Come Follow Me LDS- Alma 36-38, Book of Mormon (Jul 7-13)

'Remembering & Deliverance'
- Alma adds the dual themes of Remembering & Deliverance
- The center of the profound chiasmus in Alma 36 is 'remembering' and being 'delivered' through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
- Alma explains more about his experience with the angel and being "born again".
- The Liahona is the "word". As in the allegory of the seed, it works according to faith

 

 Raw Transcript

 

in this episode we're going to cover
remembering and deliverance here we go
alright in this episode we are going to
be covering Alma chapters 36 37 and 38
these are the words or Commandments that
Alma gives to his first two sons here
Helaman
and to Shiblon and we're going to pick
up a couple of additional themes in
these talks that he has with his sons
remember that we're going to continue
here throughout the book of Alma well
throughout the record of Alma which ends
in about another 10 chapters here before
Helaman takes over in the book of Alma
with the theme of DBR the the theme of
words so I will keep inserting that kind
of beating a dead horse with that but
really want you to see how he continues
with this and then we're going to add on
top of that the dual themes of
deliverance and remembering and he goes
through these two things and shows how
they work together and I believe and in
looking at this kind of as a whole parts
whole right if we take all of these
messages together we can see this theme
this is the message that Alma is trying
to get across to his sons and to the
readers of these chapters so keep those
two things in mind and look for those
things remembering and deliverance now
starting in chapter 36 we're going to
get really a phenomenal example
of ky Asmus remember what chiasma says
you've probably learned a lot about this
now especially recently it is basically
means the crux or the crossing point
there's something at the center and so
one thing that you would do is a
literary tool to help people remember
something or to be able to recite it
orally remember a lot of the scriptures
anciently we're recited orally you'd
have stories and in in order to remember
them you had to have literary tools or
they would be put to a song or a poem
because not everybody had the written
word very few people probably did a lot
most people probably could not read and
so one of those tools is Chi Asmus to
help you remember a concept or in this
case an entire chapter that is written
by Alma in the form of Chi Asmus cly
Asmus basically means that we're going
to take point a right the first idea the
first reference and we're going to
duplicate it at the very end of the Chi
Asmus so a and a and then we're going to
come down one point the next point is
going to be B and going to the end of
the Chi Asmus the second-to-last point
is also going to be B and then going
back to the top we've got C a new idea
or a new reference a new word and then
going down to the bottom of the Chi a
smus we get C again as the third to the
last idea or reference and we keep
building on that Chi Asmus could be
anything from from basically two or
three points too many and here I believe
we get all the way if you'll follow it
with letters all the way to point Q
right so I don't know what number in the
alphabet that is but it goes pretty far
and so it keeps building on these points
all the way down to point Q which is
going to be the crux of the message and
looking at that crux in that message is
really what the off
is is the major point that the author is
trying to get across so when we get
there we'll go over that and we'll show
you that and it has to do with
remembering and with deliverance and
then as you come to the second half of
the Chi Asmus you start building back
out and you end up at the beginning of
that so I'm not going to go over that
into detail there's other places where
you can get that I don't think that's
going to be the best use of our time but
I do want to emphasize how phenomenal
this is in in such an intricate Chi
Asmus that is put into place here that
of course is Joseph Smith did not try to
do right this is Alma this is not Joseph
Smith so let's first pay attention to
Mormons words at the very top above the
chapter summary remember if you go
through and you see statements or
summaries or introductions that are
written that are not in cursive in our
text that come before the chapter
summaries which were put in by Bruce are
McConkey and his team those non cursive
statements and introductions are from
Mormon they are part of the golden
plates right and look how he starts this
off here of course write the
commandments of Alma to his son Helaman
well they're not the words but they are
the commandments again this is a DBR
root the commandments is ha divine right
it's it's DVR or DVR and so that's the
introduction here to the words that Alma
is going to give to his son Helaman and
we're going to go over a few different I
think major points here not just in the
theology and the teachings that Alma is
given here but but if you're the
reference points that I think are going
to be pretty important starting off here
in verse 1 he says my son give ear to my
words right there's our general theme
here of DBR for I swear unto you that in
his
she shall keep the commandments ha
dividing DVR of God ye shall prosper in
the land just real quick if you have
your scriptures with you and just to
show you how this works if you haven't
seen it elsewhere go to the very bottom
of the chapter 2 verse 30 and you're
going to see those two points of DBR at
the very bottom
this is like the encasing of the Chi
Asmus right in in verse 30 it is 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 ha
divine notice that that's the second to
last thing he's gonna say the
commandments was the second point not
