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CHAPTER 11Nephite coinage set forth—Amulek contends with Zeezrom—Christ will not save people in their sins—Only those who inherit the kingdom of heaven are saved—All men shall rise in immortality—There is no death after the resurrection. [About 82 B.C.] |
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1 NOW it was in the law of Mosiah that
every man who was a judge of the law, or those who were appointed to be
judges, should receive awages baccording
to the time which they labored to judge those who were brought before them to
be judged.
2 Now if a man owed another, and he would not apay that which he did owe, he was complained of to the judge; and the judge executed authority, and sent forth officers that the man should be brought before him; and he judged the man according to the law and the evidences which were brought against him, and thus the man was compelled to pay that which he owed, or be stripped, or be cast out from among the people as a thief and a robber. 3 And the judge received for his wages aaccording to his time—a bsenine of gold for a day, or a senum of silver, which is equal to a senine of gold; and this is according to the law which was given.
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1a
TG
Wages b Alma 10:32 2a TG Justice 3a Alma 10:32 b Alma 30:33; 3 Ne. 12:26
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4 Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold, and
of their silver, according to their value. And the names are given by the
Nephites, for they did not reckon after the amanner of the
Jews who were at Jerusalem; neither did they measure after the manner of the
Jews; but they altered their reckoning and their measure, according to the
minds and the circumstances of the people, in every generation, until the
reign of the judges, they having been bestablished by king
Mosiah.
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4a
BD
Money b Mosiah 29:41 (40-44)
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Nephite Monetary SystemThe Nephite monetary system was quite simple. It was fixed
into law by Mosiah for the purpose of paying a man's wages according to the
law of the land, particularly those judges which would publically serve
society. Thus the Nephite monitary system is best understood in terms of a
man's, or a judge's wage. The beginning standardized unit would be that of
one day's pay: a senine of gold or a senum of silver for a day's work. The
size and weight of that piece of silver or gold would be fixed as would be
its equivalent value to the very basic commondity of the people. And this is
that one senine or one senum was that of a 'measure' of grain. This tied the
value of the coinage to the value of crop commodity. We might think of it as
perhaps a 'bushel' of wheat, corn, barley etc. Though likely evolved from
the time of Jerusalem, where the 'standard measure' was an 'Ephah', which has
been estimated to be about 8 gallons in volume; this standard measure was
what was established as the value of one day's work, and fixed by King Mosiah
into a set legal weight of silver or gold to be paid for a judge's single
day's work. Now we could use our familiar '$' dollar sign to transliterate
the Nephite coinage into easily to understand terms or we could apply a
differing symbol to indicate 'a day's value' such as '@'. And we could use
the decimal system to again transliteration the Nephite monetary system more
to our common understanding. In so doing, the following table might well
set out the understanding more to what is familiar to us.
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5 Now the reckoning is thus—a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a
shum of gold, and a limnah of gold.
6 A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and an onti of silver. 7 A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold, and either for a measure of barley, and also for a measure of every kind of grain.
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8 Now the amount of a seon of gold was twice the value of a
senine.
9 And a shum of gold was twice the value of a seon. 10 And a limnah of gold was the value of them all.
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11 And an amnor of silver was as great as two senums.
12 And an ezrom of silver was as great as four senums. 13 And an onti was as great as them all. 14 Now this is the value of the lesser numbers of their reckoning—
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15 A shiblon is half of a senum; therefore, a shiblon for half a
measure of barley.
16 And a shiblum is a half of a shiblon. 17 And a leah is the half of a shiblum.
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18 Now this is their number, according to their reckoning.
19 Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons. 20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get again, because they received their wages according to their bemploy, therefore, they did cstir up the people to driotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might eget fmoney according to the suits which were brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people against Alma and Amulek.
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20a
TG
Selfishness b Prov. 28:8 c TG Provoking d TG Rioting and Reveling e Alma 10:32 f Luke 11:52 (45-54)
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21 And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer
me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was
aexpert in the bdevices of the
devila,
that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek:
Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?
22 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the aSpirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I bgive thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.
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21a expert in the devices of the devil In society today we have what some will classify as an 'honest lawyer' and then we have what some would call the 'slick lawyer.' Between the two there are shades of gray distinctions. A 'slick lawyer' with evil intent is well trained in the devices of the devil in his examination, questioning and his manners of presentation in his speech and in his questioning and his design in unto evil. This is because they will question and lead people in their words so as to catch them in their words and not unto truth, but unto deception and evil intent. This they did to Christ, and this was Zeezrom intent in doing to Amulek. |
21a
Alma 10:31;
Alma 14:7 (6-7, 18, 23) b Lam. 3:62 (60-62); Alma 10:13 22a TG Holy Ghost, Mission of; TG God, Spirit of b TG Bribery
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23 Now Amulek said: O thou achild of hell, why
btempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to
no such temptations?
