Tag Archives: Ammon

Mosiah 7

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The Book of Mosiah is the eighth book in the Book of Mormon…

Mosiah is most likely linked to the Hebrew term; “Moshia”, which represents a Champion of Justice against oppression, appointed by God, whose Mission is to liberate a chosen people from oppression, especially by non-violent means.

               After the space of 3 years of peace, king Mosiah decides to check up on the people who dwelt in the land of Lehi-Nephi. Remember Mosiah found the people of Zarahemla back in the Book of Omni. King Mosiah sends “…sixteen of their strong men…” (Mosiah 7:2). Mosiah appoints “…Ammon, he being a descendant of Zarahemla…” (Mosiah 7:3)

               Ammon and his group travel through the wilderness to go to the land of Lehi-Nephi, however, “…they knew not the course they should travel…” (Mosiah 7:4), because of this they wandered in the wilderness for 40 days, being lost, but arriving at a hill north of the land of Shilom, where they created camp. Ammon took three (Amaleki, Helem and Hem) with him to go down among the land of Nephi. When they arrive, they meet the king and the kings guard, and are bound and thrown into prison.

               “…when they had been in prison two days they were again brough before the king… their bands were loosed… and were… commanded, that they should answer [the] questions…” (Mosiah 7:8)

               Limhi, the son of Noah, who was the son of Zeniff, who had also come out of the land of Zarahemla inquires of them; “…I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with my guards without the gate?” (Mosiah 7:10) King Limhi adds that if he didn’t have a desire to know who they were, he would have had them killed then and there.

He then permits them to speak, Ammon responds by bowing before the king.

“O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to speak with boldness; For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands. For I am Ammon, and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that land.” (Mosiah 7:12-13)

King Limhi rejoices with this news and causes that a team should go to gather the rest of Ammon’s team from the hill, that they might be able to eat, drink and rest in the city. King Limhi then sends a proclamation to his people that in the morning they should meet at the temple, so that he can address his people.

King Limhi addresses his people:

“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… lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did he do for them.” (Mosiah 7:18-19)

               King Limhi comforts his people, assuring them that they should rejoice, for God will help them overcome their enemies, just as God helped the children of Israel leave the land of Egypt. He explained that King Zeniff had entered into a treaty with King Laman, who with his cunning and craftiness, did deceive King Zeniff. He tells them that it was through their own “…iniquities and abominations that [they brought us into bondage.” (Mosiah 7:20)

Because of this, they were in bondage, paying “…tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of the Lamanites… And now, is not this grievous to be borne? And is not this, our affliction, great? Now behold, how great reason we have to mourn. (Mosiah 7:22-23)

King Limhi reminds his people that because of their iniquities, they have lost many through contentions and have these great burdens to bear.

For God will not protect his children when they turn from him. “…I [the Lord] will not succor my people in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them.” (Mosiah 7:29) However, the same is true of the opposite, if we shall humble ourselves before God and “…turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.” (Mosiah 7:33)

Here we learn a very simple, yet powerful truth. If we chose to follow God, He will not always allow us to prosper and could through up stumbling blocks. However, if we put our full trust in Him, and have a heart full of purpose, He will deliver us out of bondage.

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Amos 1-2

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Amos 1-2

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

In these chapters we find a rhetorical formula that introduces judgment upon each people in this manner; “…For three transgressions of ____, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof…” The blank is replaced with Syria, Edom, Israel, Ammon, etc. Clearly we can see that the Lord is angered by the transgressions. I personally believe that this expression did not literally mean that the transgressions occurred 3 or 4 times… but that they were occurring many times and that was enough to cause a punishment.

Chapter 1: The Lord Judges Syria, Tyre and Edom

Amos shows the Lord’s judgments upon Syria, the Philistines, Tyre, Edom and Ammon. We learn a little about Amos, who is a sheepbreeder of Tekoa; a simple farmer with no prophetic or theological training. Amos lived in the days of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel.

The Lord roars from Zion; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and top of Carmel (in Israel) withers. The people of Damascus shall go captive to Kir in Assyria. Judgment against Gaza and Tyre, because they delivered God’s people to the Edomites. Edom will be punished because of its pitiless anger. Ammon will be punished, because it killed pregnant women in Gilead. The king of the Ammonites will be taken captive.