the first the first point in verse 1 was
words then he said Commandments so at
the bottom to invert that you would go
Commandments first and then words right
so you shall keep the commandments of
God ye shall prosper in the land there's
the idea again and yet to know also that
in as much as you will not keep the
commandments DBR of God he shall be cut
off from his presence now this is
according to his word VBR right so we
can see the beginning and the last
statements there and and you can go
through and if we were on the study
group we'll go over this more
intricately and take a look at how this
goes all the way to the point of Q on
all of these things and then he gets to
his next idea here and this becomes kind
of a theme that he goes over with
Helaman and with his other son Shiblon
he says her in verse 2 I would that ye
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 this
has to do when you hear that phrase
again you think about the elements of
covenant with God that is a title it's
not just a description these are titles
so for God the God of Abraham and the
god of Isaac and the God
Jacob is a title and it has meaning
behind it and this has to do with the
covenants that were made with those
three men and their families and he
surely did deliver them in their
afflictions all right so we get that
introduction to remembering and to
deliverance then I'm gonna go to verse 3
here also because there's a couple
things I want to point out and now all
my son Helaman thou art in thy youth and
therefore I beseech of ye that thou wilt
hear my words and learn of me for I do
know that who that whosoever shall put
their trust in God their faith in God
shall be supported in their trials and
their troubles and their afflictions
right this is part of bondage and the
support is part of the deliverance and
shall be lifted up at the last day
remember we keep getting this reference
to Moses and the brazen serpent that's
what that is a reference to being lifted
up is also a form of deliverance from
death right its resurrection it is also
a deliverance being the brazen serpent
was lifted up that means deliverance
because all the children of Israel had
to do when they were bitten by the fiery
serpents right or those would be the
fiery darts of Lehigh's dream is look to
the brazen serpent and they would be
delivered from those fiery serpents and
from that poison that's what the fiery
means it's not Greek fire right it's
it's it's poison same with the fiery
darts those are not darts on fire I
don't believe those are poisonous darts
that's the fiery part of it so we're
gonna come back to the lifted up as well
here and talk about that a little bit
more and then in verse 4 he goes over
something again that he has he's talked
about several times and he's gonna cover
a couple times here in these chapters he
says and I would not that you think that
I know of myself not of a temporal but
of the spiritual not of the carnal mind
but of God so what does that mean to us
what is he trying to say he's trying to
say that he doesn't know this just
temporal he doesn't know it just
intellectually it's not just reason
although that's an important component
he wants us to understand that this is a
spiritual knowledge that he has such as
a which is in greater knowledge he
follows up with that right here as he
goes into his experience that he had on
the road with the sons of Mosiah when he
met the angel he says now behold I say
to 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 angels
it has to do with the words that are
going out made these things known unto
me not of any worthiness of my self
right he was not worthy for this it came
because of the prayers of the people and
of his father but notice how he says
it's he taw he references the angel but
he doesn't know of these things because
he saw the angel that's not what it is
he knows of these things because he was
born of God because he had a spiritual
experience after he sees the angel and
that's what the crux of this Chi Asmus
is going to be the center of this
chapter and we learn a little bit more a
little bit more context here a little
bit more support of what this experience
was that he has that we can see back in
Mosiah
27 and in a previous come follow me
episode that we've done in verse 9 he
says the angel said to him if thou wilt
of thyself be destroyed seek no more to
destroy the Church of God keep your
agency you decide what you want to do
but do not mess with a church any longer
and this is the this is what what
compels him so much right that he
doesn't really hear anymore of the words
the sun's almost saya do but for out for
Alma here he does not that's that's it
for him all he's thinking about is
personal destruction at this point and
that's one of the major points that he's
trying to get across to Helaman here is
about this destruction or this bondage
that he is now falling in and how he
needs to remember he says this about
hearing this about his own destruction
he says 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 and then I loved
the language that he offers us here it's
very similar to what we get in Messiah
27 it says but I was wrapped with
eternal torment for my soul was horrid
up to the greatest degree and racked
with all my sins all right what what is
this coming from this is very
interesting to me right this is how he
follows up with this in verse 13 yay
I did remember all my sins and
iniquities right and I think that that
is so telling about how sin works within
us right we want to keep things covered
secret separate away from people when we
are doing something that's not right
we want to cover it up and the way that
we do that we do that not only by
keeping it separate from everybody else
usually right but we we we do it to
ourselves we do it to ourselves and so
we don't put what we're doing into
