Alma 14:1-13

Chapter 14

Alma and Amulek are imprisoned and smitten—The believers and their holy scriptures are burned by fire—These martyrs are received by the Lord in glory—The prison walls are rent and fall—Alma and Amulek are delivered, and their persecutors are slain. About 82–81 B.C.

1 And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto the people many of them did believe on his words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures.

2 But the more part of them were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and had reviled against their law and also against their lawyers and judges.

3 And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily.

4 But it came to pass that they did not; but they took them and bound them with strong cords, and took them before the chief judge of the land.

5 And the people went forth and witnessed against them—testifying that they had reviled against the law, and their lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all the people that were in the land; and also testified that there was but one God, and that he should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them; and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek. Now this was done before the chief judge of the land.

6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.

7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.

8 And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire.

9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.

10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.

13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not. (Alma 14:1-13).

Alma and Amulek had some success in their missionary efforts. Many people accepted their teachings and began to repent and study the scriptures.

“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

“Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ…

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:2-3, 11).

Even so, the majority were angered by Alma’s and Amulek’s words. They were angry “because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom” (Alma 14:2). They pulled out the tired old claim they lied and had slandered their lawyers and judges.

They were also angry with them because they testified plainly against them and their wicked ways. “Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation” (Proverbs 26:26).

They conspired to secretly put them away. People were brought in to testify against them. They claim he had denounced their law, their lawyers, their judges, and all the people in the land.

“The political and legal thrust of this accusation was perhaps fair from their point of view since the political nature of Alma’s ministry was clear. Alma was persuaded to return to Ammonihah because, as the angel told him, ‘they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people’ (Alma 8:17).”[1]

He taught there was only one God. This God would send his Son among the people; but, He would not save them. They continued to testify against Alma and Amulek..

Zeezrom was astonished by the words of Alma and Amulek. He knew the minds of the were blinded by his words.

“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14).

“But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:14).

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness [GR hardness] of their heart” (Ephesians 4:17-18).

“Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish also” (2 Nephi 9:32).

He was devasted by his actions. He understood his role and guilt. He was racked by the pains of hell.

Zeezrom confessed his guilt and proclaimed Alma and Amulek innocent before God. He fought for them. It didn’t take long for the people to turn on him. They claimed he was possessed of a devil. They spit on him and cast him out, along with all those who accepted Alma’s and Amulek’s teachings. It wasn’t enough to just cast them out. Men were sent to follow and stone them and they departed.

Those who believed were rounded up and “caused that they should be cast into the fire” (Alma 13:8). They also gathered the scriptures and threw them on the first, hoping to destroy their records.

Alma and Amulek were taken and forced to watch those who were burned. Amulek was appalled at what he saw. He told Alma, “he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames” (Alma 14:10).

Alma told Amulek the Lord commanded him he must not do anything. The martyrs will be received, in glory, in His kingdom. He allows these things to happen so that His judgements will be brought upon the wicked.

“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

“For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

“The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

“The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:8-13).

“For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 60:13).

The judgements they will face will be brought upon them in the Lord’s wrath. The blood of the innocent will stand as a witness against them. Abinadi’s words to King Noah warned him of the consequences of their actions. “Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day” (Mosiah 17:10).

Amulek then said, “Behold, perhaps they will burn us also” (Alma 14:12). Alma responded whatever happens will be the will of the Lord; but, their work was not finished. They would not be burned.

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[1] “And it came to pass . . .”: The Sociopolitical Events in the Book of Mormon Leading to the Eighteenth Year of the Reign of the Judges, Dan Belnap,  Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 23 (2014): 115.