Mosiah 29
Several issues combine to cause a major change in governance among the people of Nephi.
First,
the sons of Mosiah have left on a mission to the Lamanites of
indeterminate length. There is no one for Mosiah to leave the throne
to. Traditionally, the kingdom had always been ruled by a direct
descendant of Nephi (Mosiah 25:13). Nephi was given the power to rule
by God. Now, however, there were other possible claimants to the
throne. Mulekites were direct descendants of King Zedekiah of Israel,
and therefore direct descendants of King David. They may have believed
they also had a divine right to rule, now that Mosiah had no heir
apparent.
It
is possible that children of King Limhi may also have felt they had a
right to the throne. It may be that other non-Nephite groups that were
under Nephite rule also desired to gain the throne. One of these
groups probably were Jaredites that escaped with the people of Zarahemla
from the final Jaredite wars. From the point where King Mosiah I
discovered Zarahemla and on, we see Jaredite names and tactics enter
into the Nephite story. Jaredites often sought to overthrow the
governments and kings of the nation, and we'll see their secret
combinations, priestcrafts, and wickedness spring up in the Nephite
realm in the Book of Alma and later.
For
King Mosiah II, he had to find a solution that satisfied the various
factions by giving them some power, but leaving the government in the
hands of trusty Nephite leaders. He developed a system of judges, where
lower levels of judges were elected by the people. So, Mulekite people
could have their own local leadership, while Limhites or Jaredites
could also have their own. Meanwhile, the chief judge was appointed to
the position by King Mosiah. This specific position was given to Alma
the younger, a descendant of Nephi and a proven faithful follower of
God.
That
the majority of the people appreciated this additional freedom and
personal power is evident from the Nephite record. Still, there is an
underlying current of dissatisfaction from some groups with the strict
Nephite rule. Remember in the last lesson that King Mosiah mandated
special dispensations to Alma's churches that do not seem to have been
given to any other churches or groups. How does one create a state
religion? By mandating its existence, giving it preference over all
other religions, and ensuring it is not persecuted.
In
Egyptian history, there was a period when one Pharaoh rejected the
multiplicity of gods and focused worship throughout the kingdom on just
one god. The Pharaoh Amenhotep IV rejected the God Amun (whom he was
named for) and renamed himself Akhenaten ("Living Spirit of Aten"). He
moved away from the Egyptian capitol, where all the gods had temples,
and built a new city in the desert called Amarna, where only the worship
of Aten was allowed. This religion grew greatly in his lifetime rule
of 17 years. However, after his death, Aten worship was no longer
protected nor nurtured, and the older religions quickly returned to fill
the vacuum. Akhenaten and Aten were removed from the face of temples
and statues everywhere. The city of Amarna was buried and the secret
remained buried for almost 3000 years.
Here
we see a similar issue for King Mosiah. He knew once he was gone,
other forces would attempt to grab the power and bury the Christian
faith forever. It would require skillful politics to keep the Christian
faith and Nephite rule in power. In giving limited power to the other
groups ensured the continuing of Nephite rule for at least another
generation. However, that new freedom would open up new problems for
Alma as he became both prophet and chief judge.
Alma 1
Alma's
first challenge as chief judge and prophet come in the first year of
the judges. Nehor was a descendant of the Jaredites, culturally, if not
literally. His name is Jaredite in origin (Ether 7:4-9), and the
religion he preaches is reminiscent of Jaredite philosophy.
"And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life" (Alma 1:3-4).
Here
is a clear distinction between Alma's and Nehor's teachings. Alma gave
strict direction that priests should labor for themselves; that not all
would be saved, only those that exercised faith unto repentance. Nehor
is teaching that no matter what a person does in this life, God will
save him or her. His teachings justified a form of anarchy against the
government, as well as anarchy against Alma's established religion. For
Nehor, his preaching encouraged people to commit sexual sin, to not be
humble or repent, nor believe in the coming Savior to save people from
their sins. Instead, his teachings taught that they would be saved
regardless, and so they may as well live riotous lives and toss out all
rules. Nehor tested the current system by killing Gideon. When Nehor
was not able to convince Gideon with words, he went to other resources
in his anarchic toolbox. Since all would be saved, murder was
justified.
Priestcraft
In
future lessons, we will study secret combinations and priestcrafts.
