I’ve included a lot of
material on this page. Alma 12 and Alma 13 have been combined as the thought
process flows from one to the other.
There is a central theme of the rest of God being
a highly sough after goal. The word rest
is in Alma 13:6 and is at the center of a chiasmus. Note also that the word rest occurs 4 times
before the chiasmus in chapter 12 and also 4 times after the chiasmus in
chapter 13 lending further credence to rest as a central focus. Alma 12:34-37 references thoughts from Psalms
95 and thus I’ve included Psalms 95 lower on this page. Also Paul uses
Psalms 95 to teach a sermon on rest, Christ and Melchisedec. I was interested if the BofM
message was the same as the New Testament.
Paul’s focus seems to be one stating that faith and belief in
Jesus Christ is the deciding factor enabling saints to enter the rest of God. The BofM focus is
different, with an emphasis on the plan of redemption stating that faith in Christ and repentance and holy works
are all needed to obtain the rest of God and that men
of the priesthood order
were called and ordained to teach this plan
of redemption.
In the past I had once done a word search to find all of the
scripture references for Melchisedec in the Bible and BofM and I’ve included that comparison at the bottom of
this page.
1 Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced
Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in
his lying and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble
under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto
him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold
the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done.
2 Now the words that Alma spake
unto Zeezrom were heard by the people round about;
for the multitude was great, and he spake on this
wise:
3 Now Zeezrom, seeing that
thou hast been taken in thy lying and craftiness,
for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied
unto God;
for
behold, he knows all thy thoughts,
and thou
seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us
by his Spirit;
4 And
thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle
plan,
as to
the subtlety of the devil,
for to lie and to deceive this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us and to cast us out—
5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath
exercised his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what I
say unto thee I say unto all.
6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a
snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might
bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that
he might chain you down to everlasting
destruction, according to the power of his captivity.
7 Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble more exceedingly, for he was
convinced more and more of the power of God; and he was also convinced that
Alma and Amulek had a knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they
knew the thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them that they might know of these
things according to the spirit of prophecy.
8 And Zeezrom began to inquire
of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And
he said unto Alma: What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the
resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise
from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and
are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works?
9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him,
saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless
they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according
to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men,
according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
a 10 And
therefore, he that will harden his heart,
b the same receiveth the lesser
portion of the word;
a and he
that will not harden his heart,
b to him is given the greater portion of the word,
c until it is
given unto him to know the mysteries of God
until he know them in full.
a 11 And they
that will harden their hearts,
b to them is given the lesser portion of the word
c until they know
nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the
devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.
12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state
of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according
to our works.
13 Then if our hearts have been hardened,
yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word,
insomuch that it has not been found in us,
then will our state be awful,
for then
we shall be condemned.
14 For
our words will condemn us, yea,
all our works will
condemn us;
we shall
not be found spotless;
and our
thoughts will also condemn us;
and in this awful
state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if
we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from
his presence.
15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand
before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our
everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in
all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and
that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.
16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a second death,
which is
a spiritual death;
then is
a time that whosoever dieth in his sins,
as to a
temporal death,
shall
also die
a spiritual death;
yea, he shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness.
17 Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake
of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth
up forever and ever; and then is the time that they shall be chained down
to an everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of
Satan, he having subjected them according to his will.
18 Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there
had been no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to God’s
justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no
more corruption.
19 Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of
speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;
20 But there was one Antionah,
who was a chief ruler among them, came forth and said unto him: What is this
that thou hast said, that man should rise from the dead and be changed from
this mortal to an immortal state, that the soul can never die?
21 What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed cherubim and a flaming sword on the
east of the garden of Eden, lest our first parents should enter and partake
of the fruit of the tree of life, and live forever? And thus
we see that there was no possible chance that they should live forever. 22 Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I
was about to explain.
Now we
see that Adam
did fall
by the partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God;
and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a
lost and fallen people.
23 And
now behold, I say unto you that
if it
had been possible for Adam
to have partaken of the fruit
of the tree of life at that time, there would have been no death, and
the word would have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou
shalt surely die.
24 And
we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken
of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless
a there was a space granted unto man
b in
which he might repent;
c
therefore this life became a probationary
state;
a a time
b to prepare to
meet God; a time to prepare
c for that endless
state
which has been spoken
of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.
1 25 Now,
if it had not been for the plan of redemption,
2 which was laid
from the foundation of the world,
3 there could have
been no resurrection of the dead;
1 but there was a plan
of redemption
2 laid,
3 which shall bring
to pass the resurrection of the dead,
of
which has been spoken.
