Alma 36:26 - 36:30
Alma 36: 26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.
Because of Alma’s efforts to spread the word and also call the sinners to repentance, many have experienced the same joy the Alma has. They have tasted of the fruit of the tree and know that what Alma has testified too over the years is true.
Alma 36: 27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.
As Alma has gone about testifying of the gospel, he has been support and sustained in spite of all the forces that have tried to stop him. He has been freed from prisons, from being restrained and even from death. And Alma continues to have faith that the Lord will deliver him from other evil situations as well.
Alma 36: 28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time.
Furthermore, Alma knows that he will be allow to enter the kingdom of God because of his efforts on the Lord’s behalf. There, Alma will give eternal thanks for all the great things He has done of Alma’s and the House of Israel’s ancestors, by freeing them from Egypt and leading them into the promised land. And that, the Lord continues to do so from time to time.
Alma 36: 29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity.
And no only from Egypt but from Jerusalem to the land of Promise. And even in the land of Promise, the Lord has lead groups out of bondage from time to time as well. Alma strongly encourages Helaman to keep in mind these same remembrances.
Alma is very strong on this idea of remembering the deliverances of our ancestors. Now we may think of those mentioned in the scriptures, but I submit that we also consider those who have been lead to this land and being delivered from bondage as well. If our direct ancestors would have remained in their countries of origin, we would not have the religious freedoms we have today or the ability to improve our lot in life. I like Alma will also try to keep in mind the deliverance of my forefathers and mothers.
Alma 36: 30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.
Alma reminds Helaman of the promise made to Lehi that if he and his descendants will keep the commandments, they will prosper in the land otherwise they will be caught off from the presence of the Lord and will be on their own and that never seems to work very well for those who think they can go it alone.