24 Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that alucre more than him. 25 And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward.
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23a
Acts 13:10 (8-12);
Alma 5:41 b TG Temptation; TG Test, Try, Prove 24a Luke 16:14; John 12:43 (42-43); Acts 19:27, 36-38; Titus 1:11
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26 And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and
living God?
27 And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. 28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?a 29 And he answered, No.
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28a Is there more than one God? Now there is but one true God of Heaven and Earth given unto this creation. That is this Second Estate, and that is Jehovah who is the same as Jesus Christ. But herein is the misunderstanding, for our God, who is Christ was placed and anointed to be that God of this estate by He who is His Father and our Father of Spirits. And that Father and God is He who is the God of that Eternity from which we all came before the foundation and creation of this earth and its heavens. Thus this question all has definition within that circumstance in which it is asked. Thus it might more particularly be answered thus: 'This is one God only pertaining to this creation, the earth and the heavens thereof.' That is the truth of the matter. But it is also the truth of the matter that there is as David so stated He who is the LORD of our Lord. That is Jehovah does have a Father and God who is above or over him. And therein is our God also correctly he who is the Son of God, that is the son of God the Father of all spirits. Yea, he is even the very Firstborn of that Father of Spirits and therefore the heir of that Father, which Father of Spirits is also the Father of all the spirits of all living. We are all the spirit children of this Father of Spirits. And our appointed and anointed God Jehovah, who is the same as Jesus Christ, also has that great distinction to be not only the Firstborn in the spirit, but also the Only Begotten Son of that Father in the flesh. |
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30 Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these
things?
31 And he said: An aangel hath made them known unto me. 32 And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the Son of God?a 33 And he said unto him, Yea.
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32a Who is he that shall come? Is it the Son of God? Now this very question is the basis of the misunderstanding of the false doctrine of the 'Trinity'. For there is only one God given by whom salvation comes, and that is Jehovah who is Jesus Christ. He stands as the advocate, the mediator, the intercessor between men of this fallen temporal estate which is measure by time. And he was given by that God and Eternal Father of Spirits who he who rules in the eternities but He has give his Firstborn spirit son, Jehovah to be the God of this estate, for it is the law of God that only they who do pertain or are a part of this temporal estate which is measured by time may minister unto it. Therefore it was necessary that God the Father of Spirits select one from among us the spirit children of the Father, to be the appointed and anointed ministering God unto its creation, redemption and judgment to act according to the mind and the will of the Father, in behalf of and in the stead of the Father in all things pertaining unto this temporal estate. And thus that Eternal Father of Spirits did bestow upon this Jehovah all the power and authority and the fulness of God, that he might stand in our behalf as our ministering God unto this second estate. And that because the Father has been exhalted and progressed beyond it, already being a Celestial and Immortal being of glorified flesh and bone, and would not retrogress to ever be a part or pertain to a temporal estate again. Thus he does minister by way of the Son, who is give to be the Father and to stand in the stead of the Father in all things according to the mind and the will of the Father, returning all glory unto him as His LORD and God and standing before him in our behalf in all things. And there is none else so established to so minister unto this temporal estate unto which we now pertain. |
31a
Alma 10:10
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34 And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people
ain their sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I
say unto you he shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.
35 Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall comea, but he shall anot save his people—as though he had authority to command God.
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35a See that ye remember these things: for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come Zeezrom plays the age old game of confusing men's understanding of God. Simply stated God the Father of us all, the Father of our spirits, set forth his Firstborn son in the spirit, Jehovah, to be our mediator, our advocate and our Only God of this Second Estate, this Temporal Mortal Estate. The Father stands beyond this temporal estate in that Celestial state of exaltation. Now as all the spirit children of the Father who were to advance, would have to leave the Father's presence and come 'down' to live in this second estate where the Father does not dwell. And as the Father does not dwell in or is a part of this Second Estate, being advanced beyond it; there was a need that one be chosen from among us to so stand and lead and act in the stead of the Father, in behalf of the Father, as the Father as our God of this Second Estate. Thus a Mediating God was needed to administer unto this temporal second estate. And he would need to be called from one amoung us, the spirit children of the Father. For only those who belong to this estate do minister unto it as one who doeth pertain unto it. Jehovah is that One God pertaining to this Second Estate. He stands in the stead of the Father in all things, having been so established by the hand of the Father to do so. There is no other way. |
34a
Hel. 5:10-11 35a Alma 14:5
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36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast
alied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I had
authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their
sins.
