Alma 9 - A Highly Favored People of the Lord

Alma preached to a hardened and skeptical people I'm the city of Ammonihah. Alma strongly rebuked them, and as you would expect the people of Ammonihah were defensive and combatative. They questioned Alma, and more damningly questioned God, "and they said: Who is God, that sendeth no more authority than one man among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such great and marvelous things?' (Alma 8:6). Theirs was not a sincere question about God's identity, but a dismissal of his authority. They ignored the truth and urgency of the message because of the humility of the messenger.

Forgetfulness is a common ailment among humans and the scriptures are replete with reminders to remember. Alma rebukes the people for forgetting the commandments of God and ignoring his blessings and mercy. "O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God" (Alma 8:8)? Alma encourage the people to remember the great blessing they had received from the Lord:

• Our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? (Alma 8:9)
• They were all led by him through the wilderness? (Alma 8:9)
• How many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?" (Alma 8:10)
• Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? (Alma 8:13)

Alma's rebuke may seem harsh, but his criticism is in the context of the people's great privilege. They did not er in a vacuum. They had access the the teachings of God and willfully chose to ignore them, unlike the Lamanites who sinned because of incorrect traditions. "For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land. And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name" (Alma 8:16-17). This expression of hope for the Lamanites helps reconcile the assurance that "through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved" with the minuscule number of people on earth who have heard and received the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are only accountable for the light and knowledge we have access to, and will be judged based on the life experience and circumstances we are dealt, which God knows perfectly. This understanding helps me to withhold judgement, even of people with serious and obvious failings. It opens space for love, curiosity, and empathy. 

The wickedness of the people of Ammonihah was particularly grievous because of the spiritual and temporal blessings they enjoyed. They chose to sin and rebel "after having been such a highly favored people of the Lord," which brought with it greater accountability and more sever punishment (Alma 8:20).  Alma lists their blessings and privileges as an indictment of their sins:

• having been favored above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people (8:20)
• having had all things made known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to come (Alma 8:20)
• having been visited by the Spirit of God (Alma 8:21)
• having conversed with angels (Alma 8:21)
• having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord (Alma 8:21)
• having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation (Alma 8:21)
• having been delivered of God out of the land of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord (Alma 8:22)
• having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind (Alma 8:22)
• having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed (Alma 8:22) 
• having been brought out of bondage time after time (Alma 8:22)
• having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all manner of things (Alma 8:22)

While I have not enjoyed the same angelic manifestations as the people of Ammonihah or heard the voice of God, I also identify as a "highly favored [person] of the Lord." Recently my sister-in-law shared with me a framework for thinking about the privileges I enjoy. This wheel maps traits that society views as desirable and dominant along the top arc, and undesirable on the bottom half of the arc. Sure, there are people more privileges than I am, but I was humbled to note that as a reasonably attractive, upper-middle class, educated, cisgender heterosexual white christian American male of european descent, I am in the most privileged group in the world. I add to this my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a joyful marriage, and bright and healthy children and I am staggered by the weight of my blessings. I hope that this wealth of blessings always compels me to action and that as I remember the goodness of God in my life I strive to empower, uplift, and bless others. 



Application Questions:

When do you ignore instruction or correction that you know is valid? How can you embrace constructive feedback without being defensive even when the messenger is flawed?

What blessings have you received from the Lord? How do you remember them and express gratitude for them? How does remembering God's goodness make a difference in your life?


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