Book of Mormon Commentary - Alma 38

by Don R. Hender

THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA

The commandments of Alma to his son Shiblon.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             CHAPTER 38

Shiblon was persecuted for righteousness' sake—Salvation is in Christ, who is the life and the light of the world—Bridle all your passions. [About 73 B.C.]

1 MY ason, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, that binasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and cinasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be dcut off from his epresence.
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your asteadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that bendureth to the end.

 1a Alma 31:7; Alma 63:1
   b Alma 60:16
   c Alma 44:3
   d 1 Ne. 2:21; 2 Ne. 5:20-24;
      Alma 9:14 (13-15)
   e TG God, Presence of
 2a TG Commitment
   b Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13;
      2 Ne. 31:16 (15-20);
      Alma 32:13-15; 3 Ne. 15:9;
      3 Ne. 27:6 (6-17);
      D&C 20:29; D&C 53:7
3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the aZoramites.
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all these things with apatience because the Lord was bwith thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your atrust in God even so much ye shall be bdelivered out of your trials, and your ctroubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

 3a Alma 31:7; Alma 39:2
 4a TG Patience
   b Ex. 3:12; 1 Ne. 17:55; Mosiah 24:17
 5a Ps. 50:15; D&C 100:17
   b Matt. 11:28-30
   c Ps. 81:7; Alma 9:17; D&C 3:8
6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been aborn of God I should not have known these things.
7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his aangel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of bdestruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.
8 And it came to pass that I was athree days and three nights in the most bitter bpain and canguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a dremission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.

 6a Alma 36:23, 26; D&C 5:16;
     TG Holy Ghost, Baptism of;
     TG Man, Natural, Not Spiritually Reborn;
     TG Man, New, Spiritually Reborn
 7a Mosiah 27:11-17
   b Mosiah 28:3-4; Alma 26:17-18;
     Alma 36:6-11
 8a Alma 36:10, 16
   b TG Pain
   c TG Sorrow
   d TG Remission of Sins

I Am the Way, the Truth and the Light of Life

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ~ New Testament | John 14:6

     JESUS is the Path or Way. He is the truth of the Word of God, even the very WORD — represented by the ROD of Iron. And Christ is the Life and the Light of the world as so represented by the Tree of Life and the gloriously bright and shining light of the fruit thereof. That fruit ministered to man by the Spirit of God in the most precious and most delicious of all. It is that direct spirit to spirit communication from God to man, which light gives unto man eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There are these three central symbolic items in the vision of the Tree of Life. All three are thus representations of Christ as of recorded in John 14:16, and further as given by Alma the younger to his son Shiblon. In verse 9 below, Alma gives this 'wisdom' of understanding to his son Shiblon. Hopefully Shiblon understood the fulness of this understanding. If not he might of felt that his blessing of instrution from his father had short changed him. His brother Helaman and received the mantle of leadership and his brother Corianton had recieve a very lengthy three chapter long discourse on the mysteries of God and very particular details of Salvation. Yet it is only to his son Shiblon that Alma gave this understanding of wisdom and he instructed Shiblon to teach and preach such unto the Nephites. What greater blessing of instructions is there but this to give?

(1) The Path of the Vision of Life: The path is the only way and means by which man may come unto the Father and recive of Eternal Life. It begins upon the first principles and ordinances of the Godpel and Doctrine of Christ; faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance for the remission of sin; baptism by emersion unto that newnes of life in Christ, and the gift of the light of the Holy Ghost. Baptism is the gate the one must use to enter into and come upon the path, the way, the only means by which man may come unto God. There is no other way.

(2) The Truth as the ROD of iron: The Truth of God is to be found in the scriptures of God, it is found in the words of the Prophets of God, it is the very WORD of GOD. The Iron Rod or the ROD of iron is the truths of God. And they are only available in and through and by Jesus Christ who is also Jehovah of the Old Testament. One of his names of representation is the "WORD." And the first verses of the Gospel of John speaks of Christ-Jehovah as the WORD who was there with the Father from the beginning. As we hold on to and grasp that ROD, who Christ is, we are guided along that path the leads unto eternal life.