26 And
now behold, if it were possible that our first parents could have gone forth
and partaken of the tree of life they would have been forever
miserable, having no preparatory state;
a) and thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the word
of God would have been void, taking none effect.
b) 27 But
behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that they must die;
and after death,
they must come to judgment,
even that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.
28 And
after God had appointed that these things should come unto man, behold, then he
saw that it was expedient that man should
know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto them;
29 Therefore
he sent angels to converse with them, who caused men
to behold of his glory.
30 And
they began from that time forth to call
on his name; therefore God conversed with men,
c) and made known unto them the plan of redemption,
which had been prepared from the foundation of the world; and this he made
known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works. (This is a combining of several concepts
and is complete, all three are needed)
d) 31 Wherefore,
he gave commandments unto men, they having first
transgressed the first commandments
as to things which were temporal,
e) and becoming as
gods, knowing good
f) from evil,
g) placing themselves in
a state to act,
g’) or being placed in
a state to act according to their wills and pleasures,
f’) whether to do evil
e’) or to do good—
d’) 32 Therefore
God gave unto them commandments,
c’) after having made known unto them the plan
of redemption,
that they should not do evil,
b’) the penalty thereof
being a second death,
which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness;
a’) for on such the plan
of redemption could have no power, for the works of justice could not be destroyed, according to
the supreme goodness of God.
33 But
God did call on men,
in
the name of his Son,
(this being the plan
of redemption which
was laid) saying:
a
If ye will repent,
b and harden not your hearts,
c then will I have mercy upon
you,
d through
mine Only Begotten Son;
a 34 Therefore,
whosoever repenteth,
b and hardeneth not his heart,
c he shall have
claim on mercy
d through
mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins;
and
these shall enter into my rest.
b 35 And
whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity,
c behold,
I swear in my wrath that
d he shall not
enter into my rest. (Psalms 95:11)
b 36 And
now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will harden your hearts (Psalms
95:8)
d ye shall not
enter into the rest of the Lord;
y therefore your
iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his wrath upon you
as
in the first provocation,
z yea, according
to his word
in
the last provocation
as
well as the first,
to
the everlasting destruction of your souls;
z’ therefore, according
to his word,
unto
the last death,
as
well as the first.
37 And
now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true,
a let
us repent,
b and harden not our hearts,)
y ' that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us
in these his second commandments
which he has given unto us;
d but let us enter
into the rest of God, which is prepared according
to his word.
Alma 13
1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds
forward to the time when the Lord God gave these
commandments unto his children;
a) and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained
priests,
b) after his
holy order,
b) which was
after the order
of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
a) 2 And
those priests were ordained
A b) after
the order
of his Son,
c) in a manner
d) that
thereby the people might know
c’) in what manner
b’) to look
forward to his Son for redemption.
B a’)3 And
this is the manner after which they were ordained—
C d) being called
and prepared
D from the foundation
of the world according to the foreknowledge
of God,
e) on
account of their exceeding faith and good works;
f) in the
first place being left to choose good or
evil;
f’) therefore
they having
chosen good,
e’) and
exercising exceedingly great faith,
d’) are
called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared
with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
g) 4 And thus they have
been called to this holy calling
on account of their faith,
h) while
others would reject the Spirit of
God
i) on account of the hardness
of their hearts
i’) and blindness
of their minds,
h’) while, if it had not been for this
g’) they
might have had as great privilege as
their brethren. 5 Or in fine, in the first
place they were on the same standing with their brethren;
E thus this
holy calling being prepared
F from the
foundation of the world for
such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of
G the Only
Begotten Son, who was prepared—
H 6 And
thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of
God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men,
I that they
also might enter into his
rest—
H’ 7 This high
priesthood being after the order of
G’ his Son,
F’ which order was
from
the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without
beginning of days or end of years,
E’ being prepared from eternity to all
eternity,
D’ according
to his foreknowledge of all
things—
C’ 8 Now they were ordained after this manner—being called
with a holy calling,
B’ and ordained
with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of
the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high
priesthood, is without beginning or end—
A’ 9 Thus
they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only
Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who
is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen.
10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high priesthood,
there
were many who were ordained and became high priests
of God;
and it
was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance,
and
their righteousness before God,
they
choosing to repent and work righteousness
rather than to perish;
11 Therefore they were called after this holy order,
a
and were sanctified,
b and their garments were washed white
through the blood of the Lamb.
a 12 Now
they, after being sanctified
by the Holy Ghost,
b having their garments made white, (simple alternate)
being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with
abhorrence;
and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and
a entered into the rest of the Lord
their God.
b 13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God,
and bring forth fruit meet for repentance,
a that ye may also
enter into that rest.
b 14 Yea, humble
yourselves
even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was
also a high priest after this same order which
I have spoken, who also took upon him the high
priesthood forever.
