Fasting in the Book of Mormon -- Part 4

Here are links to the previous three parts of this series.

• Part 1: Introduction and fasting as a sign of grief or mourning
• Part 2: Fasting as a sign of repentance and seeking forgiveness for sin
• Part 3: Fasting as an aid in prayer

Today we will consider

• Fasting as an experience of the presence of God and endorsement of his messenger

which is also brought up in this article. In the Old Testament, Moses is the prototype for this kind of fast, when he fasts for 40 days (I'm not sure if it is meant literally or figuratively as 40 is symbolic for probation and trial). There are several points to this

• Fasting for such an extended period of time (if taken literally), is miraculous and shows that God is ultimately the provider and sustainer of life
• By having other prophets fasting in similar ways (Elijah being the most prominent example) and culminating in Jesus' fasting for 40 days in the desert before his ministry, is a way of pointing towards Christ
• As the article states: "fasting associated with a specific ministry highlights God's endorsement of his messengers, as the messengers deny themselves food to deliver his words"

The best example we have in the Book of Mormon for this kind of fast is Alma the younger. When preaching in Ammonihah, he is thrown out, but he later returns when an angel appears to him and commands him to go back. We know the story. Alma meets Amulek who feeds him. This is apparently the first time Alma eats in a while. Alma 8:26 states

And now, Amulek, because thou hast fed me and taken me in, thou art blessed; for I was an hungered, for I had fasted many days. 

It does not say 40, but "many days" is not the usual 24 hour fast that we are used to and most of us find more than long enough. Similar to the trial that 40 symbolizes in Hebrew, "Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God" in verse 10 of the same chapter. In verse 14, he is "weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul". 

It seems that fasting was part of Alma's preparation as he went around preaching. In Alma 10:7, this is brought up again with the term, "many days".

As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea, a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered, and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon thee and thy house.

Alma's fasting and tribulation is placing him in the Moses/Elijah category. Interestingly, Moses and Elijah are both also known for not tasting death (at least in LDS tradition). Apparenly, this happened with Alma too:

Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial. (Alma 45:19)