Chapter 2: The Lord will Judge Moab, Judah and Israel

The Lord will pour out judgments upon Moab; Moab will be destroyed with fire, and its princes slain, because it burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. Judah will be sent fire, because their lies have led them astray. Israel will be punished for its sins against the righteous, poor and humble. The Lord vanquished the Amorites so the Israelites could occupy their Canaanite land, and the Israelites responded by giving wine to Nazirites and forbidding people from prophesying. The most courageous of men shall flee naked in the Day of Judgment.

Ezekiel 25-26

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Ezekiel 25-26

Chapter 25: The Lord’s Vengeance

God’s judgment falls upon the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites and Philistines. Because they showed hatred for His people, and insulted them in their distress. God will execute great vengeance upon them with furious disapproval. With this fury and vengeance they shall know that HE is The Lord.

Chapter 26: Tyrus shall be destroyed

Tyre has gloated at Jerusalem. Because of this Tyre’s walls and towers will be destroyed, and the city and its inhabitants will be laid waste at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. The princes will be clothed with trembling. Desolation and Destruction is foretold.

2 Samuel 13-14

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2 Samuel 13-14

Chapter 13: Ammon Rapes his Sister Tamar

Absalom, the son of David had a sister named Tamar and his brother Amnon was in love with her. Amnon had a friend (who happened to be David’s brother’s son, or Amnon’s cousin) who told him that if he loved her, then he should have her. So Jonadab (Amnon’s cousin) tells Amnon to make himself sick and then ask David to have Tamar come unto him to take care of him and make him food.

So David commands Tamar to come in unto Amnon and make him food. After she made him food, Amnon commands everyone in the room to leave, so that he can be alone with his sister. When his sister came to him to give him food, he grabs her and tells her she should “lie down with him”, but Tamar fights and pleads for him to not do this, because this would be committing a great “folly” (a stupid idea or act). It says that she told him to not do it, but Amnon being stronger than her, was able to force her, that is what we call “RAPE”.  After he is done raping her, he is filled with anger and commands that she leave. Tamar tells him that by telling her to leave and sending her away after he had raped her, was as bad if not worse than the act of raping her in the first place.

From this, we can learn about the Law of Chastity (The law of chastity is a moral code defined by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to the church, chastity means abstinence from sexual relations before marriage, and complete fidelity to one’s husband or wife during marriage), President Ezra Taft Benson once said;

“There is no lasting happiness in immorality…  Just the opposite is true. There may be momentary pleasure… But quickly the relationship will sour. Guild and shame set in… Love begins to die. Bitterness, jealousy, anger and even hate begin to grow. All of these are the natural results of sin and transgression. On the other hand,  when we obey the Law of Chastity and keep ourselves morally clean, we will experience the blessings of increased love and peace, greater trust and respect for our marital partners, deeper commitment to each other, and, therefore a deep and significant sense of joy and happiness.” (“The Law of Chastity,” in Brigham Young University 1987-88 Devotional and Fireside Speeches [1988], 51).

Tamar runs off crying and takes her robe of colors off (that was for virgins), she was ashamed and went to see her brother Absalom, who comforted her and gave her a place to rest from her pain. Absalom was upset and when King David found out, it said that he was “wroth” with anger.

Absalom has Ammon killed under his hand and Absalom flees to Geshur to get away from everything, King David longs for his son Absalom and his comforted by the fact that Ammon is dead!

Chapter 14: Absalom Sees the King after Years

Joab decides to try and reconcile the estranged relationship between Absalom King David. We learned from the last chapter that Absalom fled to a city of refuge and in previous books we learn that cities of refuge were actually designed for the innocent and not for the guilty. They were designed to help get away from someone (after accidental manslaughter) so the next of kin wouldn’t try and take revenge.

Three years has gone by and Joab decides it is time to reconcile with King David. So Joab has an elderly woman come in and talk with David about how she was in similar situation. She mentions that we are like water that is spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. Essentially saying that the day of reconciling must be today, because once we die… there is no way to do it.

Two more years go by and Absalom and King David are finally reconciled.