Los que estaban irritado por la predicación de la palabra de Dios se organizaba de acuerdo con su ira. Me parece un poco curioso este punto que se distinguiera por su ira.
“Many Plants and Roots Which God Had Prepared”
The bulk of these verses talks about the peaceful passing of many with their faith firmly intact. There is an interesting side thought that gives insights into how it was that so many died of just old age. (vs. 41)
Verse 40 talks about how because of the “many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases,” there were fewer that perished because of fevers or illness.
18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;
Doctrine and Covenants 59:18-20
19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.
20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
“They Did Maintain Peace”
Captain Moroni, through very deliberate action against those that sought to alter the free government of the people, was able to maintain peace. He rallied the people to arms. He actively went after those who sought to destroy their government. He saw the disadvantage that it would be to lose the Amalikiahites to the Lamanites. He put to death those dissenters who would not enter into a covenant of peace.
Faith is action.
(And He Called It the Title of Liberty)
Moroni is angry with Amalickiah. Is this a justified angry? It seems to be. If justified, then upon what principles of understanding or knowledge does Moroni take action. In other words, upon what principles does Moroni place his faith (faith unto action)?
Anger is often the result of fear. Fear and faith cannot exist in the same being at the same time. If not fear, than can anger be unto faith? Or can one become angry because of their faith? This is what Moroni seems to be doing. But anger often results in lamentable or regrettable actions. Perhaps only when anger is a result of fear, not faith. A righteous indignation, or anger can produce dramatic or caustic results.
A Title of Liberty
So Moroni rents his coat and lists upon the things that are of most importance to him:
- Our God
- Our religion
- Freedom
- Our peace
- Our wives
- Our children
These are the things that Moroni saw as being threatened by the usurpation of Amalickiah: Faith and Family. He’s not concerned with prominence , power, property, or other possessions.
“Gathered Together Against Their Brethren”
The same word of God was preached among all the people of Nephi. Yet for some, this resulted in deep division, feelings of hatred to the point of bitter resentment and rebellion. I appreciate that it says that they rebelled against their brethren. These were family bonds being broken, and that hurts.
“Only Through Repentance and Faith on the Name of the Lord God Omnipotent”
I’ve slowly read through this chapter again this morning. It has been a healing balm to my wounded soul. I failed in previous readings to realized that the bulk of this chapter is an angelic communication straight from the realms of glory of the presence of the Lord.
This is the doctrine of the Father: that we believe in Christ, that we have some understanding of the Atoning sacrifice that He performed, that we repent and have faith on Christ.
“It Is Known of God That Wickedness Will Not Bring Them Forth”
This phrase found in verse 12 was a shaft of light or understanding this morning to my mind. The wording though found in verses 10 -12 are particularly compelling. Only those who feel sorrow for the fall of the house of Israel and its fall are those that will respond to gathering. The Lord can only trust the righteous to do His work.
Can he trust me?
“It Is a Light Thing”
In 3 Nephi 23, the Savior testifies of the prophet Isaiah:
3 Nephi 23:2-3
For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; atherefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.
And all things that he spake have been and ashall be, even according to the words which he spake.
This footnote in verse 2 took me to an oft misunderstood verse in Isaiah.
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a alight to the bGentiles, that thou mayest be my csalvation unto the end of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6
Today I had the wherewithal to figure out what that phrase “light thing” meant, because it had confused me as to the meaning of the word “light”. In Spanish, fortunately, the meaning is much clearer, replacing the phrase “light thing” with the word “poco,” meaning small, light, or of minor importance.
This insight for me unlocks the significance of this chapter, and the full scope of God’s work in the latter days.
Arriving at the End
If I can maintain the same enthusiasm for the truth that I had when I first encountered it, after 20 years, then I will begin to see the fruits. No, 30 years, 40 years, 50 years. If I can still have that same youthful enthusiasm for truth as when I first heard it and learnt of it, then will blessings flow and be richly abundant. If I can make it to the end of days, with that same youthful enthusiasm for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I will have made it. Then it will always be mine!
For that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Alma 34:34
This Great and Abominable Church
This chapter details the establishment of the church of the devil. It is instructional to understand its purpose and focuses.
In the church of the devil, most of its pursuits are on lifeless objects: gold, silver, silks, fine-twined linens, and so on. And then it includes one group of people: harlots. This church of the devil is focused on those who would defile themselves, breaking the family covenant.
In contrast, the Church of the Lamb of God focuses on creating covenants and unions of the genders, to establish and build family units. Christ = Family.