One of their main goals is to do whatever necessary to get gain and
power. For Nehor, gaining religious and political power required him to
slay Gideon. We will see that in the future, most wicked men will
murder only in secret, avoiding the death that Nehor would face for
breaking the laws of the land.
"Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction" (Alma 1:12).
We
will see that priestcraft, or secret combinations, will eventually
destroy the Nephite and Jaredite peoples. Interestingly, it isn't the
existence of priestcrafts or sin that cause the destruction of a people,
but the enforcement of
such wickedness upon the people that causes the destruction. In the
case of Sodom and Gomorrah, for example, it isn't that the cities were
dens of sexual iniquity that ripened them for destruction, but that the
citizens sought to impose their wickedness on others, such as seeking
to rape Lot's visitors. If in our day, we get to a point where such
great sins are enforced by government or the majority of the people, we
may also see ourselves ripened for destruction, as well.
Nehor's Death
That Nehor was killed for murder is not newsworthy. What is interesting is the description of his death:
"And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death." (Alma 1:15)
Why
take him to the top of a hill to slay him? Why would it be considered
an "ignominious death"? If current LDS scholarship is correct and
places the main events of the Nephite record in Central America, it is
possible that the hill Manti was actually am active volcano. Imagine
being carried to the top of the hill, and with the heat of the lava in
your face, being forced to confess. The ignominious death would have
been tossing the person into the volcano, as an example to others.
Another possibility is that the hill refers to a special hill used for
human sacrifice, where enemies of the state would be sacrificed.
It
may be that by the time the Nephites had lived among the natives for 5
centuries, they began to use some of their methods for executing those who
broke their laws. For example, we find that ancient Mayans used a variety of methods in human sacrifice:
"The common method for human sacrifice seems to have been for the "ah nacom" (a functionary) to extract the heart quickly, while 4 people associated with Chac, the rain/lightning god, held the struggling victim's limbs. Human sacrifices seem to have been made, as well, with arrows, by flaying, decapitation, hurling from a precipice, and throwing the victim into a limestone sinkhole." (N.S. Gill)
Nehor's Influence on the Nephites
So
what comes of Nehor's time among the people? His religion gets a
strong foothold among the people. While they are not allowed to break
the laws of the land, they are free to believe as they choose. Many
push the limits of the law, as they seek to live without boundaries set
by man or God:
"For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible" (Alma 1:32).
And what of the Church of God?
"And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church" (Alma 1:29-31).
The
Church actually prospered more than the world did. While they cared
for the poor and needy, they also worked hard to make for a good
living, and trusted in God. God made them prosperous. Some wonder why
such a small church of just 14 million people can have so much power in
the world today, perhaps it is because Mormons have also learned these
principles and God is generally prospering the LDS Church today. As to
our own work ethic and our caring for the poor and needy, the above
verses should be our guide today, compared to the empty words given by
those who are caught up in the worldliness of things today.
In
the Church of God, we see the Doctrine of Christ (unity) compared with
the Doctrine of Satan (contention), as we've studied before in 2 Nephi
31, and will study again in 3 Nephi. Those outside the church begin to
contend with one another, a variety of beliefs appear, and they embrace
chaos as a way of life. The Church offers order and a strong
foundation.
Alma 2
Amlici
is a man "after the order of Nehor", someone who believed in the
religion and priestcraft of evil men. Note the terminology used here to
describe Amlici: "after the order of Nehor". In LDS teaching, we use
the term "after the order of" most frequently to denote true authority
and power from God (after the order of the Son of
God/Melchizedek/Enoch). We can get a feeling of a system, first
religious and now political, that seeks to displace and replace the true
order, after the order of Nephi.
Amlici
believed he should be king. This great politician had the flattering
tongue of the televangelist. He realized that Nehor could not have full
power, as long as Mosiah's laws remained in place. Therefore, not only
the religious, but also the political order had to be changed. It
would be according to the voice of the people if they were to change the
rule of judges, after only 5 years, with a new king.
"the people assembled themselves together throughout all the land, every man according to his mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies, having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another" (Alma 2:5).
