Mosiah 23

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 6/20yellow, green 2/14 Orange 6/22 Brown 6/23.)

An account of Alma and the people of the Lord, who were driven into the wilderness by the people of King Noah.

Comprising chapters 23 and 24.

Chapter 23

Alma refuses to be king—He serves as high priest—The Lord chastens His people, and the Lamanites conquer the land of Helam—Amulon, leader of King Noah’s wicked priests, rules subject to the Lamanite monarch. About 145–121 B.C.

  1 Now Alma, having been ^awarned of the Lord that the armies of king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took of their grain, and ^bdeparted into the wilderness before the armies of king Noah. The pattern of the Lord taking the righteous away from the wicked is repeated again. Notice they took means to survive with them.
  2 And the Lord did strengthen them, that the people of king Noah could not overtake them to destroy them. Was this 'strength' that they could walk, or run faster? Go over a mountain/shortcut/through water? We must have faith that the Lord wouldn't warn us to flee if we weren't going to be successful in it.
  3 And they fled ^aeight days’ journey into the wilderness. Maybe the 'strength' was endurance. Did they go 8 days with no stopping/eating/sleeping?
  4 And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure water. A beautiful tangible blessing!
  5 And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground, and began to build buildings; yea, they were ^aindustrious, and did labor exceedingly. They must have been confident that this was to be their new home and they would be safe, or have time to prepare to be safe... Let's say they traveled a miraculous 30 miles a day x 8 days = 240 miles away. That's about Springville to St. George. That's pretty far. I'd say they were safe from the Lamanites...
  6 And the people were desirous that Alma should be their ^aking, for he was beloved by his people.
  7 But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall ^anot esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king. This counsel is for both leaders and those they lead. Don't put others on a pedestal and don't think you are better than others if you are the leader. "Esteem" can just mean respect, and we do "respect" our prophet, but it says to not "esteem" them "above another". So you can respect his service and authority, but be careful to not think him "better" than others as in "higher and lower" value. 
  8 Nevertheless, if it ^awere possible that ye could always have just men to be your ^bkings it would be well for you to have a king.
  9 But remember the ^ainiquity of king Noah and his ^bpriests; and I myself was ^ccaught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore ^drepentance; We need to remember that the wicked are our brothers and sisters who are 'caught in a snare'. We can pray that they are set free. If WE are the ones caught in the snare, be prepared for "sore" repentance...notice that even though Alma said his sins were "abominable", through repentance he was made clean and became a righteous example and teacher to bless the lives of many. There is always hope!
 10 Nevertheless, ^aafter much ^btribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an ^cinstrument in his hands in bringing ^dso many of you to a knowledge of his truth. Do we have record of this "tribulation" that Alma went through to repent? I always forget that Alma the Elder probably prayed so mightily for his son expressly because he himself had been 'caught in this snare' and wanted the same mercy he had received for his son. It also gives strength to the hypothesis that if we rebelled in our youth, we may have a child that does the same;) Was this "tribulation" of his soul required for his full repentance? Do we know how to go through that "tribulation" for our sins? Clearly it involved much prayer, perhaps until he was given the answer that he was forgiven. 
 11 Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself. This is meekness; humility
 12 And now I say unto you, ye have been ^aoppressed by king Noah, and have been in bondage to him and his priests, and have been ^bbrought into iniquity by them; therefore ye were bound with the ^cbands of iniquity. How was this manifest? By their adopting their teachings and traditions? Iniquity is different from sin because it has "generational" ties. It can be inherited lies or inherited dna and propensities. 
 13 And now as ye have been delivered by the power of God out of these bonds; yea, even out of the ^ahands of king Noah and his people, and also from the ^bbonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should ^cstand fast in this ^dliberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust ^eno man to be a king over you. Individual agency Do not trust in the arm of flesh.
 14 And also trust no one to be your ^ateacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. No priestcraft. This is a tall order, considering how many people in our church are called to be a "teacher" and everyone is called to "minister". It doesn't say don't let them teach or minister, it just says not to "trust" them, unless you know they are striving to follow the Savior and keep his commandments. 
 15 Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should ^alove his ^bneighbor ^cas himself, that there should be no ^dcontention among them. This is all the racial-sensitivity training that we need in the church. If people would just keep the commandments, you wouldn't have to focus on groups of people. Also worth noting that contention happens when the devil tempts someone to feel angry with the words or actions of another. This doesn't mean that people didn't lovingly correct one another, it just shows no one gave in to temptation to feel contention towards others. Contention is not created by words but by the response to words. The world and even in the church we "wrest" the scriptures to mean we shouldn't speak truth if it causes "contention"...like the truth is the cause. But it's not the truth...it's Satan stirring up the heart of the listener to "contend" in response. Doesn't mean we shouldn't speak truth. The counsel to not cause contention is really aimed at the listener not the speaker. We have it backwards! 
 16 And now, Alma was their ^ahigh priest, he being the founder of their church. Perhaps like we look at Joseph Smith