perspective we justify it and one of the
ways that we do that is by putting it
out of sight and out of mind we don't
really focus on it in a sense that it is
put into context with our spiritual
salvation we don't remember those things
so it's not that we can't remember what
we've done wrong or what we're doing
wrong but in this sense we understand
more about remembering that it is a
focus on those events how many of us
want to focus on the things that we have
done wrong well unless we have repaid
of those things that's what we need to
do and that's what repentance means it
means going through pain again it means
actually bringing to light the secret
thinks that we've done and and are doing
and we have to do that in our own minds
by remembering them focusing on them so
when we hear the term remember here in
the Book of Mormon we should think more
about focus mental focus on these things
and so up to this point in Alma's life
he had he had not had these things in
perspective and focused on them with a
spiritual eye and now all of these
seeing these the sins that he is racked
with are coming upon his mind and his
spirit at once and put into context and
he is remembering right he says this is
remembering on steroids here what he has
done and it completely overwhelms him so
for three days and three nights he
cannot move he cannot speak because of
this remembrance but this is part of the
process hopefully we don't wait that
long we don't procrastinate our
repentance where the pain is going to be
that much greater
right it's it's it's much better to
catch it early to go through the smaller
amounts of pain by focusing on those
events and repenting event so he says I
did remember all my sins and iniquities
for which I was tormented with the pains
of Hell yeah I saw that I had rebelled
against my God and that I had not kept
his holy Commandments DBR verse 14 is
kind of interesting and I've seen this
reference before I'm trying to think of
where it is but it makes me think about
how I usually want to understand this
word in the scriptures especially in the
Old Testament but he says here in 14
yeah I had murdered
many of his children or rather led them
away unto destruction so he's going into
here what a mule ik was going over with
the people of Ammon I huh with the two
deaths right he's not talking about a
physical murder he's talking about a
spiritual murder he's talking about
separating people from God not
separating people's bodies from their
spirits so I just wonder from that just
little trivial thing here is is is how
often is that term murder used elsewhere
where it is talking actually about a
spiritual murderer so he's been
separating people from God right
murdering them spiritually he says here
the very thought of coming into the
presence of God for himself did wrack my
soul with inexpressible horror again the
remembrance of all this is the judgment
of all of this is just weighing is too
overwhelming him all 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 so what
that tells me is that it's probably a
good idea for us actually to think about
that more often before we get to a place
where Alma might be here right where we
should think about that judgment bar
with God and what that is going to be
like and and not just remember our acts
in the past but think about that idea of
the future judgment and where we will
stand and that will probably help
dictate our behavior a little bit better
in following the commandments and in
repentance and in improving ourselves in
17 he says I was horrid up by the memory
of my many sins now we're going to get
to the cue we're going to get to the
very center in crux of this whole
chapter here in 36 the Chi Asmus right
so we're talking about remembering
right the other part of that is delivery
and how is he delivered from what's
going on here he says behold I
remembered also to have heard my father
prophesy unto the people concerning the
coming of one Jesus Christ a son a son
of God that's interesting
not decent of God here he actually says
a son of God to atone for the sins of
the world to pay the price and that Q
moment here right this point here at the
very son of the Chi Asmus continues a
little more in 18 now as my mind caught
hold upon this thought right so again
he's pushed off the thought of his sins
forever now he is desperately going to
move toward this thought on Jesus Christ
right he's going to look for deliverance
as my mind caught hold on this thought I
cried with in my heart O Jesus thou son
of God have mercy on me Who am in the
gall of bitterness and I mean circled
about by the everlasting chains of death
he's in bondage he needs deliverance
from what he's in right this is the
story of all of us we don't all go
through this extent of remembering and
and this judgment level of judgment
that's put upon us but some do but to
one degree or another we all go through
this right we all go through the gall of
bitterness through the hell being held
on the by the chains of death of
spiritual death and physical death of
being hurled up right this story of Alma
is the story of us we are all in a
fallen state and we all need to remember
first our sins so that we can repent of
them then we don't need to remember so
much on them anymore and remember who
our deliverer is who our Redeemer is
Jesus Christ
so this is the crux of the chi Asmus and
it's beautifully put into place at the
center here is remembering right it's
remembering it is deliverance and it is
Jesus Christ who is the one who will
atone for the sins that's the center of
the Chi Asmus that is not Joseph Smith
that put that together and then coming
down out of the key point Q here which
would be a point P right he says in
nineteen and now behold when I thought
this I could remember my pains no more
so see always using the truth of the
memory here right he's thought about the
