Moroni's Memory
Book of Mormon Notes - Saturday, October 21, 2023, Alma 46 (Continued)
I mentioned that I would start to write shorter notes in order to plow through more chapters, but even a single verse about the Title of Liberty deserves a lifetime of study and application.
It appears that Moroni wasn’t just angry at Amalickiah for his treachery, but he was angry with those who followed him because they so soon forgot their great and noble heritage and destiny. They forgot where they came from, who they were, and what their purpose was. Moroni wasn’t about to let the rest of his people forget, and his swift action - to rally together his people and to cut off Amalickiah and his armies - is now legendary:
And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the achief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—aIn memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
And he fastened on his head-plate, and his abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the btitle of liberty) and he cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of dChristians remain to possess the land—
For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
And those who did belong to the church were afaithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ btook upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or cChristians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.
And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the afreedom of the land might be favored.
And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was asouth of the land bDesolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the cnorth and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of dliberty.
And he said: Surely God shall not asuffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own btransgressions.
And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the arent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and aenter into a covenant that they will bmaintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them. (Alma 46:11-20)
(Just as a quick side note, there are a couple of passages in this chapter that make me wonder if the Nephites inhabited an area that was sometimes cold, or at least that the climate in the winter was cold - because of Moroni’s coat and because of the fevers mentioned at the end of the chapter).
Moroni’s memory was strong. Moroni remembered where he was from, who he was, and what is purpose was. In fact, this is a portion of the Book of Mormon that connects back to Lehi’s own memory and conscious awareness of his connection, and his posterity’s connection, to the great Joseph, son of Jacob, or Israel. Little did the Nephites who rallied around Moroni know that their covenant was part of the prophecies of Joseph, and that their posterity’s rejection of the covenant would lead to their prophesied downfall:
Now this was the covenant which they made, and they acast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We bcovenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression. (Alma 46:22)
(Another interesting side note: the Nephites at least retained in their memory the rise and fall of the Jaredites who preceded them - their “brethren in the land northward” - and remembered, at least for a time, the cause of the rise and fall of the Jaredites).
But Moroni hadn’t just learned the lessons that the rise and the fall of the Jaredites had taught the Nephites. Moroni’s memory extended back to his distant forefathers, and the promises and covenants of the Lord to them, and particularly to Joseph. Like Lehi (in 2 Nephi 3), Moroni gives us another glimpse into the treasures contained upon the Plates of Brass. Moroni even gives his own interpretation of Joseph’s prophecies, likening the scriptures unto himself and his people:
Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a aremnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of bJoseph, whose ccoat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.
Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a aremnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a bpart of the cremnant of the coat of Joseph was dpreserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a eremnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.
Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.
And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do not stand fast in the faith of Christ. (Alma 46:23-27)
I would like to pay special attention to the word “Remnant” because I think that it is important in the Book of Mormon, and also because it is an important part of the prophesies regarding the last days:
Israel, Remnant of
See also Israel, Restoration of; Israel, Scattering of
remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah, 2 Kgs. 19:30.
remnant that are left of the captivity, Neh. 1:3.
Except the Lord … had left unto us a very small remnant, Isa. 1:9.
remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, Isa. 10:21 (2 Ne. 20:21).
out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, Isa. 37:32.
I will gather the remnant of my flock, Jer. 23:3.
Yet will I leave a remnant, Ezek. 6:8.
I will leave a few men of them from the sword, Ezek. 12:16.
shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, Ezek. 14:22.
in Jerusalem shall be deliverance … and in the remnant, Joel 2:32.
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel, Micah 2:12.
remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, Micah 5:8 (3 Ne. 21:12).
concerning Israel … a remnant shall be saved, Rom. 9:27.
remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, 1 Ne. 10:14.
our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel, 2 Ne. 28:2.
words … carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed, 2 Ne. 30:3.
we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, Alma 46:23 (3 Ne. 10:17).
bring a remnant … of Joseph to the knowledge, 3 Ne. 5:23.
ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth, 3 Ne. 20:16 (Morm. 7:10).
lest a remnant of the seed of Jacob shall go forth, Morm. 5:24.
ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob, Morm. 7:10.
New Jerusalem should be built … unto the remnant … of Joseph, Ether 13:6.
remnant shall be gathered unto this place, D&C 45:43.
remnants who are left … shall vex the Gentiles, D&C 87:5.
remnants of Jacob, who have been cursed … be converted, D&C 109:65.
scattered remnants are exhorted to return to the Lord, D&C 113:10.
gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, JS—M 1:37.
See also 2 Kgs. 19:4; Isa. 19:25.
I would also like to pay close attention to Moroni’s mention of the seed of Joseph. Who are the seed of Joseph?
To be continued…