Alma 56-63

NO CLASS FOR TWO WEEKS

We will resume on January 7, 2020 
Reading for January 7—Helaman 1-5
 
BOOK OF ALMA

“The book of Alma is a sprawling book, but it is not without its principle of organization. It divides naturally into halves (Alma 1-29 and Alma 30-63) that tell parallel stories.
Mormon’s overarching aim in the book of Alma thus seems to be to spur his readers to reflect on (1) the similarities between two distinct periods of Alma’s ministry (Alma 1-16, Alma 30-42) and (2) the differences between the peaceful missionizing of the sons of Mosiah and the warmongering interests of the usurping family of Amalickiah (Alma 17-29, Alma 43-63).”

Joseph M. Spencer,Women and Nephites Men

THE SECOND AMALICKIAHITE WAR (SEVEN YEARS’ WAR)

Source:Alma 51-62.
Dates: 25-31 R.J. (67-61 B.C.).
Location:Throughout the land of Zarahemla.
Causes: Return of Amalickiah, coinciding with the armed revolt of the king-men and his brother Ammoron’s assumption of Lamanite kingship. Initial Lamanite successes in the east and west were partly attributable to the king-men issue at home. Tactics:Protracted warfare; full-scale attempts to conquer cities and occupy lands surrounding Zarahemla on the west, south, and north; concurrent campaigns on several fronts, including Nephite efforts to control internal insurrection.This time, commanders who personally knew the Nephite lands and cities led the Lamanite forces.
Results:A very costly Nephite victory.These wars were evidently hard on the Nephite rulers, for Helaman, Moroni, Pahoran, Shiblon, Corianton, and others were all dead or gone by Alma 63.

 2000 STRIPLING WARRIORS

“The same God who gave Mosiah a promise of safety gave the mothers of this untested army the similar promise, on the condition that they would not doubt (Alma 56:47). Even the most caring mothers would not make a promise like that without the confirmation of the Lord.A promise of deliverance such as this, spoken without the inspiration and confirmation of the Spirit, is (at best) a good intention left dangling. But, the sure word spoken through inspiration gave comfort and hope to the mothers and strength to their sons.At this point the Lamanites were not the enemy, they were the test of obedience—the fire in which these young men would be refined.The only possible enemy to these young warriors would be to waver in their faith in the power of God to deliver them.
Wendell Philips once said, “One on God’s side is a majority” (Burns, Burns, and Ward 399). Mormon is making the same point by including the story of the sons of Helaman in his record that he did with the story of the sons of Mosiah.When the Lord is on your side, the size and strength of the opposition makes no difference.”

K. Douglas Bassett, “Nephi’s Freedom Thesis and the Sons of Helaman,” in The Book of Mormon: Alma, the Testimony of the Word, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D.Tate Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1992), 291–303, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/ book-mormon-alma-testimony-word/18-nephis-freedom-thesis-18-and-sons-helaman


“More striking still, however, is the way that each of these contrasting stories of preaching peace and promoting war centers on a turning point that concerns women. The unmistakable turning point in the Nephite-Lamanite mission comes when Abish, the Lamanite servant woman, takes the necessary initiative to gather her people to the site of the royal household’s conversion. She is in the right place at the right time, the text says,‘on account of a remarkable vision of her father.'The turning point of the parallel story of the Nephite-Lamanite wars occurs when the so-called stripling warriors turn out to fight in defense of the Nephite nation.They are, of course, Lamanite boys, young men who are in the right place at the right time, according to the text, because ‘they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.’ Successful Nephite preaching among the Lamanites, like successful Nephite military defense against invading Lamanites (used, really, as pawns in a war launched by dissenting Nephites), depends immensely on Lamanite domestic relations: daughters taught by fathers, and sons taught by mothers.”

Joseph M. Spencer,Women and Nephites Men

 MORONI AND PAHORAN

“The correspondence between Moroni and Pahoran also provides important glimpses into the personalities of these men. Although a man of great faith, it is clear that Moroni was also susceptible to anger, frustration, doubt, and misplaced outrage at those whom he assumed had slighted him.At the same time Pahoran is revealed in his letter to be a man of patience in the face of being wrongfully accused. His reply is a remarkable example of emotional restraint. By choosing not to take offense, he was able to communicate clearly and work toward resolving the problem.
Readers can learn an important lesson from Moroni’s shortcoming. Moroni’s anxieties
and frustrations were undoubtedly real. He and his army were facing serious Lamanite
threats, and no assistance from the government was forthcoming. Nevertheless, he
might have benefited from giving Pahoran the benefit of the doubt and being careful
not to jump to hasty conclusions or pass unwarranted judgment. His example cautions
readers to be careful not to allow anger, doubt, or uncertainties to create a negative
influence.”

https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/why-was-moronis-correspondence-with-pahoran- significant

“The question arises why Mormon made the editorial decisions he did.Why did he include the letters to and from Pahoran? Were they to support his assertion that Moroni was a man of God, or were they to show, as many in our dispensation have stated, that even great men make mistakes? There is nothing in Mormon’s narrative to support the latter.There is no apology from Captain Moroni, nor even any hint of chagrin, only rejoicing to find out that Pahoran is not a traitor.Also, it seems unusual for Mormon to set up Moroni in such superlative terms, then include his letter to Pahoran, if his intent were to show what we view as Captain Moroni’s pique. Another problem with this ‘fallible Moroni’ view is that it is inconsistent with the character that Moroni has displayed thus far. Moroni was always guided by principle.”

