Armor of God

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 38

While on the other hand, there was now and then a man fell among the Nephites, by their swords and the loss of blood, they being shielded from the more vital parts of the body, or the more vital parts of the body being shielded from the strokes of the Lamanites, by their breastplates, and their armshields, and their head-plates; and thus the Nephites did carry on the work of death among the Lamanites.

The Comments:

Not many of the Nephites were badly hurt due to their armor.

Check out Ephesians 6:12-17

I won't go out of control with this one (and believe me, I could), but I will make a quick list of the spiritual likening of the armor of God.

Loins girt about with truth-Guard yourself with what you know is right

Breastplate of righteousness-Protect your heart behind obedience

Feet shod with preparation of the gospel of peace-Walk in the correct paths

Shield of Faith-Faith will shield you from temptation (Fiery darts of the wicked, which is pretty awesome, I must add)

Helmet of Salvation-Salvation comes through the atonement. Your head is the most important part of your body, and salvation is the most important part of your eternal existence.

There are loads of other things to say about this, but I will refrain. Anyone want to toss their ideas in here? Please do!

Your Cause

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 45

Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.

The Comments:

Here we learn that the Nephites are fighting for a better cause than the Lamanites. The short list they give here is that the Nephites are fighting for their: homes, liberty, wives, children and rites of worship and their church.

There is that same list again. It must be important.

In a book called The Killer Angels—based around the battle of Gettysburg in the US Civil War—soldiers often speak of “the cause.”  The reason they’re about to get on a battlefield and kill their fellow countrymen.

I feel like the above listed reasons are the Nephite’s  “Cause.”  This is the reason that they leave their homes, probably live in not so great conditions, eat who knows what and sleep on the ground.

What is our cause today?  Or what do you and I fight for?

Spiritual freedom, mostly.  Right now I have not been called on to participate in physical war. Thank goodness.  But there are plenty of spiritual attacks to keep us busy.

Think about how lucky we are to live today. But don’t forget that at some point it has been testified that our own liberties will fall under attack. At that point we all need to make sure we’re aligned with what our leaders say and are prepared to do what they/the Lord ask of us.

The Grim Picture

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 37

And the work of death commenced on both sides, but it was more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites, for their nakedness was exposed to the heavy blows of the Nephites with their swords and their cimeters, which brought death almost at every stroke.

The Comments:

“And the work of death commenced”

Sort of a grim picture there—hard truth.

War is death. There is no getting around it. The decision to go to war means leading people into death, leaving families without loved ones, breaking minds and sending people to the afterlife before their time.

Who would want to do that?

It would either be a very hard decision (hopefully that is the case), or a very selfish decision by someone who only cares about what they want and are willing to do terrible things to other people to get it. I really don't like to think about it either way, and I hope that it is a decision that I will never have to make.

The Nephites had some advantages this time because of their armor as well as listening to their leaders and being prepared. Wait, that sounds so familiar...

The Nephites brought death with every stroke. That's even more grim, knowing you have the power to cut a swath through the enemy ranks. What could that do to a man/person? Did anyone want to hesitate? Or did their righteous cause give them courage? I'm sure it went both ways.

It's a Trap!

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 34-36

And it came to pass that the Lamanites came up on the north of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.

And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth and encircled the Lamanites about on the east in their rear.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw the Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and began to contend with the army of Lehi.

The Comments:

Moroni's trap is sprung, and the Lamanites fall right into it.

Notice that the army of Lehi waits until what had to have been an appointed time/place for the Lamanites to be before they attacked. Sometimes timing if everything, and if we are early or late things can go awry.

The Spirit, for instance, is constantly trying to help us. Either warn us or turn us in the right direction. He often gives us a sense of urgency that whatever it is he is prompting us to do needs to be done right away. We need to listen to those promptings, and align our timing as much as we can with the Lord's and the Spirit's. If we do, we will be successful in our plans and goals.

It Goes Both Ways

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 31-33

Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of the hill Riplah;

And the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land Manti.

And thus having placed his army according to his desire, he was prepared to meet them.

The Comments:

Moroni used his information and strategy to place his armies as a trap for the Lamanites.

