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CHAPTER 25The people (the Mulekites) of Zarahemla become Nephitesa—They learn of the people of Alma and of Zeniff—Alma baptizes Limhi and all his people—Mosiah authorizes Alma to organize the Church of God. [About 120 B.C.] a This stipulation that Mulekites, the people of Zarahemla, becoming Nephites is poorly placed and devised, for truly the Mulekites and Nephites were one people under Mosiah I two generations earlier. And this point made after that fact here misleads the reader in various considerations and false divisions of the people which did not persist as so infered. |
The Nephites of Zarahemla who already consisted of one people, the Mulekites and Nephites under Mosiah I, Benjamin and Mosiah II, are joined by the people of Limhi and and people of Alma, and all become one people united under King Mosiah II—Now the Mulekites or the descendants of Mulek were greater in number than the descendants of Nephi though they all were counted as Nephites—But the Lamanites were greater than they all by more than double—The Nephites of Zarahemla learn the history of the people of Zeniff/Limhi and of Alma—Alma baptizes Limhi and all his people—King Mosiah accepts and authorizes Alma to organize the Church of God among all the people who will join unto it. [About 120 B.C.] | |
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1 AND now king Mosiah caused that all the
people should be gathered together.
2 Now there were not so many of the children of Nephi, or so many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the apeople of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of bMuleka, and those who came with him into the wildernessb. 3 And there were not so many of the people of Nephi and of the people of Zarahemla as there were of the Lamanites; yea, they were not half so numerous.
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2a not so many of the children of Nephi,
or so many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the peole
of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek Now a point of interest
is to be considered here. While the Book of Mormon does emphasize that this
promised land it that of Joseph preserved unto the remnant of Joseph, here we
seem to have a case where the descendants of the House of David do out number
the righteous remnant of Joseph. Yet when the Lord later visits this people
at bountiful the Lord only speaks to the descendants of Joseph as his people.
Now either the Mulekites were descriminated against by the Lord, or the seed
of the house of David suddenly is removed from the Nephites to the point that
they are not the majority of the people as they are at this date. Or there is
one more likely consideration, and that is that the House of David was indeed
truly legally and rightly to be considered to be of the House of Joseph also.
This consideration has much proof and an extensive presentation is not
possible in a short commentary, for it is a large volume of numerous chapters
in and of itself thus see Messiah ben David ~
Messiah ben Joseph.
2b and those who came with him into the wilderness Now just who would have come with Mulek into the wilderness? Would they have all been of the house of David? Perhaps when one considers that the royal house was so intermarried with those who they likely escaped with, that being a likely route for them to seek refuge with their 'royal relatives' of that neighboring nation, the nation of Sidon. Thus the 'mixture' of this seed could likely been what would be considered 'samaritans' by the Jews, a mix of the house of Ephraim with other such nations. But this is also the nature of all the house of David, from Ruth to Bathsheba and beyond from generation to generation. Here also to be somewhat objective, one might also considered that the crew of the vessel which carried Mulek's party to the promised land to have been somewhat of a multi-cultural grouping, whether of scattered Israel or not. |
2a
Hel. 6:10 b Ezek. 17:22-23; Omni 1:15 (14-19)
Now the 'bloodline' of the house of David is that of the tribe of Judah, Boaz a Jew being the father of Obed, Obed being the father of Jesse and Jesse being the father of King David and King David being the ancestor of the Kings of Judah and also of Jesus Christ. Yet in Helaman 6:10 it clearly states that the Lord brought Mulek into the land north and Lehi into the land south, with the dividing point being implied as the narrow neck of land. And it states that the land south was called as the land of Lehi and the land north was called as the land of Mulek. If significant, does that mean that North American is the land of Judah? Yet in the book of Ether, Moroni points out strongly that this is Joseph's land and that Jesus Christ is under whom that Americas ought to operate and worship. There is a futher consideration that has been brought to my attention. And that is the doctrines of adoption and birthright. 1 Chronicals 5:1-2 Speaks of the 'genealogy' and of the 'birthright'. There it states that the 'genealogy' is to be kept after the tribe of Judah, but that the 'birthright' was that of Joseph and his sons. Whose 'genealogy' and whose 'birthright'? The Bible was not compiled and edited into its Jewish state until during and after the captivity of Babylon. By then, well was the 10 tribes of Israel gone and lost to knowledge and understanding by the Jews when they returned back out of Babylon 70 years later. And by then the Jews did consider the it was the tribe of Judah that had prevailed and not the tribe of Joseph. So why would the Jews still separate the 'birthright' as though it was significant to them? The answer is I would suggest is that, while Obed was the son of Boaz, Boaz had merely acted under the law of Moses as a near kinsman to raise up seed unto the house of Elimelech and Mahlon (Deut. 25:5-10; Ruth 4:1-17). That is Obed was legally and rightfully of the house, family and tribe of Ephraim, Elimelech, Chilion and Mahlon being Ephrathites meaning Ephraimites (Ruth 1:2). He who was spoken of in Chronicles was the House of David and thus the 'genealogy' of the House of David was to be that of the blood of Judah, but the 'birthright' of the House of David was to be that of the House of Joseph and Joseph's son Ephraim. (See: Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph) |
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4 And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and
also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together
in two bodiesa.
5 And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they aleft the land of Zarahemla until they breturned again. 6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.