It
seems that politics, as with religion, created huge contentions back
then, even as it does today. While the rule of judges continued, the
voting seems to have been very close. Clearly, there were many people,
perhaps many of the non-Nephites, who desired a king. Politicians can
often offer huge bribes, often things they will do for the people once
they get into office. Unfortunately, such bribes and benefits require
the loss of freedom. The people would have given up their ability to
choose judges and vote had they chosen a king to rule over them.
Amlici
was still anointed king by his followers, and took up arms to overthrow
the government established by Mosiah. This is exactly how events
occurred among the Jaredites. Wicked men desired to be king, and so
started insurrections to overthrow the current government. While the
wicked often succeeded among the Jaredites, this time Amlici failed in
his violent bid to rule.
While
the Nephite army handily beat Amlici's army on the first day, the
surprise counter attack included a Lamanite army to supplement Amlici's
troops. It reminds me of the Korean War, where North Korea invaded the
South, but was pushed back. When the war was thought to soon be over,
the North Korean army was suddenly reinforced by millions of Chinese
soldiers flowing over the border, seeming "as numerous almost, as it
were, as the sands of the sea" (Alma 2:27). Only fierce combat allowed
South Korea and the Nephites to regain the edge and win the day.
Alma 3
Those
Amlicites, who escaped into the Lamanite territories, marked themselves
with a red mark on their foreheads, so as to distinguish themselves from the
Nephites. We must note this is not a black mark, nor a skin of darkness,
that was upon them, but a red one. The only curse upon them was one
they placed upon themselves. They could also remove the curse. However,
instead of being viewed as followers of Christ, they intentionally
marked themselves as enemies of God and his people.
Today,
it is interesting to see the many ways people mark themselves to
signify which group(s) they belong with. Tattoos, rings, hair cuts,
clothing styles, etc., all become external evidence of what is often
going on inside the individual. Having worked as a hearing
officer/judge inside a state prison system for several years, I learned to recognize the tattoos many of the offenders wore, and which gang each
tattoo is connected with. There are tattoos for skinhead white
supremacists, tattoos for a variety of black gangs, tattoos for Mexican
gangs, etc. Even those who get tattoos unaffiliated with a gang, often
do so to make a statement, often to separate the person from the norm
or to express individuality (even though everyone else may also be doing
it in their associated group).
Interestingly,
Isaiah warned the daughters of Zion for doing this very thing of
wearing a variety of styles and "walking haughty" as leading to their
eventual downfall. "it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell
there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of
well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of
sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty" (Isaiah 3:16-26, 2 Nephi
13:16-26).
So,
how should we look? In the next lesson, Alma will explain that we
should have Christ in our countenances. When people see us, they should
clearly see a follower of Christ. Our outward expression should show
forth our inner expression of faith.
Alma 4
After
the many wars, the Nephite people were humbled. They realized that
only with God's help were they able to overcome the massive forces of
the Lamanites. Because of their humility, they survived. However,
because of their former sins, the Lord allowed tragedy to strike, so
they would learn to be humble.
"And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty" (Alma 4:3).
With
such tragedy, many were baptized into the Church. We see such a cycle
often in the Book of Mormon. 1. The people are humble and faithful. 2.
The people are blessed by the Lord and prosper. 3. The people get too
comfortable and forget God, returning to their former sins. 4.
Destruction occurs, causing them to be humble. This Pride Cycle
continues unless it is broken. Either the people must remain humble and
faithful, or the destruction becomes complete, so that there are no
more people to continue in the Pride Cycle.
We
will note that when the people turn to the Lord, peace and joy seem to
be the terms used to describe them. However, as the people become
wicked, contention often becomes the main problem.
And
so, after just a few years of peace, the non-believers return to their
life of pride and contention, leading many in the Church to also stumble
and struggle. Alma cannot rule the land and guide the church at the
same time. He has no choice but to leave behind either politics or
religion. Choosing to remain chief high priest, Alma appoints his
replacement in the government, with the people sustaining the choice (no
direct elections).
For
several generations, the ruler was also the chief religious leader.
Now, the people will learn how to deal separately between politics and
religion. Alma will leave the government in stable Nephite hands, and
go forth preaching the gospel.
Bibliography
Akhenaten at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhenaten
King Mosiah I and Zarahemla: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-of-mormon-lesson-14-for-wise.html
"Human Sacrifice Among the Mayan", by N.S. Gill: http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/deathafterlife/qt/012709MayaScrfc.htm
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