Alma, Amulek, Zeezrom, and the people
(Alma 9:1-2 CE)
1) Alma saw that Amulek’s words silenced Zeezrom. Zeezrom realized Amulek caught him lying and misleading, attempting to destroy him. Because Zeezrom was trembling in fear from his guilt, Alma spoke directly to him, confirming Amulek’s words and elaborating and explaining the scriptures beyond what Amulek had covered. What Alma told Zeezrom was overheard by everyone who gathered around them. He said this: Now Zeezrom, your lies and misrepresentations have been exposed. But you haven’t just lied to these people, you’ve also lied to God. He knows all your thoughts and God has revealed your thoughts to us by His Spirit. You see we understand your plan. It was cunning, but follows Satan’s pattern, hoping to use a lie to deceive these people, so you could turn them against us. You expected them to scorn us and throw us out. Now this was your adversary’s plan, and you’ve surrendered, letting him control you. Remember that what I tell you, I tell to everyone. I warn all of you that this was a trap of the adversary he has used to control you. He hopes you follow him and get caught in his chains. He wants your everlasting destruction, which results from letting him control you.
2) When Alma had said this; Zeezrom began to tremble even more intensely, since he was convinced more and more of God’s power. He also realized Alma and Amulek had exposed him. And he was convinced they knew the thoughts and secret intentions of his heart. They knew this because of the spirit of prophecy. And Zeezrom began to ask them sincere questions, so he could learn more about God’s kingdom. He asked Alma: What do Amulek’s words about the resurrection of the dead mean? How will all rise from the dead, both the just and unjust, and be brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works?
In this case, when his thoughts and secret intentions of his heart were exposed before the people and God, Zeezrom took the less common path and repented. He changed his ways and corrected his thoughts, intentions, and actions. Some time passed and Zeezrom diligently sought for the truth-tellers, Alma and Amulek, and …
(Alma 10:14 CE)
14) Then Alma took his hand and asked him: Do you believe in Christ’s power to save? He answered: Yes, I believe all the words you’ve taught. And Alma said: If you believe in Christ’s redemption, you can be healed. And he said: Yes, I believe what you’ve taught. Then Alma asked the Lord: O Lord our God, have mercy on this man and heal him according to his faith in Christ. When Alma said these words, Zeezrom sprang to his feet and began to walk. This astonished all the people, and the news spread throughout the land of Sidom. Then Alma baptized Zeezrom in the name of the Lord, and from then on he began to preach to the people. Alma established a congregation in Sidom and ordained priests and teachers there, to baptize any who wished to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
(Mosiah 7:8 thru 9:5 CE)
7:8) But a man who lived among them, named Abinadi, went out and began to prophesy, saying: This is the Lord’s message for me to give to you: Go and tell this people, this is what the Lord says: Woe to this people. I’ve seen their abominations, wickedness, and whoredoms! Unless they repent, I’ll punish them in My anger. Unless they repent and turn to the Lord who is God, I’ll let their enemies overpower them; indeed, they’ll be brought into slavery, and be punished by their enemies. They will know that I Am the Lord their God — a God who requires faithfulness, punishing My people for their iniquities. Unless these people repent and turn to the Lord who is God, they’ll be brought into slavery; no one will set them free except for the Lord the Almighty God. When they cry to Me, I’ll be slow to hear their cries. I’ll let them be killed by their enemies. Unless they repent in sincere humility and regret, and honestly ask the Lord their God in faith to forgive, I won’t hear their prayers or save them from their punishment. This is what the Lord says and this is what He’s commanded me to say.
7:9) Now when Abinadi had spoken these words to them, they were furious with him and tried to kill him; but the Lord rescued him. When king Noah had heard about the things Abinadi said to the people, he was also very angry and said: Who does Abinadi think he is, judging me and my people like this? Or who is the Lord that He should bring such great trouble on my people? I order you to bring Abinadi here so I can kill him. He’s said these things to stir up my people to be angry with each other and to cause conflict among my people; therefore I’ll kill him. Now the people were deceived; so they ignored Abinadi’s words and tried to arrest him from that time forward. And king Noah completely ignored the Lord’s word and didn’t change his evildoing.
