1 NOW after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, [ Alma has made some inroads in his preaching among the Zoramites as they are now asking about how to plant the seed of which he has spoken. Interesting they asked about the one God - notice how careful Alma is in these verses of quoting the prophet Zenos. He will make sure that the Zoramites understand the Godhead at least Our Father in heaven and the mission of the son as outlined in the verses that follow. ] that they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they should plant the seed, [ “The Seed” is “the word”. That they should believe that Christ is the son of God, and as such has a mission - the atonement. ] or the word of which he had spoken, which he said must be planted in their hearts; [ The Ground is the heart. ] or in what manner they should begin to exercise their faith. [ Faith and testimony of the individual is their relationship with the seed and “The Word” which is Christ (Alma 34:6). ]

2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your God [ Whether the seed of Christ finds fertile ground or not has less to do with one's activity in church (as with the Pharisees in Luke) than with one's activity in the Gospel, for it's the activity in the Gospel which leads to the exercise of faith in Christ and his Atonement unto repentance. Who was the God that they were trying to worship in the first place? dumb idols - So they did not even have a comprehension of the Godhead because they had perverted the ways of God so badly Alma 31:1] because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; [ In other-words; you have the scriptures use them, because here is what they say about worship, and the Godhead - since they asked the question about believing in one God. Alma is going to use 3 examples from their scriptures to make his point who are they? Zenos, Zenock and Moses IN the mouth of 3 witnesses so to speak. ] if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them.

3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, [ Old Testament Prophet? The time of solomon may be a bit early for dating Zenos, because the Book of Mormon tells us that all prophets knew of the prophecies that Zenos taught, and Isaiah made similar prophecies in the eighth century BC, so it’s possible that Zenos and Zenock lived during that century too. ] the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship?

4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; [ What does this suggest to the people? That the prophet Zenos did not need a synagogue to offer prayer and talk to God. So neither do you. ] yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.

5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.

7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.

8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.

9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations. [ In all likelihood this phrase was taken from Ps. 74:3-4, the only other appearance of that phrase in the Scriptures. The KJV on this passage doesn't do a particularly good job at translating this, so compare the KJV on Ps 74 with the Jewish Publication society (JPS) translation of this passage which reads "in the midst of thy congregations;" in the King Kames version and reads " inside your meeting place;" in the (JPS) version so the verses read as such in the JPS 3:Lift up Your feet because of of the perpetual tumult, of the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.[ The Temple ] 4:Your foes roar inside your meeting place; they take their signs, for true signs.What Zenos is saying in v. 9 is that the Lord has heard his prayers in the Temple. Rounding out the places where Zenos prays in v. 4-9 to include all kinds of places including, but not exclusively, the Temple. ]

10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, [ Who those enemies are is not clear, but it the time reference is about right we do know that the enemies at that time were those who choose to spoil and polite the Temple by setting up their own form of idolatrous worship there. ] and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions [ Humbled in body~ mind~ distress~ grief~ trouble~ trial or sorrow. ] and my sincerity; and it is because of thy son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy son. [ Alma has made sure that the Zoramites know that Zenos taught of the son of God as well as the Father - this comes as a direct answer to the question asked in verse 1, about the nature of God. ]

12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old?

13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments [ Judgements from what? for breaking the The Law of Moses. ] because of thy son.

14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the son of God?

15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things, but Zenock also spake of these things— [ Now Alma is going to quote from Zenock. ]

16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies [ Why is God angry with them? It is not because of sin but because they will not understand his mercies(when we do not understand how he is not angry with us when we sin, but only when we do not turn to him for him to deliver his mercy through the atonement - wow. With that can we get a glimpse of the kind of love that God really has for us. Are we creating God with our own mis-conceptions. After all if you think about it if God knows everything he already knows and has seen what sins we will commit, so how can he get mad for something that he knows is going to happen. ). What are his mercies? The atonement, the mercy that thru the atonement we can come back to him. Mercy is the time required for the individual to develop the kind of character God has, it is what makes God -God. So mercy will act over time in order for you to satisfy the demands of justice, or a time when you have developed the character that makes God God, if you have exercised faith unto repentance, which is the change of your character. ] which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy son. [ How can God afford to show so much mercy to man - it is because of the doings of the son. ]

17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the son of God, and because the people would not understand his words they stoned him to death. [ Zenock was stoned to death. ]

18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the son of God.

19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; [ Numb 21:9 ] yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, [ The type being the serpent on the staff. ] that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.

20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, [ Referencing ancient Israel who refused to look to the brass serpent so they might live. This was really a pretty low bar, and yet how many failed to meet it. ] would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?

22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the son of God, [ The seed is to believe in the following 1) Jesus is the literal son of God 2) he took on an earthly body in order to redeem his people 3) he suffered in Gethsemane for our sins and then died to atone for our sins 4) he took up his body on the third day that we too may be resurrected 5) he will be our judge meeting out both mercy and justice. ] that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works. [ With the interjection from God of mercy to those who have asked for it - because of the son. (verse 16) ]

23 And now, my brethren, [ ] I desire that ye shall plant this word [ What is the word? It is the plan of salvation. See the previous verse. ] in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, [ Because of the son. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. How does pondering on the notion that Jesus is our Savior and redeemer give us rest and make our burdens light? Knowing that we can be forgiven of our mistakes and live with him again provides a-lot of comfort. Anciently "rest" did not equate to inactivity, to leisure, to doing nothing and has more to do with trust that God is in charge that he has done the work and that all things are under his control. When he finished the creation we are taught that he rested. During that resting period he however watched things and made sure thet they were good. In a way to see if they were trusting in him, in his plan. It is the same for us as well. (Gen 2:15;)What does the atonement cover? Sin, sorrow, suffering, heart-ache, ramifications from other peoples sin, worry. ] through the joy of his son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. [ So what is meant by that? I means that it is possible for every one to be able to believe if they want if they will make an effort - any effort at all. There is nothing stopping you, but it is also up to you.] Amen.