Alma 8:27-32, Alma 9:1-4

27  And Alma tarried many days with Amulek before he began to preach unto the people.

28  And it came to pass that the people did wax more gross in their iniquities.

29  And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people, saying—Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my fierce anger away.

30  And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost.

31  And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power until they were bound in bands and cast into prison.  Now, this was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.

32  And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach and to prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and power which the Lord had given them.

Alma 8:27-32 (Emphasis mine)

Finally, the time came for Alma(2) to go and preach to the people.  But he was not to go alone.  Amulek was to go with him.  They went forth with the power of God behind them. 

It was not possible to kill them; they couldn’t be jailed.  Even though they had this protection, they only used it when they could show that they went forth with the power of the Lord.  For example, they only time they exercised their power to keep from being confined in prisons was when there were thrown into prisons.  Then they used their power and were released from confinement.

 Thomas Valletta writes: 

“After Alma's return to Ammonihah and while he was spiritually preparing Amulek, the people ‘did wax more gross in their iniquities’ (Alma 8:28). Again Alma ‘went forth,’ this time with Amulek, ‘to declare the words of God unto’ the wicked of Ammonihah (Alma 8:30). Filled with the Holy Ghost, Alma and Amulek preached and prophesied ‘according to the spirit and power which the Lord had given them’ (Alma 8:32). Alma was the first to speak, but his spirit and power seemed not to influence the people. They reacted contentiously (see Alma 9:1).” [1]     (Emphasis mine)

The words of Alma, and also the words of Amulek, which were declared unto the people who were in the land of Ammonihah.  And also they are cast into prison, and delivered by the miraculous power of God which was in them, according to the record of Alma.

Comprising chapters 9 to 14 inclusive.

Chapter 9

Alma commands the people of Ammonihah to repent—The Lord will be merciful to the Lamanites in the last days—If the Nephites forsake the light, they shall be destroyed by the Lamanites—The Son of God soon cometh—He shall redeem those who repent and are baptized and have faith in his name. About 82 B.C.

We now return to Alma(2)’s account.

1  AND again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me, saying:

2  Who art thou?  Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth should pass away?

3  Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the earth should pass away.

4  And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one day.

Alma 9:1-4 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) began to preach and he was immediately challenged by the people of Ammonihah.

Who are you?  Why should we believe the testimony of one man?  Then they made it clear that the rejected his prophecy that Ammonihah would be destroyed in one day. 

(Jump ahead to Alma 16:9-10:  And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.  But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.  So much for their foresight.)

Hugh Nibley said:

“But first Alma was preaching to them. Was it the same old thing here? Well, it was different because they put up a fight. They argued back. They shouted back and forth. It turned out to be a shouting match. Alma began to preach to the people, and he said (chapter 9, verse 1): ‘As I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me, saying … This is Alma's own record here; before it was [Mormon’s] record. They said, you have no clout—we don't know who you are … they said, ‘Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth should pass away? Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the earth should pass away.’ They were pronouncing the doom on themselves. Their city was buried completely.”  [2] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Conflicting Orders: Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah, Thomas R. Valletta, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 13, 2011.

[2] Lecture 47: Alma 5-10, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 13, 2011.

Alma 8:18-26

Just a note.  The next evenings I have Parent/Teacher’s Conference.  My next post will be on Thursday.

18  Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah.  And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.

19  And as he entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?

20  And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive.  Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

21  And it came to pass that the man received him into his house; and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and meat and set before Alma.

22  And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled; and he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.

Alma 8:18-22 (Emphasis mine)

After receiving the message from the angel, Alma(2) returned to Ammonihah posthaste.  He entered the city a different way than he did before. 

He was hungry from his journey.  In Ammonihah, he saw a man and asked him to feed a humble servant of God.  The man responded that he knew he was a holy prophet because he had received a vision telling him about Alma(2)’s arrival.  Amulek took him and gave him a meal. 

