In Ether chapter 12, Moroni provides a brief review of a few of the miraculous events that we have already studied in the Book of Mormon. Moroni knew his father’s abridgment inside and out. He had studied it, along with the original records, and his own faith in Christ was certainly strengthened by what he read. As Moroni paid tribute to the faithful Nephite pioneers who preceded him, he taught how the great miracles that we have already studied in the Book of Mormon were all accomplished through the power of faith in Jesus Christ.
Do we remember the lessons of faith that we have already learned in the Book of Mormon up to this point? As I study Moroni’s brief summary and list of miracles accomplished by faith in Christ, my own faith in Christ is rekindled. I remember the ancient patriarchs who by faith in Christ were called after the holy order of God (see also Alma 13). I remember Moses and the children of Israel. I remember the more excellent way that God prepared in the gift of his Son. I remember the story of Alma and Amulek.
I love this true story of Alma and Amulek. It is a story of two great Nephite heroes whose righteous words and deeds earned them a tribute from Mormon that reminds me of Homer’s praise for the great heroes of The Iliad and The Odyssey:
And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.
Now the people having heard a great noise came running together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek. (Alma 14:26-29)
Alma and Amulek, like Kierkegaard’s Knights of Faith, were made stronger than Achilles and Odysseus, stronger than two lions, because of their great faith in Jesus Christ. Alma’s mighty prayer was perhaps a prayer that many of us have also uttered: “How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord?” Then Alma petitioned the Lord for strength according to his faith, and Amulek’s faith in Christ.
Can we not do the same? I know that when we pray in faith for strength according to our faith in Christ, we can receive the power that we need to accomplish the Lord’s will. Because of their faith in Christ and their prayer of faith, Alma and Amulek received power from the Lord to:
brake the cords with which they were bound
shake the earth mightily
rend in twain the walls of the prison so that they fell to the earth
defeat their enemies who had smitten and imprisoned them
escape from the prison unharmed
be loosed from their bands
come forth into the city
cause the people to scatter in fear before them like a goat that flees with her young from two lions
I believe that Moroni reminded us of this particular story not just because it exemplifies the power of faith in Christ, but also because it foreshadows future events. Whenever I read this story of Alma and Amulek as they emerge from the rubble of the fallen prison like two lions, I remember the prophecy that in the last days, the Lord will send two great prophets to Jerusalem:
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.
These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?
Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. (Isaiah 51:17-20 and also 2 Nephi 8:18-20)
And,
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Revelation 11:3-12)
And,
Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:11-14)
And,
Q. What is to be understood by the two witnesses, in the eleventh chapter of Revelation?
A. They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have built the city of Jerusalem in the land of their fathers. (D&C 77:15)
Consider Moroni’s next example of faith in Christ, the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost. Does this not also point to future events? I believe so. Furthermore, just as the faith of Ammon and his brethren wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites in ancient America, will not the faith of future missionaries like Ammon and the sons of Mosiah work great miracles among the latter-day Lamanites? It must be so, to fulfill the prophesies of all of the Book of Mormon prophets.
Which example of faith does Moroni list next? Does it also point to future events? I believe so. Moroni reminds us that it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death. These three beloved Nephite disciples ministered to Moroni and his father Mormon, and, like John the Beloved, they continue their work today.
Then Moroni shares the examples of faith of those whose faith was so exceedingly strong even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil. Does this foreshadow future events as well? I believe so. These ancients who truly and gladly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith are an example to us, and their faith foreshadows the faith that we can develop to do the same.
Moroni reminds us that, from the Jaredite record that we have been studying, the brother of Jared was one of these ancients whose faith in God was so great that when God put forth his finger, He could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared. Does this foreshadow future events? I believe so. The brother of Jared obtained the word and vision of the Lord, and a vision of all things, by faith in Him. Why would Moroni record such miracles and examples of faith if not to instill greater faith in his audience and point us to future fulfillments of prophesy and the miracles that the Lord will accomplish through faith in Him?
The next verse most clearly points to the future fulfillment of prophesy:
And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the promise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ. (Ether 12:22)
Moroni’s ensuing conversation with the Lord is one of my favorite passages in all of scripture. (See Ether 12:23-41) Moroni’s faith in Christ, like the faith of those Book of Mormon heroes that he describes, was great, and we know that even this portion of Moroni’s record foreshadowed the work that Moroni later accomplished, and may yet accomplish, in restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
One of my all-time favorite verses of scripture is found in this conversation between the Lord and Moroni. It is the Lord’s response to Moroni, and it has often been the Lord’s response to me:
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:27)
The following verse deserves greater attention as well:
Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. (Ether 12:28)
Volumes could be written, and volumes have already been written, on this topic. In fact, Moroni later includes in his own record a sermon from his father Mormon on this very topic, which is also one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon (see Moroni 7). This sermon by his father must have been fresh in his memory when the Lord reminded Moroni that faith, hope, and charity lead to Him, the fountain of all righteousness.
I also love Moroni’s response to the Lord’s response, and I’m grateful that he recorded it. In essence, Moroni acknowledges and remembers that which his father Mormon, and the Lord Himself taught him regarding faith, hope, and charity:
And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;
For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.
For thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.
And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men.
And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.
Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly.
And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. (Ether 12:29-36)
Charity, as the Apostle Paul also taught (See 1 Corinthians 13), is the greatest. Moroni was full of charity when he prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.
How are we, the Gentiles, doing in terms of charity?
The Lord’s response to Moroni is very personal and intimate. In essence, the Lord quiets his concerns about the Gentiles and commends him for his faithfulness. I can imagine that the Lord might have a similar conversation with each one of us, commending us for whatever faith we demonstrate and helping us to worry less about the chaos in the world around us.
Because of his faithfulness, the Lord promised that Moroni’s garments should be made clean. Because Moroni came unto the Lord and saw his weakness, the Lord promised to make him strong. Even better, the Lord promised him a place prepared in the mansions of His Father. There are no greater gifts than to be made clean and strong by the Lord and to be prepared for a place in the mansions of Heavenly Father. Moroni obtained these gifts, and his record is meant to help us to do the same.
Moroni bids farewell to the Gentiles and his brothers whom he loves (the posterity of Lehi), as if he intends to conclude his record. His concluding or farewell message reminds me of that of other Book of Mormon prophets who also promise to meet us before the judgment-seat of Christ:
For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen. (2 Nephi 33:15)
Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen. (Jacob 6:13)
Moroni later writes another final farewell:
And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen. (Moroni 10:34)
But in this preparatory farewell, Moroni testifies that he has done his duty:
And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. (Ether 12:38)
We have the choice to believe Moroni now, or to wait until the judgment-seat of Christ to accept and act upon his testimony. I believe him, and in fact I know that his testimony is true. I am grateful for his testimony, and I accept his invitation:
And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things;
And only a few have I written, because of my weakness in writing.
And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12:39-41)