deliverance of this he's going through a
process of repentance now the
remembering on the sins isn't there as
much right it's so it's it's the
remembering of the sins it's the
remembering of the deliverer and the
atonement I can remember Mike's pains no
more yeah I was heard up by the memory
of my sins no more he even says down
here in twenty-two like our father Lehi
I thought I saw God sitting upon his
throne surrounded with numberless
concourses of angels in the attitude of
singing and praising their God yeah and
my soul did long to be there so we get a
little bit of vision here a little bit
of temple imagery likely and then in 23
he says but behold my limbs did receive
this their strength again and I stood
upon my feet and did manifest them to
the people that I had been born of God
right this is what had happened to him
he had been he had repented he did not
remember his sins anymore but he is now
his focus was on the deliverer his focus
was on Jesus Christ and he was
spiritually born of God and that is the
message he's giving here to Helaman it's
not the angel that is his builder of
testimony that made him be born of God
it's the xperia the spiritual experience
that he went through
it's the remembering and how that is
used between
sins and with the Redeemer and how he is
delivered and understands that
deliverance it's going through the four
phases of the priesthood in fact in 24
the next verse it goes right into it
right he says yeah 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
all right and by the way again that's
how the word works right it came from
the angel it came to Alma Alma went out
from there to give it to other people
right it's like the temple right it is
used to be much more focused on this but
it is the word going out and the light
going out into darkness and into chaos
it is Jesus Christ as the word the logos
going out with Peter James and John
with Adam Michael right and creating and
that word as we get in John 1 John
chapter 1 the word being made flesh and
then ever all the creation imagery there
that is the word going out and building
and creating it's the same thing here
it's the same concept the same spiritual
concept of creating of putting order and
light out there through the Word of God
and how that is reported back and taking
care of moving down a lot of time has
been spent on that in the past that's
how the priesthood works a hierarchy so
that things can be delivered so that we
can all participate in the plan we can
all participate participate in the
process without our participation the
plan falls apart not because God is
gonna fall short of it but because
that's our purpose so that we can
use that and implement the word and grow
and learn and become more like or
Heavenly Father and so then he comes
back here following up with a point of
being supported under trials and
troubles of every kind and in all manner
of afflictions which we had heard
previously right that goes back to
another point in the Chi a smus because
of him being born of God and then
following up here with the points of
remembering and deliverance he says God
has delivered me from prison and from
bonds and from death yay and I do put my
trust in him my faith and he will still
deliver me right that's hope that's a
state of being he gets that from his
faith and then we get to raising up here
again and I know that he will raise me
up at the last day that's complete
deliverance to dwell with him in glory
and then he equates this again this the
spiritual deliverance that he's focused
on here and the remembering here he
equates with temporal deliverance over
and over again remember when Nephi was
speaking with Laban laman and lemuel in
Arabia about the deliverance of the
children of Israel and what happened
with Moses well this is here we're gonna
get this again here he says he 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
yay and he has delivered them out of
bondage and captivity from time to time
yay 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 this is key right here and I have
always retained in remembrance their
captivity yay and he also ought to
retain in remembrance as I have done
their captivity why well because this is
a temporal carnal physical way
sign right for us to remember the
ultimate spiritual deliverance that the
Lord gives us these are witnesses these
are testimonies of how the Lord delivers
us so what that tells me is that in our
minds we need to look at the scriptures
and understand that the Lord has many
many times delivered out of bondage out
of captivity out of the chains of hell
people both spiritually and physically
and use that as a witness of God as the
deliverer as the Redeemer and look at
that as types of the atonement and then
maybe even more importantly is to look
at our own lives
it's it's remarkable to me that I see so
many hate to say there's so many voices
out there now in the church that look at
everything with the the cup half full or
half empty right where where is their
mental focus where is there remembering
going is it on the discrepancies we find
in the history of the church is it on
the a few words from Brigham Young is is
it that that that we may not agree with
or that we may have issues with in a
more modern society where is our focus
what are we remembering most how can we
have gratitude and a humble heart if we
are not appreciative of these things in
the history of the church even or what
about your own life are you focused more
on things that have not gone well for
you or are you focused more on how the
Lord has intervened in your life and the
immense undoubtedly there's no way to
get around this the immense blessings
that the Lord has given you and given me
where is our remembrance
we put that that is I think a huge
message here from Alma to Helaman and to
each one of us and then we finish off