37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their asins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that bno unclean thing can inherit the ckingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.
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36a
Alma 12:1 37a 1 Cor. 6:9-10 b 1 Ne. 15:33; Alma 40:26; 3 Ne. 27:19; TG Uncleanness c TG Kingdom of God in Heaven
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38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very
Eternal Father?
39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very aEternal Father of heaven and of earth, and ball things which in them area; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the lastb; 40 And he shall come into the aworld to bredeem his people; and he shall ctake upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
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39a he is the very Eternal Father of
heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are Christ is
the very Eternal Father of Heaven and Earth, he being the temporal creator
thereof. Thus being the creator of this second temporal estate, it does also
fall to him to be the redeemer of it all.
39b he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last This also speaks concerning to this second temporal estate. For it is only this estate which has a beginning and an end, and it is Christ who stands at the first, he is the Alpha of its creation. And it is Christ who stands at the last, for he is Omega, the final judge of heaven and earth and him only. Only in him is its end come. Eternity does not have a beginning nor an end. Thus he also stands from all eternity to all eternity. If one considers the sealing room of the temple with the there eternally reflecting mirrors which face each other, the one representing the eternity from which we come and enter into this mortality and the other the erernity to which we part when we leave this temporal existance, it is Christ who stands at each of the mirrors at the beginning as the creator of our temporal now and at the other, the end as he is our final judge and by whom we are justified to that reward in heaven which we do receive of him. |
39a
Isa. 9:6;
Isa. 64:8;
Mosiah 15:4 (2-4); Moro. 7:22; Moro. 8:18 b Col. 1:16; Mosiah 4:2 40a TG World b Luke 2:34; Rom. 11:26-27 c Ex. 34:7; 1 John 2:2; Mosiah 14:5, 8; Mosiah 15:12; D&C 19:17 (16-18); D&C 29:17
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41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been
ano redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands
of death; for behold, the day cometh that ball shall rise
from the dead and stand before God, and be cjudged
according to their works.
42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the abands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal deatha. 43 The spirit and the body shall be areunited again in its bperfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this timea; and we shall be brought to stand before God, cknowing even as we know now, and have a bright drecollection of all our eguilt.
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42a all shall be raised from this
temporal death The spirit within us all is eternal, it does not
die. Thus the spirit of a man does continue on after death, and will be
restored to it physical body.
43a the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time Now here is a mystery. Just as we lay this body down, so shall it be raised. At first perfect as to exactly its state at death. But then through the power of the spirit over the flesh, that body will be transformed into a perfect form and all age, imperments and imperfections, even those which were from the mortal birth, well be removed and we will come to a perfection of being, not even a hair of the head will be lost according to the perfect frame thereof. |
41a
Alma 12:18;
D&C 88:33 b Rev. 20:13 (12-13); Alma 28:12; Alma 42:23 c TG Judgment, The Last 42a Alma 12:16, 24, 36 43a 2 Ne. 9:13; Alma 40:23 b TG Perfection c D&C 130:18 d 2 Ne. 9:14; Mosiah 3:25; Alma 5:18 e Matt. 12:36-37; TG Guilt
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44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both
bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and
even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every
thing shall be arestored to its perfect frame, as it is
now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of
Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is
cone Eternal God, to be djudged according
to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the adeath of the mortal body, and also concerning the bresurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is craised to an dimmortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can edie no morea; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming fspiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption. 46 Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written.
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45a they can die no more A question of concern to some has been, it there death or a possible end to one's eternal existance or of one's resurrected state? The answer here is given and it is simply NO! Even if one could conceivably want to, 'they can die no more.' There is no end to eternity. |
44a
Rev. 20:12-15 b TG Godhead c 3 Ne. 11:27-28, 36; TG God, Eternal Nature of d 2 Pet. 2:9; TG Jesus Christ, Judge 45a Alma 12:12 b Alma 40:23; D&C 88:16 c TG Death, Power over d TG Immortality e Rev. 21:4; Alma 12:18, 20; D&C 63:49; D&C 88:116 f 1 Cor. 15:44
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