The Fruit of Abinadi: Alma and Amulek—Faith’s Triumph Over the Lawyer’s Final Challenge (Episode Six)

Zeezrom’s silver test in The Fruit of Abinadi: Alma and Amulek—Zeezrom’s Question on Trial (Episode Five) had failed. The lawyer had dangled wealth before Amulek, only to watch the preacher’s resolve stand firm, anchored in loyalty to God. Yet defeat in one skirmish did not mean surrender in the greater battle. If Amulek could not be bought, perhaps he could be broken—confused, cornered, or made to contradict himself before the crowd. And so, with the sharpness of one who had mastered words as weapons, Zeezrom shifted from testing integrity to testing doctrine. His next question would not be about silver, but about the very nature of God.

He sought to entangle Amulek in his words, manufacturing grounds for legal charges that would allow the prosecutor to earn his living before the judges of his city. His motive was profit, not truth.

Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? (Alma 11:38)

Zeezrom was the ancient equivalent of an ambulance-chasing lawyer. Of course, in 82 B.C., there were no ambulances to chase, but his predatory sentiment was the same.

In the city of Ammonihah, lawyers and judges had corrupted the legal system. They twisted the laws established by their last king, deliberately stirring contention among the people. Since they were paid only when sitting in judgment, they encouraged constant litigation to secure steady employment.

This was the climate in which Zeezrom posed his final, loaded question to Amulek—a question designed to turn the crowd against the preacher and create a case for disturbing the peace, defamation of civil servants, and public perjury. But before he could take Amulek before a judge, he needed the court of public opinion to side with him.

The Profession of Nehors

“Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?”

This was meant to be a derailing question. In Ammonihah, the majority followed a faith at odds with the teachings of the greater Nephite nation. In the record of the Book of Mormon, Mormon—the principal historian—calls this faith the Profession of Nehors. It denied the need for a Messiah and rejected the doctrine of repentance.

When Amulek and his prophetic companion Alma addressed the people, the city’s lawyers leveraged this popular faith to silence them. If they could stir the citizens’ religious loyalties against the preachers, the people would demand their arrest.

Amulek, a native of Ammonihah and a man of wealth, boldly called his people to repent or face destruction. But the Profession of Nehors had no place for such warnings. Its followers believed God would save all mankind regardless of their deeds. To them, the idea of God coming in the flesh as His own Son to save people from sin was not only implausible—it was unnecessary.

Faith of Amulek and the Majority of the Nephite Nation

Messianic Judaism

• Monotheistic ancient system of belief traditionally defined by the Law of Moses and its relationship to Jehovah as God, who would send a Messiah to fulfill the Law.

• Founder: Adam, under the direction of God, in Nephite tradition.

• Major Tenet: Universal salvation is made possible through the atonement of the Messiah, available to all who repent; those who refuse face eternal damnation.

Devil’s Advocate

From a purely human standpoint, Zeezrom’s challenge might have seemed reasonable. The Profession of Nehors and the Law of Moses shared the same historical roots, much like modern Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—three faiths that together encompass nearly 40% of the world’s population. All claim Abraham as a patriarch. All emerged from the same ancient soil. And yet, differences in doctrine have been sharp enough to fuel centuries of conflict.

Amulek and Alma’s mission in Ammonihah was not unlike a modern Christian attempting to persuade a Jewish audience to accept Jesus as the Messiah. The two faiths shared scripture, but one rejected the central figure the other proclaimed. The Nehors were once adherents of the Law of Moses, but had abandoned its Messianic promise.

The Law of Moses, as taught by faithful Nephites, was meant to prepare hearts for the coming of Christ. The Profession of Nehors stripped that preparation away, replacing it with the assurance of unconditional salvation. To such a people, Amulek’s warnings of destruction unless they repented seemed harsh, even offensive.

Faith of Zeezrom and the People of Ammonihah

Profession of Nehors

• Judaic-based faith teaching there is no need for a Messiah.

• Founder: Nehor, who promoted paid celebrity ministers.

• Major Tenet: Universal salvation for all, regardless of lifestyle or belief.

What Matters Most

The followers of Nehor did not have the two thousand years of religious separation that now exists between Christianity and Judaism. Many of them had personally converted away from Judaism, fully aware of the Law of Moses and the Nephite teaching that Christ would one day fulfill that law.

God commanded Amulek and Alma to call this apostate people back to their original faith and to turn them from the false teachings of Nehor. Under different circumstances—without the corruption of the city’s judicial system—many might have responded to their message.

Amulek, as noted earlier, was a native son of Ammonihah. He knew the city’s customs and religious practices as only an insider could. Converting to the true worship of Jehovah through the Law of Moses had answered questions the Profession of Nehor could not. With that understanding, he sought to bring his people back to the faith of their fathers.

When Amulek spoke, it was with the sincerity of a man who loved his people and the frankness of one who knew their hearts. His words carried the familiarity of family. Both he and Alma had seen an angel, and they taught what heaven had commanded.

Zeezrom wanted money for his employ. Amulek wanted light for his people. The outcome was already determined by the God who knows all things. Zeezrom’s challenge over the identity of the Messiah planted a seed of truth in his own heart—truth that would one day force him to reconsider what mattered most. Winning an argument is not the same as prevailing in truth.