the chapter here again which we've
already read here in verse 30 but behold
my son this is not all not just the
deliverance for ye ought to know as I do
know and how does he know not from the
angel but being spurred specially born
of God that's the type of knowledge it's
experiential in spiritual knowledge that
out does the reasoning and the
intellectual knowledge not that that's
not important to that in as much as she
shall keep the commandments the DBR of
God he shall prosper in the land and he
ought to know also that in as much as
you will not keep the commandments DBR
of God he shall be cut off from his
presence
now this according to his word DBR right
so that's the the how we encase the
whole thing here it is the word it is
the commandments the DBR how is that
being utilized how do we take that in
how are we taking the seed of Alma in 32
right in his allegory how are we taking
the word and exercising faith that's
what this is and he's helping us to
understand that that delivery and that
deliverance is is from the word and from
our faith in it and if we can remember
right early on where we are in a process
of repentance so that we don't have
things build up through procrastination
and remember all of the great things
that the Lord has done for us and for
our heritage and for the people of God
and to each of us in our own lives and
ultimately the atonement the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ then we can be more born
of God and look to deliverance and take
that faith and increase it to a hope and
even to a charity I spoke in the four
phases of the priesthood there before
interesting again right just like eNOS
just like Nephi right as they go through
these experiences what did they longed
to do they want to go out and take that
word that they have and preach it out
with others right they want to help
create design they go outside of
themselves
think of how sanity is on himself in
this experience as he is wrapped with
torment here right it's him personally
it is it is repentance
it is him looking into himself with
introspection and and even expression
right he's expressing how he was feeling
here and then he moved to Jesus Christ
in the deliverer and wants to go out and
preach that word to others no he doesn't
talk about the family there which is
step three phase three but it's moving
out from himself out to others it's
going right through the four phases in
the priesthood now in Chapter 37 he
continues with Helaman but he's going to
move on to something else but he keeps
these themes going throughout notice in
verse one he says and now my son Helaman
I command you that you take the records
which have been entrusted with me this
is the word this is the Word of God this
is how important it is again this is
going to be used just as we would get
from Elohim and Jehovah speaking with
Adam and Adam going down and then you
know having Peter James and John speak
with Adam and Eve and then that going
out to their children that's how it
works right that hierarchy and that's
how the word goes out again it's like a
beehive we'll get to that soon or in
another episode but that's what the
records are it's the Word of God and so
he's gonna focus in on this because
Helaman is going to be entrusted to
manage and keep sacred and continue with
this record so he gives him a
commandment in verse two I command you
that ye keep a record of this people and
then he brings up the plates of brass
right which contain these engravings
which have the records of the Holy
Scriptures upon them which have the
genealogy of our forefathers even from
the beginning again you hear about that
just think very much a Joseph fight
right these are various a very Joseph I
tribe
and then he talks about this similarly
just like the angel would put out the
word and then Almo would put out the
word from there the records do the same
thing behold it has been prophesied by
our fathers that they should be kept and
handed down from one generation to
another and to be kept and preserved by
the hand of the Lord until they should
go forth unto every nation kindred
tongue and people that they shall know
of the mysteries contained thereon so
this acts again just like DBR is gonna
work here this is this is how this works
it says in verse 6 now you may suppose
that this is foolishness in me but
behold I say unto you that by small and
simple things are great things brought
to pass and small means in many
instances doth confound the wise okay so
the records are crucial right going all
the way back to getting the brass plates
from Laban it had to be done you needed
the word it's absolutely necessary for
the word to be carried in the form of
records beyond an oral tradition this is
what he says about them he says it has
hitherto been wisdom in God that these
things should be preserved for behold
they have enlarged the memory of this
people right so it helps put our minds
back to the things that we need to
remember the acts of God the deliverance
from time to time that he has offered to
his people and it has convinced many of
the error of their ways and brought them
to the knowledge of their God into the
salvation of their souls and then he
says if it wasn't for these records then
the sons of Mosiah would never have had
success among the Lamanites so they're
they're crucial in verse 13 he says Oh
remember remember my son Helaman how
strict are the commandments we get the
DBR pulled together here with a
remembering again hi Devane the
commandments of God and he said if he if
he will keep my Commandments he shall
prosper in the land right so this is how
remembering is involved with this idea
of the word and you're going to prosper
if
you remember these words if you focus on
them but if he keep not his commandments
his words he shall be cut off from his
presence in fact if he transgressed the
