite poor.

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[1] Numéro Cinq, Leitwort, leading word, word repetition as a technique, Douglas Glover, accessed July 18, 2015.

[2] The Word and the Seed: The Theological Use of Biblical Creation in Alma 32, David E. Bokovoy, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 23 (2014): 11.

[3] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 44, 52.

[4] The Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 78.

[5] For King Benjamin’s complete words, see Mosiah 4:16-24.

[6] “The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly” (Proverbs 18:23).

[7] “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38).

[8] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 44.

[9] “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:1).

[10] “And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—

That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 16:16-17).