Mosiah 18-24
Nearing the end of our 3 generation story from Zeniff to Limhi.
2 groups trying to come home; Alma's group comes home early while Limhi's group comes home late.
CH18
After hearing Abinadi's words, Alma runs off with whoever would listen to him and they establish a church.
V30. This place they called Mormon, was where they established the Church of Christ and experienced a life-changing change of heart. "how beautiful [is this place] to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer."
We tend to hold a special place in our hearts for the places we experience such life-changing events. They are places you just can't help but feel God's presence. Jerusalem for what Jesus did there. A grove of trees in upstate New York because of what Joseph Smith did there. And Paraguay, because of what God let me do there.
V30. This place they called Mormon, was where they established the Church of Christ and experienced a life-changing change of heart. "how beautiful [is this place] to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer."
We tend to hold a special place in our hearts for the places we experience such life-changing events. They are places you just can't help but feel God's presence. Jerusalem for what Jesus did there. A grove of trees in upstate New York because of what Joseph Smith did there. And Paraguay, because of what God let me do there.
CH19
Lamanites invade the people of King Noah.
CH20
Limhi becomes King, after the death of his father.
|
|
Land of Zarahemla |
Land of Nephi |
|
1st Generation |
Mosiah I |
Zeniff |
|
2nd Generation |
Benjamin |
Noah |
|
3rd Generation |
Mosiah II |
Limhi |
CH21
Limhi's people are enslaved by the Lamanites.
V13. They humbled themselves
V15. The Lord was slow to hear their cries, nonetheless He began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites so that they began to ease their burdens.
God could've fixed it all at once, but He requires persistence on our part. Sometimes we need this time to change our hearts.
V16. Limhi's people began to prosper by degrees.
V29-30 Ammon shows up and is filled with sorrow for their loss and also that they had spent so many years living in sin.
Have you ever met someone who got baptized later on in life, and you maybe had a little jealousy? Or maybe just the thought of "how lucky, you got to live it up and then get baptized and wipe it all away". I've had that thought a few times. Ammon though, did not share those same thoughts. He truly understood that "wickedness never was happiness".
V36. I love this phrase: "now all the study of Ammon… was to deliver themselves out of bondage."
Find what is important to you and make it ALL OF YOUR STUDY. What are the strategies of the adversary? How do we overcome them?
V13. Limhi's people escape the bondage they were in and find the land of Zarahemla to join King Mosiah II and his people.
Alma and Limhi's people both end up in bondage, and both end up escaping. But when Abinadi came knocking, those who believed on Alma's words turned to the Lord early, and the rest became the people of Limhi and turned to the Lord late. Alma's people chose to be humble, while Limhi's people were compelled to be humble. This makes all the difference.
V1 "Now Alma, having been warned of the Lord". God is Alma's lookout, while Limhi had to be on the tower and rely on himself to lookout for the enemy. (Mos 20:8)
V2 "the Lord did strengthen" from the start, while the Lord was slow to hear the cries of Limhi's people.
Why is this important? Later on down the road when Ammon goes to teach the Lamanites the gospel, in the language of Nephi, thousands are converted.
Just a great example of God working in mysterious ways. God is able to bring good things out of bad situations.
V7. As the Lamanites learn from Amulon, they become rich, wise as to the wisdom of the world, and delight in wickedness.
Contrasting thought… The glory of God is intelligence, as long as it contains light and truth.
V9. Amulon and Alma knew each other from their days being Noah's priests. Two friends who took very different paths. Amulon put heavy burdens on Alma's people.
V12. Alma's people pours out their hearts.
V14-15. God answers and begins to "ease the burdens… that you cannot feel them upon your backs."
I love how he says he did not take the burden from them. I think if God were to remove it completely, they might forget that God was even there in the first place. Rather if the trial remains and you find the strength to endure it, you will be a witness that He is there.
This is deliverance IN their trials. It was a trial of faith.
V16. "so great was their faith and their patience that the Lord came unto them again, saying… I will deliver you out of bondage."
This is deliverance FROM their trials. After a trial of their faith.
But even as God delivers them FROM their trials, He still expects much from them.
V23. the Lord tells Alma to hurry up because the Lamanites have awoken and now pursue them. I'm sure God could've kept them asleep a little longer, but He wants us to do our part too.
And that's the end of the story of these three generations.
Just as Hansen's law suggestions: departing the faith, sitting idle in disbelief, and then clawing your way back with Heaven's help, to what your family once had, something your grandpa once took for granted.
Now how do we apply this to ourselves? I think the reason why this is such a great story, is because we are in every part of it. There are times where I am firmly planted in Zarahemla, with my tent facing the temple, listening to the prophet of God, with deep desires to make or keep covenants with God. There are times I become over-zealous as Zeniff did, or forgetful and idle like Noah did. Times I try as I might to wish away my beliefs so they settle down next to my actions, attempting to eliminate any gap that makes me feel uncomfortable. Then like a cycle, I find myself in the shoes of Limhi, returning to the path I was once on. Maybe I miss the warning sign of Abinadi and return a little late. Maybe I respond like Alma immediately, pouring out my soul in prayer. Sometimes I'm amazed at how fast I can go from one stage to another.. I can be in Zarahemla by morning, in King Noah's court mid afternoon, and on my way back to the Lord by nightfall, making Him "all my study".
