After getting his army together, he reminded them they are a
remnant Jacob and Joseph. He told them
about his coat, which was ripped apart by his brothers. The Nephites must keep
God’s commandments or they will be cast into prison, sold into slavery, or
killed.
Before his death, Joseph saw that a part of Joseph’s coat
would be preserved. His descendants will
be preserved. “Wherefore, for this cause
hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be
kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to
generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should
never perish as long as the earth should stand” (2 Nephi 25:21).
“For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt,
even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of
Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of
Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of
Joseph that he should perish not” (Ether 13:7).
Some of the remnant of Joseph will perish. Moroni asks could these people be those who
dissented from the Nephites. Should the
Nephites fail to follow the gospel of Christ, it could also be them.
The call went to all Nephites, even those living where there
were dissensions, to gather together and fight to defend their liberty. The dissenters were known as Amalickiahites.
Amalickiah learned Moroni’s army was more powerful than
his. His people doubted their
cause. Fearing he would lose, he
gathered his people and left the land of Nephi.
Moroni did not want to see the Lamanites become a part of
Amalickiah’s army. “Now, the Lamanites were more numerous, yea, by more than
double the number of the Nephites; nevertheless, they were driven insomuch that
they were gathered together in one body in the valley, upon the bank by the
river Sidon” (Alma 43:51).
Moroni decided he would take his army, who had gathered
together “and entered into a covenant to keep the peace” (Alma 46:31) and cut
off Amalickiah’s army in the wilderness.
Moroni’s strategy worked.
He confronted the Amalickiah’s army.
Knowing he would lose, Amalickiah and a few men fled for their
safety. The rest were taken to the land
of Zarahemla.
Having been appointed[1]
by the chief judge and the voice of the people, he was allowed to exercise
authority over the Amalickiahite prisoners.
They were given a choice to either enter into a covenant of freedom, or
be put to death. Most entered into the
covenant. Moroni also had the title of liberty put on every tower throughout
the lands possessed by the Nephites.
This ended the war and peace was maintained throughout the
land. Helaman and the high priests maintained order in the church. Over the next four years, peace was
maintained.
Many died during that time.
The believers who died, died knowing they would be redeemed through
Christ. “Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the
peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by
which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye
shall rest with him in heaven … And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope
through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised
unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the
promise” (Moroni 7:3, 41).
Some who died, died “with fevers” that were common during
certain times of the years. They Nephites
knew of plants and roots to treat the people in their illness. Mormon credited the Lord for the plants and
roots. “…God had prepared to remove the
cause of disease, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate” (Alma
46:40).
Many who died, died from old age. “[A]nd those who died in
the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must need suppose.” (Alma 46:41).
[1] “Now,
the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been appointed to be the chief
captain over the Nephites—now the chief captain took the command of all the
armies of the Nephites—and his name was Moroni” (Alma 43:16).
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