Limhi's people vs Alma's people
Some important lessons
In the Book of Mormon we have two almost identical, side-by-side stories of a people brought into bondage by the Lamanites and delivered by the hand of the Lord. I believe this was by design by the prophet/abridger Mormon to teach us a lesson on how we should handle adversity and oppression.
The stories unfold as follows:
Limhi - Mosiah 11:1-7
The woes of Limhi's people actually started with wicked King Noah who "walked after the desires of his own heart" and more importantly it says in verse two that he caused his people to commit sin. The people were burdened with taxes and "laboured exceedingly to support iniquity". The people soon started worshipping idols because of the flattering words of the king and priests.
Alma - Mosiah 18:1-11
Alma, once a priest for wicked King Noah, was converted to the Lord by the prophet Abinadi. After King Noah put Abinadi to death, Alma taught the gospel and baptised in secret. His people repented and entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments that thereby they would have the Spirit poured out more abundantly upon them.
Limhi - Mosiah 19:2-15
King Noah’s forces had been reduced (we’re not told why but most likely war with the Lamanites) and his people started getting angry with him, Gideon (Noah’s captain of the guard) even tried to slay the king. As the armies of the Lamanites were encroaching, King Noah was spared for the time being. He encouraged the men to flee and leave behind their women and children. Some men would not, and instead of escaping were enslaved to the Lamanites. Their tax rate went from 20% under King Noah to 50% under the Lamanite king.
Alma - Mosiah 23:1, 18:32-34
King Noah lied to the people and said Alma was stirring up a rebellion - Alma’s people had done nothing to suggest they were planning a government takeover, yet were pursued by King Noah’s army. Alma’s people were warned by the Lord of the coming army so took their families and tents and departed into the wilderness and escaped.
Limhi - Mosiah 19:23-29
Limhi becomes the new king, he enters into a treaty with the Lamanite king that if the Lamanites spare their lives they will pay a 50% tribute rate. The Lamanites guard the people lest they decide to leave as well. Limhi established peace once again in the land which lasts for two years.
Alma - Mosiah 23:1-8
After and eight day journey Alma and his people are led to a beautiful location with pure water, they pitch their tents and begin to plant crops, build buildings and be industrious and called their new city Helam. Alma refuses to be their king and to receive support through taxation, they had all just lived through a really good example of why you should trust no man to be a king over you.
Limhi - Mosiah 20:22
The people of Limhi choose to be in bondage rather than risk dying in battle with the Lamanites.
Alma - Mosiah 23:13
Alma encourages the people to stand fast in the liberty they now enjoy.
Limhi - Mosiah 20:21
Because the people of Limhi had supported a wicked king, killed a prophet of God and were unrepentant they were now suffering the natural consequences of those choices and were about to suffer even more.
Alma - Mosiah 23:19-24
Though the people of Alma were righteous, the Lord saw fit to test their faith and try their patience.
Limhi - Mosiah 19:23, 20:1-6
When Gideon catches up with the men who fled into the wilderness - the ones who left behind their wives and children, he learns that King Noah was burned but the priests escaped again. These priests caused Limhi’s people more problems when they kidnapped 24 daughters of the Lamanites. Naturally the Lamanites were upset and thought the people of Limhi were responsible (they were in a way, just not directly), so they broke the oath and started a war.
Alma - Mosiah 23:25-28, 30-35
An army of the Lamanites had found the wicked priests but were pacified because the kidnapped Lamanite daughters (displaying classic Stockholm syndrome) plead for the lives of their new husbands. The leader of the wicked priest gang was called Amulon. The people of Alma spotted this army in the vicinity of the city of Helam and were frightened. Alma encouraged them to remember that the Lord would deliver them out of bondage, so they “hushed their fears” and began to exercise faith and pray that the Lord would soften the hearts of the Lamanites.
Limhi - Mosiah 20:9-11
An “exceedingly sore” battle ensued, the people of Limhi were only half as numerous as the Lamanites, the battle required them to fight like lions and dragons. Presumably there were many casualties on both sides.
Alma - Mosiah 23:29, 36-39
Amulon and the Lamanites deceived Alma, telling him they would let them have their lives and their liberty if they would show them the way to the land of Nephi. Alma told them the way but they did not keep their promise and instead set guards over them. But the Lord did soften the hearts of the Lamanites and there was a peaceful takeover with no lives lost.