7:10) Two years later, Abinadi returned in disguise, and they didn’t recognize him. He once more began to prophesy to them, saying: This is what the Lord has commanded me: Abinadi, go and prophesy to My people: Because you’ve ignored My words and haven’t repented of doing evil, therefore I’ll punish you in My anger, yes, I’ll punish you in My fierce anger for your iniquities and abominations. Woe to this generation! And the Lord told me: Stretch out your hand and prophesy: This is what the Lord says: Because of their iniquities, this generation will be enslaved, struck on the cheek, hunted by men, and killed. Vultures, dogs, and wild animals will devour their flesh. And continues - See Mosiah 7:11-18 CE
9:1) When Abinadi had finished speaking, the king ordered the priests to take him and have him put to death. But there was one among them named Alma, a young man and a descendant of Nephi, who believed Abinadi’s words, since he could see the iniquity Abinadi had testified against them. Therefore he started to plead with the king not to be angry with Abinadi, but to let him leave in peace. But the king became even angrier and had Alma thrown out and sent servants to kill him. But he escaped and hid and they didn’t find him. While in hiding for many days, Alma wrote down everything Abinadi had said.
9:2) The king had his guards surround Abinadi and take him, tie him up, and throw him in prison. The king consulted with his priests and after three days, he had Abinadi brought back. Then he announced: Abinadi, we’ve found you guilty, and you deserve to be executed. You claim that God Himself would come down among mankind. And now for saying this, you’ll be put to death unless you retract everything you’ve falsely testified about me and my people.
9:3) And Abinadi said to him: I won’t retract anything I’ve said to you, because it’s all true. To prove I’m testifying of the truth, I’ve let you capture me. And I will let you execute me, but I won’t retract my words, and they’ll stand as a testimony condemning you. If you kill me, you will shed innocent blood, which will also condemn you on the last day.
9:4) Now king Noah was about to release him, because he was afraid of what he had been told, and worried God’s judgments would fall on him. But the priests cried out loudly in opposition, accusing and claiming: He’s insulted the king! So the king was provoked to anger against him, and he instead decided to have him executed.
9:5) They then took him, tied him up, set him atop firewood, and burned him to death. And when the flames began to burn him, he yelled to them, saying: Just as you’ve done to me, your descendants will also do to many others who will suffer the same pain that I suffer — painful death by fire — because they believe in the salvation of the Lord who is God. You’ll be infected by many diseases because of your iniquities. You’ll be attacked on all sides and driven and scattered, just like a wild flock driven by hungry predators. At that time you’ll be hunted and taken by your enemies. Then you will, like me, feel the pain of being executed by burning. This is how God repays those who destroy His people. O God, receive my spirit! Now when Abinadi had said this, he collapsed, dying in the fire, having been executed because he wouldn’t deny God’s commandments, having sealed the truth of his words through his death.
If the truth presented ends up challenging traditions and confronting human error, sin, or crime with justified evidence, it becomes more threatening and increasingly uncomfortable for the guilty parties who hear their transgressions being shouted from the rooftops. Whenever truth is judged to be hurting the agenda of an individual, a group, or community, the people involved often try to shut it down, ridicule it, and reject it … even if they know it's true.
The truth is often offensive, cuts to the core, and requires significant internal change. It is a natural human tendency to hate and despise the truth-teller. In other words, I am very furious at you for declaring such foolishness and lies about me. Unless you retract everything you’ve said about me, I will come after you, damage your reputation, smear your name, sue you, imprison you, and make you beg and wish you had never been so obnoxious and mean to me. I will bring upon you awful events, horrible outcomes, the most serious results, and whatever other heinous consequences I can create just for you. The tendency to destroy the truth-teller, in some form or another, is a common way to harden hearts, blind eyes, stop ears, and loose light and truth.
Here are some very significant words and revelations recently given to us from God in our day, by which we are to guide our lives and be judged at the last day:
Covenant of Christ
Old Covenants
The New Covenants
New Testament
Book of Mormon
Teachings and Commandments
The Ten Talks - Preserving the Restoration
The Testimony of John
Religion of the Fathers
Our Divine Parents
Civilization
The Holy Order 1 & 2
Other Papers
Blog, Books, Podcasts, Downloads
Restoration Archives (More Records)
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