The Content
Alma 43
Verse 10
For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites, that whosoever should worship God in spirit and in truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would destroy.
The Comments:
The Lamanites expected to destroy anyone who worshiped God?
Again - why?
If the gospel wasn't true, how many less people would care about it?
Who would persecute the believers if everyone thought it was a hoax?
I've always wondered if Satan would lift a finger against the false gospel. He can totally work with that stuff.
Ever read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis? It will open your eyes to how Satan is constantly adapting to our present circumstances, and why it's so hard to get away from him.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
What Do You Fight For?
The Content:
Alma 43
Verse 9
And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires.
The Comments:
Here we have a list of everything the Nephites are prepared to defend, including their lands, homes, families, rights, privileges, liberty and religious freedom.
Are all of these legitimate reasons for going to war? Or is it all of them together? I can't really answer that, because I've never had to defend any of the above with my life.
But, I do think that the above reasons should be the things we fight for/defend in our own lives. The war waging around us is much more spiritual than physical, which means we need to figure out what we are willing to do to protect the most important, spiritual things in our lives.
Alma 43
Verse 9
And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires.
The Comments:
Here we have a list of everything the Nephites are prepared to defend, including their lands, homes, families, rights, privileges, liberty and religious freedom.
Are all of these legitimate reasons for going to war? Or is it all of them together? I can't really answer that, because I've never had to defend any of the above with my life.
But, I do think that the above reasons should be the things we fight for/defend in our own lives. The war waging around us is much more spiritual than physical, which means we need to figure out what we are willing to do to protect the most important, spiritual things in our lives.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Best Laid Plans...
The Content
Alma 43
Verse 8
For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage.
The Comments:
Here we have some of Zerahemnah's steps for subjecting the Nephites. Notice the progression as well as the continued focus of Zerahemnah as he goes after what he wants.
Do we have a plan in our lives to counter Satan as the Nephites did the Lamanites?
This question popped into my head. What makes one being/person want to subject another to bondage? In my mind I don't even get where that comes from.
Alma 43
Verse 8
For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage.
The Comments:
Here we have some of Zerahemnah's steps for subjecting the Nephites. Notice the progression as well as the continued focus of Zerahemnah as he goes after what he wants.
Do we have a plan in our lives to counter Satan as the Nephites did the Lamanites?
This question popped into my head. What makes one being/person want to subject another to bondage? In my mind I don't even get where that comes from.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Parry, Thrust
The Content
Alma 43
Verse 7
Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.
The Comments:
Zerahemnah goes to a lot of trouble to make sure that the correct (in this case negative) emotions go through his men at all times.
All toward his design to bring the Nephites into subjection.
Satan is just as thorough as Zerahemnah is-and then some-in our lives.
What do we do to counter this?
Is our plan of defense against Satan as diligent as his plan of attack?
Alma 43
Verse 7
Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.
The Comments:
Zerahemnah goes to a lot of trouble to make sure that the correct (in this case negative) emotions go through his men at all times.
All toward his design to bring the Nephites into subjection.
Satan is just as thorough as Zerahemnah is-and then some-in our lives.
What do we do to counter this?
Is our plan of defense against Satan as diligent as his plan of attack?
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Turning Away
The Content
Alma 43
Verse 6
And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.
The Comments:
The captains of the Lamanites were ex-Nephites (Amalekites) and Zoramites.
What makes a person want to kill their people?
Something terrible must happen when a person makes the conscious decision to turn away from the Savior and the gospel. Those who turn away can become more embittered (<--is that even a word?) anyone else.
The scriptures talk a lot about hard hearts. I wonder if this is what happened here-some sort of defense mechanism against God/good. Without a soft heart, the Spirit cannot touch you.
Alma 43
Verse 6
And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.
The Comments:
The captains of the Lamanites were ex-Nephites (Amalekites) and Zoramites.
What makes a person want to kill their people?
Something terrible must happen when a person makes the conscious decision to turn away from the Savior and the gospel. Those who turn away can become more embittered (<--is that even a word?) anyone else.
The scriptures talk a lot about hard hearts. I wonder if this is what happened here-some sort of defense mechanism against God/good. Without a soft heart, the Spirit cannot touch you.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Watch It
The Content
Alma 43
Verse 5
And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader.
The Comments:
The Lamanite army came in through the lands of the Zoramites (who were, until verse five, Nephites).
Satan, (our enemy) uses the places in our armor that are already weak or compromised to get into our hearts and our lives.
Be strong. Watch for signs of betrayal.
