The Captivity of Thy Fathers

When the angel came to Alma the Younger and called him to repentance, he made this statement, “Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them” (Mosiah 27:16).  It’s clear that the angel was referring to Alma’s father (Alma) and his people in the land of Helam and how they were in bondage to the Lamanites under the repressive hand of Amulon.  They were indeed miraculously delivered from bondage when a “deep sleep” came upon the Lamanites and the people simply walked away (Mosiah 24:19).  But which “fathers” was the angel referring to who were delivered out of bondage in the land of Nephi? 

               I see a few different possibilities for who the angel may have been referring to.  We know that the people of Limhi were in bondage to the Lamanites in the land of Nephi after Alma left with his small band of believers.  They also were miraculously delivered from the Lamanites as they got the Lamanites drunk and slipped out the “back pass” (Mosiah 22:6).  The angel may have been speaking generically of “fathers” to mean the people of Limhi who had gone before, just like we might think of the pioneers as our fathers even if we weren’t actually related to them.  Or, if the angel was referring to the people of Limhi, it may be that Alma did indeed have family there.  For example, since Alma the Elder was born around 173 BC, that means that he was born well after the time of Zeniff who came to the land of Nephi around 200 BC according to Mosiah 9.  So Alma the Elder was born to parents in the days of Zeniff, and presumably those parents were a part of the people of Zeniff and still around when Alma was serving as priest to King Noah.  If they did not follow Alma and his converts to the land of Helam, they would have been part of the people of Limhi and perhaps even still alive when the people of Limhi escaped back to Zarahemla.  So that would mean that Alma the Younger’s grandparents may have been among them, and the angel could have been referring to them when reminding Alma to remember the captivity of his fathers.  Or, alternatively, the angel could have been referring to the period of time recorded in Mosiah 10 when Zeniff and his people fought the Lamanites and “did go up in the strength of the Lord to battle” and were delivered out of their hands (Mosiah 10:10).  Zeniff wasn’t exactly in captivity, but he was trapped by the Lamanites and delivered by the Lord from being brought into bondage by the Lamanites.  It’s likely that Alma the Younger’s grandparents were among those who were delivered with Zeniff’s people. 

               No matter who the angel was specifically referring to, the most important point for us is that we too need to remember the way the Lord has delivered those who have come before us, whether that be our own ancestors, the pioneers, or people like these from the scriptures.  That kind of remembering is meant to help us have the faith that God will likewise help us.  Alma the Younger did indeed remember the captivity of his fathers as the angel told him, and he left us this testimony about God’s power of deliverance in words to Shiblon: “As much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 38:5).