Alma 12 - 17

As I ponder these few chapters, my heart goes out to Amulek, Zeezrom, and other believers of Ammonihah –

Alma had preached in the city of Ammonihah with no success. He must have felt some strong feelings about these people for he –

“…labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city…” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:10)

“Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts….and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city,” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:11 - 13)

But the Lord knew there were still some elect individuals that remained in the city for -

“…an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying… I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:14 - 16)

In obedience –

“…after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way…” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:18)

It is then that he meets Amulek who later shares a little about himself that sounds very like many individuals today –

“…I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
6 Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart…” (Book of Mormon Alma 10:5 - 6)

But in a vision, Amulek is told by an angel of a prophet –

“…Thou shalt receive” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:20)

To which Amulek tells Alma –

“I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.” (Book of Mormon Alma 8:20)

After many days of instruction from Alma, Alma is commanded of God that he –

“…should take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people…” (Book of Mormon Alma 9:1)

Amulek is obedient and as he does we learn a little more about Amulek and his family as he describes his experience having Alma in his house –

“…he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me, and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk; yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake… (Book of Mormon Alma 10:11)

I can’t help but speculate with his term “my women” that this may mean a wife, maybe daughters, definitely his children or even possibly grandchildren. He seems to differentiate them from his father and his kinsfolk. His statement that his family had been blessed suggests to me that his family had believed “the words that [Alma] spake”.

Zeezrom also began to believe for –

“…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…” (Book of Mormon Alma 14:6)

One would have to expect that Zeezrom must have shared this with his family if he had one for after Alma and Amulek had been bound and held as the people testified against them, 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 14:7

And as he continued to do so -

“…they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also 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)

I have to assume, because of their customs at the time, that all those cast out were men for after they were cast out and others were sent to cast stones at them, the leaders in Ammonihah –

“…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…” (Book of Mormon Alma 14:8)

I would assume that if Zeezrom had a family, they would have believed or had been taught to believe. You would have to assume this was true of Amulek’s women and children. If this was the case, it would be beyond comprehension what emotions Amulek must have experience as –

“…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)

And all that is written is –

“…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)

To which Alma had to respond –

“…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)

The character of Amulek is even more demonstrated when most would desire great retaliation and revenge for when they were mocked and beaten, Alma and Amulek –

“…answered them nothing.” (Book of Mormon Alma 14:18)

Later Zeezrom is healed and –

“Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the people.” (Book of Mormon Alma 15:12)

The scriptures say nothing of a family of Zeezrom if he had one previously. But of Amulek we learn that he was –

“…rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred…” (Book of Mormon Alma 15:16)

Nothing is mentioned of his women or children. After healing Zeezrom and establishing the Church in Sidom, Alma tells us -

“…he 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)

With that, I have to assume his tribulation is that he is alone without his women and children which may have been part of the believers that he witnessed in the fire. If this is all true, what great sacrifice was Amulek called to give.