(3) The Life and the Light of the World: The Tree of Life is that representation of Christ as in, through and by him is given the Light and life of the world. It is a glorious tree and the fruit thereof is bright white and the most delicious to the taste, for it is not the fruit of the natural man. But it is the fruit of the spirit of man by which man, his spirit may live and become even as God is. That fruit is the Spirit of God communing and communicating with man, giving him light, life and understanding by direct revelation from God unto Man. Whether ministered by the Father, Son or the Holy Ghost it is the same, of that same God and glory that yeilds life eternal.

And thus are all three central figures in the Vision of the Tree of Life, that which speaks of and is a representation of Christ and God's Love given through that very gift of the Son of God, his Gospel, unto man. 'This is the work and the glory of God, to bring to pass the immortallity and eternal life of man.' (Moses 1:39) Upon this frame may the whole of the Vision of All be given as seen by Lehi, Nephi and other prophets of God.

9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is ano other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christa. Behold, he is the life and the blight of the worldc. Behold, he is the aword of truth and crighteousnessb.
10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and atemperate in all things.

Vision of All 
  Upon the frame of the Vision of the Tree of Life may be placed the vision of all things. Lehi had this vision, his son, Nephi, also, and Nephi reports that many others have been so give to see all things (1 Nephi 14:26). Is it any wonder that Nephi did glory in the words of Isaiah. Isaiah stands as one such that has seen all things and was given to write much of what he saw unto the children of men. And like two good friend who have seen the same favorite movie, so does Nephi understand the words of Isaiah, and they are plain and precious unto him.

"And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel. ~ Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:26

It will be interesting to read the full account of all things as written by the brother of Jared, Mahonri Moriancumr, for unto him was give to write the whole of the vision of all things. And it will be of interest to piece in the segments each of the 'others' have been released to have written. They have also seen and writen various portions of the same, such as Lehi's fuller account, what Moses' portion was, and just how such as Isaiah's and John the Revelator's writings all fit in to the whole.

 9a there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ The path as seen in the foundational vision of the tree of life is a representation of this 'way or means' by which man can be saved. There is no other way, there is no other path. Only through Christ, Christ's Gospel, Christ's Doctrine, which leads unto the attainment of salvation and eternal life. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (New Testament - John 14:6) Of course the light of life and this perspective can be readily seen in the three central elements of the vision of the Tree of Life as seen by Lehi, Nephi and many other prophets of God. All three central elements are found in, of and by Jesus Christ, he is himself so represented by each of them. The path is the Gospel Doctrine of Christ, the Rod of Iron is the Word of God and Christ is the Word. And finally the very tree of life is found in Christ, his atonemnt through the condescension of God, Father and Son, to provide to man that Life of the Light of the Spirit of God. That is the most delicious fruit above all others, feeding upon the Spirit, Spirit to Spirit unto eternal life. The Holy Ghost is often that bearer of that spiritual fruit unto the spirit of man's understanding. And the tree is there also a representation of God's love and who it is found in, even Jesus Christ.

 9b he (Christ) is the word (WORD) of truth and righteousness The ROD is Jesus Christ. It is one of the names by which Christ is called. If the vision of the tree of life he/it is seen as a 'rod of iron.' And in a Hymn from the Green Scriptures we sing "the iron rod is the word of God" and that "it will safely guide us through." Through unto what? Unto the tree of life, unto Christ, even unto eternal life in the righteousness of the Lord may we be seen through by that ROD.

 9c he (Christ) is the life and the light of the world The tree of life and its most delicious of all fruit is a representation of Christ, of the Spirit of God shining through bright and white to the spirit of man. This that man might partake of the Spirit of God and nourish his soul even unto eternal life.

