The Symbolic Resurrection

In many stories in the scriptures we see examples of those who had a symbolic death and resurrection as they were converted to the gospel.  Perhaps the most obvious is that of King Lamoni.  After being taught by Ammon, he prayed unto the Lord for mercy, and then we read, “And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if he were dead.  And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if he were dead for the space of two days and two nights” (Alma 18:42-43).  Many thought that he was literally dead, but ultimately he rose again and declared, “For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name” (Alma 19:13).  This experience was then repeated by his wife who also fell to the earth as if she was dead before being raised up by Abish and declaring, “O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!” (Alma 19:29)  Their experience was symbolic of physical death and resurrection as they were born again spiritually unto the Lord. 

               Several others in the scriptures had similar experiences which stand as symbols of the resurrection.  For example, Lamoni’s father also learned of the gospel, and when he prayed in sincerity “he was struck as if he were dead.”  But he too “stood forth, and began to minister” to his people as a changed man (Alma 22:18, 23).  Alma the Younger was another who had this kind of experience, for after the angel chastised him, “he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless.”  It was as if he was dead for two days and nights until he rose up, pronouncing these words, “I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit” (Mosiah 27:22, 24).  Like the others, he lost his physical abilities for some time before being energized and given new physical strength and spiritual life.  Paul was another who had a similar resurrection type of experience.  After the Savior visited him on the road to Damascus, he lost his eye sight and “he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”  This was his death-like experience, but like the others he came forth out of this with great spiritual strength as a changed man: “He received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized” (Acts 9:18).  Each of these who became converted to the Lord underwent a permanent spiritual change analogous to the kind of change that our bodies will undergo at the resurrection.  Their stories highlight the fact that our own conversion to the gospel, even if not as sudden as theirs, should be transformative and permanent.  As Paul put it, we should be so changed that the “body of sin might be destroyed” and we become new creatures in Christ (Romans 6:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17).