Alma 27

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 5/21 GREEN 7/22 Brown 8/23.)

Chapter 27

The Lord commands Ammon to lead the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi to safety—Upon meeting Alma, Ammon’s joy exhausts his strength—The Nephites give the Anti-Nephi-Lehies the land of Jershon—They are called the people of Ammon. About 90–77 B.C.

  1 Now it came to pass that when those Lamanites who had gone to war against the Nephites had found, after their ^amany struggles to destroy them, that it was in vain to seek their destruction, If the Lord is fighting our battles, we don't need to fear our enemies they returned again to the land of Nephi.
  2 And it came to pass that the Amalekites, because of their loss, were exceedingly angry. And when they saw that they could not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to ^astir up the people in anger Why is it so easy to make other people mad and get them to fight your battles? against their ^bbrethren, the people of ^cAnti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to destroy them.
  3 Now this people ^aagain refused to take their arms, and they suffered themselves to be slain I don't know if we remember this second attack and their continued willingness to be slain according to the desires of their enemies. We have to put this next to the belief that God will protect and save the righteous. There was no divine intervention for these people who were willing to be killed rather than to kill. Is this part of their repentance for the lives they had taken before they were converted? 
  4 Now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction among those whom they so dearly beloved, and among those who had so dearly beloved them—for they were treated as though they were angels sent from God to save them from everlasting destruction—This is a beautiful expression. These Lamanites were TRULY converted and grateful. They were given the gift of seeing their eternal standing therefore, when Ammon and his brethren saw this great work of destruction, they were moved with compassion, and they ^asaid unto the king: Ammon is still living with the Lamanites
  5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed. fleeing always seems to be an option
  6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy us, because of the many murders and sins we have committed against them.
  7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go? I love this distinction. Ammon had his "opinion" but he believed the king would only yield to the Lord's will.
  8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go, we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have committed against them. They are STILL repenting...
  9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our brethren, which was established by my father, that there should be any ^aslaves among them; THIS verse needs to be remembered when they come after the church for racism and/or supporting slavery. Not so! therefore let us go down and rely upon the mercies of our brethren.
 10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the land. The king was thinking their two options were slavery or death (even though slavery wasn't allowed)
 11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said unto him:
 12 Get this people ^aout of this land, that they perish not; for Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them; therefore get thee out of this land; and blessed are this people in this generation, for I will ^bpreserve them. The Lord removes the righteous to protect them from destruction and promises to preserve them. Could this be another example of the Lord being willing to preserve the people, but they had not asked if they should flee or give up their lives before this. As soon as they ask, the Lord says to go so they don't perish and He will preserve them. How very literal is the command to ask and then receive! Remember that Jesus taught that the Jews didn't know about Lehi's seed "because they asked not"...as if that is the only reason they didn't know. If they had asked, He would have told them. 
 13 And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all the words which the Lord had said unto him.
 14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and came over near the borders of the land.
 15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and my brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye shall remain here until we return; and we will ^atry the hearts of our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into their land. Even though the Lord told them to go, and they had the promise that they would be preserved, they didn't have details. They gave the Nephites agency to accept or reject them.
 16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the ^aplace of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.
 17 Now the ^ajoy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the ^bexhausting of his strength; and he fell ^cagain to the earth. What is this Godly joy that is so overpowering to the body? Ammon seems to be particularly given to feeling this kind of emotion.
 18 Now was not this ^aexceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of ^bhappiness. I guess I have a lot to learn about being TRULY penitent and humble. and seeking happiness...
 19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his ^abrethren was truly great, and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their joy was not that to exceed their strength. Interesting comparison. Truly fascinating on what is needed to experience this joy...
 20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla; even to his ^aown house. Alma had a house and a wife and children. well...don’t’ really know about the wife and children...And they went and told the ^bchief judge all the things that had happened unto them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.
 21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people Love this democracy. The chief judge wanted to govern according to the will of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of ^aAnti-Nephi-Lehi.
 22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the ^aland of ^bJershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.
 23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may ^aprotect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness.
 24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a ^aportion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our armies. Very generous of the Nephites. They had not forgotten the many murders and awful wickedness, but they also believed the Lamanites had repented and were willing to relocate some of their people and give them their land and protect them (if they would sustain them for their time and sacrifice) Where did the citizens of Jershon go? How were they so easily willing to give them their land? Did they just live in tents that they moved elsewhere? Was there no one living in Jershon? Did they have homes they just abandoned? Did the people of Zarahemla take them in? This may be included in the records Mormon didn't include. Remember he only wrote a hundredth part...
 25 Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and made known unto them all these things. And Alma also related unto them his ^aconversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren. Had Ammon not shared this story with them yet? I wonder if he told this story of himself and Ammon to connect himself with Ammon in their minds to increase their trust in him?
 26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the ^apeople of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after. So the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's became the "people of Ammon" - much easier name!
 27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their ^azeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly ^bhonest and upright in all things; and they were ^cfirm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end. Now there is a “label” we should seek to be known by...
 28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it. With all the death we are about to face, we need to have this unshaken faith and lack of fear over death!
 29 Therefore, they would suffer ^adeath in the most aggravating and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite them.
 30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord. I love this description.

zeal towards God
zeal towards man
perfectly honest in all things
perfectly upright in all things
never took up arms to fight
did not look upon death with any degree of terror
great hope and views of Christ and the resurrection
death swallowed up by the victory of Christ over it
BELOVED PEOPLE
HIGHLY FAVORED OF THE THE LORD