More Blessed Are They Who Humble Themselves Because of the Word (Alma 31-35)

Alma's use of the word of God in teaching the humble Zoramites is another example of just how powerful the word of God is in teaching others who do not believe in Christ, and how Alma uses the word of God to teach regardless of the people and their circumstances. The Zoramites were perverting the ways of the Lord and teaching that there would be no Christ, trusting in their being chosen and religious, and Alma, along with his sons Shiblon and Corianton, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, went among the Zoramites to "preach unto them the word." They knew that "the preaching of the word...had (a) more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else..." (Alma 31:5;7).

The Zoramites were a religious people who prayed to God in their weekly services, acknowledging God's holiness and thanking him for electing them to be his holy children. But they denied Christ and thought others who believed in Christ were led away after the foolish traditions of their brethren. (Alma 31:14-18). 

To the Zoramites, belief in Christ was a foolish tradition, but could this also apply to those of us who do not put our faith in Christ by relying wholly upon His merits and not upon any of our merits or on the merits of the Church? Alma sought out the Zoramites because he knew that they were perverting the ways of the Lord.

Knowing of the existence of a man named Jesus Christ, or even verbally acknowledging Him as our redeemer, is not the same as believing Him through His words, or believing what He says. And it is not possible to believe what He says unless we know what He has said.

Alma described the Zoramites as a 'wicked and perverse people and he saw "that their hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods. Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride" (Alma 31:24-25). Cf with Ephraimite Gentiles today. What particularly grieved Alma was that they cried unto God with their mouths, "while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world" (Alma 31:27-28). They worshiped God with their mouths "and yet" their hearts were set upon their riches. And so Alma, his sons and his brethren prayed unto God that they may "have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ" (Alma 31:34).

After their prayers, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and did separate themselves one from another, knowing that the Lord would provide for them. "And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to preach the word of God unto the people..." (Alma 32:1). After having some success with people who were described as poor as to things of the world; and also were poor in heart, Alma and Amulek encountered the Zoramites who had been cast out of their synagogues because of their exceeding poverty.

When Alma met the outcast Zoramites "he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word" (Alma 32:6). He tells them that sometimes when a person is compelled to be humble, he seeketh repentance (Alma 32:12). He then adds as so many of the other Book of Mormon prophet writers taught, "whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved" (Alma 32:13).

Compare this with what we are taught concerning our afflictions--we will be comforted. That's it. Nothing about repentance. 

But Alma then makes a distinction between those who are compelled to be humble because of their circumstances and those "who truly humble themselves because of the word" (Alma 32:14 emphasis added). He says that we are more blessed without being compelled to be humble, and he explains why: "in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God" (Alma 32:16 emphasis added). (Note that humility can come because of our belief in the word of God.) We are more likely to believe God's words if we are not compelled to believe, but just desire to know and believe. Also there is no need to see a sign from heaven in order to believe.

Associated with the humility that can come because of the word is the idea that if we truly humble ourselves because of the word, we will repent and find mercy (Alma 32:13-15). Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, but the means to hope for things which are true, but not seen. God is merciful to those who believe on His name, and this is why He desires that we believe, "yea, even on his word" (Alma 32:21-22). Note the connection between Christ and His words. This is the reason He imparts his word by angels unto men, so that men will begin to have faith in Christ (Moroni 7:25; 31-32).

Alma tells the Zoramites that they cannot know of a surety that his words are true, but they can come to know that they are true by experimenting on his words. The idea that we do not have to believe anything that is not true, and that we can know the truth for ourselves through God's word, is unique in world religions today. 

This also means that knowing God comes from God and not from other people no matter the authority or position. But it also puts a burden on us that perhaps we may fall on the side of His words which will lead us to the justice of God, His wrath or His anger. God's word will judge us and we will be found on one side or the other. His word is a sharp two-edged sword and there is no neutral ground when it comes to His word. We either believe it or we don't, and if we believe it, we will believe in Christ and repent and find mercy. If we don't we choose the justice of God. We will never be able to complain to God that we didn't know or did not have the opportunity to know. 

The experiment that Alma gives is as scientific as any experiment can be. First he tells us that if we "will awake and arouse (our) faculties" (use our mind, our ears that we may hear, and our eyes that we may see). If we but exercise just a particle of faith, which he describes and no more than a desire to believe, and then let this desire work in us to the extent that we can give place for a portion of his words. This is the meaning of the 'good' soil or 'good' ground, in the parable of the sower. It is receptive soil or a receptive heart which allows the word to be planted in our hearts. Comparing the word to a seed, give place that this seed be planted in our hearts. I have often thought why the heart? What is it about the heart in scripture that makes it the place where His word is planted? For some reason the heart is deemed by the Lord as the processor of our wants and desires, and by planting the seed in the heart we can perhaps replace what is in our hearts. Certainly by being enticed by one or the other (good or evil), we are putting ourselves in a better position to choose good, and the word is the catalyst to do so.

