Alma 43
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Here we take up where Alma 35:13 left off.
As a reminder: In Alma was the high priest after his father, Alma, had died. He was ald the chief judge of land of Zarahemla. In Alma 4 (about 85 bc) he baptizes thousands. In chapter 5, about two years later, Alma hands over the judgment seat to Nephihah to he can devote all his energy to the ministry.
Alma first preaches in Zarahmela, his own land, and is well received (chapters 5 and 6). Then he heads of to the land of Gideon in chapter 7, finding great success. After a year of labor, he goes home to Zarahemla to rest (8:1).
His rest was short, for at the beginning of 82bc Alma headed over to Melek, where he baptized throughout the land.
I am sure, after experiencing such great success up to this point, that Alma was feeling pretty good about things. Then he came to the city of Ammonihah, a city of wicked people who not only wouldn't listen to him, but spit on him and kicked him out of the city.
The Lord told Alma to return, which he speedily did (8:18), where he met Amulek. The two fo them taught the people of Ammonihah, contended and converted Zeezrom, witnessed the martyrdom of righteous women and children, rent prison walls, and ultimately left the city of Ammoniha with Amulek in 81bc--a city in which the Lamanites would destroy about three years later (chapter 16).
Together Alma and Amulek established a church in Sidom and return to Zarahemla for another rest and preaching there and throughout the land.
After a few years, Ammon and his brethren returned to Zarahemla for a sweet reunion with Alma (27:16), along with King Lamoni's converted Lamanites, the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, whom they brought with them. They were given the land just east of Zarahemla, called Jershon, where they buried their weapons in the ground.
The first great battle with the Lamanites came not too soon after, in Chapter 28. Thousands of Nephites and Anti-Nephi-Lehites were killed, while tens of thousands of Lamanites were driven out and slain.
Though their was mourning, they remained faithful, and had peace in the land for about 2 years until 74bc (chapter 30) when Korihor showed up in Zarahemla. Alma contends with him, and Korihor is struck dumb and was trodden down by the Zoramites, a group of Nephite dissenters.
At hearing the news the Zormites had perverted the way of the Lord, Alma took Ammon, Arron, Omner on a mission to reclaim them--leaving Himni to care for the church in Zarahemla (chapter 31). He also took Amulek and Zeezrom, and two of his own sons, Shiblon and Corianton (He left his oldest son, Helaman, in Zarahemla). They taught the Zoramites (chapters 32-34).
Zoramite converts join the Anti-Nephi-Lehites in Jershon (Chapter 35).
Imagine the melting pot of that city! Converted Lamanites and re-converted way-ward Nephites all living together! No wonder Alma and his brethren stayed on to minister to them (35:7)
The remaining Zoramites were angry at those who left, and threatened them. They joined with the Lamanites (35:10) and began to make ready for war.
The people of Jershon moved to Melek, and the armies of the Nephites took over Jershon, as it was a border city. Alma, Ammon, their brethren, and his two sons return to Zarahmela. The people struggled with iniquity, which grieved Alma. So he gathers his sons together to extend mission calls to them. It was during this time that Alma write the letters to his son Helaman, (chapters 36-37) and Shiblon and Corianton (38-42).
And this brings us to Alma 43:
The Nephites have become a large patchwork quilt of converts and stalwarts who seem to be struggling. Alma and his sons go forth teaching and preaching, in an attempt to convert and strengthen their faith. All the while, Captain Moroni and his giant army have prepared, set up base in the land of Jershon, and are ready for the Lamanites.
The battle internally and externally was about to go into full swing.
The Nephites (all of them lumped together) simply wanted to live in peace, protect their homes and their right to worship (43:10), but the Lamanites were lead by an Amalekite (Nephite apostate people from Alma 21-23) named Zerahemnah.
When Zerahemnah saw the prepared state of Moroni's army, they retreated back into the wilderness. It was by earthly ingenuity (Moroni sent spies v. 23) and divine revelation (the word of the Lord came to Alma v 24) that led Moroni to the Lamanite army where they surrounded them. Lehi, a Nephite commander, and Moroni led the battle and fought until the Lamanites were so filled with terror they could fight no more.
Then Moroni stopped the fighting.
What a cliff-hanger!
I love to read the Book of Mormon, but when I take the time to read review and and look at it in a holistic sense like today, I seem to take it in more, get a greater sense of where things are and what is going on. I know where everyone is, why they are struggling or angry, and what they are fighting for.
I love it. I feel so much more immersed in the scriptures!
Here we take up where Alma 35:13 left off.
