Alma 36
Alma 36: Header
The commandments of Alma to his son Helaman.
Mormon uses a header at the beginning of this chapter to signal that he is returning to Alma2‘s personal record. He has been mixing information from that record with historical information from the large plates in previous chapters. These chapters, which will record the blessings to his sons, will be heavily copied from Alma2‘s personal record. What we cannot know is whether Mormon copied all the available text or made selections. The much shorter blessing to the second son, Shiblon, perhaps suggests that Mormon is being selective.
Alma2 Recounts His Conversion
Alma 36:1–2
1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.
2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
Alma2 begins his final blessing to his son, Helaman1, with two important lessons from history. The first is the Nephite promise of the land. This is the essential New World covenant between Yahweh and the Nephite people. We first saw it in 1 Nephi 4:14, then again in 2 Nephi 1:20; Jarom 1:9; Omni 1:6; Mosiah 1:7; 2:22 and 2:31. Other verses show the fulfillment of that covenant, both when the Nephites do prosper in the land, and when they do not because of transgression. Thus, the very first thing Alma2 declares to his son is the reiteration of the foundational principle of the Nephite nation and their covenant with Yahweh.
The second lesson is more personal. While Alma2 himself was not in physical captivity, he was in spiritual captivity. His father, Alma1, was in physical bondage. Whether in spiritual or physical captivity, Alma2 reminds his son that his family’s experiences underscore the deliverance from such captivity. Thus, even in the occasion when the Nephites do not sufficiently keep the commandments in order that they may prosper in the land, even when they fall into captivity because of unrighteousness, all is not lost. Yahweh is still willing to live up to his part of the covenant and deliver them upon the principle of repentance.
While the two verses appear to speak of different things, Alma2 would have seen them as related. The first verse was the promise of prosperity if they keep the commandments, and the second was the hope of repentance and deliverance should they not.
Alma 36:3–4
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself—not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of God.
Building upon his statement in verse 2, Alma2 focuses on the fact that Yahweh can deliver one from bondage and trials. There is no promise that there will never be trials, but that Yahweh would support that individual through the trials and afflictions.
This is a lesson that Alma2 learned the hard way, and as do most parents, he desires that Helaman1 learn the important lesson without the pain that was involved when Alma2 learned that lesson. He therefore emphasizes that this is not just theoretical knowledge, but it is also knowledge gained from personal experience. The phrase “I know of myself” has been used before to indicate personal knowledge, but in this case, it is used to contrast secular knowledge with spiritual knowledge. Alma2‘s understanding of the power of Yahweh’s redemption is not academic, it was a personal and very powerful spiritual experience.
Alma 36:5–10
5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself;
6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.
7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.
9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God.
10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
One cannot imagine that this is the first time he repeats this story for anyone in his family. This must be a well-known story, and Alma2 gives the story in brief form here to make a point beyond the reiteration of history. The message, in context, is the power of Yahweh to deliver from bondage. Alma2 declared that Yahweh could do so in verse 2, and now provides the proof that it has happened.
The very fact that verse 6 notes that he and the sons of Mosiah2 sought to destroy the church of God makes certain that the conditions of not obeying Yahweh’s commandments would trigger the bondage of his soul. The process of redemption from that bondage required an angel and required that Alma2 be so weakened as he battled in spirit that his mortal body lost strength.
The process of repentance is not always simple and is not often painless. The process can be difficult. It is the reward that makes the process worthwhile.
Alma 36:11–13
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more.
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
Even though the physical manifestation of his spiritual struggle was weakness and perhaps an appearance of death, the internal struggle was intense: “my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.”
In verse 13, Alma2 notes that he “had rebelled against my God.” This qualified him for the negative part of the promise, which was bondage or destruction if the Nephites did not keep their part of the covenant. Alma2 is tying those first two verses into his explanation about his transcendental redemption.
Alma 36:14–16
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.
Alma2 declares: “I had murdered many of his children.” That is not only harsh, but we have no other evidence for it. Even Alma2 realized that his metaphor could be confusing, so he qualified it: “or rather led them away unto destruction.” He is not speaking of temporal murder, but of leading people into a possible spiritual death, a spiritual murder in his metaphor.
Alma2’s sin was not simply personal, but he had actively taught against Yahweh’s word and led people astray. How ironic that it was the repentant Alma2 who had to deal with Nehor and Korihor, two others who had similarly attempted to lead the Nephites away from Yahweh’s covenants. How painful must it have been for that same Alma2 to see a repetition of his behavior in his son, Corianton, whose story begins in chapter 39.
Alma 36:17–20
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
Alma2 set up his recounting of his experience by restating the foundational Nephite covenant, and by asking Helaman1 to remember that his fathers had been delivered from bondage. He has used his personal experience to highlight spiritual bondage, and now concludes by reiterating the foundational Nephite religious teaching that redemption comes only through the atoning Messiah.
As Alma2 was struggling in spirit, it was the Messiah who brought light and healing to his soul. In Alma2‘s use of this story, the understanding of the Messiah as the coming Redeemer becomes just as much a foundational principle as is the covenant of the land.
Alma 36:21–24
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
The result of Alma2‘s deliverance from bondage was that he desired to tell others about it. As part of his redemption, he was also called as a prophet. Alma2 declares that he had a similar visionary call to Lehi1’s call. He saw: “God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God.” That phrase is used in the report of Lehi’s vision in 1 Nephi 1:8. The report of that vision was clearly known in Alma2‘s day. Although we have it as part of the small plates, it was probably on the large plates as well.
Alma 36:25–30
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;
26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.
27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.
28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time.
29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity.
30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.
The conclusion to this section of his blessing to Helaman1 expresses his joy in the fruit of his labors. It is his testimony to his son that all his experiences really happened, and that they testify of Yahweh’s ability to deliver.
With that theme, Alma2 concludes by returning to the statement about deliverance in verse 2. In verses 28 and 29, Alma2 specifically recalls the deliverance from Egypt and the Lehite deliverance from Jerusalem.
When he finishes recapitulating verse 2, he ends by returning to verse 1. He reiterates both the positive and the negative aspects of the foundational covenant of the land.
There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition. Alma2 continues immediately to the text that we have as Alma 37.
