Skip to main content

"The Light of the Glory of God," Alma 19:1-11

Alma 19:1-11

In this group of  verses, King Lamoni has been overpowered  by the influence of the Holy Spirit and has laid prostrate for 2 days. The queen summons Ammon to inquire of him the state her husband's well-being so that she could know what to do.

The queen explains to Ammon that the servants of her husband regarded him as "a prophet of a holy God" and that he had "power to do many might works in his name." On this premise, on the testimony of the servants of her husband, the queen asks Ammon for guidance.

Verse 6 reads as such:
Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—
Though faith is not mentioned in this verse, it is at the very heart of what is being described here. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,"(Hebrews 11:1).  President Monson has said: "Fear not... the future is as bright as your faith." So we can say here that it is the substance of faith in the message of Christ that Ammon had presented to King Lamoni that had caused this "light of the Glory of God" to rest upon him. Such faith, as Elder Neil L. Andersen recently stated, "in the Lord Jesus Christ is not something ethereal, floating loosely in the air... Faith emits a spiritual light, and that light is discernible."

Having this testimony of the truth, Ammon subsequently counsels the queen to wait, because her husband was sleeping in God and on the morrow he would rise again. (see vs. 8) The queen believes his statement and he acknowledges her faith: "Blessed art thou because of thy exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such great faith among all the people of the Nephites." (vs. 10)

The queen then waits all the remainder of that day, all through the night, and is still found by the side of the king the following morning.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"The Lord Seeth Fit to Chasten His People," Mosiah 23:19-24

Mosiah 23:19-24 There are footnotes on the word "chasten." I've found the reference in Deuteronomy 11:1-8 speaks directly to me. Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm... But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; ( vs. 1,2,7,8 ) The admonition to be diligent in all commandments is particularly more applicable to those who know and have witnessed the power of His almighty hand.

"Behold, Here Are Six Onties of Silver," Alma 11:1-22

Alma 11:1-22 I finally arrive at chapter 11 of Alma. We have at the beginning of the chapter an explanation of the currency of the day among the Nephites. It is laid out as such: Nephite Coinage Chart Gold Silver Value limnah onti ( vs.22 ) Equal to a senine, a seon, and a shum of gold combined, or equal to a senum, an amnor, and a ezrom of silver combined. (7 senines, 7 senums, or 7 days of work) ( vs. 10, 13 ) shum ezrom 2 seons (4 senines) or 2 amnors (4 senums) ( vs. 9, 12 ) seon amnor 2 senines or 2 senums ( vs. 8, 11 ) antion 3 shiblons, which means it should be 1½ senine ( vs. 19 ) senine senum This is the base measurement from which all other coins are valued. A day's wages for a judge. Also, the worth of a measure of barley and every other kind of grain.( vs. 3, 7 ) shiblon half a senum, half a measure of barley ( vs. 15 ) shiblum half a shiblon (4 shiblums = a senum) ( vs. 16 ) leah half a shiblum (8 leahs = a senum) ( vs. 17 ) In verse 20 , we learn that the motivation...