| Book of Mormon |
Annotations |
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Chapter 12
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1 Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced
Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying and deceiving
to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble under a consciousness of
his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto him, and to establish
the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold the
scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done.
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It would great if this is how modern prophets operated.
Unfortunately they are not so bold, and actually have gotten tripped up
themselves pretty easily.
An example that comes to mind is Elder Jeffrey Holland having to backpedal
when it was pointed out that his response was not true in the BBC documentary
“The Mormon Candidate” (The Elder Holland exchange starts at about 1:21 into
this video).
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2 Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by
the people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on this
wise:
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3 Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy
lying and craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied
unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy
thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;
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4 And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very
subtle plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive this
people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us and to cast us
out—
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5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath
exercised his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what I
say unto thee I say unto all.
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6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of
the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring
you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his
chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to
the power of his captivity.
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7 Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to
tremble more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power of
God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a knowledge of him,
for he was convinced that they knew the thoughts and intents of his heart;
for power was given unto them that they might know of these things according
to the spirit of prophecy.
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8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he
might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma: What
does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the
dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and
are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works?
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9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him,
saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they
are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to
the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men,
according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
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10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same
receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his
heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given
unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
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11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is
given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his
mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will
down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.
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12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and
being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought
before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works.
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13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have
hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in
us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned.
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14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will
condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also
condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God;
and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to
fall upon us to hide us from his presence.
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15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before
him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion,
and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just;
that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children
of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his
name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.
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16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death,
even a second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that
whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a
spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness.
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17 Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake
of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever; and then is
the time that they shall be chained down to an everlasting destruction,
according to the power and captivity of Satan, he having subjected them
according to his will.
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The qualifier for destruction here is “everlasting.” One
is left to wonder what that means exactly since according to D&C 19:6-12
the words “endless” and “eternal” do not mean without end when it comes to
“endless torment” or “eternal damnation”. These verses in the D&C explain
that “endless” and “eternal” are used because, “it is more express than other
scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men.” When
people read these words in the Book of Mormon, how do they likely understand
the words “endless” and “eternal”? Is this honest communication if D&C 19
reveals the actual meaning of these words? Does “everlasting” also not mean
without end?
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18 Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had
been no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to God’s
justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more corruption.
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19 Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of
speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;
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20 But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among
them, came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast said, that
man should rise from the dead and be changed from this mortal to an immortal
state, that the soul can never die?
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21 What does the scripture mean, which saith that God
placed cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden,
lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of the tree of
life, and live forever? And thus we see that there was no possible chance
that they should live forever.
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The only pre-Columbian weapon I can find that was similar
to a sword was the macuahuitl which was made with a plank of wood similar in
shape to a cricket bat with obsidian blades mounted on the edges. It is
similar enough to a sword that it is often referred to as the Aztec sword.
However, the macuahuitl does not seem to fit the Book of
Mormon time frame. “Some groups of Central Mexico, principally in the
transition between the Early and the Late Post-Classic, probably
developed this weapon” (emphasis added, Dr. Marco Antonio Cervera Obregón,
“The macuahuitl: an innovative weapon of the Late Post-Classic in
Mesoamerica”, Arms & Armour, Vol.3, Nov. 2, 2006, p. 146, article from a research journal).
The Post-Classic period is between 900 CE and the Spanish conquest.
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22 Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was
about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the
forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his
fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people.
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23 And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been
possible for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at that
time, there would have been no death, and the word would have been void,
making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou shalt surely die.
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24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the
death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent;
therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet
God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us,
which is after the resurrection of the dead.
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25 Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption,
which was laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no
resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption laid, which
shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has been spoken.
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26 And now behold, if it were possible that our first
parents could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would
have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and thus the plan
of redemption would have been frustrated, and the word of God would have been
void, taking none effect.
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27 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto
men that they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even
that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.
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28 And after God had appointed that these things should
come unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man should know
concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them;
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29 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who
caused men to behold of his glory.
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30 And they began from that time forth to call on his
name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of
redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and
this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and
their holy works.
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31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having
first transgressed the first commandments as to things which were temporal,
and becoming as gods, knowing good from evil, placing themselves in a state
to act, or being placed in a state to act according to their wills and
pleasures, whether to do evil or to do good—
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This verse teaches that by transgression of eating the fruit
of the tree of knowledge, man came to know the difference between good and
evil, and that this placed them in the state to act, or in other words it put
them into a state of having moral agency.
Yet, prior to this, in the war in Heaven, one third the hosts of heaven were
cast into outer darkness for transgressing. There was a judgment prior to
mortality that indicates that there was already moral agency. These teachings
seem incompatible.
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32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having
made known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do evil,
the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an everlasting death as
to things pertaining unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption
could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed,
according to the supreme goodness of God.
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33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this
being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and
harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only
Begotten Son;
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34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his
heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a
remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.
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35 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do
iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.
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36 And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye
will harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;
therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his wrath upon you
as in the first provocation, yea, according to his word in the last
provocation as well as the first, to the everlasting destruction of
your souls; therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as
the first.
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The qualifier for destruction here is “everlasting.” One
is left to wonder what that means exactly since according to D&C 19:6-12
the words “endless” and “eternal” do not mean without end when it comes to
“endless torment” or “eternal damnation”. These verses in the D&C explain
that “endless” and “eternal” are used because, “it is more express than other
scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men.” When
people read these words in the Book of Mormon, how do they likely understand
the words “endless” and “eternal”? Is this honest communication if D&C 19
reveals the actual meaning of these words? Does “everlasting” also not mean
without end?
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37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and
they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not
the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second
commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of
God, which is prepared according to his word.
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