Limhi - Mosiah 21:2-3
Even though the peace treaty was re-established between Limhi and the Lamanite king, the guards of the king were stirred up in anger towards the people of Limhi (we’re not told why, though it’s likely they still harboured resentment from the kidnapping incident). The Lamanites knew they weren’t allowed to kill them, but they did make their lives as hard as possible; physical abuse meted out and general tyrannical behaviour that truly made them feel like cattle and slaves.
Alma - Mosiah 24:8-10
Amulon (though still subject to the Lamanites himself) began to exercise authority over the people of Alma, persecution starts as well as tasks and task-masters put over them.
Limhi - Mosiah 21:5-8
The people of Limhi were surrounded on every side and knew they could not deliver themselves. They complained to Limhi and began to desire war with the Lamanites, Limhi lets them do as they please. Consequently they lost the war and many of them were killed by the Lamanites.
Alma - Mosiah 24:11
The people of Alma resort to prayer and cried mightily to God. Amulon makes verbal prayer illegal and threatens to put to death anyone who is caught praying out loud.
Limhi - Mosiah 21:9-12
A great time of sorrow and mourning ensued, widows mourning for their husbands, sons and daughters mourning for their fathers etc. The cries of the widows stirred up the remainder of the people of Limhi to vengeance and they once again make war with the Lamanites, but are beaten again and suffered even more loss. Stupidly, they try a third time to beat the Lamanites and suffered yet another harrowing loss.
Alma - Mosiah 24:12-14
Alma and his people pray in their hearts, knowing God can still hear them. After their silent prayers are offered, the voice of the Lord comes to them saying “Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.” The Lord also says he will ease the burdens of the people of Alma, that they won’t even be able to feel the burdens placed on them while in bondage to the Lamanites. “…and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses of me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions”.
Limhi - Mosiah 21:13-14
Now they were completely dejected and humiliated “…subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.” They were at their all-time lowest point. Then and only then did they humble themselves “to the dust” in the depths of humility and cried to the Lord for deliverance.
Alma - Mosiah 24:13-15
The people of Alma were strengthened by the Lord, their burdens were made light and could bear them with ease, even submitting cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
Limhi - Mosiah 21:15
The Lord is slow to hear the prayers of the people of Limhi, or in other words, lets them suffer the natural consequences of their bad decisions for a while. Eventually the Lord does hear their cries and softens the hearts of the Lamanites who then ease their burdens slightly. But the Lord did not see fit to deliver them from bondage just yet.
Alma - Mosiah 24:16
Because of their incredible patience and faith the Lord tells the people to be of good comfort because he will be delivering them out of bondage on the morrow.
Limhi - Mosiah 7:6-32, 21:29-35
Ammon, Amaleki, Helem and Hem (sent from the main body of Nephites to find out what happened to Zeniff’s group that left 60-80 years previously) show up and are first mistaken for wicked priests. Their true identity is established and Limhi and his people rejoice that the Nephite visitors will help get them out of bondage, they are even willing to be slaves to the Nephites rather than continue to pay the 50% tax to the Lamanites. Limhi acknowledges that his people are in their current mess because of their sins and killing the prophet Abinadi. Ammon and co are saddened to hear of the great loss of life and afflictions the people suffered needlessly. At some point after Ammon’s arrival Limhi and his people enter into a covenant with God to serve him and keep his commandments. They were desirous to be baptised and be even as the people of Alma but could not form a church at that time, instead waiting on the Spirit of the Lord.
Alma - Mosiah 24:17
The Lord tells Alma to lead his people “…and I will go with thee.”
Limhi - Mosiah 21:36, 22:1-2
Ammon and co, Limhi and the people devote themselves to studying and plotting how to escape their bondage. They wisely conclude that trying to use the sword again is a bad idea but instead should try and escape during the night. The people make preparations to leave, gathering their women, children, flocks and herds.
Alma - Mosiah 24:18
The people of Alma during the night make preparations to leave, gathering together their grain and flocks.
Limhi - Mosiah 22:10-12
The people of Limhi plied the prone-to-drunkenness Lamanites with plenty of alcohol to put them in a drunken coma so they could make their escape by night.
Alma - Mosiah 24:19-22
The Lord caused a deep and profound sleep to come over the Lamanites in the morning so the people of Alma could leave and travel during daylight hours. When they had travelled all day they pitched their tents and gave thanks to God for delivering them.
Limhi - Mosiah 22:13
After many days in the wilderness they arrived in the land of Zarahemla and became Mosiah’s subjects.
Alma - Mosiah 24:23-25, 25:17-18
After 12 days in the wilderness they arrived in the land of Zarahemla and Mosiah received them with joy. Alma baptises Limhi and all the people of Limhi that believe on Alma’s words.
