1 MY son, [ Alma's closing remarks to his son Helaman. Alma will depart Zarahemla late in this same year see chapter 45:18. Alma first addressed the saints in Zarahemla, it is interesting how similar the counsel is from Alma to the saints in Zarahemla compared with his first son here Helaman. ] give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, [ I affirm or utter a solemn declaration, with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed. To promise upon oath. To give evidence an oath; as, to swear to the truth of a statement. ] that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper [ Means to have God's presence with them. ] in the land. [ So what is it that he is really trying to teach Helaman? He is trying to make sure that he understands how he can have the blessings of the lord in his life. ]

2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; [ Based on the angel's admonition as found in Mos. 27:16 (also cp. 5:2-5 where Alma tells the Nephites at Zarahemla to do the same). What is the purpose of remembering the captivity of their fathers? How does this captivity apply to the Nephites as a group? the Nephites are natural Israel (the descendants of Lehi through Manasseh, and the descendants of Mulek through Judah) the various covenants which apply to Israel apply to them as well. The various covenant blessings and curses in the Law (cf. Lev. 26, Deut. 28) all apply to them as well. How does this captivity apply to Alma as an individual? Just as the nation of Israel is under the laws and covenants so to are each individual under the law and so the same right and rules apply to each individual as do to the nation as a whole. Alma is aware that the Lord was very merciful to him because he did not destroy him outright, but rebuked him and give him the opportunity to repent (v. 6-10). The result; Alma repents (v. 11-22) and became zealous for the Lord (v. 23-27). So the same pattern that applied to the nation applies to the individual - where the Lord chastens Israel until they repent. so, too the individual when Alma makes the personalized comment applying the typically corporate formula for being cut off or prospered in the land in v. 30. An admonition that is most often used in the corporate sense (cf. 9:13, 1 Ne. 2:3-4, 2 Ne. 1:9, Jarom 1:9), but King Benjamin also personalizes it (cf. Mos. 1:7). Similar discourses on applying the general covenants with Israel as a whole to a relatively small group, we can compare Limhi's comments in Mos. 7:17-33 as well. ] for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, [ In what ways does God deliver us from bondage? God as the deliverer just as the Lord delivered the Israelites earlier he had delivered the church from the hands and destruction imposed by Alma earlier. see also verse 6-9, 28. Also God was the deliverer for Alma personally when he delivered Alma from death and hell verses 15-19. Alama has defined the role of the delivered as both a physical as well as a spiritual deliverer, as well as a deliverer to both nation as well as individual. This logic would imply that the Lord is active in the details of both individual as well as nation. These same words where uttered by others ( Mosiah 7:19; Mosiah 23:23; Alma 29:11; 36:2; 3 Ne. 4:30; Morm. 9:11 ) What event do these all consistently suggest from the life of Abraham that provides a foundation to put your trust in God as did Abraham? Abraham was bound up on the altar of King Nimrod, his destruction was imminent, and yet Abraham trusted God against otherwise impossible odds. It was in a way Abraham against all of society, he was alone, and yet still he trusted God with whom he had a relationship. In the Book of Abraham, the story begins with young Abraham on a collision course with the world around him. He was opposing the practices not merely of a few wicked individuals but of a whole society whose "hearts were set to evil" (Abr. 1:6) and who would tolerate no questioning of their evil ways. Yet one individual trust in God enough to go the coarse alone. ] and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions. [ A state of pain, distress, or grief. ]

3 And now, O my son Helaman, [ Helaman will become the high priest and head of the Church, as well as the leader of the Ammonite stripling warriors. ] behold, thou art in thy youth, [ The part of life that succeeds to childhood. In a general sense, youth denotes the whole early part of life, from infancy to manhood; but it is not unusual to divide the stages of life into infancy, childhood, youth and manhood. Alma was also in his youth when the angel of the Lord visited him - Helaman is the oldest son, and since Corianton is at least post-puberty and Shiblon was born in between it is safe to assume Helaman is at least in the early 20's. ] and therefore, I beseech [ Plead, beg, implore. ] of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; [ In other words - maybe don't make the same mistakes I have made, you don't have to learn the hard way. How many times as parents do we try to say the same thing? How successful have you been at it?] for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, [ What does he say here? Be supported IN THEIR TRIALS What does he not say? Will have their trials removed, or will be blocked from having trials. ] and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. [ Is this not what we are really working for any way? for eternal salvation. ]

4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself—not of the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of God. [ What is Alma trying to say here? That I now odd these things because they were taught to me through the spirit and delivered by an angel. ]

