It is interesting in Alma 9 who Alma says the Lord is angry with. He will be merciful unto the Lamanites because they are living their lives according to the false traditions of their fathers. It is true they are cut off from the presence of the Lord because they are not keeping His commandments but the Lord will be merciful and prolong their days that they might have a chance to repent and come unto Him. Here are his words unto them, “Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land.
15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you, except ye repent.
16 For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land.
17 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name” (Alma 9:14-17).
Contrast the Lord’s feelings for the Lamanites with His feelings for the Nephites in Ammonihah. His anger is kindled against them. Here is what Alma says unto them as he carries forth the message the angel delivered unto him:
“Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent; and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. But behold, this is not all--he has commanded you to repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce anger he will not turn away.
13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord...
18 But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited with utter
destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce anger of the Lord” (Alma 9:12-13, 18).
We see this pattern in scripture. The righteous become prideful and the Lord uses the wicked, who are wicked because of the false traditions of their fathers, to come down and destroy those that had greater light and knowledge. He prolongs the days of the wicked that they might repent but uses them to destroy those that should have known better. The Book of Mormon and the words of Isaiah are full of this pattern.
What do the Nephites in Ammonihah need to repent of? He’s angry with them because of turning from the light and knowledge they have received (Alma 9:19). What specific light and knowledge have they turned from? Here is what the account says, “Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to come;
21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation;” (Alma 9:20-21).
In our culture are we the Lamanites or the Nephites? I ask this question for several reasons, one of which came to mind because of Alma 9:25,
“And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand;”
What would happen to a person that would stand up in your congregation and say, “An angel visited me last night and told me to cry unto you that we need to repent of our ways because the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand.”?
Reread verse 21 above and think about the gifts that these Nephites had turned away from. It’s interesting that the Old Testament word for repentance is to turn back to God. Have we individually turned from these things? Do we really believe the gospel of Jesus Christ? The end of verse 21 says the “gift of translation.” Is that translating ancient records or is that referring to becoming a translated being or is it both?
In light of this consider these verses in Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-27
“19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.”
There are patterns in the scriptures and patterns in how the Lord’s people receive Him and reject Him. I pray for strength to put my faith and trust in Father and His Son and to repent each day and invite the Lord into my life more fully that I might receive all that He wants to give me. What wonderful blessings He has for us and Pres. Nelson alluded to them in his general conference address as he quoted the scriptures about the mysteries of the kingdom being revealed to us and he quoted another prophet, Neal A. Maxwell, as he shared that God wants to reveal the secrets of the universe with us.
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