I hope you keep these stories alive in you as you write your own. Will you choose to be humble or be compelled to be humble? Quick to respond or slow to remember? Will you rely on the flesh or remember god? Will you trust in God to deliver you IN your trials as you wait and pray for deliverance FROM your trials?
Thanks for reading!!
V13. They humbled themselves
V15. The Lord was slow to hear their cries, nonetheless He began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites so that they began to ease their burdens.
God could've fixed it all at once, but He requires persistence on our part. Sometimes we need this time to change our hearts.
V16. Limhi's people began to prosper by degrees.
V29-30 Ammon shows up and is filled with sorrow for their loss and also that they had spent so many years living in sin.
Have you ever met someone who got baptized later on in life, and you maybe had a little jealousy? Or maybe just the thought of "how lucky, you got to live it up and then get baptized and wipe it all away". I've had that thought a few times. Ammon though, did not share those same thoughts. He truly understood that "wickedness never was happiness".
V36. I love this phrase: "now all the study of Ammon… was to deliver themselves out of bondage."
Find what is important to you and make it ALL OF YOUR STUDY. What are the strategies of the adversary? How do we overcome them?
CH22.
V4. A familiar phrase here: "unprofitable servant". I wonder if Gideon learned this from Ammon, who learned it from King Benjamin. I love seeing how your influence can ripple out and touch the lives of those you don't even know of.V13. Limhi's people escape the bondage they were in and find the land of Zarahemla to join King Mosiah II and his people.
CH23
Now we jump back to Alma's story. Why do you think we go back and forth between Benjamin and Noah, Mosiah II and Limhi, instead of tell it chronologically? Juxtaposition.Alma and Limhi's people both end up in bondage, and both end up escaping. But when Abinadi came knocking, those who believed on Alma's words turned to the Lord early, and the rest became the people of Limhi and turned to the Lord late. Alma's people chose to be humble, while Limhi's people were compelled to be humble. This makes all the difference.
V1 "Now Alma, having been warned of the Lord". God is Alma's lookout, while Limhi had to be on the tower and rely on himself to lookout for the enemy. (Mos 20:8)
V2 "the Lord did strengthen" from the start, while the Lord was slow to hear the cries of Limhi's people.
CH24
Backtrack a bit…. Remember those Lamanites that were chasing Limhi but became lost? Well on their way back they came across the priests of Noah. Instead of destroying them, the Lamanites placed them in charge of Alma's people, and in Verse 4, they invited Amulon (the leader of the priests of Noah) to teach the language of Nephi among all the Lamanites.Why is this important? Later on down the road when Ammon goes to teach the Lamanites the gospel, in the language of Nephi, thousands are converted.
Just a great example of God working in mysterious ways. God is able to bring good things out of bad situations.
V7. As the Lamanites learn from Amulon, they become rich, wise as to the wisdom of the world, and delight in wickedness.
Contrasting thought… The glory of God is intelligence, as long as it contains light and truth.
V9. Amulon and Alma knew each other from their days being Noah's priests. Two friends who took very different paths. Amulon put heavy burdens on Alma's people.
V12. Alma's people pours out their hearts.
V14-15. God answers and begins to "ease the burdens… that you cannot feel them upon your backs."
I love how he says he did not take the burden from them. I think if God were to remove it completely, they might forget that God was even there in the first place. Rather if the trial remains and you find the strength to endure it, you will be a witness that He is there.
This is deliverance IN their trials. It was a trial of faith.
V16. "so great was their faith and their patience that the Lord came unto them again, saying… I will deliver you out of bondage."
This is deliverance FROM their trials. After a trial of their faith.
But even as God delivers them FROM their trials, He still expects much from them.
V23. the Lord tells Alma to hurry up because the Lamanites have awoken and now pursue them. I'm sure God could've kept them asleep a little longer, but He wants us to do our part too.
And that's the end of the story of these three generations.
Just as Hansen's law suggestions: departing the faith, sitting idle in disbelief, and then clawing your way back with Heaven's help, to what your family once had, something your grandpa once took for granted.
Now how do we apply this to ourselves? I think the reason why this is such a great story, is because we are in every part of it. There are times where I am firmly planted in Zarahemla, with my tent facing the temple, listening to the prophet of God, with deep desires to make or keep covenants with God. There are times I become over-zealous as Zeniff did, or forgetful and idle like Noah did. Times I try as I might to wish away my beliefs so they settle down next to my actions, attempting to eliminate any gap that makes me feel uncomfortable. Then like a cycle, I find myself in the shoes of Limhi, returning to the path I was once on. Maybe I miss the warning sign of Abinadi and return a little late. Maybe I respond like Alma immediately, pouring out my soul in prayer. Sometimes I'm amazed at how fast I can go from one stage to another.. I can be in Zarahemla by morning, in King Noah's court mid afternoon, and on my way back to the Lord by nightfall, making Him "all my study".
I hope you keep these stories alive in you as you write your own. Will you choose to be humble or be compelled to be humble? Quick to respond or slow to remember? Will you rely on the flesh or remember god? Will you trust in God to deliver you IN your trials as you wait and pray for deliverance FROM your trials?
Thanks for reading!!
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