These two stories juxtaposed together highlight vividly the need for faith and reliance on the Lord. In the end the Lord delivered both groups of people out of oppression and tyranny but Limhi’s group unnecessarily prolonged and worsened their suffering.
At the end of Mosiah chapter 10, Zeniff tells the reader of his people’s defence against the Lamanites and that “I did stimulate them to go to battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord” and they prevailed. They were once at least a somewhat righteous people. Once Noah came to power that all changed and the prophet Abinadi was sent to preach repentance to the people and warned them of the coming oppression “And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Almighty God” (Mosiah 11:23).
Instead of listening to Abinadi, they tried to kill him so he had to go off grid for a couple of years then come back in disguise, the second warning was even more stern than the first “…this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek, yea and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh” (Mosiah 12:2). Every whit of that prophecy was fulfilled.
Once they were in bondage, it took complete and utter demoralisation and a recognition of their own helplessness to finally turn to the Lord and seek his help and deliverance. When the Nephites were all back in one body at Zarahemla again, Mosiah read to the people the records and “…when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow” (Mosiah 25:9). What a waste of human life. All because they turned their backs on the Lord.
I don’t believe that the Lord was sitting up there on his throne plotting how to make the lives of the people of Limhi miserable, they suffered the consequences of refusing to repent and change their ways. It begs the question, could the Lord have intervened earlier if he had wanted to? Maybe. Maybe not.
Faith, repentance and entering into the covenant of baptism are key to accessing the Lord’s power, Nephi reminds us “Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.” (1 Nephi 7:12). IF they exercised faith they would be entitled to the Lord’s help and power.
This principle is reiterated in 2nd Nephi 26:13 “And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.” And again in 2nd Nephi 27:23 “For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.” Only after Limhi’s people had a change of heart and repented sincerely was the Lord able to deliver them out of bondage. There’s much more to explore on the role of faith in the Book of Mormon, that will have to be a topic for another day.
In stark contrast to Limhi’s people, the people of Alma provide us with a remarkable example of faith and patience. Firstly this example teaches us that just because we individually or as a group may be righteous, covenant-keeping people, it doesn’t mean our lives will be free of hardship and sorrow. Living in a fallen world means living with other imperfect humans and often having to live with the consequences of their choices. None escape trials in this life.
We’re not explicitly told in the text but it seems that Alma’s people were under complete occupation; there’s no mention of paying tribute to the Lamanites and there’s no mention of a treaty like Limhi had. As far as we can tell, they were the slaves of the Lamanites. Perhaps the first miracle of this story is that no lives were lost, that’s kind of a big deal given the amount of war and bloodshed in the Book of Mormon, and given the hatred the Lamanites/Amulon had for the people of Alma. Amulon knew Alma personally when they were both priests for King Noah, this persecution was personal.
It’s hard to imagine living under the malevolence they did where a prayer can get you killed (though I live in a country where hymn books were banned for two years because the government was trying to protect us from a cold…not really comparable I know), lucky for us God provided his children with more than one means of communication with him so they poured out their hearts to him. What happens next is one of the most significant aspects of this story “And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me, and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.” Did you catch it? The voice of the Lord came to them. Not just Alma, not just some of them. It seems logical that if vocal prayer was illegal and guards were set over them to make sure they weren’t praying, then Alma the prophet conveying messages on behalf of the Lord to the people was likely also illegal. They were all in a spiritual state ready to receive comfort and revelation directly from the Lord.
Interestingly, after the repentance of the people of Limhi and the appearance of Ammon and co, the people of Limhi hear a similar message, though they have to hear it from their leader and not the Lord directly “O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies; notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain…”
The Lord in his mercy eased the burdens of the people of Alma, they having submitted cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord, he made them light. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Again the Lord spoke to them directly “And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage”
I imagine there were some tears of joy when that revelation came to them. Always true to his promises, the Lord provided a miraculous escape as he did for the children of Israel fleeing from Egyptian bondage.
What’s the moral of the story?
“…I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions”
and
Being a faithful, covenant-keeping son or daughter of God does not equal an easy and care-free life but, it does make life better. Always always always better.
“…the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.”
I thouroughly enjoyed this read. I love the way it is written, and greatly love this story in mosiah. I often reflect on the record of Abinadi's teachings and get a boost of faith! I compare myself to Abinadi, am I declaring the word of the Lord to the people when I should?
Thanks for the reminder to humble ourselves to the Lord, and that he will deliver us.
-Scott Hutchinson
; Lincoln, California