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"The Prayers of the Righteous," Alma 10:13-32

Alma 10:13-32

Immediately upon hearing the testimony of Amulek, some of those that were present saw an opportunity to profit financially from the situation. These were lawyers. The scriptures here detail the motives of those that sought to oppose Alma and Amulek.

Despite being able to manipulate public perception of the Lord's chosen servants according to their training and craft, what these lawyers did not know and what they did not expect was that Amulek was able to discern their thoughts and reveal their wicked intentions.(see vs. 17)

It is then recorded Amulek's response to his discernment of the lawyers' cunning devices and wickedness. What the people don't get yet is that Amulek's response is motivated by discernment. Rather they assume that he is bent on reviling against their written law.

What I find intriguing is that Amulek doesn't start out giving irrefutable evidence of his ability to perceive their thoughts. This doesn't come until much later. He starts out by explaining in more general terms the dangers of their chosen path.
Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter destruction of this people. (vs. 18)
 In verse 23, Amulek explains that the prayers of the righteous had preserved the people from utter destruction. I know that this is not the only place in the scripture that talks about this particular concept, but the truth of it is well spelt out: "if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand." Destruction comes when God has no covenants to keep with His wayward children.

In verse 27, as if he couldn't be any plainer, Amulek says that their destruction is being laid by the paid profession of their lawyers. In other words, what they were paying for was for men to work unrighteousness amongst their people. I find that there is much of commerce and things that we pay for in this life that is unhealthy for us, and some which is plain bad. It is ironic that we pay for our destruction.

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