The Lord can help us devise strategies for our lives as well. We are all called on to do hard things, and to face odds that seem overwhelming, but the Lord is the direction to turn in to get help. Moroni doesn't know exactly what the Lamanites will do, but he’s done his best (both spiritually and physically) to prepare his men.  As far as we know, the Lamanites didn’t send out spies, or if they did, they didn’t make it back to report. It looks to me that Moroni and his men were doing a great deal more to prepare.

On the other hand, Satan is a master of laying traps for us.  He does it all the time. And for whatever reason, we walk straight into them.  When the situation is reversed, the Spirit (if we are worthy of him) will warn us of Satan’s traps, so that we don’t walk right into them.

Most of the lessons learned from the war chapters can be turned either direction for us: if the Lord is helping us, or if Satan is using this strategy against us. Watch for this, because it’s everywhere.

Strategem 101

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 30

And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the Lamanites were to take.

The Comments:

I find it strange that Mormon took the time to tell the readers here why Moroni felt it was okay to defend with stratagem.  It seems that being offensive is not the first plan, but that in defense of the reasons in the verse, the Lord is supportive of his people going to battle and sending so many of their brothers and sisters into the next world not having been introduced to the gospel.

So if you’re about to snap on someone, check out the intentions and desires of your heart. What’s going on there, and which way should you go, forward or take a step back?

Watch for Traps!

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 29

And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a kingdom unto themselves over all the land;

The Comments:

This is a quick lesson in when you should defend yourself.

What is the intention of the Lamanites? To destroy their brethren, or to bring them into bondage.  This does not sound fun. I would also fight for my life, liberties and family at this point. Getting captured in war meant being a slave for the rest of your days, and I’m thinking the life expectancy wasn’t very long.

So what is Satan trying to do to us here and now?  He is trying to do these exact same things to our spirits.  Destroy our link to God and bring us into his bondage (See 2 Nephi 26:22) .  This doesn’t sound fun either. And it sounds way more permanent than physical bondage does.  This is what we’re defending against in our spiritual battle. How important is it to you?

Always on the Lookout

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 28

And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when the camp of the Lamanites should come.

The Comments:

More spies, the army is in the right place, and Moroni once again does his best to gather intel and get them as much warning as possible.

This is all very proactive. Remember, the Lamanites are coming straight for the Nephites—invading their land. The Nephites are reacting. Note that they are not only reacting, but they are prepared to defend their country, their rights, their liberties and their families. We’ll see this time and time again throughout the war chapters.

In your battle that is life, why do you fight? How do you defend? Think about it.

Straight or Not so Straight?

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 27

And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his army should be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the wilderness.

The Comments:

Obviously  Moroni has a plan. He undoubtedly worked hard on it with his men and the people of Manti (because they know the land better than Moroni might).  In this verse he begins the execution of said plan.

I have a black belt in Kempo, and have the terrible habit of facing my opponents head-on. Even if they are twice as tall as me, which most of them are.  That sort of strategy won’t work here, not having smaller numbers than the Lamanites (even though the numbers got boosted in the last verse, but some of them may be inexperienced in fighting), so Moroni has to devise a battle strategy that will work for this circumstance.

You can bet that he spent plenty of time in council as well as on his knees working this out.  Just like today, we’re outnumbered in the world, and our leaders are always trying to find the best path for all of us to follow to be safe and to be prosperous. And the plan may not always be the straight ahead, gung-ho path. It may be more subtle than that.

Not Being Blind-Sided

The Content:

Alma 43

Verse 26

And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land should gather themselves together to battle against the Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the time of the coming of the Lamanites.

The Comments:

Moroni left some of his army in Jershon. It stands to reason, since the entire Nephite army was outnumbered by the invading Lamanites, that Moroni would be concerned about the numbers now that his are down even more.

So he gathers the people from Manti (I assume) and the surrounding area and prepares them to go to battle.

I see two things that this did.

1)    Moroni finds the means to strengthen his army and boost his numbers. Maybe some prayers from Moroni answered here?

2)    The heretofore unsuspecting people of Manti were prepared for what was to come by Moroni through the Alma, the prophet. It goes to show you that the Lord is always trying to warn us and prepare us, and it is through our leaders that he usually gives us that information.