Alma 45:16 - 45:20

Alma 45: 16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.

The curse upon this land of promise is this: if the inhabitances become an evil people, the Lord will sweep them off of the land. If they live righteously, then the land will be blessed above all other lands. The Lord only wants the righteous to live here and will remove anyone when they are wicked enough.

It is interesting to remember that there have been many kingdoms and/or countries in Europe and Asia that are still around in one form or another today, but on this continent, there have been kingdoms that have lasted for a time but are no more. It is really until recent times that we have learn much about them. When the first explorers first came to the new world, the civilization that existed in the past were destroyed and covered up by the jungle or what cities that were discovered were deserted. And the people and civilization that were here, like the Aztecs, were then wiped out by the new arrivals. They were a very wicked people and the Lord used the new arrivals to sweep them from this land. But again there has been no sweeping of evil people from off the lands in Europe or Asia. The civilizations there are still in existence even if they go by different names. The Greeks are still around even after 4000 or so years. The civilizations of this continent do not exist anymore. The Lord has kept his promise and only the righteous are here until they cross the threshold of wickedness then they are swept off and are no more.

Alma 45: 17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth.

After these words to his sons, Alma blessed the church and its members who were trying to endure to the end.

Alma 45: 18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of.

Alma then began a trip to Melek but was never heard of again. As to his fate, no one knew what happened to him.

Alma 45: 19 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.

It was speculated by some that he was taken up as was Moses. Some thought he was taken up to the Lord’s presence like was Moses and that he did not die and was not buried, but no one knew for sure.

Alma 45: 20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto them.

Helaman now is the head of the church and he takes over the leadership of it.