Reading: Alma 53-63
Mormon writes to the purpose of learning from what he selected to be in The Book of Mormon, including the stories of war:
Mormon 9:30-31 -
30 Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words.
31 Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.
So, we are going to learn from some of the examples of a people at war, their strategies and courage. But what will be even more profitable for us is to look for the answer to this question: How do these war experiences help me to know our Savior better? Because if we seek to know Him, strategy, courage and deliverance will follow.
We learn to know God better, by reading about how others come to know God. The principle of learning by example is shown chapter 55. This is a time when the Nephites began to be victorious in the physical war against the Lamanites, so the Lamanites began small tactics of taunting, tempting and tricking the Nephites. One of these tactics was to poison the Nephites with bad wine. So the Nephites put the wine to the test:
Alma 55:30-32
• They were not slow to remember the Lord their God in their time of affliction
• They tested the wine by giving the wine to Lamanite prisoners because “if their wine would poison a Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite.
• Watch those around you, learn from their actions and consequences and always, always trust God and Him for direction.
It is this amazing trust in God, that I have pondered on so much while preparing this lesson.
The stripling warriors exemplify this implicit trust which implies so much as to their belief in God and therefore their behavior and deliverance.
Helaman’s army, their parents, Moroni and Pahoran teach us a lot about how to know God, strategies we can use to be faithful in fighting our general and personal battles.
Faith in God and receiving assurances
Alma 48:14-16
14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.
15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;
16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.
HOW DID THEY COME TO KNOW THAT THEY WOULD PROSPER IN THE LAND?
• By reading the scriptures and following the prophets and leaders of the Lord
Covenant making and keeping
The Ammonites responded to the need to defend the Nephite land by offering to break their covenant with God and fight with their adoptive brethren to protect their land and liberties.
READ Alma 53:14-17 And also 56:8
There are two covenants in discussion here: The one that the Ammonites made to not kill again, even in defense. Also, the sons of the Ammonites made a covenant to fight for liberty of the Nephites.
HOW CAN ONE GROUP COVENANT NOT TO KILL AND THE OTHER GROUP COVENANT TO KILL IF NECESSARY AND BOTH GROUPS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE RIGHTEOUS?
• Their sons learned so well about the seriousness of covenants that they entered into a covenant to not give up their liberty and fight for the Nephites
• Being so faithful to this covenant implies the complete trust, respect and an adequate knowledge of God.
• TheAmmonites took their covenant so seriously that instead of doing what they wanted to do, which was fight for their liberty and the Nephites, they were compelled to watch others die for them.
• Helaman knew that keeping their covenants would help them to be successful.
• They learned covenant making and keeping (as directed by the Holy Ghost) from their fathers and learned to trust in God, the keeper of covenants, from their mothers.
Assurance from the Lord
After exhibiting faith in God and making covenants, in their prayers they can receive assurances from the Lord. This is shown in chapter 58, when Helaman and his armies were not receiving the support and supplies that they needed. They didn’t know why they were receiving them and started to wonder if the Lord wasn’t sending forth the supplies because their people in other lands were becoming wicked. They didn’t know the answers and so they turned to God, who did know the answer.
Alma 58:10-11
• They were assured they would be delivered
• Received peace to their souls
• Granted even more faith – more reasons to believe in the Lord
• Hope for deliverance IN HIM, not by their own power
After faith, covenants, and receiving assurances, our next issue is a question of our integrity. How well will we follow
Obey with exactness
Alma 57:20-21
Definition of exact: Strictly and completely in accord with fact; not deviating from truth
IS OBEDIENCE WITH EXACTNESS TOO IDEAL? IS IT REALISTIC AND DOABLE FOR US?
An interesting caveat that is easy to read over, but important to understand in exactness:
WHAT DO THE WORDS “EVEN ACCORDING TO THEIR FAITH IT WAS DONE UNTO THEM” MEAN? WHAT IS “IT”?
I thought about this one line and realized I usually skip over it since there are important ideas before it and after. But I think this is actually the most important part. "It" seems to refer to "exactness." How can exactness be done unto someone? It occurred to me that the only way exactness can be done TO someone is for the Savior to help their efforts be exact. This was only possible through their faith in Jesus Christ.
This is a great relief to me and brings me hope, first because exactness and perfection always seem to nag at me, and this doctrine teaches that I make the efforts I can and then the Savior helps to make it exact; second because the exactness performed in this situation with these warriors doesn't seem to refer to the end of a process, but the process itself. So, even though, by my judgment I am not being as exact as I could (because I'm not perfect), but I am always remembering the Savior, trying to be exact, and never doubting his help, my process can be exact.
After exhibiting faith, making covenants, receiving assurances, and obeying with the help of the Savior, our behavior will show if we have let all this sink into our hearts.
By your fruits
Pahoran must have received assurances from the Lord because after being censured from Moroni, he expressed gratitude instead of offense. Moroni was angry because his troops, as well and Helaman’s armies have not received provisions or support and on top of all this, he began to have doubts regarding their success because the people had become wicked. It seems he took out his frustration on Pahoran and accused him of being lazy, selfish and power-hungry. My favorite stinging line delivered by Moroni: “Can ye sit upon your throne in thoughtless stupor?” Pahoran’s reaction is evidence of a believing heart and charity – a response it seems the Lord would make because he knows Moroni’s heart.
Alma 61:9-12
• Pahoran said it doesn’t matter that Moroni censured him, partly because he received information about the situation in the field that he didn’t have before and now they can figure out what to do. Which also make Moroni’s frustrations and quick assumptions irrelevant.
• He rejoiced in Moroni’s greatness of heart. He found the silver lining.
• Gave Moroni assurance that the only reason he seeks for power is to help the people
• Reaffirms their goal to resist wickedness
• A crucial part of knowing God is knowing “that liberty in which God hath made us free?” Pahoran talks about this liberty in verse 9 then expresses his willingness to be subjected to the yoke of bondage if it were requisite with the justice of God.”
THIS SORT OF LIBERTY IS MENTIONED THROUGHOUT ALMA, WHAT SORT OF LIBERTY FROM GOD ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? CAN YOU BE IN BONDAGE AND STILL FEEL LIBERATED?
The liberty of God is the consequences of following his laws and commands. Some people would define liberty as not following laws or commands at all. But even if you are in bondage, whether spiritual or physical, by obeying the laws of God, you can feel liberated.
Acknowledging and thanking the Lord always
Alma 57:26
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.Alma 57:35
35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for us.Alma 62:50-51
50 Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions, and he had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies.
51 And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually, insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land.
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