5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; [ This is really good counsel he is giving here to Helaman. Alma is really saying don't be too quick to judge others who are not living as you expect them too. Because look at me; with the help of the Lord evcen I, one of the greatest sinners was able to change. Very similar to the story of Paul the great missionary. In part what made them great Paul and Alma was that they understood that they were sinners, and that even they could change and if they could change so can anyone else. We need to remember here that Helaman was a good boy, a great boy, he was more often able to only see the black and the white(not gray). Some people live their lives in the grey, black and white is almost too hard - they fight it. So Helaman; one who only see's black and white might have been a little too critical of those who did not live their lives with only black and white. So here Alma counsels Helaman to be a little more patient with others, they too can find the path with some help, but not if you cut them off too quickly by being too harsh. It is like those who come in to the bishop's office and claim - Bishop this is just too hard, all I do is keep messing up, I am just not built to keep the commandments like others are. What they do not realize is that the commandments are not there as a judgement to constantly remind them of their failures, no; they are there to help them simply see how God would choose. And if you want the life that God has then you just need to try to choose what God chooses, be patient and just try, but be patient as long as you are really trying. This is a principle that Helaman maybe does not understand since he is almost perfect, and here is father is giving him wise counsel as the new soon to be high priest of the church upon his fathers death. ] but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, [ See Mosiah 27:11. ] made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself; [ Note his humility that he was favored of the Lord President Heber J. Grant once said , “You know, whenever I hear one of my brethren who has borne testimony that he has seen so many who have had such an experience, who have become puffed up and thought that they were more favored than those who didn’t have the personal manifestation, their pride has led them away from the Church.” He said: “I’m always anxious about a man who has had a personal visitation from the Lord." ]

6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way.

7 And behold, he [ The angel. ] spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell to the earth, for the fear [ A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Anxiety; ] of the Lord came upon us.

8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and stood up, and beheld the angel.

9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, [ Who holds the key to his destruction? Alma does. the angel is letting him use his own agency here - you choose your destruction if you continue or repent and live. Is it really any different for us? ] seek no more to destroy the church of God.

10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; [ What do you suppose that he is trying to say here? Do you think that it happened that when he turned himself over to the will of God that he recognized how little he was without God, he lost everything in subjection to the will of God - only to find everything as he came out the other side - after repenting. How does falling to the earth paint a picture of what we must do to truely repent? We have to really believe that God can save us; that he has the power; and then believe that he wants to save us; then we must turn ourselves over to him, we must lay it all down before him, we need to express our feelings of guilt, shame, and spiritually fall to the earth with out sins and our attitude toward God. Then from there he can rebuild us up. ] and it was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs. [ What do we learn here? 1) It took some time (true repentance will take some time - sometimes it takes a long time. Most of that depends on our attitude. 2) it was a very intense period. I suppose that we can also say that the intensity can shorten the period of time. ]

11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, [ Alma did not hear the whole message. Why? Do we often not hear the whole message that God has for us? Why? ] but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words— If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, [ Alma was told you have your agency to destroy yourself if you want; however I(the Lord) am not going to allow you to destroy the church anymore(again you have your agency).] seek no more to destroy the church of God—I [ Or you can do whatever you want to yourself but leave my children who are trying alone - FINAL WARNING! ] I was struck with such great fear and amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, [ Alma knew what he was doing was wrong - do you suppose that the amazement came from the fact that the Lord was so merciful to Alma after all that Alma had done - that the Lord not just destroy Alma right then. ] that I fell to the earth and I did hear no more. [ I became frozen in my tracks so to speak, he does not know which way to turn. All sense of invincibility are gone. Maybe for fear of turning the wrong way and getting into more trouble. Here Alma realizes that consequences are or will be placed on whatever he does from this moment going forward. There will be be an accountability for him, and he has come to understand that reality, his agency has consequences for him. So now go and do as you choose. ]

12 But I was racked with eternal torment, [ Maybe not eternal from a time standpoint, but eternal from a depth standpoint. Or there was no part of my soul that was not touched by the torment. ] for my soul was harrowed up [ Broken or smoothed by a harrow. How does a harrow work? Few parts to a harrow 1) cross bars usually 5-7 designed to beat down the biggest of clods Is there a message there?, 2) Shanks - their purpose is to forces the soil one direction then the next row of shanks forces it in the other direction - If you are soil you have been considered to have been -"worked down" after you have been harrowed. Harrowing is or at least always used to be the last process employed to the ground before planting took place. ] to the greatest degree [ Harrows can be set to different degrees from 0 or straight up -the spikes shooting strait down - to a position somes degrees less than strait up and down ] and racked with all my sins. [ What does Alma teach us of how we should feel as we begin the repentance process? Where are you at, how eternally racked is your soul? What do you need to do to bring those feelings into your repentance process? ]

