Alma 14

Many people believed Alma’s words and began to repent. They went home and read the scriptures.

Most people in Ammonihah, though, were angry with Alma and Amulek for their criticisms and accusations of sinfulness. They argued that their laws, lawyers, and judges had been vilified. These people wanted to destroy Alma and Amulek. They tied them up with strong ropes and brought them before the chief judge.

Many people testified against Alma and Amulek, and the officials charged them with slander and violation of laws. They were also accused of heresy for saying there was only one God, who would send his Son Jesus Christ among them, but would not save them all.

When Zeezrom heard the accusations, he was upset, because he knew he’d been instrumental in blinding the people’s minds with his lies. The awareness of his own guilt created within him the pains of hell; so he went before the court proceedings and said, “It is me who is guilty, not them. Alma and Amulek are spotless before God.” When he pled in their behalf, Zeezrom was vilified and spat upon by the people. He was accused of being possessed by the devil.

Those who believed Alma and Amulek were cast out, and men were sent to throw stones at them. The believers were then gathered up as a group and set on fire, along with all their scriptures. As the people were being burned to death, Alma and Amulek were brought forward to witness their destruction.

Amulek saw the suffering of the women and children being consumed by the fire, and suffered also. “How can we stand by and watch this atrocity?” he asked. “Let us extend our hands to exercise the power of God within us, and save them from the flames.”

“The Spirit prevents me from interfering,” Alma said, “for behold, God receives them in glory. He suffers that anyone would do such a thing. The judgments that he will exercise in his anger against the oppressors will be just, and the blood of the innocent will be witness against them on their judgment day.”

“Perhaps they will burn us, too,” said Amulek.

“Only if it is the will of God,” said Alma. “But our work here is not finished, so we will not be burned.”

When the bodies and the scriptures had been consumed in the fire, the chief judge stood before them and struck them in the face, saying, “After seeing this, will you dare to preach to our people again about being cast into lakes of fire and burning sulfur? Neither you nor God had any power to save those we threw in the fire, even though they believed in your faith.”

He hit them again, and asked “What do you have to say for yourselves?” When they didn’t answer, he hit them yet again, and ordered his officers to throw them into prison.

Three days later, Alma and Amulek were taken from their prison cell and interviewed by antagonistic lawyers, judges, priests, and teachers. But they said nothing in response to their interrogation.

The next day the inquisitors came again. The judge hit them in their faces. Others came forward and struck them, and spat upon them. “Will you stand and judge this people again? Will you condemn our laws? If you have such great power, then why don’t you try delivering yourselves? How will we look when we are damned?” They were mocked and deprived of food and water for many days. Their clothes were stripped from them and they were left naked, bound, and imprisoned.

Many days later, the chief judge came and hit them again. “If you have the power of God, deliver yourselves and we will consider believing that God will destroy us, as you’ve described.” Then all of their tormentors proceeded to hit them, and said the same thing.

When the last of them had finished their foul work, the power of God filled Alma and Amulek. They rose to their feet and Alma cried out, “How long, God, must we suffer this abuse? Give us the strength according to our faith in Jesus Christ, to deliver ourselves.” Thereupon they snapped the ropes that bound them. When their tormentors saw this, they fled. The fear of destruction overcame them and they fell to the ground. The earth shook powerfully and the walls of the prison collapsed around them. Everyone inside, except Alma and Amulek, was killed.

The roar of the prison’s collapse brought people into the streets. When Alma and Amulek stepped forth from the wreckage, unhurt, the people saw what had happened and ran from them in terror.