Alma Exposes Zeezrom's Lies

Amulek’s words had silenced Zeezrom, catching him in his attempt to destroy Amulek by lying and deceiving. He was now shaking under a consciousness of his guilt. Seeing this, Alma spoke to Zeezrom, explaining the scriptures beyond what Amulek had done.

By now a great crowd had gathered. They heard Alma say to Zeezrom, “You know that your lying and craftiness have been exposed. You have lied to men and to God, who knows all your thoughts. You also know that your thoughts are made known to us by His Spirit. And you know that we know of your very subtle plan, as subtle as the devil’s, to lie and thereby deceive this people, that you might turn them against us, to hate us and throw us out. This was the plan of your adversary, who has exercised his power in you. Now remember that what I say to you, I say to all. This was the devil’s trap, which he has laid to catch this people—to bring you under his power, and surround you with his chains—to chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.”

As Alma said this, Zeezrom trembled even more, for he was convinced more and more of God’s power. He was also convinced that Alma and Amulek knew the thoughts and intentions of his heart, for they were given the power to know these things by the spirit of prophecy.

Now Zeezrom began to ask sincerely to know more about God’s kingdom. He asked Alma, “What does Amulek mean when he speaks about the resurrection of the dead—that all will rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and stand before God to be judged according to their works?” Alma answered Zeezrom, explaining, “God gives many people a knowledge of His mysteries. God also gives them a strict command not to say more than He wants them to say. God gives more of His words to those who diligently obey what He has already given them. Those who do not harden their hearts receive more of His words until they know all of His mysteries. Those who harden their hearts are given less and less, until they know nothing about God’s mysteries. Then they are taken captive by the devil and are led by his will down to destruction. This is what is meant by the chains of hell. Amulek has spoken plainly about death, about being raised from mortality to a state of immortality, and about being brought before God to be judged according to our works. On that day of judgment, if we have hardened our hearts against God’s words, so that we do not know them, then we will be in an awful state of condemnation. If we have hardened our hearts against God’s words, then our words, actions, and even our thoughts will condemn us, and we will not be found spotless before Him. And in this awful state, we would not dare look up at our God. We would be more happy if we could command rocks and mountains to fall on us and hide us from His presence. But this cannot be. We must stand before Him in His glory, power, might, majesty and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all His judgments are just—that He is just in all His works, that He is merciful to all His children, and that He has all power to save those who believe in Him and show by their actions that they have repented. Then a second death comes to those who die in their sins—a spiritual death, for they will become dead to righteousness. At that time, their torment will be like a lake of burning sulfur with flames that go up forever. They will be chained down to an everlasting destruction according to Satan’s power of captivity. They will be as if no redemption had ever been made, for they will not be worthy to be redeemed according to God’s justice. And in this awful state, they cannot die, for everyone will be resurrected and live forever.”

When Alma finished speaking, the people were even more astonished. But there was one among them named Antionah, a chief ruler. He said, “What is this you have said—that we will rise from the dead and become immortal, with a soul that can never die? What about the scripture that says, ‘God placed an angel with a flaming sword near the Garden of Eden to keep Adam and Eve from eating fruit of the tree of life and living forever?’ If God kept our first parents from becoming immortal, how can we, their offspring, possibly live forever?”

Alma answered, “We believe that Adam and Eve fell by eating of the forbidden fruit. Because of their fall, all their descendants became lost and fallen from God’s presence. At that time, if Adam and Eve had eaten of the fruit of the tree of life, they would have lived forever, and God would have been a liar, for He had told them, ‘If you eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will surely die.’ Now we are a fallen people, and we will all die. But we have been given time to repent. This life became a time of probation, during which we prepare to meet God. It is a time to prepare for that endless state after our resurrection from death. If no plan of redemption had ever been made, which was planned before the world was created, then there could be no resurrection. But a plan was made and it will bring about the resurrection. If Adam and Eve had eaten of the fruit of the tree of life, they would have been miserable forever, having had no time to repent before becoming immortal. The plan of redemption would have had no place, and God’s word would have not been valid. But God’s word is valid. This is why all people are born as mortals and then die. After death—the end of their probation—they must come to God’s judgment, which is final.

“After God had appointed these things to be, He knew that Adam, Eve, and their children had to be given light and knowledge. So He sent angels who spoke with them and allowed them to see His glory. From then on, Adam’s descendants called upon God, and He talked to them and taught them the plan of redemption. He did this according to their faith, repentance, and holy works. God gave more commandments to His children after they were able to choose between good and evil—after Adam and Eve broke the first commandments in the garden. Their descendants inherited the ability to become like God—to know good from evil—able to choose for themselves, to do good or evil. After making the plan of redemption known to them, God commanded them not to do evil. If they did evil, the penalty was a second death—an everlasting death—an eternal separation from righteousness. According to God’s supreme goodness, the plan of redemption cannot redeem those who choose evil because His justice cannot be destroyed. God taught His children the plan of redemption, saying, ‘If you repent and do not harden your hearts, then I will have mercy on you through my Only Begotten Son. Therefore, all who repent and do not harden their hearts will be claimed by mercy through my Only Begotten Son. They will receive a remission of their sins and will enter into my rest. But as for all who harden their hearts and become sinful, I swear in my anger that they will not enter into my rest.’

“Adam and Eve broke God’s first commandments by eating of the forbidden fruit. This provoked His anger, causing our first death (of the body). And now, if you harden your hearts, your sinfulness will provoke God, who will send down His anger upon you. This second provocation (the first being made by Adam and Eve, which we inherited) will result in the eternal destruction of your souls (being cut off from God). As we realize that these things are true, let us repent and not harden our hearts, nor provoke the Lord our God to bring His anger upon us. Let us not break His second commandments—faith, repentance, and holy works.

“Then we will enter into His rest which has been prepared according to His word.”