Alma(2) responded to this generosity by blessing Amulek and his house while giving thanks to God.

There is a Book of Mormon question that has been around for decades.  That question is:  “Were there other people in the Americas when Lehi’s party arrived.”  Current thinking is that there were people throughout the lands. 

Verse 20 is used to help resolve this issue.  John L. Sorenson writes:

“An odd bit of behavior involving the younger Alma on his teaching tour seems to alert us to the presence of ‘others’ at the city of Ammonihah. At that time this was a rather remote part of the land of Zarahemla in the direction of the west sea and the narrow neck of land. At first discouraged at the hostile reception he received, Alma departed, only to be ordered back by an angel (see Alma 8:14–17). When he returned he asked food of a stranger. This proved to be Amulek, whose odd reply was, ‘I am a Nephite’ (Alma 8:20). Why would he say that? Wasn't it obvious? Clearly Amulek had recognized Alma as a Nephite, either by his speech, his appearance, or perhaps the way he had referred to God when he opened the conversation. But to what other social or ethnic category might Amulek have belonged? His abrupt statement makes sense only if most of the people of the place were not Nephites and also if Amulek's characteristics did not make it already apparent to Alma that he was a Nephite.” [1] (Emphasis mine)

Matthew Roper and John L. Sorenson further explain:

“Other statements in the Book of Mormon also indicate that the writers were familiar with, rather than surprised by, the idea of non-Israelites living among the Nephites. The only example we will cite is when Alma visited the city of Ammonihah and Amulek introduced himself with the words, ‘I am a Nephite’ (Alma 8:20). Since the city was nominally under Nephite rule (see Alma 8:11–12, 24) and was a part of the land of Zarahemla at the time, Amulek's statement seems nonsensical, unless many, perhaps most, of the people in the land of Ammonihah did not consider themselves to be Nephites, by whatever criteria.”  [2] (Emphasis mine)

If you read recent scholarly publications about the Book of Mormon, you would find that most scholars accept as fact that there were peoples and societies here in the Americas at the time Lehi and his family arrived in the New World.

23  And after he had eaten and was filled he said unto Amulek: I am Alma, and am the high priest over the church of God throughout the land.

24  And behold, I have been called to preach the word of God among all this people, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy; and I was in this land and they would not receive me, but they cast me out and I was about to set my back towards this land forever.

25  But behold, I have been commanded that I should turn again and prophesy unto this people, yea, and to testify against them concerning their iniquities.

26  And now, Amulek, because thou hast fed me and taken me in, thou art blessed; for I was an hungered, for I had fasted many days.

Alma 8:23-26 (Emphasis mine)

After eating, Alma(2) introduced himself and explained his mission to Amulek.  He told him about his calling, how he was rejected but later commanded to return.  Before returning, he had fasted many days, no doubt to get closer to God and be more prepared to preach to the people.  He blessed Amulek for providing for him.

Bishop Victor L. Brown talked about the power of Alma(2)’s fast.

“Consider the great lesson of fasting taught by Alma, who gave up the judgment seat to do the Lord’s work. After great spiritual success in various cities, Alma traveled to the city of Ammonihah … Alma labored much in the spirit and wrestled with God in mighty prayer. Nevertheless, the people reviled him, spit upon him, and cast him out of their city.

“As he was traveling away from the city, Alma was met by an angel of the Lord, who directed him to return again to Ammonihah to call upon the people to repent. Alma followed the angel’s instructions. He reports that this time he fasted many days before re-entering the city.

“His fasting was almost immediately rewarded. He found that righteous forces had been at work, preparing the way before him. When he entered the city again, he met a man, apparently a stranger, of whom he asked, ‘Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?’ The stranger’s response was, ‘I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food.’