commandments of God behold these things
which are sacred shall be taken away
from you and that's how it is with
anything right if we the more we start
putting away the word and not
remembering the more we lose it and and
not only lose the actual words and the
knowledge but we end up losing the
spirit we end up losing an understanding
of those words in verse 16 but if he
keep the commandments DBR and do with
these things which are sacred according
to that which the Lord doth command you
in parentheses here for you must appeal
under the Lord for all things whatsoever
you must do with them behold no power of
Earth or hell can take them from you for
God is powerful to the fulfilling of all
his words write the lesson I pull out of
that when he says for you must appeal
unto the Lord for all things whatsoever
you must do with them I think about this
as being these records that are given to
Helaman here that this is you know a
major responsibility that has been given
to him from God
and therefore the way that major
responsibility needs to be treated is
that you appeal for all things
whatsoever you should do with them so
what I think about is what are the most
important responsibilities that I have
been given I think about my marriage I
think about my children maybe my calling
what what are the water you know my
testimony what what are the most
important things that I have been
entrusted with and am i treating those
in a way that Helaman is supposed to
treat these records this responsibility
that I am appealing to the Lord for all
things whatsoever I I must do with them
my answer is probably not I probably
need to do a better job
I thought I don't try that but it just
brings to me my remembrance a little
closer of how I need to treat my
greatest responsibilities in verse 20
therefore I command you my son Helaman
that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my
words and that you'd be diligent in
keeping the commandments of God as they
are written then he goes on to the other
play the other plates right the
twenty-four plates and and he starts to
go over something that's kind of
interesting here about the Jared ight
plates and and the knowledge that they
have about the Jared i'ts they serve
numerous purposes but one of the major
purposes that we get here is a warning
about how not to handle things right
because the Jared i'ts become extinct
and this is why we keep them there's a
reason to keep them and there are some
things not to divulge from them but he
says those 24 plates that she keep them
that the mysteries and the works of
darkness and their secret works or their
secret works of those people who have
been destroyed may be manifest unto this
people right so it is it is something
that that is given to them so we can
look at the book of ether with it with a
very strong purpose of understanding
what not to do and the warnings of what
happens with with wickedness but what
happens to an entire people that's the
purpose of keeping these things is to
bring the darkness of their situation to
light to everybody else and he adds on
here because this came perhaps with the
24 plates or separately but at a similar
time to Grandpa Mosiah and he says and
that ye preserved these interpreters
right so that's the Urim and Thummim
then he says something here interesting
in verse 23 and the Lord said I will
prepare into my servant Gazal them said
number of things written on that I'm not
going to go over that right now I I will
prepare end of my sermon Gaza l'm a
stone right remember he's just referred
to the interpreters word right which are
two stones which shall shine forth in
darkness unto light that I may discover
unto my people who serve me that I may
discover unto them the works of their
brother in yeh their secret works their
works of darkness and their wickedness
and abominations and now my son these
interpreters were prepared that the Word
of God might be fulfilled which he spake
okay goes over again about how these
people went through destruction their
works of darkness so what we have here
is light going out on darkness right
it's uncovering these dark abominations
and this wickedness through light right
the light actually going through the
stone or the stones the Urim and Thummim
where there would be an interpretation
of these plates so in a sense when we
think about the Urim and Thummim or the
stones the seer stones that Joseph was
using in translating the Book of Mormon
what we see is is a light it's light
coming upon darkness now with the Book
of Mormon it's not just the darkness of
a people and and their wickedness but
it's it's bringing to light as we're
told
right it's bringing to light the records
and that's what Urim and Thummim means
right that's what Urim is it's its
lights but one thing that is in there
that he does not want to bring to light
and we're not going to cover this now
we'll cover this later when we get into
the book of ether but that is some of
the signs and wonders of those people of
the jared i'ts their secret oaths their
secret combinations there are specific
things that were made and in a way that
allowed people to take power through
darkness and evil ways now that's not
some mystical thing it's it's it's just
the types of agreements that were put
into place that would be everything you
would think of from the adversary of
force and tyranny and murder
and shame right that's that's what that
would be about so he does not want to
let those things be brought to light so
he's telling Heilmann to keep those
things secret and again in 32 and now my
son remember the words which I have
spoken unto you or remember my son and
learn wisdom in my youth yeh learning
thy youth to keep the commandments to
volume of God and again following up
with the idea of appealing to the Lord
in all things in 37 counsel with the
