The word of God -- Part 3

Part 1 and part 2 were written long ago. But I just had some further thoughts sparked by this week's Come Follow Me lesson. A more recent post also makes a case for Alma 32 being a personal creation account, and "word" is a keyword to make the connection. Alma talks a lot about the word and what to do with it, but he doesn't say much about what it is. The poor Zoramites eventually have to ask (Alma 33:1) and Alma spends Chapter 33 explaining what the word is.

22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life.

In essence, the word that Alma told them to plant was the Son of God who would redeem his people through the atonement and bring to pass the resurrection and final judgement. Next, Amulek starts speaking and confirms that "the word is in Christ unto salvation." (Alma 34:6). This is much in line with the example in part 1 demonstrating that the word is power and part 2, where the word is Christ. That is, the word is the power of God to save, manifest in His Son.

In Biblical Hebrew, the triliteral root 'dbr' (dābār) can be the verb, "speak" but also the noun, "word". As a noun, 'dbr' carries a dual nuance, meaning both “word” and “thing” (It is translated into "thing" or "things" from the Hebrew Bible more than 100 times). The reformed Egyptian script that the Nephites used would also likely skip the vowels and only spell the consonants. This duality of 'dbr' is interesting, considering the Zoramite mission. In part 1 of this series, Lord Wilmore quoted Alma 31:5 at the beginning of that mission.

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.

Thinking of the word as a thing, like a seed or a sword (just more powerful!), the description of the word in this verse gives me an image of something that Alma has and brings with him on a mission, offers to the poor among the Zoramites (the word, "word", is repeated 22 times in Alma 32) and asks them to plant in their hearts. The previously referenced article about the creation and Alma 32 also discusses the possible use of wordplay with Hebrew origins in Alma 32:21

And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things [words]; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things [words] which are not seen, which are true.

The Zoramites cannot yet see the word/thing that Alma brings to them. They don't quite understand what it is so they have to ask. Then Alma explains what this word really is: It is the power of salvation found in Jesus Christ. If we plant it and nourish it, it will grow inside of us and ultimately become a very tangible thing, a tree whose fruit we can pluck and eat "springing up in [us] unto everlasting life".

I like the idea of "the word" related to something more specific and powerful than the abstract meaning it has in English. Something that is specific to those who have done the "experiment" (Alma 32:27) and eventually plucked the fruit of the tree of life. Alma had done this and could therefore "try the virtue of the word of God" and share it with others, just like Lehi shared with his family as soon as he had tasted of the fruit. But it was not specific for the Zoramites at that stage. They didn't quite know what it was. That is why Alma admonished them to have faith. Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things (words). But the experiment will lead to increased knowledge and the word becoming something more discernible.

35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good (Alma 32)