13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, [ What do we learn about repentance from this phrase? That as he starts to recognize his state of awfulness his mind is quickened and he starts to remember all of the things which he has done that are not good. ] for which I was tormented [ How was Alma tormented with his sins? What part does torment play in the repentance process? Do you suppose that Alma was beginning to understand why his sins were wrong? This is more than just knowing that he had done something that God had told him not to do, No he was gaining the understanding of why they were wrong, the great damage that these sins inflicted on himself and those whom he may have committed the sins with or on. ] with the pains of hell; [ What are the pains of hell? ] yea, I saw [ What does seeing imply? That he came to a knowledge of how bad his sins really were in the sight of God - the first step in repentance process is to recognize that we have sinned- then to own up to the fact that we have indeed sinned. Do you suppose that this is more than just simply seeing what he has done wrong, but also recognizing how it is wrong in the eyes of God? Is there any difference here? If so what? ] that I had rebelled against my God, [ Wow, what he did not once see he now see's; and he even goes so far as to call him "my God" ] and that I had not kept his holy commandments.

14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, [What does he mean murdered many of his children? How powerful of language is that to display that you have lead others away - murdered their spirit, murdered their chance for eternal life. ] or rather led them away unto destruction; [ Or let me clarify this statement. Just so we understand that he did not physically kill them - just spiritually killed them. How do we murder Gods children as well when we sin? Well if we are leading others to fornication, petting oral sex and such we are taking them in a path away from God - murdering their soul. ] yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought [ He really has come to recognize his awful state - even the mere thought of going before God in his present state brings him into the depths of humility and fear. ] of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. [ The thing that finally shook Alma up was that knowledge that he was going to find himself in the presence of God - he thought really quickly. How would we do better at making decisions if we kept in the forefront of our mind that we will indeed meet face to face with God in the near future? ]

15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished [ Compelled to leave one's country; driven away. Compelled in this case to be outside of Gods presence forever. ] and become extinct [ Extinguished; put out; quenched; Being at an end; having no survivor; Being at an end; having ceased. ] both soul and body, [ Go to a place where I could literally feel nothing. Escape from the judgement that he knew was to come. ] that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, [ Tortured; tormented; strained to the utmost. Pulled apart from limb to limb. ] even with the pains of a damned [ Sentenced to everlasting punishment in a future state; condemned. ] soul.

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, [ After suffering or extreme searching - then comes the truth A rack is a torture device that consists of an oblong rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground, with a roller at one, or both, ends, having at one end a fixed bar to which the legs were fastened, and at the other a movable bar to which the hands were tied. The victim's feet are fastened to one roller, and the wrists are chained to the other. As the interrogation progresses, a handle and ratchet attached to the top roller are used to very gradually stepwise increase the tension on the chains, which induces excruciating pain as the victim's joints slowly dislocate. By means of pulleys and levers this latter could be rolled on its own axis, thus straining the ropes till the sufferer's joints were dislocated. Additionally, once muscle fibers have been stretched past a certain point they lose their ability to contract, thus victims who were released had ineffective muscles as well as problems arising from dislocation. Because of its mechanically precise, graded operation, it was particularly suited for hard interrogation, as to extract a confession. One gruesome aspect of being stretched too far on the rack is the loud popping noises made by snapping cartilage, ligaments or bones. Eventually, if the application of the rack is continued, the victim's limbs are ripped right off. One powerful method for putting pressure upon a prisoner was to merely force him to view someone else being subjected to the rack. A person stretched on the rack presented a spectacle of the body in pain.]

while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered [ Notice that the entire time to this point there is really no hope for Alma; the only thing he can think to do is try to escape. Now he remembers what his father taught him about the plan of salvation, and the fact that there is hope. ] also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a son of God, [ He is not the son of Joseph. He is not the son of a man. This title the son Of God means that his Father is literally God our Father in Heaven. ] to atone for the sins of the world. [ So this thinking literally changes everything for Alma. ]

