We are already moving on to the next big trouble-maker like
Nehor, and his name is Amlici. He is a cunning man, and is able to attract a
lot of followers/supporters who begin to promote Amlici to be the king of the
land (remember they don’t have kings anymore, they have judges). This alarms
the people of the church and those who don’t support Amlici, because they know
his intent is to destroy the church and take away their religious liberty.
Voting day arrives, and the majority of the people vote against Amlici becoming
king, but his followers won’t accept this outcome and gather secretly (and
illegally) and consecrate Amlici to be king over his group of supporters.
Amlici and his followers name themselves Amlicites and
actually go to war against the Nephites! This is no small war, as 12,500
Amlicites and 6,500 Nephites are slain just in the first day. When night comes,
both sides cease fighting and pitch their tents. Alma, who is leading the
Nephite armies, sends out spies to determine what the Amlicites are doing. The
spies return in a panic, saying that the Amlicites have joined up with the
Lamanites (who are always much more numerous than the Nephites), and their
combined armies are headed toward the Nephites’ main city, Zarahemla.
Through the strength of the Lord, the Nephites are able to
conquer even though all odds say they shouldn’t. Alma even slays Amlici
himself. But I’m afraid this is not the
last battle between the Nephites and Lamanites… not even close. And some
battles get even uglier for the Nephites at times when they are not living
worthy of the Lord’s help. Isn’t that like life? We all have lots of “battles”
of different kinds to fight throughout life. They are all hard, but the ones
during the times I turn to the Lord always turn out better than the ones where
I am angry, distracted, or self-absorbed and not able to have the Lord’s help
with me.
I see these as the two main lessons from this chapter:
19 Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself his own condemnation.
I don’t think the Lord usually works in terms of “curses”
(keep in mind this is back in Old Testament times), but he certainly allows
consequences, and we often bring our own consequences upon our own heads and
sometimes without realizing it. But the Lord warns us, and His word is always
fulfilled! And the second main lesson from the chapter (mentioned by the author
because so many people were killed in battle that year):
26-27 And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey.
I believe there is a God, and I also believe there is a devil. And if we are not following God we are vulnerable to the influences of
the devil (and he is actually even more dangerous when we don’t recognize or
acknowledge his influence). Both God and Satan have very clear
teaching/philosophies, ways they influence, and ways they can reward. And we will each receive rewards from the one we choose to follow--and in the long-run, Satan has nothing but misery to award. This reminds me of a great
verse in 2 Nephi 2 that we already read:
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
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