Lord in all thy doings and he will
direct thee for good I need to focus on
that more and then he goes over another
physical tool that is a physical
manifestation of something more
spiritual right and that's the Liahona I
think this is the first time we get the
the word Liahona in the Book of Mormon
before it's called a ball it's called
the director but here we get the the
term Liahona he says in verse 38 and now
my son I have some what to say
concerning the thing which our fathers
call a ball or director or our fathers
called it Liahona which is being
interpreted a compass and the Lord
prepared it we get a really good idea of
what - the Liahona represents remember
this is something that is going to be
put into the stone box that Moroni is
going to show to Joseph Smith and if we
look at that stone box as an ark like an
Ark of the Covenant
we're going to see that these are this
is one of the emblems one of the items
that would be sitting in their Ark right
it's crucial to them just like we would
have with the Ark of the Covenant with
the people of Israel the children of
Israel where they had the bowl of manna
they had Aaron's rod and they had the
tablets the second set of tablets from
Moses sitting inside of it he says here
and behold there cannot any man work
after the manner of so curious a
workmanship so this is something that is
there it is coming directly from God
that was placed in front of that tent
maybe the temple maybe their tabernacle
or at least something that was highly
inspired right like like Nephi's ship
that came from the inspiration of the
Lord so curious when we see the word
curious in the Book of Mormon what we're
really looking at here is something that
is very highly skilled right high level
of skill or knowledge with something and
it was prepared to show unto our fathers
little course which they should travel
in the wilderness okay now we're getting
to one of our major themes here right
we're gonna learn what this thing is all
about it did work according to their
faith or where do we just see this what
works according to your faith
think of the allegory of the seed of the
Tree of Life back in chapter 32 what was
the seed the Word of God he says because
of the miracles that this brought about
and directing them throughout the
wilderness in in in the wilderness of
Arabia because those were because those
miracles were worked by small means
which is how the Lord works it did show
unto them marvelous works
they were slothful and forgot to
exercise their faith and diligence and
then those marvelous works ceased and
they did not progress in their journey
again think of the experiment of the
seed here right the seed is the word of
God and unless we are putting faith in
that trust and running that as an
experiment to build evidence that is
building evidence then our faith is
going to be dropped and the word is not
going to work for us right the direction
that we need to go in our lives is not
going to work unless we're putting faith
into it and then he gives us to a strait
he says and now my son I would that you
should understand that these things are
not without a shadow or a representation
a symbol for as our fathers were
slothful to give heed to this compass
now these things were temporal right so
the direction they're going to go in the
wilderness the geography they did not
prosper he
so it is with things which are spiritual
so again he's bringing heaven and earth
together here right just like Genesis
1:1 there are there they're heavenly
things spiritual things and there are
earthly things temporal or carnal things
and just as the Liahona guided them in
the wilderness the Word of God guides us
spiritually if we put faith in it so
that's what he's saying here is making
that comparison or just like he makes
the comparison of the deliverance of the
children of Israel in the wilderness and
the deliverance from Jesus Christ as
something spiritual right the temporal
and the spiritual and he follows up here
with 44 no mistake here for behold it is
easy to give heed to the words of Christ
that's the Liahona which will point to
you a straight course to eternal bliss
the Liahona is a physical representation
of the Word of God of the records here
that Helaman is being entrusted with of
the scriptures that you and I read and
contemplate and ponder on of the General
Conference talks right so he's finishing
off here with the Liahona to Heilmann
which is finishing off with his theme of
DBR the word right that's that goes
right to our principle our interpreter
of authorship as it was for our fathers
to give heed to this compass which would
point unto them a straight course to the
promised land right so it's a type as
he's gonna say here and now I say is
there not a type in this thing again
type is symbol right or metaphor even
symbol is probably best for just as
surely as this director did bring our
fathers by following its course to the
promised land
shall the words of Christ if we follow
their course carry us beyond this veil
of sorrow again we've talked about the
valley of Lemuel and valleys here
Vail is a valley which is is depicted as
something of judgment and end being held
down in something that you need to be
delivered from out of the valley beyond
this vale of sorrow into a far better
land of promise so don't be slothful
because of the easiness of the way right
it's it's it's too easy well I've got
the scriptures I'll look at this at some
other point you gotta look at them and
put faith into it it's very easy to do
but don't be slothful because it's so
easy and he brings that back here to the
brazen serpent for so was it with our
fathers for so was it prepared for them
that if they would look they might live
that's the brazen serpent even so it is
with us the way is prepared that's the
ironic priesthood and if we will look we
may live forever
