The Power of Deliverance

There are two important themes introduced by Nephi which are present throughout the Book of Mormon. The first comes in the first chapter. After telling about the wickedness of the Jews and how they sought to take his father’s life, Nephi declared, “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20). The theme of deliverance for the faithful is found throughout the book. In Nephi’s story he was delivered from the hands of his brothers numerous times, such as when they tied him up in the wilderness. He wrote, “But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound. And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again” (1 Nephi 7:17-18). He was delivered by the Lord. Several generations later Amaron wrote, “[The Lord] did spare the righteous that they should not perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies” (Omni 1:7). Those righteous Nephites were eventually led out of the land of Nephi and delivered from the Lamanites. The people of Zeniff who went back to the land of Nephi were also delivered by the Lord: “Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers” (Mosiah 9:17). His grandson Limhi eventually sought for deliverance from the Lamanites with his people: “They did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions” (Mosiah 21:14). The Lord indeed did deliver them from their enemies and they returned to the land of Zarahemla. Around that same time the people of Alma were also under bondage to the Lamanites. They too sought for deliverance and found it in the Lord: “Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God” (Mosiah 24:21). As Nephi had testified, again and again the power of deliverance was given by the Lord to the faithful.    

Other stories in the Book of Mormon similarly show that the Lord will deliver His people. When Alma was in prison with Amulek in Ammonihah, “And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound” (Alma 14:26). They were delivered from prison and from their enemies. When Moroni faced Zarahemnah and his army, the Nephites were delivered by the Lord. Moroni boldly declared to his enemies, “But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith” (Alma 44:3). The Lamanites were delivered into the hands of the Nephites because of their faith in Christ. In the long war that followed, Alma’s son Helaman led an army, and he and his stripling warriors were delivered multiple times from their enemies. He wrote, “Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him” (Alma 58:11). When the Nephites were threatened by the Gadianton robbers, they were again delivered by the power of God. Mormon summarized, “And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction” (3 Nephi 4:33). Over and over again the righteous and the faithful were delivered from the hands of their enemies. Nephi’s statement at the beginning of the Book of Mormon that the Lord would make the faithful mighty unto the power of deliverance was confirmed countless times. And surely He can deliver us as well if we exercise faith in Him as Alma testified: “I would that ye should remember, that 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).