As a reminder: In Alma was the high priest after his father, Alma, had died. He was ald the chief judge of land of Zarahemla. In Alma 4 (about 85 bc) he baptizes thousands. In chapter 5, about two years later, Alma hands over the judgment seat to Nephihah to he can devote all his energy to the ministry.
Alma first preaches in Zarahmela, his own land, and is well received (chapters 5 and 6). Then he heads of to the land of Gideon in chapter 7, finding great success. After a year of labor, he goes home to Zarahemla to rest (8:1).
His rest was short, for at the beginning of 82bc Alma headed over to Melek, where he baptized throughout the land.
I am sure, after experiencing such great success up to this point, that Alma was feeling pretty good about things. Then he came to the city of Ammonihah, a city of wicked people who not only wouldn't listen to him, but spit on him and kicked him out of the city.
The Lord told Alma to return, which he speedily did (8:18), where he met Amulek. The two fo them taught the people of Ammonihah, contended and converted Zeezrom, witnessed the martyrdom of righteous women and children, rent prison walls, and ultimately left the city of Ammoniha with Amulek in 81bc--a city in which the Lamanites would destroy about three years later (chapter 16).
Together Alma and Amulek established a church in Sidom and return to Zarahemla for another rest and preaching there and throughout the land.
After a few years, Ammon and his brethren returned to Zarahemla for a sweet reunion with Alma (27:16), along with King Lamoni's converted Lamanites, the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, whom they brought with them. They were given the land just east of Zarahemla, called Jershon, where they buried their weapons in the ground.
The first great battle with the Lamanites came not too soon after, in Chapter 28. Thousands of Nephites and Anti-Nephi-Lehites were killed, while tens of thousands of Lamanites were driven out and slain.
Though their was mourning, they remained faithful, and had peace in the land for about 2 years until 74bc (chapter 30) when Korihor showed up in Zarahemla. Alma contends with him, and Korihor is struck dumb and was trodden down by the Zoramites, a group of Nephite dissenters.
At hearing the news the Zormites had perverted the way of the Lord, Alma took Ammon, Arron, Omner on a mission to reclaim them--leaving Himni to care for the church in Zarahemla (chapter 31). He also took Amulek and Zeezrom, and two of his own sons, Shiblon and Corianton (He left his oldest son, Helaman, in Zarahemla). They taught the Zoramites (chapters 32-34).
Zoramite converts join the Anti-Nephi-Lehites in Jershon (Chapter 35).
Imagine the melting pot of that city! Converted Lamanites and re-converted way-ward Nephites all living together! No wonder Alma and his brethren stayed on to minister to them (35:7)
The remaining Zoramites were angry at those who left, and threatened them. They joined with the Lamanites (35:10) and began to make ready for war.
The people of Jershon moved to Melek, and the armies of the Nephites took over Jershon, as it was a border city. Alma, Ammon, their brethren, and his two sons return to Zarahmela. The people struggled with iniquity, which grieved Alma. So he gathers his sons together to extend mission calls to them. It was during this time that Alma write the letters to his son Helaman, (chapters 36-37) and Shiblon and Corianton (38-42).
And this brings us to Alma 43:
The Nephites have become a large patchwork quilt of converts and stalwarts who seem to be struggling. Alma and his sons go forth teaching and preaching, in an attempt to convert and strengthen their faith. All the while, Captain Moroni and his giant army have prepared, set up base in the land of Jershon, and are ready for the Lamanites.
The battle internally and externally was about to go into full swing.
The Nephites (all of them lumped together) simply wanted to live in peace, protect their homes and their right to worship (43:10), but the Lamanites were lead by an Amalekite (Nephite apostate people from Alma 21-23) named Zerahemnah.
When Zerahemnah saw the prepared state of Moroni's army, they retreated back into the wilderness. It was by earthly ingenuity (Moroni sent spies v. 23) and divine revelation (the word of the Lord came to Alma v 24) that led Moroni to the Lamanite army where they surrounded them. Lehi, a Nephite commander, and Moroni led the battle and fought until the Lamanites were so filled with terror they could fight no more.
Then Moroni stopped the fighting.
What a cliff-hanger!
I love to read the Book of Mormon, but when I take the time to read review and and look at it in a holistic sense like today, I seem to take it in more, get a greater sense of where things are and what is going on. I know where everyone is, why they are struggling or angry, and what they are fighting for.
I love it. I feel so much more immersed in the scriptures!
There was one little part that stuck out to me. It was with regards to the protection, or lack there of, the men had. If they had better armor, they were protected. But the one's who were killed the easiest were the one's who did not have armor.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think of the types of armor I need to have on everyday, not necessarily physical- although there is an element of that- but the mental, spiritual, emotional side of self-protection. There are often little areas left unprotected where something can sneak in and do great injury.