18 And now Alma and
those that were with him fell again to the earth, for great was their
astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and
his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was
nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and cause it to
tremble as though it would part asunder.
19 And now the
astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, that he could not open
his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands;
therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even
until he was laid before his father.
20 And they rehearsed
unto his father all that had happened unto them; and his father rejoiced, for
he knew that it was the power of God.
21 And he caused that
a multitude should be gathered together that they might witness what the Lord
had done for his son, and also for those that were with him.
22 And he caused that
the priests should assemble themselves together; and they began to fast, and to
pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might
speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of
the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God.
23 And it came to pass
after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the
limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto
them, bidding them to be of good comfort. (Mosiah 27:18-23)
Alma2 is on the ground. The sons of Mosiah were
also astonished. The angel’s voice was like thunder and it shook the earth.
They knew only the power of God could do this.
Alma was struck dumb and cold not move. He was carried by
the sons of Mosiah to his father.
They told Alma1 what had happened. He “rejoiced,
for he knew that it was the power of God” (Mosiah 27:20). He had many gather to
“witness what the Lord had done for his son, and also for those that were with
him” (Mosiah 27:21).
He then gathered the priests together. They began to fast
and pray for Alma2. They asked he would regain his strength and the
people would see the goodness and glory of God. They fasted and prayed for two
days and nights. Alma2 received his strength, stood, and began to
speak to them.
24 For, said he, I
have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born
of the Spirit.
25 And the Lord said
unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations,
kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed
from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed
of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
26 And thus they
become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the
kingdom of God.
27 I say unto you,
unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was
like to be cast off.
28 Nevertheless, after
wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy
hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.
29 My soul hath been
redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the
darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked
with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.
30 I rejected my
Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that
they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of
his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.
31 Yea, every knee
shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when
all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is
God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the
judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake,
and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye (Mosiah
27:24-31).
He told them he repented of his sins and was redeemed of the
Lord. “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall
receive me” (Psalm 49:15). He was “born of the Spirit” (Mosiah 27:24).
Alma was told we all must be born of God. King Benjamin
taught this to his people during his great sermon. And now, because of the covenant
which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his
daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say
that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born
of him and have become his sons and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7).
Alma would also preach on this when teaching in Zarahemla.
“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church,
have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances?
Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts…
“And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I
am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that
dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond
and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the
rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born
again” (Alma 5:14, 49).
We all must change from our carnal state to a righteous
state. We will become the sons and daughters of the Lord. “Wherefore, I beseech
of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that
ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and
condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ” (Moroni 7:19).
When we become the sons and daughters of the Lord, we become
new people. Unless this is done, we cannot inherit the kingdom of God. “Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
Those who reject this, “must be the case, they must be cast
off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off” (Mosiah 27:27).
After suffering for his sins, he repented and was snatched from
everlasting burning and was born of God. Jacob described this burning. “And
assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his
eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be
righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they
who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into
everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and
brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end” (2 Nephi
9:16).
Alma2’s soul was redeemed from bitterness and
bonds of iniquity. “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness [OR on my
peace came great bitterness]: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it
from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back” (Isaiah
38:17).
His soul was racked with eternal torment. King Benjamin
described this torment. “Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and
dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal
soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from
the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and
anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever
and ever” (Mosiah 2:38).
But, he had been forgiven and he has no more pain caused by
his sins.
He rejected Christ and denied all that had been spoken of
Him. He will come and make Himself manifest to all.
“For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth
is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
“And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into
the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that
hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit” (D&C 84:45-46).
The day will come when every knew shall bow and every tongue
confess Jesus is the Christ.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name:
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things
in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
“And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all
people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear
shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while
they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who
sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come”
(D&C 88:104).
“And the saints rejoiced in their redemption, and bowed the
knee and acknowledged the Son of God as their Redeemer and Deliverer from death
and the chains of hell” (D&C 138:23).
This confession will happen at the judgement. Those who live
without Christ will face judgement. “That at that time ye were without Christ,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants
of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
“Being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ means to walk
in a newness of life. It means learning to yield to the Spirit and responding
to the things that the Lord expects us to respond to. It means caring for and
serving others with deep, considerate feelings rather than pursuing the natural
desires of our own lives. In our day and time there has been a great tendency
to shrug off the things of the Spirit as we become more and more involved in
worldly things. We seem to be living in a world where people give little thought
to others, as they are busily caring for their own needs. As followers of
Christ, we must live outside ourselves and lose ourselves in service to others.”[1]
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