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]
[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.
No comments:
Post a Comment