Pahoran's Greatness
Book of Mormon Notes - Wednesday, November 15, 2023, Alma 61
Moroni is definitely the star, the enlightened statesman and general that is also the hero and the liberator of the Nephites. But he does not act alone. He is accompanied by other very great Nephite heroes, including Lehi, Teancum, Helaman, the Ammonite warriors, Teomner, Gid, and Pahoran. Mormon did not name his son after any of the other great Nephite heroes (unless perhaps he had other sons), but Pahoran’s response to Moroni’s rebuke is the response of a true hero and patriot.
Again, Mormon quotes Pahoran word for word. The Nephite civilization was on the verge of total collapse because of external Lamanite pressure, but mostly because of internal intrigue, dissensions, and rebellions. It has often been noted that Pahoran’s response demonstrates great humility and meekness. He could have very easily been upset with Moroni because of his censure or rebuke, because he, Pahoran, was not only innocent, but he had also been fighting desperately against the traitors. But Pahoran was a great souled man like Moroni, and thus he rejoiced in Moroni’s greatness.
Pahoran replied to Chief Captain Moroni as swiftly as possible. Pahoran was grieved because of Moroni’s afflictions, but he was also the bearer of bad tidings because traitors and rebels had risen up against him and the freemen. Although Moroni and Pahoran had already put an end to the treachery of the king-men once before, the nefarious ideologies of the king-men had taken root in Nephite society. Recall that Moroni and his men had already hewn down four-thousand dissenters and cast others of them into prison. Moroni had obtained power by the voice of the people to pull down the pride and supposed nobility of the king-men and level them to the earth unless they would repent and take up arms in support of the cause of liberty. (See Alma 51) Apparently the problem had only been solved temporarily. Many of the dissenters had been compelled to yield to Moroni’s standard or title of liberty, but the spirit of rebellion still boiled beneath the surface in too many Nephite hearts.
Mormon informed us earlier that Moroni had already “put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men” and that he “put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility”. (Alma 51) But Moroni was not able to entirely snuff out the spirit of traitors among them. These traitors no longer called themselves “king-men”, but they conspired with the Lamanites against their own country in order to set up a king.
Pahoran informed Moroni that the new rebels were very numerous, and very treacherous. They joyed in Moroni’s afflictions, rebelled against Pahoran and the freemen, sought to take away the judgment seat from Pahoran, used great flattery to lead away the hearts of many people, withheld provisions, daunted the freemen, and drove Pahoran out of Zarahemla. Not surprisingly, Pahoran fled to Gideon with as many men as possible (remember that Gideon was the city in which Alma was able to preach freely because the people were more righteous than the people in Zarahemla).
Can you imagine if “elites” in the United States of America sided with the Chinese, the Russians, the Iranians or North Koreans or any other enemy country against their own country? Sadly, we don’t really have to imagine this anymore, because it is a reality. Can you imagine if a president of the United States were practically driven into exile because of the “elites” and those who hate America? Sadly, we don’t really have to imagine this either. What might Mormon have foreseen about circumstances in the last days that would require him to include so many details about Moroni, Pahoran, and the internal dissensions of the Nephites and the external attacks of the Lamanites?
Zarahemla was the Washington, D.C. of the Nephite civilization, and it had become a swamp. The only true patriots and lovers of liberty, the only good leaders had been driven out, or else they were busy defending the Nephites against the Lamanites in the southwestern and southeastern borders of the land. Meanwhile, Pahoran was compelled to warn Moroni that intrigue and corruption in the center and capital of the Nephite civilization threatened their utter destruction. Pahoran began to prepare a counter attack against the rebels by issuing a proclamation from the region of Gideon, temporarily thwarting the designs of the rebels.
But the rebels had already seized the Nephite capital, appointed a king, and joined in an alliance with the Lamanites. These traitors were willing to facilitate the overthrow of their own country in order to obtain positions and power. Does this sound familiar? Are there any in our modern American government who are doing the same thing?
Pahoran’s own greatness emerges in his noble response to Moroni:
And now, in your epistle you have acensured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not bseek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us cfree. (Alma 61:9-21)
Pahoran was ready and willing to join Moroni in the resistance against the Nephite traitors. He knew that the Lord did not require them to subject themselves to the ayoke of bondage, rather, the Lord commanded them to put their atrust in Him, and He would deliver them. Pahoran requested Moroni’s immediate assistance:
Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil, and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our awords, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us bresist them with our swords, that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God.
Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men, and leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum; give unto them power to conduct the awar in that part of the land, according to the bSpirit of God, which is also the cspirit of freedom which is in them. (Alma 61:14-15)
Pahoran had sent a few provisions to Lehi and Teancum, and he urged Moroni to gather together whatever forces he could in his march toward Zarahemla. Like Moroni, Pahoran was a man of great faith in God, and he was confident that they could put an end to the rebellions, atake possession of the city of Zarahemla again, and thus be able to send more provisions to Lehi and Teancum.
Pahoran had been somewhat worried about what to do, wondering if it would be just to fight against his own people. But Moroni’s epistle answered that question for him. Remember the revelation that Moroni had received:
Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the ainward vessel shall be bcleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.
And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us, and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head of our government. (Alma 60:23-24)
And,
Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and ainiquities, ye shall bgo up to battle against them. (Alma 60:33)
What do you think is the greater problem for us in the United States of America today? Is it the external threats of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and wars in the Middle East? Or is it rather, those who we have appointed our governors who refuse to repent of their sins and iniquities?
After a recent conversation with Dr. R.J. Pestritto, author of books such as America Transformed: The Rise and Legacy of American Progressivism, American Progressivism: A Reader, and Woodrow Wilson and the Roots of Modern Liberalism, it seems clear to me that now more than ever the inward vessel of the United States must be cleansed.
The Lord had revealed unto Moroni that except the rebellious “elites” and tyrants who had overtaken the Nephite capital would repent, it would be necessary for him to go up against them. Who knows what Mormon might have foreseen about latter-day America that would inspire him to include this stirring exchange of epistles between Moroni and Pahoran?
As governor over all of the Nephites, Pahoran then counseled Moroni to astrengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord, and to encourage them, reassuring them that God would deliver them, as well as all those who bstand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free.
Like Moroni and Pahoran, it is well past time for us as Americans to resist evil, first with our words, and if necessary, by other means, in order that we may retain our freedom, and especially that we may rejoice in religious liberty and in the cause of Christ.