15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid
tithes;
yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of
all he possessed.
16 Now
these ordinances were given after this manner,
that
thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God,
it being
a type of his order,
or it
being his order,
and this
that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins,
that
they might enter into the rest of the Lord.
17 Now
this Melchizedek was a king
over the land of Salem;
and his
people had waxed strong in iniquity
and abomination;
yea,
they had all gone astray;
they
were full of all manner of wickedness;
(synonymous words)
18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according
to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto
his people. And behold, they did repent;
and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in
his days;
therefore
he was called the prince of peace,
for he was the king of Salem; (progression)
and he did reign under his father.
19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were
many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more
particularly made mention.
20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said
may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it
shall be to your own destruction.
21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these
words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty
voice, saying: Now is the time to repent,
for the day of salvation draweth nigh;
22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord,
by the mouth of angels,
doth declare it unto all nations; yea,
doth declare it, that they may have
glad tidings
of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these
glad tidings
among all his people, yea, even to
them that
are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore
they have come
unto us. (graduation)
23 And they are made known unto us in plain terms,
that we may understand,
that we cannot err; (extended synonymous)
and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land; therefore,
we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in
all parts of our vineyard.
24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many
at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts
of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his
glory.
25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared
unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we
know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be
sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.
26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by
the mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our
fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have spoken concerning
him, which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.
27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of
my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my
words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
28 But that ye would humble
yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be
tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit,
becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full
of love and all long-suffering;
29 Having faith on
the Lord;
having a hope that ye shall
receive eternal life;
having the love of God always in
your hearts,
that ye may be
lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.
30 And may the Lord grant unto you
repentance,
that ye may not
bring down his wrath upon you,
that ye may not
be bound down by the chains of hell,
that ye may not
suffer the second death. (like sentence beginnings)
31 And Alma spake many more
words unto the people, which are not written in this book.
Psalms 95
Note:
the psalm falls into two parts. The first calls us to worship YHWH as “the rock
of our salvation” and as Creator. The second part is exhortation form Israel’s
wilderness wandering.
A. 1
O come, let us sing unto the LORD:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
B. 3 For the LORD
is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth:
the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it:
and his hands formed the dry land.
A’.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down:
let us kneel before the LORD
our maker.
B’. 7 For he is
our God;
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
A. To day
B. if ye will hear his voice,
C. 8 Harden not your heart,
D. as in the provocation, as in the day of
temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your
fathers tempted me, proved me,
E. and saw my
work. {ESV though they had seen my work}
D’. 10 Forty
years long was I grieved with this generation,
C’. and said, It is a people that do err in their heart,
B’. and they have
not known my ways:
A’.
11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath
that they should not enter into my rest.
It is suggested that “Today” is
contrasted with the future “rest” of the Kingdom of God.
Hebrews
3
1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession,
Christ Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also
Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was
counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour
than the house.
4 For every house is builded
by some man; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses verily was
faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which
were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house
are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end.
A a) 7 Wherefore
(as the Holy Ghost saith,
b) To day if ye will hear his voice,
c) 8 Harden not your hearts,
d) as in the
provocation, in the day
of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When
your fathers tempted me, proved me,
and saw
my works forty
years.
10 Wherefore
I was grieved with that generation, and said,
They do
always err in their heart;
and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
A a) 15 While
it is said,
b) To day if ye will hear his voice,
c) harden not your hearts,
d) as in the
provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard,
did provoke: howbeit
not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that
they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews
4
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto
them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,
C As I have sworn in my wrath,
if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from
the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain
place of the seventh day
on this wise,
And God did rest
the seventh day from all his works.
C 5 And in this place
again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth
that some must enter therein,
and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain
day, saying in David, To day, after
so long a time;
a) as
it is said,
b)To day if ye will hear his voice,
c) harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have
spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of
God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased
from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to
enter into that rest,
lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is
quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in
his sight: but all things are naked and opened
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews
5
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining
to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them
that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so
also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour
unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was
Aaron.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said
unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten
thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up
prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able
to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest
after the order of Melchisedec.
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be
uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have
need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
a) and
are become such as have need of milk,
b) and not
of strong meat.
a) 13 For
every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe.
b) 14 But strong
meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and
evil.