OraLyn Moran, Moroni and Pahoran, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/re-15-no-3-2014/moroni-and-pahoran-0


“In his response to Moroni, Pahoran states, ‘I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren’ (Alma 61:19). Two millennia later we can read this verse and admire Pahoran’s desire to make the right decision. However, his contemporaries surely must have wondered about it. About ten years earlier, during the judgeship of Nephihah, Pahoran’s father, Captain Moroni had to order the execution of ‘whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom’ (Alma 46:35).Then, five years before, the kingmen rose up against the newly elected Pahoran. Once again, ‘Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty’ (Alma 51:17). Surely Pahoran did not wonder at the justifiability of going against their brethren in these former occasions.Why would he wonder about it in this new but familiar situation? In addition, we are left to wonder if Pahoran turned to God for guidance in this decision as Moroni did.”

OraLyn Moran, Moroni and Pahoran, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/re-15-no-3-2014/moroni-and-pahoran-0


“With these things in mind, Pahoran becomes a much more puzzling person.Why would he debate the justifiability of going against his brethren when it had already been done twice? Why did the kingmen rebel, once immediately after Pahoran was installed as chief judge, and then again when Moroni was no longer there to back him up? Was this a reflection on Pahoran? Why would he not inform the entire Nephite nation of the rebellion instead of limiting his proclamation to “this part of the
land” (Alma 61:6)? Why wouldn’t he immediately inform his armies of the coup so they would understand why more reinforcements weren’t coming instead of allowing them to languish in a starved state? Why did it take the deaths of many of his citizens, whom he had sworn to protect, and the consequent threatening letter from Captain Moroni before he shared the problem with his chief captain?”

OraLyn Moran, Moroni and Pahoran, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/re-15-no-3-2014/moroni-and-pahoran-0

“The answers to these questions may reveal in Pahoran what many of us find in ourselves.We correctly honor him for his ‘long-suffering’ in not reviling against Moroni’s accusations and threats. Given the anger and contention that we so often see in our day, we value his example. But what if his greatest strength (long-suffering) was also his greatest weakness (passivity)? If his enemies knew him to be even a little passive, they would be very anxious to take advantage of it, once when he became chief judge and then again when his chief captain was busy elsewhere. If he knew the armies needed support, but he didn’t know how to get it for them, he might send smatterings of supplies and troops (‘the best he could’) without explaining why. He might try to fix the problem himself ‘in this part of the land,’ not wanting to distract Captain Moroni and the other armies. If he loved peace but felt unsure about enforcing it, he would worry about the justifiability of going against his brethren.And once his chief captain laid out a strong plan for correcting the situation, he would embrace it and encourage it. Besides being a sterling example of long-suffering, perhaps Pahoran also serves as a cautionary example of what Elder Dallin H. Oaks described as the dangers of our strengths becoming our downfall. But Pahoran also illustrates Elder Richard G. Scott’s statement that ‘the Lord sees weaknesses differently than He does rebellion.’"

OraLyn Moran, Moroni and Pahoran, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/re-15-no-3-2014/moroni-and-pahoran-0

“In many scriptural instances, including with Moroni and Pahoran, the Lord shows us that we should be willing to help all those who are willing to try. Pahoran expressed the desire to fight against the kingmen, though he had not yet mustered sufficient force to do so. Captain Moroni turned his attention to gathering people to reinforce Pahoran, and they successfully defeated the kingmen.
We often think we must accept excuses in order to show love.When we do so, we tend to follow the same pattern of sympathy and recrimination many have done with Pahoran and Moroni, respectively.We see through Moroni that if the excuse allows undesirable behavior to continue, we should not indulge it. Just as mercy cannot rob justice, accountability must accompany compassion.
Pahoran also serves as a cautionary tale of how an uncontrolled strength can also be a weakness. His slowness to anger is definitely a lesson worthy of emulation for our day. On the other hand, his apparent passivity likewise becomes a warning to us against seeking peace at any price.
Men such as Pahoran can offer us encouragement.When our strengths are still our weaknesses, we can know that as we strive to do our duty, the Lord will accept our offerings even though we don’t yet have the strength of Captain Moroni. Most of us are not born with that kind of strength and will. But with patience, work, and the grace of God, the good in us can become great.”

OraLyn Moran, Moroni and Pahoran, https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/re-15-no-3-2014/moroni-and-pahoran-0