Alma 14 - 16

After Alma and Amulek finished their speaking to the people Ammonihah -

"...many of them did believe on his words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:1)

and even -

"...Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
7 And...he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth..." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:6 - 7)

"...But the more part of them were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because of the plainness of his words...And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:2 - 3)

"...But...they did not; but they took them and bound them with strong cords..." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:4)

When the hearts of men become so hardened that they will not hear or desire to know the truth, their hearts and desires seem to be more in the line of Satan. And because of their anger, they took -

"...all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:7)

And as if that wasn't devilish enough -

"...they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:8)

I can't invision a more horrific scene in all of scripture. And in their anger -

"...they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:9)

I've wondered at times if Amulek had a wife and children in that he said of Alma when they first met -

"...thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house." (Book of Mormon Alma 8:20)

And if he did have a wife and children, I've wondered if they were some of the believers that Alma and Amulek witnessed were consumed by the fire. For later we learn that Alma, as if Amulek was then alone -

"..took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord." (Book of Mormon Alma 15:18)

Nonetheless, during this horrific event -

"...when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:10)

In response, and probably with great difficulty Alma said -

"...The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:11)

In our simple perspective, we may struggle to understand why the Lord may "suffer" this thing. It may be an issue of faith. It may be an act that guarantees salvation. But we do know that he loves his children and will do what is best for them.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
(Old Testament Isaiah 55:8)

We do know that Alma and Amulek did have the faith in Christ and power to stop this thing, for later according to the Lord's will of deliverance -

"...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.
27 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." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:26 - 27)

"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..." (Book of Mormon Alma 14:28)

And -

"...as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they yet remained a hard–hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they repented not of their sins..." (Book of Mormon Alma 15:15)

A short time later, the prophecies of Alma and Amulek were fulfilled when -

"...the armies of the Lamanites had come...into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city. And...before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah..." (Book of Mormon Alma 16:2 - 3)

And -

"every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.
10 But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the carcases were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.
11 Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years..." (Book of Mormon Alma 16:9 - 11)