Things aren't always as they appear. The following scripture was chosen because it demonstrates part of Amalickiah's subtlety in becoming king of the Lamanites. How can you distinguish between truth and fraud?
Read scripture in context:
Amalickiah seeks
to be king over all the land. This chapter shows how he uses
treachery, murder, and intrigue to become king of the Lamanites.
Having failed to obtain his desires among the Nephites, he fled with
a small number of his men, before the armies of Moroni, and came over
to the Land of Nephi. He stirred up the Lamanites to anger against
the people of Nephi until the king of the Lamanites desired to go to
battle against the Nephites. Most of the Lamanites would not obey
the king because they feared for their lives to go to battle with the
Nephites. They fled to Onidah and gathered together on the top of
mount Antipas. At the king's command, Amalickiah took the obedient
part of the king's army to compel the rebels to arms. But instead of
obeying the king, he laid a plan to dethrone the king. Amalickiah
persuades Lehonti to agree to come down and surround the king's army
during the night. Lehonti is given command over the entire army.
Amalickiah is placed under Lehonti and is second in command.
Amalickiah's servant poisons Lehonti, kills the king, and blames it
on the king's guards. Amalickiah marries the queen and becomes king
of the Lamanites.
Scripture to Memorize:
But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah caused
that his servants should go forth to meet the king. And they went and
bowed themselves before the king, as if to reverence him because of
his greatness. And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand
to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of
peace, which custom they had taken from the Nephites. And it came to
pass that when he had raised the first from the ground, behold he
stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell to the earth. Now the
servants of the king fled; and the servants of Amalickiah raised a
cry, saying: Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the
heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and see.
And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies should
march forth and see what had happened to the king; and when they had
come to the spot, and found the king lying in his gore, Amalickiah
pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved the king, let him go
forth, and pursue his servants that they may be slain. And it came to
pass that all they who loved the king, when they heard these words,
came forth and pursued after the servants of the king. Alma 47:22-28
The Meaning of Words:
reverence:
regard or treat with deep respect
greatness:
High rank or place; elevation; dignity; distinction; eminence; power;
command.
token: A
sign; something intended to represent or indicate another thing or an
event.
cry: To
utter a loud voice; to speak, call or exclaim with vehemence; in a
very general sense; To proclaim: to utter a loud voice, in
giving public notice.
gore: Blood;
but generally, thick or clotted blood; blood that after effusion
becomes inspissated.
Questions to Discuss:
Can you see the The Law of the Boomerang working in this chapter? Did
Amalickiah trust his servants? Why might he not be able to totally
trust his servants? If the king had not allowed himself to be stirred
up to anger by Amalickiah, would have Amalickiah been able to
dethrone him as king? How did Amalickiah use anger to his advantage?
Why wasn't the king content to be king of the Lamanites? Why did he
also need to rule over Nephites? How did Amalickiah uses lust for
control and power to his advantage? Why did the Lamanites choose to
adopt this custom of peace from the Nephites and not other customs?
After the king was killed, why did the king's guards run with fear?
How did Amalickiah use fear to his advantage? Why did the army
believe the king's servants/guards were the ones who killed the king?
Is this reasonable? The guards are with the king most of the time,
if it was their intention to kill the king, wouldn't they have done
it in more private setting? Would you have been able to see the
obvious? How does hypocrisy and the pretense of leaders fool most
people? When the army chased and pursued the king's guards, did they
become more invested in Amalickiah's story? Did all of the army love
the king? How did Amalickiah use revenge and love of the king to his
advantage? How does anger, lust for control and power, revenge,
and fear cloud our thinking? What governs your actions?
Marking the Scripture:
You can use a
different color to mark each item.
- Circle each “And it came to pass that”.
- Remember behold means to look and see. Circle each “behold”. The first “behold” has a “but” before it.
- How many times do you see “Amalickiah”? Underline each “Amalickiah” followed by Amalickiah's action: Amalickiah caused, Amalickiah raised, Amalickiah commanded, Amalickiah pretended.
- Underline each phrase that has “king” in it: as the king came out to meet him, that his servants should go forth to meet the king, And they went and bowed themselves before the king, the king put forth his hand to raise them, he stabbed the king to the heart, Now the servants of the king fled, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart, and see what had happened to the king, and found the king lying in his gore, Whosoever loved the king, all they who loved the king, came forth and pursued after the servants of the king.
- Circle all “servants”.
Scrapbook Copy of Scripture:
After the children memorize the verse, they can put this colored copy in their Book of Mormon Scrapbook
Here
is a smaller section to memorize that comes from this same passage.
My younger children do better memorizing a smaller passage.
If
you want to memorize it for life, you can use the chart at the end of
the Memorize
For Life post.
No comments:
Post a Comment