Alma's Joy in Gideon
Book of Mormon Notes - Wednesday, August 16, 2023, Alma 7
The superscription to Alma 7 indicates that Mormon quoted directly from Alma’s record again. Like Nephi’s small plates and the various other direct quotations from prophets that Mormon includes in his record, this direct quotation from Alma’s teachings to the Gideonites is all about Jesus Christ.
Alma 7 is another one of the greatest chapters in all of scripture. It lines up perfectly with Mormon’s goal to bring souls unto Christ and to testify of His coming. The people of Gideon were humble and receptive to Alma’s teachings. They were prepared to learn more about Jesus Christ and to come closer to Him.
Alma mentions that he addresses the Gideonites in his own language. I found this interesting because there must have been other languages among the people of Zarahemla. Also, it is interesting that Alma mentions that he addresses the Gideonites with the words of his mouth. This must mean that Alma had sent forth written communications before. Furthermore, Alma had been very busy with his duties as the first chief judge.
The beginning of this chapter reminds me a bit of the way that the Apostle Paul addressed some of the people to whom he was sent. Alma loves the Gideonites and he is grateful for their faithfulness and their righteousness, especially after everything that he had to endure because of the pride of the people in Zarahemla. Alma’s whole focus was to bring souls unto Christ, and that was his joy:
And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me, that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading through much affliction and sorrow.
Alma’s joy is something to pay attention to in later portions of his book as well.
Alma hones in on the most important message that he could ever share with the Gideonites, and I believe that Mormon honed in on this most essential and crucial message for the benefit of his latter-day audience, namely us:
For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the atime is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people. (Alma 7:7)
Alma taught the Gideonites about 83 years before Jesus Christ’s First Coming that the time was “not far distant.” To the people of Ammonihah, Alma also testified that Christ would soon come:
And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers. (Alma 9:26)
I believe that Mormon was trying to prepare his latter-day audience for Christ’s Second Coming by testifying through these ancient prophets that His Second Coming is “not far distant” and that He will come in his glory “not many days hence”.
The Spirit of the Lord instructed Alma to preach repentance to the Gideonites and to prepare them for Christ’s coming. Then the Spirit of the Lord in Alma testified specifically of Christ’s birth, ministry, mission and sacrifice:
And behold, he shall be aborn of Mary, at bJerusalem which is the cland of our forefathers, she being a dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and econceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
And he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him adeath, that he may bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to csuccor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the bflesh that he might ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. (Alma 7:10-13)
This is also the testimony that is in me. Jesus Christ was born, lived, and suffered in such a way as to take upon himself our pains and our sins, and to know how to succor us. Alma’s testimony builds upon his father’s testimony which build upon Abinadi’s great testimony that was based upon Isaiah’s prophesy concerning Christ’s suffering (Isaiah 53). Mormon masterfully weaves together these testimonies of Jesus Christ in such a way as to help us learn who the Savior is, and to come to know Him.
Alma’s testimony, we must remember, was initiated by the visit of an angel of the Lord because of his father’s faith. In turn, Alma’s father’s faith and testimony was sparked by Abinadi’s testimony and recitation of Isaiah. In Alma’s testimony to the Gideonites who were prepared to receive him, Alma is free to share the feelings of his heart regarding Jesus Christ. And Alma testifies to the Gideonites in a way that is similar to Abinadi’s testimony to his father.
Alma’s invitation to the Gideonites is also the same as the invitation that Abinadi extended to his father, namely to repent, and be born again:
Now I say unto you that ye must arepent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. (Alma 7:14)
Alma’s testimony and invitation also includes some of the greatest counsel and blessings in all of scripture:
Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth abeset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.
And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will aremember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me. (Alma 7:15-16)
Alma’s only aim is to lead souls to repentance, and therefore to Jesus Christ and Eternal Life. That is his purpose and his joy. And that is the purpose and joy of Mormon, the great prophet-historian and abridger of this most correct of any book.
Alma gives more great counsel and blessings to the Gideonites, and to us. I love this chapter in the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon. It leads me to faith in Christ and repentance.