Noah, the ark, and "rest" -- Part 8 (Lessons from Ammonihah)

Lord Wilmore has written a series on this topic consisting of many posts back in February/March. I wanted to add some thoughts to his about the Nephite view as expressed in the story of Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah. There is an overarching theme of Noah/rest and "enter[ing] in" that I find fascinating. In general, there are numerous posts on "enter into his rest" on this blog. Here is a brief recap

• Psalm 95 uses this expression, referring to the Israelites who rebelled in the desert and did not enter into the promised land
• This is a metaphor for the (divine) rest we can enter into through covenants
• The Hebrew word for (divine) rest is "nuach" and is a variant of the personal name, Noah

There is much more to this, but I would just refer Lord Wilmore's and my own series on this topic which can be found on this blog with the search function.

The account of Noah and the ark is full of "entering in". This is translated from the Hebrew word, bo (בּוֹא), which is found 9 times in the account. In Genesis 7, the text repeatedly describes people and animals entering into the ark. The way the Hebrew is constructed, "enter in" is often followed by the name Noah (meaning rest) so that there is an underlying metaphor of entering into divine rest throughout the chapter. After the flood, the ark finally comes to rest on the mountaintop (see Genesis 8:4). The dove also found rest at last after having found no resting place before the waters receded (see Genesis 8:9). The wordplays are numerous and evident.

What does that have to do with Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah? Quite a bit, actually. The expression, "enter into his rest", is used 9 times in Alma's sermon in Ammonihah in Alma 12-13. I don't think it is a coincidence that Alma uses this theme as a central component in his message. Noah is mentioned by Amulek as they start preaching in Ammonihah.

Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword. (Alma 10:22)

There is an apt warning of destruction to a wicked people, but the Noah comparison might seem a bit odd. Why drag Noah into this? Geographical hints in the Book of Mormon reveal that the closest neighbouring city to Ammonihah was the city of Noah! (See Alma 49:11-12 and 16:3, which we will get back to). This is likely something Amulek had in mind and used to amplify his message, hinting at their neighboring city of rest. In the story they likely knew from the brass plates, Noah and his family who "entered in" were saved but everyone else was destroyed. The Ammonihahites need to be cautious. At the moment, only the prayers of the righteous are saving them from suffering the same fate, only by sword instead of flood.

With this as backdrop, Alma gives a discourse largely based on the concept of "entering into his rest" (Hebr. nuach). On a deeper level, Alma's message is therefore an invitation to "enter in" like Noah and his family into the ark that protected them from the floods. Similarly, entering into the covenant, according to the high priestly/temple tradition as outlined in Alma 13, will protect them from the sword. (Their choice is to stay true to the covenant they've "cut" or be "cut down" by the sword.) On the other hand, if they refuse like the people in the days of Noah or their forefathers in the desert in the days of Moses, and even cast out the righteous from among them, they will be destroyed. As Lord Wilmore has pointed out in his series, the ark symbolizes the covenants/temple that we enter into for protection. The Lord "smiled upon [the ark] and held it in his own hand" (Moses 7:43).

Considering our covenants to serve as a protective factor that leads us to divine rest is a very different view from the notion of covenants as bothersome obstacles to our freedom. Although not necessarily the prevalent view of members today, many (myself included) may have mistakenly seen it that way from time to time.

Back to the inhabitants of Ammonihah, they decline the invitation to enter into his rest. Some believed, but they were either killed or cast out by the wicked, as we read in Alma 14. This is exactly what they were warned against. Since God's word "cannot return void" (Moses 4:30), the consequence was inevitable. Alma 16 describes the Lamanite army destroying the whole city

2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.

3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the wilderness.

Notice that the whole city of Ammonihah was destroyed including those who lived "around the borders of Noah". Just like the waters surrounded Noah in the ark and destroyed every living thing but protected Noah and his family.

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (Genesis 7:23)

Compare with Alma 16:9

every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed

It is a very sad story, but nonetheless a story with deep symbolism that we can learn from. Even though the Ammonihahites and some of their forefathers, at the time of Noah and Moses, chose not to "enter into his rest", the invitation that has been extended since the beginning by angels (Alma 12:29, Alma 13:22) and those who are called after the Holy Order of God (Alma 13:6) is perpetuated. Just consider what Alma and Amulek did after they had been cast out and Ammonihah had been destroyed

15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all the land. And the establishment of the church became general throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the people of the Nephites.

16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—

17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God. (Alma 16)

When we hear the word, do we harden our hearts or receive it with joy? It is an important question to ask because the consequences of choosing one or the other differ vastly. This is taught in the scriptures both in sermons and stories (Ammonihah being one of them). One leads us to "go on to destruction" like the Ammonihahites, the other to "enter into the rest of the Lord".