So this chapter is about when the wicked people of Ammonihah cast out the believers of Christ and burn them by fire, imprison Alma and Amulek, are made to watch the people be burned, they are abused and told to deny Christ, God destroys the prison killing all the wicked judges inside, and Alma & Amulek walk out of the prison alive. When I was done reading this I was very sad about how things happened, but all I could think about was a scene from a movie where the hero is walking away from a fiery inferno.
All kidding aside, what a tragic story. It's so sad, but there is a purpose that God allowed the believers to be burned. 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
God allows people to practice their agency and He knows that the pain the people suffered was brief and that their glory in heaven would be great.
Eventually the bad guys get what they deserve in the end.
24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this people according to your words.
Tsk tsk... Be careful what you ask for. He got the sign he was looking for. Although, not the way he expected. Unless, he expected to be squished by a wall.
I cannot believe the wickedness of the people of Ammonihah. You would think that there would be some humanity in their hearts, but there was none. The arrogance of the Chief Judge was staggering. They would not listen to the Spirit. Lucky for us we have the opportunity to listen to the Spirit. We can be delivered from our own personal heart aches if we have our faith centered on Christ. The problems may not go away, but at least they can feel lighter with an eternal perspective and a hope that things will get better.
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