Alma 23-29 contains some of the most beautiful individual verses amid a lot of war and death.
A quick summary of some key moments leading up to these chapters
If you'll recall from Alma 20, while Ammon was having some success in converting people to God in Ishmael, his brothers, Aaron, Omner, and Himni were having a rough time in jail in Middoni. It says in Alma 20:29 that they "suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in their sufferings."
These men could have become great kings of their land, and in fact, turned down the role, one by one. They were so determined to turn people to God the way they had been turned. Yet, they were reviled by a very hard-hearted people that might have reminded them of themselves many years ago. We see this theme replay over and over throughout history, not just the history of the Book of Mormon and the Bible but in the history of the world. We have the same basic vices, and we fall on them again and again, which is why the Lord constantly reminds us through prophets to watch ourselves, and focus on Him.
Ammon, fortunately, had King Lamoni on his side, and after the benevolent way that Ammon treated King Lamoni's father, he also had the King of all Lamanites protecting him, and enabling him to get his brothers out of jail, and allowing them to preach under his protection.
Throughout it all, the brothers did not give up courage. Aaron reveals in Alma 26:27, "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst they brethern, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Their faith resulted in thousands of converts to God
In Alma 23, after escaping prison and rejoining with Ammon, the four brothers were able to preach freely and as a result, the Lamanites in seven different lands were converted and renamed themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies. This is thousands of people that were so committed to their conversion, and so grieved by the sin of their past and their ancestry, that they covenanted in Alma 24 to put away their weapons forever, even though these weapons were also their source of protection.
Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni were patient and they trusted in the Lord. Between the four of them, they were responsible for the conversion of THOUSANDS of people. Remember, it says in Doctrine and Covenants 18:15, "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" And then it follows in Doctrine and Covenants 18:16, "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"
Aaron truly understood that their afflictions had been great for potentially great reward, as he says in Alma 26:30, "And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some."
We see this joy in Alma 26, where Ammon and Aaron use the word "joy" a total of nine times as Aaron talks about why it's not boastful to be grateful that they have been responsible for so many conversions to Christ. Aaron says powerfully in Alma 26:12, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."
I love this message of hope that they surely understood as they fought the tide against the hard hearted, in Alma 26:6, "Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them."
Martyrs softened hearts
The interesting thing about the last verse that I quoted, which gives me so much hope and peace, is that it comes after we learn in Alma 24:22 that the Lamanites that would not listen took up arms against their brothers. Since the Anti-Nephi-Lehites refused to pick up their weapons, they became1005 martyrs. It would seem that the storm DID penetrate them, yet, we learn that despite this sorrowful circumstance, these men and women "are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God"(Alma 24:22). They may not have intended this, but as they died, they brought more souls to Christ. How great was their joy as they returned to their Father!
We also see that two things happened:
1. The wicked ones were mad that they had killed their fellow brothers, and instead of feeling regretful for their terrible mistake, they actually blamed the Nephites and crossed into Ammonihah to kill more people! (Alma 25:1-4).
2. The ones that still had some heart left realized they had made a terrible mistake, and sought out those that had converted in the lands of Ishmael and Nephi, and joined them. They also promised to bury their weapons of war and, "they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep his commandments and his statues." (Alma 25: 14).
Return to Zarahemla
I have observed this several times in the past, but Zarahemla was once again a gathering place in Alma 27. The land had been ruled peacefully and inhabited by people of God, and the people of God were guided to return there again and again. This diagram I put together was at the end of a video talk I shared a couple of months ago to drive that point home. Click to view larger image:
The Lamanites that were Amalekites and Ammunolites were so wicked and so evil that their hard hearts could not be pierced, and they were a murderous people. Eventually, after talking to King Anti-Nephi-Lehi, Ammon consulted with the Lord and was directed to go to Zarahemla, where they were given the land of Jershon (Alma 27:22) and renamed themselves from Anti-Nephi-Lehi to "the people of Ammon" from that time forward.
I love that their distinction was in Alma 27:27, "... they were also distinguied for their seal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end."
Peace in the Lord
I have talked about this theme a lot, but I think we are in a time of great distress and we need the Lord more than ever. In Alma 28, we are reminded that there were many wars throughout the land, the wicked slaughtering the righteous. It wasn't that just because they repented, there were no deaths. Yet, in says in Alma 28:12, "While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promise of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of neverending happiness."
I want to end with these powerful scriptures in Alma 29:1-2:
"O that I were an angle, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow up all the face of the earth."
