Gospel Doctrine Commentary
Lesson No. Thrity-One
Messages for Today from the War Chapters
The war chapters of the Book of Mormon (Alma 43-62) are important for the latter days – This is obvious when we consider that they cover only fourteen years yet constitute ten percent of the Book of Mormon. President Ezra Taft Benson confirmed their importance: "From the Book of Mormon we learn how disciples of Christ live in times of war" (A Witness and A Warning, 21).
An essential lesson for the latter days found in Alma 43 – 51 is that the real threat to our well being is not the wickedness of the Lamanites, or the wickedness found in the world today, but that serious problems result when wickedness prevails in the Church and with its members.
Alma 43: There are those who would destroy our freedom to live and enjoy our religion – The Amalekites (apostates) sought to bring the Nephites into bondage, and to take away their right to worship God by stirring up the Lamanites. (See Vs 43:6-10). Moroni was twenty five years old when he led the effort to defend their freedom of worship. (See Vs 17)
Today there is a coordinated effort on many battle fronts to limit religious freedom. Our Church leaders are asking us, especially young adults, to be engaged in defending our religious freedom.
Alma 44: “God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith” (Vs 4).
In our dispensation the Church will stay on course. It is individuals who will fall away. If we are faithful to the Lord and his Church “God will support, and keep, and preserve us” (Vs 4).
Alma 45 – The wicked are cursed, but those who stand fast in the faith are blessed – The blessing and cursing discussed in this chapter has particular application to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The earth is blessed “for the righteous’ sake.” However, “the Lord God” has “cursed this land unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly” (Vs 15-16). This is especially true when people knowingly choose to be wicked.
It is important to know that the Lord has blessed “the church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time hence-forth” (Vs 17). The problems began with the Nephites when members of the church became wicked. “After Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissention among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren. But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God” (Vs 23-24).
In our dispensation some will leave the Church, but we can be certain that the Church itself will stay true to its mission and that most members will “stand fast in the faith” (Vs 17).
Alma 46 – 47 – Freedom requires temporal and spiritual preparation – Those who would destroy our freedom make extensive preparations to do so. We must be equally prepared to defend our freedom. Amalickiah was "one very wicked man" who sought "to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty" (Alma 46:9-10). In contrast “Moroni raises the title of liberty – He rallies the people to defend their religion” Alma 46 Headnote)
Amalickiah used treachery and murder to become king of the Lamanites. (See Alma 47). "Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God. Yea, [Moroni] had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort….And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians” (48:7, 8, 10).
A great purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is spiritual preparation. The Church also emphasizes the importance of temporal preparation through its extensive welfare program, and its emphasis on Provident Living.
Alma 48: Freedom requires obedience and sacrifice – Moroni was willing to sacrifice. He "had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood” (Vs 13). These are also the things that we must be willing to sacrifice for.
Moroni was obedient, and his heart gloried in “doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity” (Vs 16).
There are many people today who like Moroni, and the sons of Mosiah, and Alma and his sons who are “men of God” (see Vs 18) are willing to sacrifice, and who desire to do good, to keep the commandments of God, and to resist iniquity.
Like missionaries today, “Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words” (Vs 19).
Alma 49: Some people become exceedingly angry, others become exceedingly thankful – Amalickiah, who was an apostate, “was exceedingly angry…because he had not obtained his desires over the Nephites; he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage…On the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies” (Vs 26, 28).
Today there are those who become exceedingly angry and they “kick against the pricks, persecute the saints, and fight against God” (D&C 121:38), and they eventually will “fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord” (1 Nephi 22:14). On the other hand, if we “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17).
Alma 50: If we keep the commandments we will prosper, if not we will be cut off from the presence of the Lord (See Vs 20) – There are many examples in the Book of Mormon that “those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites” (Vs 22).
These promises are repeated frequently in the Book of Mormon, and they apply to our day. To prosper in the land includes but is far more than receiving temporal blessings. It is to enjoy the presence of the Lord through the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Regardless or the difficulties surrounding us in the world, if we have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost we will never live in “a happier time” (Vs 23).
Alma 51: King-men verses freemen; government verses family – In this chapter we are introduced to the “king-men [who] were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land” (Vs 5). The king-men were elitists who considered themselves “of high birth, and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who sought power and authority over the people” (Vs 8). In a generic sense a king is anyone who seeks power over others, and are full of haughtiness and pride. (See footnote a to Vs 8) This chapter also introduces the “freeman [who] had sworn or covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their religion by a free government” (Vs 6).
The contest between king-men and freemen continues in our day. Modern king-men promote expansive government, usually by increasing and empowering bureaucracies at the expense of the individual and the family. On the other hand modern freemen work to limit government and increase the responsibility of individuals and families.
Testimony – The proper balance between government and the family is essential to an enlightened society. When individuals follow the example of freemen in the Book of Mormon, and the family functions as the fundamental unit of society our freedom is protected, and an expansive government is unneeded and even detrimental. When freemen abdicate and families disintegrate, the government, of necessity, becomes more invasive, the king-men get stronger, and our freedom is compromised.
We live in a time where there is undeniable evidence “that the disintegration of the family [is bringing] upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets” (The Family – A Proclamation to the World).
Regardless of what happens in the world if we stay in the mainsteam of the Church by keeping our covenants and following the prophets we can look forward to the future with hope and confidence because we know, “God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith” (Alma 44:4).