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4a they were gathered together in two bodies Now cautions ought to be exercised here. The people of Zarahemla and of Nephi had been living together as one people under king Mosiah I, Benjamin and Mosiah II for three generations. When king Benjamin delivered his address the congregation was so large that it had to be written down and carried among the people. Now one generation later is it any wonder that the congregation would have to be divided into two conference sessions? There is no reason to suppose that only the descendants of Nephi meet together and only descendants of Zarahemla met together in segregated bodies. Even when Zeniff went to inherit the land of Nephi, there were those of the descendants of Mulek which went with him, namely the brother of Ammon who was in charge of the group which went to find them. To so segregate the people in two after three generations is but an artificial supposition perhaps based upon the concept of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Joseph. But the truth be known that they were all of the tribe of Joseph. This was Joseph's land and the Lord had brought the royal house of Joseph the rightful heirs of the covenant through Ephraim as well as the descendants of Manasseh together (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph). |
5a
Mosiah 9:3-4 b Mosiah 22:13
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7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records,
his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and
amazement.
8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered aout of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.
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8a
Mosiah 22:11-13
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9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been
aslain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and
even shed many tears of sorrow.
10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of abondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God. 11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and apolluted state, they were filled with bpain and anguish for the cwelfare of their souls.
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9a
Mosiah 21:29 (8, 29) 10a Mosiah 24:17; Mosiah 27:16 11a TG Pollution b Mosiah 28:3-4; Alma 13:27 c 2 Ne. 6:3; Jacob 2:3; TG Worth of Souls
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12 And it came to pass that those who awere the
children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the
bdaughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the
conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of
their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that
they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who
were ccalled Nephites.
13 And now all the people of Zarahemla were anumbered with the Nephitesa, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon none but those who were descendants of Nephi.
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13a now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites This 'were' is a past tense 'were' which if further explained that they had been so considered now for all three generations of the kings, Mosiah I, Benjamin and Mosiah II. This is not a new distinction currently being presented as the heading of this chapter seems to presuppose. The information concerning the number of the descendants of Mulek compared to those of Nephi was not for the intent of segregation of the people but merely for interest sake, particullarly in view of the number of the Lamanties which doubled the combination of them both as Nephites. Thus we are informed to not suppose incorrectly that because the Nephites now consisted of the descendants of Mulek and Nephi, that they certainly did not out number the Lamanites, but the Lamanites did out number them all by double. And that in part to the Nephite dessentions over to the Lamanties as well as the destruction of the Nephites by the Lamanties prior to when Mosiah I did first bring the Nephites into the land of Zarahemla three generations now past. |
12a
Mosiah 20:3-5 b Mosiah 23:33 c Jacob 1:14 (13-14); Alma 2:11 13a Omni 1:19
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14 And now it came to pass that when Mosiah had made an end of
speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should
also speak to the people.
15 And Alma did speak unto them, when they were assembled together in large bodies, and he went from one body to another, preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord. 16 And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them.
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17 And it came to pass that after Alma had taught the people
many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king
Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people
were desirous that they might be baptized also.
18 Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did abaptize them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his brethren in the bwaters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did baptize did belong to the church of God; and this because of their belief on the words of Alma.
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18a
Mosiah 21:35 b Mosiah 18:16 (8-17)
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19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he
might establish achurches throughout all the land of
Zarahemla; and gave him power to bordain
cpriests and dteachers over every
churcha.
20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of God in one assemblya;
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19a and gave him power to ordain priests
and teachers over every church Now this was a necessary formality.
While Alma had already received the authorization of God, God requires that
men live according to the law of the land. Thus both the civil authority was
authorized by Mosiah unto Alma, but also was it a matter of reconcilling
the leadership of God's Kingdom, for Mosiah was a prophet and a seer as well
as king over the people, but Mosiah did not seek power over the people and
according to the will of God, Alma was established by mutual resolve between
Mosiah and Alma, that Alma would head the Churches of God, and Mosiah would
head the affairs of the people in general, though both were prophets of God.
And this is an example of how to such kingdoms of God once separate might
be easily resolved to be joined together. Such will be a case of interest when
Christ comes again, as does the city of Enoch and all is joined unto one
body and religious leadership with the Church of God presently upon the earth.
There will be no conflict and all will be according to the will and design of
the Lord.
20a neither could they all hear the word of God in one assembly Here is the correct reason for why the people of the land of Zarahemla who were all properly considered Nephites together where divided into two conference sessions above in verse 4. And that is they could not be so gathered in just one assembly. It WAS NOT a matter of segregating the Mulekites from the Nephites, for there was not that type of grouping or segragation among them. They had all considered themselves as one people for the time of king Mosiah I, three generations now passed. |
19a
Mosiah 26:17 b TG Priesthood c TG Priest d TG Teacher
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21 Therefore they did aassemble themselves together
in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests
and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was
delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.
22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one achurch, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God.
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21a
TG
Church 22a Mosiah 18:17; Mosiah 26:4
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23 And now there were seven churches in the land of
Zarahemlaa. And it came to pass
that whosoever were desirous to take upon them the aname of
Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of God;
24 And they were called the apeople of God. And the Lord did pour out his bSpirit upon them, and they were blessed, and prospered in the land.
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23a there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla [at this particular time] Now this should be considered to not only be as per the size of population alone, but also according to the provincial divisions of the land. And when these people did spread out across the whole of the face of the land of Zarahemla in their separated communities, it would seem likely that even more churches were further needed as per each separate province. A prime example of this being when the people of Ammon did join themselves to the Nephites and were an additional 'church' in the land of Jershon unto their people under Ammon and his brethren. Thus what is being called 'churches' here in the Nephite record might well be considered to be the same as 'stakes' in comparision ' with today's terminology. And the nation of Zarahemla is now certainly primed for the population to spread out over the land even more so than previous, as will be confirmed even in the abridged record of Mormon. |
23a
TG
Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of 24a TG Sons and Daughters of God b TG God, Spirit of; TG Prosper
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