A quick summary of some key moments leading up to these chapters
If you'll recall from Alma 20, while Ammon was having some success in converting people to God in Ishmael, his brothers, Aaron, Omner, and Himni were having a rough time in jail in Middoni. It says in Alma 20:29 that they "suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in their sufferings."
These men could have become great kings of their land, and in fact, turned down the role, one by one. They were so determined to turn people to God the way they had been turned. Yet, they were reviled by a very hard-hearted people that might have reminded them of themselves many years ago. We see this theme replay over and over throughout history, not just the history of the Book of Mormon and the Bible but in the history of the world. We have the same basic vices, and we fall on them again and again, which is why the Lord constantly reminds us through prophets to watch ourselves, and focus on Him.
Ammon, fortunately, had King Lamoni on his side, and after the benevolent way that Ammon treated King Lamoni's father, he also had the King of all Lamanites protecting him, and enabling him to get his brothers out of jail, and allowing them to preach under his protection.
Throughout it all, the brothers did not give up courage. Aaron reveals in Alma 26:27, "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst they brethern, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Their faith resulted in thousands of converts to God
In Alma 23, after escaping prison and rejoining with Ammon, the four brothers were able to preach freely and as a result, the Lamanites in seven different lands were converted and renamed themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies. This is thousands of people that were so committed to their conversion, and so grieved by the sin of their past and their ancestry, that they covenanted in Alma 24 to put away their weapons forever, even though these weapons were also their source of protection.
Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni were patient and they trusted in the Lord. Between the four of them, they were responsible for the conversion of THOUSANDS of people. Remember, it says in Doctrine and Covenants 18:15, "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" And then it follows in Doctrine and Covenants 18:16, "And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"
Aaron truly understood that their afflictions had been great for potentially great reward, as he says in Alma 26:30, "And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some."
We see this joy in Alma 26, where Ammon and Aaron use the word "joy" a total of nine times as Aaron talks about why it's not boastful to be grateful that they have been responsible for so many conversions to Christ. Aaron says powerfully in Alma 26:12, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."
I love this message of hope that they surely understood as they fought the tide against the hard hearted, in Alma 26:6, "Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them."
Martyrs softened hearts
The interesting thing about the last verse that I quoted, which gives me so much hope and peace, is that it comes after we learn in Alma 24:22 that the Lamanites that would not listen took up arms against their brothers. Since the Anti-Nephi-Lehites refused to pick up their weapons, they became1005 martyrs. It would seem that the storm DID penetrate them, yet, we learn that despite this sorrowful circumstance, these men and women "are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God"(Alma 24:22). They may not have intended this, but as they died, they brought more souls to Christ. How great was their joy as they returned to their Father!
We also see that two things happened:
1. The wicked ones were mad that they had killed their fellow brothers, and instead of feeling regretful for their terrible mistake, they actually blamed the Nephites and crossed into Ammonihah to kill more people! (Alma 25:1-4).
2. The ones that still had some heart left realized they had made a terrible mistake, and sought out those that had converted in the lands of Ishmael and Nephi, and joined them. They also promised to bury their weapons of war and, "they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep his commandments and his statues." (Alma 25: 14).
Return to Zarahemla
I have observed this several times in the past, but Zarahemla was once again a gathering place in Alma 27. The land had been ruled peacefully and inhabited by people of God, and the people of God were guided to return there again and again. This diagram I put together was at the end of a video talk I shared a couple of months ago to drive that point home. Click to view larger image:
The Lamanites that were Amalekites and Ammunolites were so wicked and so evil that their hard hearts could not be pierced, and they were a murderous people. Eventually, after talking to King Anti-Nephi-Lehi, Ammon consulted with the Lord and was directed to go to Zarahemla, where they were given the land of Jershon (Alma 27:22) and renamed themselves from Anti-Nephi-Lehi to "the people of Ammon" from that time forward.
I love that their distinction was in Alma 27:27, "... they were also distinguied for their seal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end."
Peace in the Lord
I have talked about this theme a lot, but I think we are in a time of great distress and we need the Lord more than ever. In Alma 28, we are reminded that there were many wars throughout the land, the wicked slaughtering the righteous. It wasn't that just because they repented, there were no deaths. Yet, in says in Alma 28:12, "While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promise of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of neverending happiness."
I want to end with these powerful scriptures in Alma 29:1-2:
"O that I were an angle, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow up all the face of the earth."
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