Book of Mormon - Old Testament connection series: The judges

The period of judges in the Old Testament is covered by the books of Joshua and Judges. In the Book of Mormon it is the books of Alma and Helaman. This is element C in the combined Book of Mormon - Old Testament chiasmus. As I have explained before, these connections can provide additional insight when studied together. This is one aspect of rabbinical study methods. Although they don't use the Book of Mormon of course, they connect passages from the Torah and the Nevi'im (prophets) in a similar way.

Unfortunately, I am not sufficiently well-versed in the Old Testament to identify all these learning points yet, but for now I'm leaning on Bradley Kramer, who has provided some examples. When it comes to judges, the Book of Mormon can play a role in "translating an ancient situation into modern terms". Throughout the Book of Judges, the children of Israel are locked in a cycle of sin. They are frequently described as doing "evil in the sight of the Lord". As a consequence there is lots of wars, but also heroes who emerge to deliver them, like Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson. The effect is never long-lasting because the Israelites fall back into their evil-doing and the cycle continues.

We recognize this from the Book of Mormon too and typically refer to it as the "pride cycle". Herein also lies the key to additional insight. In the period of judges in the Old Testament, sin is usually connected to idolatry. As Kramer points out

Modern readers often have trouble understanding why something as ludicrous (in their eyes) as worshipping a stone statue would be attractive to the ancient Israelites and therefore have trouble relating to this section of the sin cycle. This is not a problem in the books of Alma and Helaman. There the "licence" that must be avoided is pride, a problem that is both understandable to modern readers and, unfortunately, a frequent outgrowth of prosperity. [...] Thus, pride is a valid and helpful update for idolatry. It is a kind of modern idolatry, the worship of self in place of the worship of God.

This is not the only aspect of the sin cycle that the Book of Mormon translates into more modern and relevant ideas. The Israelites in this period struggle with the Moabites, Amalekites, Philistines, etc. who seem to serve as God's enforcers. The Lamanites in the Book of Mormon have a similar function and we read about a lot of wars in both Alma and Helaman. There is, however, an important learning point from these books. Almost exclusively, wars and trouble in Alma and Helaman originate from dissenters or Nephite civil wars. Whether it be the Zoramites, the Gadianton robbers, or the wars originating from people like Amlici and Amalickiah, born Nephites who went over to the Lamanites to stir them up to anger, the punishment for pride comes from within.

Just as in the period of judges in the Old Testament, there are heroes showing up in the Book of Mormon in this period as well. I am not going into all the details that are discussed in Kramer's book. But an important point is that the "weapon" used to deliver the people is often the word rather than the sword. In Alma 31:5, we read

5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

We see this time and again. As Kramer states

During Alma's mission to the Ammonihahites, he, like a hero from the book of Judges, engages in several one-on-one battles but with words, not swords. Along with his companion, Amulek, Alma first engages Zeezrom, a wealthy lawyer and "one of the most expert" among those who opposed him (Alma 10:31). Zeezrom begins his attack on Alma by feinting with a bribe, tempting Amulek to "deny the existence of a Supreme Being" for six onties of silver (11:22). Amulek, however, does not fall for this ploy and keeps his balance Zeezrom then counters with an extended questioning session where the answers and response come so quickly that it resembles the lightening-like thrust-and-parry rhythm of a fencing match (11:26-37).

The weapon of the word is often used against pride. In the midst of war in Alma 48:20, "the people did humble themselves because of their words". When among the Zoramites, Alma is grieved because their hears are "lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride" (Alma 31:24-25) and he starts preaching.

In this way, Alma and Helaman teach effectively that the problems of pride that originate from within cannot effectively be combated with external forces. As Alma explains, it is sometimes necessary to be compelled to be humble, but he who humbles himself is more blessed. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes.

The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature. (Ezra Taft Benson)