And they don't have to be big signs. Satan is very sly, and sometimes attacks us so subtly that we don't even realize we're in trouble until his carefully constructed trap is built around us and springs.
This theme runs throughout the war chapters; watch for more of this warning and what we can do about it in our lives.
Alma 43
Verse 5
And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader.
The Comments:
The Lamanite army came in through the lands of the Zoramites (who were, until verse five, Nephites).
Satan, (our enemy) uses the places in our armor that are already weak or compromised to get into our hearts and our lives.
Be strong. Watch for signs of betrayal.
And they don't have to be big signs. Satan is very sly, and sometimes attacks us so subtly that we don't even realize we're in trouble until his carefully constructed trap is built around us and springs.
This theme runs throughout the war chapters; watch for more of this warning and what we can do about it in our lives.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Why Me?
The
Content:
Alma
43
Verse
4
For
behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became Lamanites;
therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year the people of
the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming upon them; therefore
they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their
armies in the land of Jershon.
The
Comments:
So
this story starts back in Alma chapter 35. Alma and Amuleck were
preaching to the Zoramites, who didn't like what Alma and Amuleck
were saying because it “destroyed their craft.” (Pretty sure
they're not talking about crafting projects here.) Anyone who
believed and wanted to obey, got kicked out. So the people of Ammon
(the ex-Lamanites turned Nephites) took them in. The Zoramites
demand that their “dissenters” be returned so they can then be
killed. Naturally the Nephites/people of Ammon refuse. The Zoramites
go to the Lamanites for back up, and then they all come to the land
of Jershon, where the people of Ammon live. The people of Ammon move
so the armies can fight (remember, the people of Ammon swore to never
use their weapons of war again). This is where we pick things up in
Alma chapter 43.
The
Nephites see that the Lamanites are coming, and prepare for war. Not
only that, they're there to meet the Lamanites when they come into
the land.
Being
prepared is important in any situation, and even more so when either
your life or your spiritual well-being are on the line. Or both. Is
it possible for us to choose our battle ground, or to be ready when
some aspect of our lives come to wage war on us?
Also,
this part of the war starts all because a set of people wanted to be
righteous. Did they do anything wrong? No. Did they get chased out
of their homes and then run down by their brethren? Yes.
Is
life fair? No. Where should you turn? People who hold the same values
and that care about you. And just because the world seems to be
blowing up around you, it doesn't mean that you've done anything to
“deserve it.” Sometimes life explodes.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Why the War Chapters?
The Content:
Alma
43
Verses
2-3
2
Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they
preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy
and revelation; and they preached after the holy order of God by
which they were called.
3
And now I return to an account of the wars between the Nephites and
the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges.
The Comments:
I
read this, and wondered why in the world Mormon (who abridged this
section) would leave the spiritual/eternal preachings, and go to the
physical war. Aren't the scriptures supposed to be about our
spiritual salvation? Bringing us home to our Heavenly Father, and
all that? So why is there this huge section about the wars between
the Nephites and the Lamanites here in the middle of the Book
of Mormon?
Confession
time—I've always loved the war chapters. Maybe it's because I like
action in my stories. So I'm okay with Mormon going into the war
chapters like he does. But when I read these two verses, my mind
caught hold of this idea, and I decided to go a little crazy (because
I do that sometimes) and really delve into this section of Alma. Why
did Mormon put it in here? How can it help us in our day with all of
the stuff that the world is throwing at us?
Here
are a few ideas I came up with when I started.
Why
the war chapters?
-We
might need to know physical war strategies
-We
can always do as the scriptures say, and liken the wars to ourselves
today
-To
show the physical hardships of war
-To
show consequences of iniquity (for those who sin as well as for those
who get caught in the crossfire)
-To
help us understand the validity of war (when it is “right”)
-To
help us understand what war is really like
-Church
vs State
As
I've gone through the war chapters, verse by verse, I have come
across all of the above. I'm sure there's much, much more. And
that's why I'm here.
I
hope that this blog will be a place where the curious as well as the
skeptical can come to gain a fresh perspective on the war chapters
and how they can apply to us today. Because they do apply to us
today, more then the lot of us can ever comprehend, is my guess.
I
welcome comments, but please keep them kind. Don't let this blog
become a war zone, because we're all here to help one another through
life, not to make others angry.
So
what do you think? Why did Mormon take the time to abridge this huge
chunk of Alma and put it in the Book of Mormon? Why not just stick
with the spiritual stuff?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)