that's the melodic priesthood and now my
son see that you take care of these
sacred things the the records you see
that you look to God and live go unto
this people and declare the word and be
sober my son farewell ok so beautifully
put together here right under the his an
under Alma's major theme of DBR of the
word and bringing in deliverance and
remembrance here as additional themes as
the focus of the Chi Asmus in chapter 36
and showing us that the Liahona is a
representation of DBR it's a
representation of the Word of God this
was not written by Joseph Smith and then
briefly here we follow up with his words
Elmas words to another Sun which is
Shiblon and again we see here at the top
an introduction a very short
introduction from Moroni are from Mormon
the commandments he pushed that in again
right he's following Elmas theme here
the commandments the debye eeeem right
huh Dean of alma to his son Shiblon and
he starts off here inverse wine to
Shiblon my son give ear to my words for
i saying to you even as i said unto
Helaman that in as much as she shall
keep the commandments hide Eveline of
god he shall prosper in the land and as
much as you will not keep the
commandments of god he shall be cut off
from his presence so that's what that
has to do with it has to do with the
word well we see that phrase of
following the commandments and
prospering the land it has to do with
DBR and then basically with Shiblon he
follows up and and and confirms again a
lot of these same themes look to the
lord keep his commandments reveals
something about Shiblon when they were
all in that entourage that missionary
district basically that went to the
zoramites
he says i saying to you my son that I
have had great joy in the already
because of thy faithfulness and thy
diligence and thy patience and thy
long-suffering among the people of the
zoramites so he was a great missionary
for behold thou What's in bonds idea of
bonds and deliverance and I also know
that that was stoned for the words sake
and thou didst bear all these things
with patience because the Lord was with
thee and now thou knowest that the Lord
did deliver thee right so there's our
theme so like Paul right Shiblon was
stoned he wasn't killed by stoning maybe
they tried but he was stoned for the
words sake and he says here in verse 5
Shiblon I would that ye should remember
that as much as ye shall put your trust
or faith in God even so much he shall be
delivered out of your trials and your
troubles and your afflictions and he
shall be lifted up at the last day
that's the ultimate deliverance
and again to Shiblon like he did with
Helaman i would not that you should
think that i know these things of myself
but it is the Spirit of God which is in
me which make it these things known unto
me it's a crucial thing to understand
the highest level of knowledge is the
spirit and then our focus on the word
here again in verse 9 that the Redeemer
is the light the life and the light of
the world and we get that with a light
with the stones here in the previous
chapter behold he is the word of truth
and righteousness he is the logos he is
the ultimate source of the word and now
as he have begun to teach the word even
so I would that she should continue to
teach I like what he says here in verse
12 to him he says use boldness but not
over Barents and also see that ye bridle
all your passions that you may be filled
with love and refrain from idleness
that's interesting to me right the way I
see that is the passions that we have we
usually think of lust with that but
that's not the only one
bridling your passion I mean there's
food right think of all the temporal
things that we need we bridle our
passions with food I have a lot of
passion for food do we do we bridle our
passions for anything that is centered
on ourselves that's what that is about
bridling passions would be removing
pride and actions that would encourage
that pride or be the results of that
pride because the opposite of that is
that you might be filled with love so by
not looking to things that Center on
ourselves which would be our passions
right our carnal state we are able to be
filled more with love for others because
we're not focusing on ourselves
acknowledge our unworthiness before God
at all times keep yourself in a humble
state you know where you are in the
fluid hierarchy and finishes off here
with and may the Lord bless your soul
and receive you at the last day
to his kingdom to sit down in peace
that's the reconciliation that's the
sitting down in the council at his right
hand now go my son and teach the word
how he how he ends unto this people be
sober my son farewell
so again just confirmation here in this
shorter chapter on what he's given
already to Helaman it is all about the
word here for hit for Elma in his record
and he brings in here also the themes of
remembering and deliverance which are
focused on the atonement of the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ the word can
be something small it's just a book it's
just a message at General Conference but
how much faith do we put into that
because the exercising of our faith the
level of that exercising is what brings
the word to life that what increases our
knowledge and ultimately increases our
faith as according to Alma's experiment
and are we looking at the church history
are we looking at the scriptures with a
glass-half-empty attitude in other words
what are we remembering
and the same thing goes with our own
lives what are we remembering in our own
lives where is our focus is it one of
gratitude for deliverance or is it one
of look at all of these problems and
we're kicking against the pricks we have
a choice on what we remember both from
our past and what we're going to focus
on in our future I'll talk to you next
time

 

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