Alma explains that a particle of faith is "no more than a desire to believe" (Alma 32:27), but we must allow this desire to work in us so that we can give place in our heart for a portion of the Lord's words. By comparing the word to a seed, Alma is recognizing that most of us know what a seed is, and how to tell a good seed from a bad seed--a good seed will grow if put in receptive soil, watered and gets the right amount of sun. We can see if the seed is good if it grows. The word of God is the same. Like a seed we can tell if it is good or bad if it grows, and Alma's explanation of how this happens can be put to the test by each one of us. If the word is good "it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me" (Alma 32:28 emphasis added).

Alma then teaches us that it is the word that will strengthen our faith, for as the seed swells and sprouts and begins to grow, our faith will be strengthened (Alma 32:29). This is consistent with Paul's statement that "...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17), and Moroni teaching us that as angels ministered to the children of men by teaching the word of God, "men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith (because of the word), they did lay hold upon every good thing..." (Moroni 7:25;31-32).

Alma understood that they still had questions and they desired "to know whether they should believe in one God, that they might obtain the fruit of which he had spoken, or how they should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken... or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith" (Alma 33:1). Alma responds by reminding them that they thought they could not worship God because they had been cast out of their synagogues. Relate this response to ourselves keeping in mind that the Zoramites were a 'religious' people and they needed a place to worship. Alma says "if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures" (Alma 33:2). There it is again--we err because we do not search the scriptures! He then uses the scriptures to teach these Zoramites the answers to their questions. "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? For he said: 

"Thou art merciful, O God, for thou has heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness...thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field.... When I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer... And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me... thou are merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee, and not of men, and thou wilt hear them" (Alma 33:3-8).

Alma reminds them that the Lord does not require that they only worship Him in their buildings, and he tells them further that God did hear Zenos because of his sincerity and because of His Son who had been merciful unto him. Because of His mercy, Zenos tells God that he will "cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy..." (Alma 33:10-11).

Alma then asks those who had been cast out of their synagogues "do you believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old" (Alma 33:12). So much for 'dead prophets' vs living prophets! "If ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he said: Thou has turned away thy judgments because of thy Son" (Alma 33:13). 

I love the next question Alma asks. "I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God? (Alma 33:14)

Alma then quotes from Zenock and Moses who also testify of Christ. Zenock was stoned to death because he testified of Christ. 

"For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.

"And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not understand his words they stoned him to death" (Alma 34:16-17).

Moses' testimony is worth quoting here as it is foolishness unto those who claim to believe, who give lip service, but who do not believe because they do not search the scriptures.

"Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.

But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?

If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works" Alma 33:19-22).

Foolishness indeed! Just look? No way! There is no religion in just looking!

Alma then desires that they plant the word in their hearts so that it will begin to grow as they nourish it with their faith. No word about being religious active members. Nothing about following Alma. Only about Christ because Christ is the word, is in the word and the word is in Christ. And if they do plant and nourish the word by their faith "it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life" (Alma 33:23).

Alma then sits down on the ground (not the stand) and Amulek testifies of Christ reminding them that they can worship (pray to) God anywhere. He makes them look beyond the mark to Christ. 

"And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save" (Alma 34:14-18).

Amulek's words in Alma 34 deserve your attention and your searching. They are some of the greatest words recorded in the Book of Mormon, and that is saying a lot because of all the great words recorded there.

Let's look at some more of what He said.

"For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another" (Alma 34:9-11).

And a few more.

"Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. ...and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you (Alma 34:19;27). 

"...if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross" which shall be "trodden under foot of men" (Alma 34:29).

"Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world" (Alma 34:34).

And so much more!

If only these words were taught in our Sacrament meetings, our classrooms, our conferences, and in our homes. But sadly they are not. Other than perhaps the verse about praying to increase our flocks. So I ask you to read and re-read Alma 34. Plant His words and nourish them. Put off religion and search His words. His call to repentance is not just to the Zoramites, but to us who "treat lightly" the words we have received (D&C 84:54). 

This message is to us the Ephraimite Gentiles, the members of record of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but who are not yet members of His Church which is made up of only those who are repenting and enduring to the end by validating their repentance and putting all their faith in Christ and relying alone on His Merits. (D&C 10:67-70).

And who would object to this? The religious Zoramites who were angry "because of the word, for it did destroy their craft (as in priestcraft); therefore they would not hearken unto the words (Alma 35:3). And not only were they angry they spied on those who had been taught by Alma and Amulek!

"And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words which had been spoken.

Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they found out privily the minds of all the people (Alma 35:4-6).

"And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land" (Alma 35:6). 

They wanted to know who believed the words of God. Not only did they cast them out of their synagogues and out of their land, they conspired to take their lives. 

Prophetic isn't it?