After a half-century of reading, studying and teaching the Book of Mormon I had no real appreciation for how focused its text was. Covenant of Christ has changed my view entirely. The text is not just focused, but it was tightly composed to deliver a very specific warning to the present generation.
The “war chapters” which seemed almost superfluous before, are a clearly integral part of the prophecy. All of the destruction included in the narrative are to illustrate how destruction awaits us if we fail to worship the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ.
The Lord sent Alma to Ammonihah to preach repentance. The people not only rejected his message, but they also then killed his converts and burned the believers’ scriptures. Shortly afterward, they were destroyed. “Lamanite armies entered the outskirts of the land from the wilderness side, coming right into the city of Ammonihah, where they began to kill the people and destroy the city. Before the Nephites could raise an adequate army to drive them from the land, they had killed the people in the city of Ammonihah, as well as some in the outskirts of Noah, taking others as prisoners and left into the wilderness.” Alma 11:1-2. Their destruction was surgical. The attack was focused, limited, and resulted in only the loss of Ammonihah. Other cities visited by Alma and in which there were believing converts were spared.
The account of Ammonihah is included in the text, like all the other accounts of violence, death, enslavement and deliverance, to warn us by the example of what the Lord has done before. We are foolish to ignore the plain message to us in Covenant of Christ.
The death cult now meeting in Chicago continues their war against children, encouraging the slaughter of the unborn. To interfere with God’s plan for mankind to bear children to replenish the earth, they offer free vasectomies and abortions during their national celebration of the power to destroy life. Interestingly, their convention’s first day repeatedly celebrated and encouraged killing unborn children as part of their appeal for continuing political power. They believe the voice of the people will sustain this continuing slaughter by voting to elect their death cult into office.
Amulek was a resident of Ammonihah, and prior to Alma’s return to the city he was selected by an angel to help Alma. Amulek described his call to support Alma: “The angel told me: He is a holy man. I know he’s a holy man because God’s angel said it. I also know the things he’s testified about are true. I tell you as the Lord lives, He absolutely sent His angel to reveal this to me, and He’s blessed my house while this man named Alma has been there. Indeed, God has blessed my household: me, the women of my family, my children, my father, and my relatives.” Alma 8:3.
Amulek acknowledged the Lord’s blessing on his own father and family. But despite this, when he left Ammonihah, “Amulek left behind all his gold, silver, and valuables in Ammonihah for God’s word, and was rejected by those who were once his friends, as well as by his father and family.” Id., 10:16. Those members of his family whom the Lord blessed still rejected the invitation to repent. They would be included in those destroyed in Chapter 11.
Although the Book of Mormon has been available for nearly two centuries, converting it into modern English makes this generation directly accountable for its warning. You do not need to have any ability to parse middle English from the time of Shakespeare, nor to have any familiarity with King James era language. Its message is a warning to you, today.