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.
Alma 14:1-3 (Emphasis mine)
Alma(2) and Amulek had some success. Many people who heard their words accepted them. They repented and began to search the scriptures.
Most, however, were very unhappy with them. We again read the charge that they lied and reviled against the lawyers and judges. They were also angry because Alma(2) and Amulek had testified against them and their wicked lifestyle. They wanted to get rid of them once and for all. Nothing but their deaths would satisfy this group.
Richard Rust sums up what happened.
“Alma steps forth and speaks to Zeezrom, his first audience, in words that are ‘heard by the people round about; for the multitude was great’ (Alma 12:2). Two groups emerge in this multitude. The first group, after Alma's sermon, ‘did believe on his words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures’ (Alma 14:1). The ‘more part of them,’ however, ‘were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom’ (Alma 14:2). A fourth audience—whom we can imagine standing at the head of the group of people who desire to destroy Alma and Amulek—is Antionah, ‘a chief ruler among them’ (Alma 12:20).” [1] (Emphasis mine)
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.
Alma 14:4-5 (Emphasis mine)
Instead, they were bound and taken before the chief judge.
The people listed their charges against them.
They had disparaged their law.
They had disparaged their judges and lawyers.
They had disparaged all the people in the land. (Nothing like leaving no stone unturned!)
They testified there was only one God.
They testified he would send his Son among the people.
God’s Son would not save the people.
Then, an unexpected voice spoke on behalf of Alma(2) and Amulek.
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.
Alma 14:6-7 (Emphasis mine)
Zeezrom realizes what he has done. He has been a part of causing this uprising because of his lying words. His guilt was so profound that he was encircled by the pains of hell.
The phrase “encircled by the pains of hell” is a simple, yet powerful phrase. It leaves little to the imagination.
Discussing the beauty of this phrase, Cynthia Hallen wrote:
“As authors, our works can be as beautiful as ‘the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon’ to readers who are refugees from the wilderness of wickedness (Mosiah 18:30). The power of divinely inspired words can liberate people from the pains of hell, enabling them to ‘sing redeeming love’ (Alma 5:9; 26:13).” [2] (Emphasis mine)
John Tvedtnes wrote about Alma(2) and the pains of hell.
“In later years, he told his son Helaman how he had been ‘racked with eternal torment , for [his] soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all [his] sins. Yea, [he] did remember all [his] sins and iniquities, for which [he] was tormented with the pains of hell’ (Alma 36:12–13). Alma dwelt on the ‘inexpressible horror’ that did rack [his] soul’ (Alma 36:14; see also Alma 36:16). As he was ‘racked with torment’ and ‘harrowed up by the memory of [his] many sins, he remembered his father's teachings of Christ, who would come ‘to atone for the sins of the world’ (Alma 36:17).” [3] (Emphasis mine)
I am the guilty one! I lied! These men are spotless before God! Zeezrom tried to undo the damage he had done. He hoped the people would believe him.
The people rejected him. You’re possessed by a devil, they cried. They spit on him and cast him out from among them. They also cast out those who believed in Alma(2) and Amulek. That wasn’t enough. They also had a mob throw stones at them to encourage a quick departure.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
John 8:7-9 (Emphasis mine)
[1] "Know the Covenants of the Lord" – Sermons, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 4, 2011.
[2] Beauty on the Mountains: Inspiration from the Book of Mormon for LDS Writers, Cynthia L. Hallen, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 4, 2011.
[3] The Voice of an Angel, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 4, 2011.