“This was Amulek, who had been specially prepared to receive a prophet of God and who would share in his work. As a result of his fast, Alma was assured by the Lord through the witness of Amulek that heavenly forces were prospering his efforts, and he was filled with the spirit of the Lord’s work. Alma ended his fast, and then he and Amulek did a marvelous work which resulted in the righteous being called out of Ammonihah. The remainder of the city, being left without excuse, was found in the full ripeness of iniquity and destroyed.” [3] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 10, 2011.

[2] Before DNA, Matthew Roper, and John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 10, 2011.

[3] A Vision of the Law of the Fast, Bishop Victor L. Brown, October 1977 General Conference.

Alma 8:1-10

We’ve studied the missionary work of the sons of Mosiah.  I would like to return to the works of Alma(2).

Chapter 8

Alma preaches and baptizes in Melek—He is rejected in Ammonihah and leaves—An angel commands him to return and cry repentance unto the people—He is received by Amulek, and the two of them preach in Ammonihah. About 82 B.C.

1  AND now it came to pass that Alma returned from the land of Gideon, after having taught the people of Gideon many things which cannot be written, having established the order of the church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla, yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself from the labors which he had performed.

2  And thus ended the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

3  And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year [82 B.C.] of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness.

4  And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek according to the holy order of God, by which he had been called; and he began to teach the people throughout all the land of Melek.

Alma 8:1-4 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) had been preaching to the church.  In Chapters 5 and 6, he was preaching to the church in the Zarahemla area.  There were problems that had to be addressed. 

After he finished preaching, he went to Gideon.  There, he found the church strong and the members faithful.  He went home for a time after preaching in Gideon.

He was home for about a year.  Then, he went to the land of Melek to preaching to the people there.  John Tvedtnes suggests, “[t]he name [Melek] means "king," suggesting that it may have been a Mulekite settlement.”[1]

Hugh Nibley points out that he went to Melek to organize an order of the church.

“Next he went to the city of Melek. This was a very interesting mission he had in the city of Melek. What he was doing was going around establishing the order of the church in all these places. It says here [Alma 8:1]: ‘having established the order of the church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla.’ Zarahemla is the model; it is just like the center stake of Zion. They're all organized on the pattern of Zarahemla here.” [2]   (Emphasis mine)

5  And it came to pass that the people came to him throughout all the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side.  And they were baptized throughout all the land;

6  So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.

Alma 8:5-6 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) found success in Melek.  Many were baptized.  His next stop was the city of Ammonihah.

7  Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them; and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.

8  And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.

9  Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto the words of Alma.

10  Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.

Alma 8:7-10 (Emphasis mine)

Mormon shares with us a Nephite custom.  The lands, cities, and villages were named after the person who first possessed them.  In this case, the city was named after Ammonihah. 

The people of Ammonihah rejected Alma(2)’s message.  They refused to listen.

Alma(2) continued preaching, relying on the Spirit to guide him after having wrestled with the Lord.  This is an interesting term, wrestling with the Lord.  What exactly does the mean?  Hugh Nibley explains:

“Wrestling with God? Does God resist you? Do you have to resist him? No, you have to put yourself into position, in the right state of mind … In the world we operate on a different level. It takes great mental effort to confront the Lord in all seriousness. We do it at various shallow levels, by routine. We have a prayer here because we feel we should. If we're going to make it really serious, we have to work on it harder. We couldn't do it cold. In other words, you can't just come in cold … if it comes to confronting the Lord, you have to be very serious about that sort of thing. It's quite a preliminary exercise, which is called wrestling with the Lord, wrestling with yourself.” [3] (Emphasis mine)

Why did they reject Alma(2).  Hugh Nibley briefly explains their history.

“But [the people of Ammonihah] wouldn't have anything to do with him. These weren't dissenters. See, these were people who had been living alone by themselves. They broke off at an early time, and they'd had their own religion for a long time.”  ^[4] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Book of Mormon Tribal Affiliation and Military Castes, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 8, 2011.

[2] Lecture 47: Alma 5-10, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed October 8, 2011.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.