 17 And it came to pass that none received ^aauthority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore he ^bconsecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men.
 18 Therefore they did watch over their people, and did ^anourish them with things pertaining to righteousness. I think our ministering needs to be much more spiritual than it is. We should make it more culturally accepted that this is the most important part of ministering and that it's expected and okay that we talk about the gospel with one another...
 19 And it came to pass that they began to prosper exceedingly in the land; and they called the land ^aHelam. 
 20 And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helam. Proof they were in the "right way" and keeping the commandments.
 21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to ^achasten his people; yea, he trieth their ^bpatience and their faith. So on the one hand, the Lord was blessing them for their righteousness and obedience. Still, He chose to "try their patience and faith". If we want to ascend the spiritual ladder, we should expect the same...
 22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his ^atrust in him the same shall be ^blifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people. Here's the lesson. Trust in the Lord in prosperity and in affliction. 
 23 For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into ^abondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob. Notice the trial required faith. There was no deliverance by one's own cunning or strength. Only the Lord could do it. 
 24 And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings.
 25 For behold, it came to pass that while they were in the land of Helam, yea, in the city of Helam, while tilling the land round about, behold an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the land.
 26 Now it came to pass that the brethren of Alma fled from their fields, and gathered themselves together in the city of Helam; and they were much frightened because of the appearance of the Lamanites.
 27 But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them. Alma immediately turned them to faith in the Lord. 
 28 Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lord that he would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they would spare them, and their wives, and their children. I love the expression “they hushed their fears” ... we can influence our emotions. 
 29 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the hearts of the Lamanites. And Alma and his brethren went forth and delivered themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession of the land of Helam. So, if I read this correctly...the people of Alma were very righteous and obedient. God then decides to chasten them and to try their patience and faith. Was this a test? Were they beginning to forget the Lord? Was there some pride creeping in? Alma tells them to not be afraid; that the Lord would deliver them. At first I would think that meant he was saying the Lord would help them win the battle. But perhaps they had no weapons. Remember they were delivered the first time by fleeing. Did they know that Alma was saying, "We're going to give ourselves up to them so there is no loss of life, but don't worry, God will deliver us.
 30 Now the ^aarmies of the Lamanites, which had followed after the people of king Limhi, had been lost in the wilderness for many days.
 31 And behold, they had found those priests of king Noah, in a place which they called ^aAmulon; and they had begun to possess the land of Amulon and had begun to till the ground.
 32 Now the name of the leader of those priests was ^aAmulon.
 33 And it came to pass that Amulon did plead with the Lamanites; and he also sent forth their wives, who were the ^adaughters of the Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not destroy their husbands. Now there is a backstory to these women. How did they go from being kidnapped and forced into relationships with these wicked men, come to accept their lot and make the best of it? to the point that they plead for "their husbands"???
 34 And the Lamanites had ^acompassion on Amulon and his brethren, and did not destroy them, because of their wives. There is something about this generation of women. The daughters who had not been taken captive were put forth before the Lamanites to soften their hearts because of their beauty. These women were sisters and friends to those daughters. Something about them caused the hearts of the Lamanites to soften. Were they ALL beautiful? Or did they have beautiful hearts and countenances? What was it? 
 35 And ^aAmulon and his brethren did join the Lamanites, and they were traveling in the wilderness in search of the land of Nephi This is the land that King Noah was over and that Alma left from and where the priests who stole the daughters of the Lamanites were from when they discovered the land of Helam, which was possessed by Alma and his brethren. They were not on a war mission...so not so hard to be softened. And they had just previously had their hearts softened to not slay the priests. God truly does prepare the way before us.
 36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites promised unto Alma and his brethren, that if they would show them the ^away which led to the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty. This sounds like they are being given a miracle! No captivity?
 37 But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of Nephi the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set ^aguards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren. No miracle... Maybe they weren't 240 miles apart. Maybe it was more like 120 (15 miles/day x 8 days)
 38 And the remainder of them went to the land of Nephi; and a part of them returned to the land of Helam, and also brought with them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left in the land. They were going to be there for awhile. Kind of shows the importance of families to these men/people?
 39 And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the land of Helam; nevertheless he should have no power to do anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites. Ok, not such a bad form of bondage, considering all the alternatives.