Alma 9:1-11
9:1-7 - Alma goes out with Amulek and starts teaching the people after many days of prayer, fasting, and preparation. It's interesting the reception that they receive, because the people of Ammonihah "began to contend with me." Their arguments were:
1. Why should we believe just one man?
2. Why should we believe any of the outrageous things that you say "although he should preach unto us that the earth should pass away."
3. We won't believe anything that you if you say that our city will be destroyed in just one day.
4. We don't believe that God would only send one man to give us a message.
Their reaction is really kind of bizarre. They don't want to repent, I can understand that, they don't want to give up the lifestyle that they are leading, but they don't say that, what they say implies "well, if there were two of you, we would believe," or "if your arguments were more reasonable, then we would believe." But again, that's not their intention at all, them really not wanting to repent, but not saying it outright instead making seemingly logical excuses, indicates to me that they know they are wrong but are stuck in the rationalization cycle. Alma's reaction to their rationalizations are kind of funny, "now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works," such as destroy the city of Ammonihah in one day. Or "now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the earth should pass away." Kind of like Alma saying under his breath, "well, actually..." It just seems like something that I would say, and I like that. It's also bizarre the aspects that they decided to dispute. It wasn't anything like "I don't really think that drinking alcohol is a bad thing," but it was crazy stuff like, "I don't think that the earth is going to be destroyed." Very bizarre. After they had worked themselves up into a frenzy with their rationalizations, "they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold, they did not. And I stood with boldness to declare unto them, yea, I did boldly testify unto them." This is similar to the time that Abinadi stood before king Noah's court and withstood them until he had finished his message. I wonder if he withstood them with God's power like Abinadi did, or if it was more subtle than that?
9:8-11 - The wording here is a little bit confusing here, with Alma telling the people that they had "forgotten the traditions of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God." The word "forgotten" here I think is a less aggressive way of saying "you are ignoring the commandments," and this is in keeping with Alma's powerful but usually non-confrontational teaching style. He counters their objections to the outrageous nature of Alma's message with the miracles that God has provided for them and their ancestors. He counters with:
1. God brought Lehi out of Jerusalem. And he actually brought Mulek out of Jerusalem as well.
2. God led Lehi and his family through the wilderness. I guess if we really stop and think about it, a whole clan family really shouldn't have survived, and definitely not thrived for that matter, while crossing the Arabian desert for 8 years.
3. God has delivered their ancestors "out of the hands of their enemies" many times. I think that we've discussed in depth the wars and instances in which strategically, there was no possible way that the Nephites should have won, but they did, and to me that is an overwhelming testimony of God's goodness and power.
God did these things because of his "matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us," and had he not done these things "we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time," or in other words, they would be subjected to physical death in a violent manner, as "cut off" implies to me, "and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe," or in other words, they would be subject to spiritual death. If we look at this as "God mercifully extends our physical and spiritual lives so that we can repent and return to him." That might be similar to me letting my kids stay up later so that they can clean their rooms. Would that be a hands off approach or me to not wanting to engage? For me personally, absolutely, but for God that is contrary to his nature. So if he was merciful in his dealings with his children to give them opportunity to repent and return, then it would only make sense that he was actively engaged in the teaching and gathering process, unlike me in the "hey clean up your rooms!" And like we discussed yesterday about Alma being 100% involved while preparing, we can see that even though it might not seem like it, God is always 100% involved in us, even though he might be "preparing" the way for us. He is involved through teaching us his gospel, helping us learn to be better people, helping us grow closer to Him through promptings of the Holy Ghost, teaching us as we serve others, etc. Sometimes we expect this big grand miracle, and they happen, they absolutely happen, but while we are waiting for the obvious, we miss out of the smaller, more subtle miracles, we miss out on smaller, yet just as powerful lessons, we lose the small opportunities for joy.
Sorry, this is a little bit short tonight, but I'm mentally spent, so very tired. Good night.
1. Why should we believe just one man?
2. Why should we believe any of the outrageous things that you say "although he should preach unto us that the earth should pass away."
3. We won't believe anything that you if you say that our city will be destroyed in just one day.
4. We don't believe that God would only send one man to give us a message.
Their reaction is really kind of bizarre. They don't want to repent, I can understand that, they don't want to give up the lifestyle that they are leading, but they don't say that, what they say implies "well, if there were two of you, we would believe," or "if your arguments were more reasonable, then we would believe." But again, that's not their intention at all, them really not wanting to repent, but not saying it outright instead making seemingly logical excuses, indicates to me that they know they are wrong but are stuck in the rationalization cycle. Alma's reaction to their rationalizations are kind of funny, "now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works," such as destroy the city of Ammonihah in one day. Or "now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the earth should pass away." Kind of like Alma saying under his breath, "well, actually..." It just seems like something that I would say, and I like that. It's also bizarre the aspects that they decided to dispute. It wasn't anything like "I don't really think that drinking alcohol is a bad thing," but it was crazy stuff like, "I don't think that the earth is going to be destroyed." Very bizarre. After they had worked themselves up into a frenzy with their rationalizations, "they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold, they did not. And I stood with boldness to declare unto them, yea, I did boldly testify unto them." This is similar to the time that Abinadi stood before king Noah's court and withstood them until he had finished his message. I wonder if he withstood them with God's power like Abinadi did, or if it was more subtle than that?
9:8-11 - The wording here is a little bit confusing here, with Alma telling the people that they had "forgotten the traditions of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God." The word "forgotten" here I think is a less aggressive way of saying "you are ignoring the commandments," and this is in keeping with Alma's powerful but usually non-confrontational teaching style. He counters their objections to the outrageous nature of Alma's message with the miracles that God has provided for them and their ancestors. He counters with:
1. God brought Lehi out of Jerusalem. And he actually brought Mulek out of Jerusalem as well.
2. God led Lehi and his family through the wilderness. I guess if we really stop and think about it, a whole clan family really shouldn't have survived, and definitely not thrived for that matter, while crossing the Arabian desert for 8 years.
3. God has delivered their ancestors "out of the hands of their enemies" many times. I think that we've discussed in depth the wars and instances in which strategically, there was no possible way that the Nephites should have won, but they did, and to me that is an overwhelming testimony of God's goodness and power.
God did these things because of his "matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us," and had he not done these things "we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time," or in other words, they would be subjected to physical death in a violent manner, as "cut off" implies to me, "and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe," or in other words, they would be subject to spiritual death. If we look at this as "God mercifully extends our physical and spiritual lives so that we can repent and return to him." That might be similar to me letting my kids stay up later so that they can clean their rooms. Would that be a hands off approach or me to not wanting to engage? For me personally, absolutely, but for God that is contrary to his nature. So if he was merciful in his dealings with his children to give them opportunity to repent and return, then it would only make sense that he was actively engaged in the teaching and gathering process, unlike me in the "hey clean up your rooms!" And like we discussed yesterday about Alma being 100% involved while preparing, we can see that even though it might not seem like it, God is always 100% involved in us, even though he might be "preparing" the way for us. He is involved through teaching us his gospel, helping us learn to be better people, helping us grow closer to Him through promptings of the Holy Ghost, teaching us as we serve others, etc. Sometimes we expect this big grand miracle, and they happen, they absolutely happen, but while we are waiting for the obvious, we miss out of the smaller, more subtle miracles, we miss out on smaller, yet just as powerful lessons, we lose the small opportunities for joy.
Sorry, this is a little bit short tonight, but I'm mentally spent, so very tired. Good night.
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