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, [ Just the thought that he is going to have to answer for all of his sins when he is brought back into Gods' presence. That Jesus christ had atoned for the sins of everyone in the world. ] I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou son of God, have mercy on me, [ President Dieter F. Uchtdorf”: “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the son of God (Acts 20:28).” (“The Gift of Grace,” April 2015 General Conference). Those who believe in salvation by obedience alone believe in self-sufficiency. “It has been truly said that the greatest of all Christian sins is the sin of self-sufficiency,” said George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl in Commentary on the Book of Mormon, (edited and arranged by Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955-1961], 4).] who am in the gall [ Anger; bitterness of mind. ] of bitterness, [ In a figurative sense, extreme enmity, grudge, hatred; or rather an excessive degree or implacableness of passions and emotions; as the bitterness of anger. Ephesians 4:31.] and am encircled [ Or I cannot see any way out, there are no options. ] about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, [ Thought that there was no way out, and then he vaguely remembers the words that his father had taught about Jesus Christ and the plan of redemption. ] I could remember my pains no more; [ Note that it is not that he cannot remember that he had sinned any more - but that the pains caused by those sins was removed. We can still remember the sins, but not the pain associated with those sins. How do we know when we are forgiven? 1st I suppose that we have to feel the pain that we have caused the Savior because of our sins. If we do not ever feel the anxiety for our sins then we will immediately feel that we are ok, that is not the point here. It first requires that you feel remorse, greta remorse before the second part can take place. - 2nd we need to feel the mercy of having that pain removed from our souls. ] yea, I was harrowed [ If the harrow is used to break apart, beat down - then he was no longer beaten down and broken up by the weight of memory of his sins, as he had entered the rest of God from his sins. ]

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light [ That ethereal agent or matter which makes objects perceptible to the sense of seeing, but the particles of which are separately invisible. - Revelation. Saving knowledge. 2) 1. Having little weight; not tending to the center of gravity with force; not heavy. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, Not laden; 3) To kindle; to inflame; to set fire to; as, to light a candle or lamp; sometimes with up; as, to light up an inextinguishable flame. ] I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! [ What does this tell us about repentance? This is how Alma recognizes that he has been spiritually restored. ]

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. [ The law of opposition. As deep as the pain was on one end the joy is equally as good on the other end. ]

22 Yea, methought I saw, [ Alma is having a similar experience that Lehi had in 1 Ne. 1. Alma said just a few verse ago; this would have been worst thing that could have happened to Alma, being brought before God, and now he see;s himself in that position. ] even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there. [ And how does he react to what would have been such a horrible moments ago? His soul longs to be be there, he is excited about it, he glories in it, it is grand and glorious beyond description. This gives us and idea of how he knows that his sins are forgiven, as he is now excited to be in the presence of God. This is the basis for the kind of change that Alma wants to give to the people this is why he will labor without ceasing to bring souls to repentance.(verse 24) ] [ The comments in this verse are similar to those in 19:33-34 where the people who had collapsed and then revived says they had seen and conversed with angels, apparently during this time the had physically collapsed. Here, Alma informs us he had physically collapsed as well, and after repenting he apparently sees into heaven. Taking these together it would appear when these people had collapsed their spirits had fled their bodies and gone into the presence of God and/or angels. ]

23 But behold, my limbs [ Interesting that he uses limbs here, limbs are what would have been stretched beyond there bounds during his torment. ] did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God. [ Had his calling and election made sure. I Haven Barlow. ]

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; [ To taste of the tree of Life. To experience it for themselves. The change that happened to him to take him from being terrified to be in the presence of God(verse 14) to the place where he longed to be in the presence of God. (verse 22) ] that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, [ Have felt the way that I have felt. ] and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; [ What does it mean to see eye to eye? What is he telling us here? When we see with our own eyes does that not give us a sure knowledge. Is this an affirmation that he has seen the Savior eye to eye, if not that then the affirmation that he had at least seen things and knew of their reality thru the eyes of God - a significant spiritual witness when he was born again. ] therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.

27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles [ Just as in chapters 9-14. ] of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.

28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, [ Is this because the Lord has covenanted with him that he will when he made his calling and election sure Mos 26:20. Or is this a expression of confidence in the Lord? ] to dwell with him in glory; [ I suppose that this sheds some light as he will be raised to dwell with God in Gods Glory a state of upmost redemption. ] yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time.

29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time [ When he felt that they were ready - they were humble enough again. ] even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity. [ What is the purpose of the Book of Mormon? the answer is show what great things the Lord hath done for them as demonstrated here, on the title page and other places throughout the Book Of Mormon. Jacob 4: 3 states "Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents." What does bondage do to or for us? Call on the Lord for deliverance! Do the Words of Jacob have any meaning here for Alma as he addresses his son Helamam? What does it mean learn with joy, not with sorrow? Learn with joy means that they do not need to suffer (experience) bondage to be brought in line - learning with joy means to learn by remembering the experiences of others not having to go through it on your own. ]

30 But behold, my son, this is not all; [ But to simply remember the blessings from the Lord is not enough - What else do we need to do? ] for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; [ And we might even add that even if you don't keep the commandments you may still prosper - but keeping them insures that you will prosper. This is actually the inverse of verse 1 - "Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence." What does it mean to prosper in the the Lords terms? see Mosiah 25:24. ] and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. [ Setting prosperity aside - if you don't keep the commandments you can be cut off from his spirit - and eventually from living with him. You will not know the way back. ] Now this is according to his word.