   9a Alma 21:9
     b John 1:1-5; Alma 38:9
     b TG Jesus Christ, Light of the World
     c Ether 4:12
 10a TG Temperance

Path, Rod and Tree
Way, Truth and Light
Means, Word and Life 
 THE three central symbolic representations in the vision/dream of the Tree of Life as seen by Lehi and Nephi are the primary elements of the Lord's Plan of Happiness and the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ. The Way, Path and Means represent the Gospel and/or Doctrine of Christ, which all of its precepts, principles, ordinances and performances of righteousness. From the Gate that opens upon the path of the first four principles and ordinances of the gospel of faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the holy Ghost to the temple ordinances of the endowment and celestial marriage, even to the greatest and last principle of charity, the path is set line upon line, precept upon precept as man makes his way to being even as God Is (I AM).

The guide along the path is the ROD of iron, which is the WORD of God, that truth thath is had in the scriptures and had from the prophets past and present. The ROD that guides along the path is complete in Christ's atonement and his WORD, that is the means that is open to man to come to the Kingdom of Heaven and there is no other way given whereby man may be saved.

The glorious tree and the delicious bright white fruit is that presence of the Spirit of God, that Spiritual Life of Spirit to Spirit existence in God's glory. What is more sublime or delicious to the spirit's taste, the spirit within man, to commune with, being one with God; whether it be the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost or the spirit of the most Holy God, that Man of Holiness, God the Father of Spirits, who is Elohim. It is that which enlightens the spirit and the mind of man with the truth of all things as the direct revelatory connecting force to become one, even as Christ and the Father are one; even that harmony of faith, truth, purpose and being even as God Is. All is a representation of God's Love.

11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not aboast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
12 Use aboldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bbridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

 11a TG Boasting; TG Pride
 12a Alma 18:24
     b TG Priesthood, Magnifying Calling within;
        TG Self-mastery
13 Do not apray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are abetter than our brethrena; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my bunworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all timesb.
15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and teach the word unto this people. Be asober. My son, farewell.

 14a Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren This is a 'self-righteous' attitude which is not becoming of a truly repentant soul who in humilty continues to repent always before the Lord. And whether it is a wicked man or a good man, they are both sinners before God, and even the apostle Paul and the prophet Nephi considered themselves but wretched men of the carnal flesh, of this fallen mortal and temporal estate before God. Jesus also points this out in his teaching in the gospels. In Luke 18:11-14 Jesus tells a parable of the prideful Pharisee's prayer as compared to the prayer of the sinful but humble publican, and that because of the publican's attitude of meekly repenting compared to the prideful attitude of the Pharisee, the publican was justified or reconciled unto God and the Pharisee was not. The ending lesson there was stated to be 'every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.'
 14b acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times As stated, when such as the prophet Nephi and the apostle Paul viewed themselves before God, that did consider and state of themselves, 'O, wretched man that I am', now how can any of us not recognize at all times that we are but imperfect beings before our God? The natural man is an enemy to God. And we are of the natural man, carnal by nature. Only by submitting ourselves unto the control of the spirit as influenced by the presence in us of the Spirit of God, even the Holy Ghost, can we expect to ever be purified and sanctified. That is, we must subject this physical man of nature to the control of the spirit in righteousness. This is a major part of our test here below, whether our spirit which now inhabits this carnal creature of nature can so bridle the things of the body to be able to stand and dwell in the presence of God when this body and this spirit are once united forever in immortality. If we do not gain this control, but allow ourselves to be governed by the things of the flesh, then we will not be found worth to inhabit and to obtain that exaltation which requires it in order to be even AS GOD IS, perfected in all truth and righteousness. 		 13a TG Hypocrisy
 14a Alma 36:15
     b Luke 18:10 (10-14); TG Ingratitude;
       TG Poor in Spirit
 15a 1 Peter 5:8
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