Alma 45

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 8/20 Green 5/21 yellow green 5/21 8/22 Brown 10/23)

The account of the people of Nephi, and their wars and dissensions, in the days of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman, which he kept in his days.

Comprising chapters 45 through 62.

CHAPTER 45

Helaman believes the words of Alma—Alma prophesies the destruction of the Nephites—He blesses and curses the land—Alma may have been taken up by the Spirit, even as Moses—Dissension grows in the Church. About 73 B.C.

  1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again ^adelivered them God is sooo merciful and good. He "delivers" again, and again, and again...out of the hands of their enemies; Why can we not have more faith in this?  therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did ^bfast much and pray much, interesting that fasting was part of rejoicing. I think I've always been taught we fast when we need something or to help the poor. This is something to ponder... I think it may have something to do with a tangible, physical way to show God how grateful we are. Also, since it is accompanied by prayer, it seems to be a way to more fully access the Spirit and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.
  2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those ^arecords which have been kept?
  3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I ^abelieve.
  4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?
  5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.
  6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye ^akeep my commandments?
  7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.
  8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall ^aprosper thee in this land.
  9 But behold, I have somewhat to ^aprophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say. Our own journals can be used this way for us as well. We can write down the promptings we receive and speak nothing of them to others until they come to pass, but we will have written proof that we were shown them before.
 10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in ^afour hundred  years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in ^bunbelief. Well, okay...right off the bat, the prophecy is one that Helaman can not possibly make known at the time of it's fulfillment since it's 400 years in the future... Also, this clearly states that Christ would visit them. How well was that known among the people?
 11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become ^aextinct—that's ominous!
 12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and ^alasciviousness, (The state or habitual condition of feeling an excessive or morbid sexual desire.) and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, Do we have this "great light and knowledge"? yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the ^bfourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come. So much can change in just one generation...heck...even in just one year! 
 13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall ^ano more be numbered among the people of Nephi. All will be excommunicated
 14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be ^anumbered among the ^bLamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; the 3 Nephites? Mormon and Moroni? those that left on ships with Haggoth? and them shall the Lamanites pursue even ^cuntil they shall become extinct.  Where is the promised protection for the righteous? And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled. How hard to know this prophecy that won't happen for over 400 years and not be able to teach it to your children and the saints. But...considering that Christ himself will teach those who are with Him and that teaching WILL last for 200 years, what more can man do? Maybe that is some kind of divine compensation. Remember, that the Nephite line wasn't totally destroyed. Some of their blood runs through the Lamanite line that they mixed with. And perhaps even, an apostate Nephite couple had children...but at some point they probably mixed until they were not distinguishable by skin color. I wonder why he felt like he needed to share this with Helaman. Was it just so that it could be recorded so that we could see that God's words are always fulfilled? 
 15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he ^ablessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the ^brighteous’ sake.
 16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—^aCursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do ^bwickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the ^cblessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the ^dleast degree of allowance. THIS IS OUR WARNING! We may not be fully ripe, but God is not looking on our sin with any tolerance. We will be fully accountable when the destruction comes. Will this blessing/curse need to be made known to all the inhabitants of this land before the destruction comes? I think so...Surely the national sins of abortion and sexual perversions are ripening us quickly!
 17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the ^achurch, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth. This includes us...What does it mean to stand fast in the faith? I think it means to be true to the gospel and all it's truths. It doesn't mean blind obedience to man.
 18 And when Alma had done this he ^adeparted out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of ^bMelek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of. This is odd. We have written record of all his many travels and preachings and now he just disappears. Sounds like he was "taken up" or translated. Perhaps he's like the 3 Nephites and he's still here ministering. He wanted to be an "angel" to preach repentance all his days. Translated beings are ministering angels, so to speak... It also sounds like he told them of his intentions to go to Melek. Was he just leading them on? Or did something happen to him (killed, got sick, wild animal, etc)
 19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the ^aSpirit, or ^bburied by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial. I like that story better...
 20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth among the people to declare the ^aword unto them.
 21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the people, it became expedient that the ^aword of God should be declared among them, yea, and that a ^bregulation (A principle, rule, or law designed to control or govern conduct) should be made throughout the church. man...how quick to forget and to do iniquity is man. This chapter begins with them all fasting and rejoicing for being delivered by God and it ends with them turning their hearts away from God. What's the deal???
 22 Therefore, ^aHelaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches. 
 23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a ^adissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren;
 24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great ^ariches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to ^bwalk uprightly before God. Beware of contention. Put it down quickly. Walk "uprightly". What does that mean? He seems to blame this dissension and pride on riches.