Alma 40
Alma2 Teaches about Life After Death
Alma 40:1–3
1 Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead.
2 Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption—until after the coming of Christ.
3 Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead. But behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet. Now, I unfold unto you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I might know—that is concerning the resurrection.
Perhaps one of the arguments that had been used to say that there was no reason to believe in a future atoning Messiah is that it would mean that there was no current ability to repent. It might have been argued that it was not fair of God to wait so long to allow people to repent. Of course, that is not the case, but it might have been the argument. To counter that argument, Alma2 suggests that it might be based on a confusion between the atonement for spiritual death and the atonement for temporal death, which is the resurrection.
Therefore, Alma2 says that there is no resurrection. At least, there is no resurrection yet. The Messiah will initiate a resurrection for all humankind, but it will not begin until that future mission. Perhaps Alma2 had had the same kind of question, for he had “inquired diligently of God that [he] might know… concerning the resurrection.
The Spirit World
Alma 40:4–10
4 Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead. Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God knoweth the time which is appointed.
5 Now, whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to know that this is the case—that there is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead.
6 Now there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and the time of the resurrection.
7 And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?
8 Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men.
9 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do know.
10 And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man.
This part of the discussion is both simple, and made more complex, because either Alma2 or the translator lost temporary track of the development of the argument. In the simple form, it begins in verses 2 and 3. Those verses indicated that the resurrection would not begin until the Messiah fulfilled the atoning mission in the future. This means that for all, up until that time (at least), there is a time between mortal death and the bodily resurrection. The question that needs to be asked is “what becometh of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?”
The problem is that Alma2 is also answering a tangential question, and that tangential question takes the logic off track somewhat. In verses 5 and 8 he discusses whether or not there is a single time of resurrection or multiple resurrections. His answer is that he doesn’t know and that it doesn’t really matter. For whatever reason, that intrusion in verse 5 gets repeated in verse 8, and verse 9 tries to pick up the question beginning in verse 8. The last part of verse 9 echoes Alma2‘s statement in verse 3–that this is something about which he has made a personal study.
Verse 10 concludes the question concerning how many times there will be a resurrection. We will know” when the time cometh.”
Alma 40:11–12
11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
Alma2 finally moves to answer the question about what happens to the soul between mortal death and the resurrection. The first important understanding is that all souls continue to live. While modern revelation makes greater distinctions than did Alma2, he simply declares that “the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life?”
There is a preliminary judgment that separates the good from the evil, and each is given a place. The good are in a “state of happiness, which is called paradise.” The evil will be discussed in the next verses.
Alma 40:13–14
13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.
Alma2‘s understanding of the time between death and the resurrection is more of a duality than is our modern understanding of it. We might recognize his paradise, but his description of the fate of the wicked, or the evil, is described as the opposite of paradise. That is appropriate for his understanding that there is only good and evil. That this idea doesn’t correspond to modern revelation is not surprising. It is sufficient for that earlier time, and is enriched by our modern revelation, not completely contradicted by it. Alma2 understood that the good are in a paradise, and that the wicked are on a location that is opposite to that.
For both those who were good as well as those who were evil, this situation will remain until the time of their resurrection, which cannot begin until after the Messiah’s atoning mission.
There Will be a First Resurrection
Alma 40:15–18
15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken.
16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose that this is what it meaneth.
18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to the resurrection of Christ.
Alma2 now picks up on the question that had sidetracked him somewhat in verses 5 and 8. There are some who have taught that the rising of the soul is a resurrection. Apparently, they mistook the continuation of the soul as a form of resurrection. Alma2 “admit[s] it may be termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul,” but declares that this is not the real definition of the resurrection. Rather, “it meaneth the reuniting of the soul with the body.”
Alma 40:19–21
19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice, that I say that they all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to pass before the resurrection of those who die after the resurrection of Christ.
20 Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.
21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
The reunion of body and soul begins with the resurrection of the Messiah, but Alma2 still doesn’t understand whether all who have died by the time of the Messiah’s resurrection will be resurrected at that same time, or if there will be some whose length of time between death and resurrection would be extended, while others had already begun to be resurrected. Alma2 says that he believes that those who are righteous will be resurrected at that time, but “whether it be at his resurrection or after, [he does] not say.”
Regardless of the timing, however, there is a space between temporal death and the resurrection, and there will be a time after the resurrection when the reunited soul and body are brought to stand before God to be judged and assigned to a final state.
Alma2 Introduces his Concept of Restoration
Alma 40:22–26
22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.
23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.
24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets—
25 And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.
26 But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.
Alma2 begins to teach a doctrine that he calls restoration. It is a concept that we understand, but that we do not discuss in the same way. The real elaboration of that doctrine comes in the next chapter, which was not originally a separate chapter. This introduction to the doctrine of restoration and its elaboration in the next chapter really do belong together.
The beginning of the concept of restoration is modeled after the physical resurrection. Thus “every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.” Modern readers will see this as part of the definition of resurrection, but Alma2 sees it as a type for the spiritual aspect of resurrection. After all, it is not only the body that is restored to the soul, but the soul to the body. Both the body and soul undergo a restoration, where that which happened on earth will be restored both physically and spiritually.
The good are restored to the good which they have done. The evil are restored to the evil which they have done. In other words, the kind of person we become during our time on earth will dictate the kind of person we are when we continue after death. “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).
