2024 Come, Follow Me
Book of Mormon Lesson 29:
July 15 — July 21
“The Virtue of the Word of God”
The accounts in Alma 30–31 clearly demonstrate the power of words—for evil and for good. The “flattering” and “great swelling words” of a false teacher named Korihor threatened to bring “many souls down to destruction” (Alma 30:31, 47). Similarly, the teachings of a Nephite dissenter named Zoram led a whole group of people to fall “into great errors” and “pervert the ways of the Lord” (Alma 31:9, 11).
In contrast, Alma had unwavering faith that the word of God would have a “more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else” (Alma 31:5). Alma’s words expressed eternal truth and drew upon the powers of Jesus Christ to silence Korihor (see Alma 30:39–50), and they invited His blessing on those who went with him to bring the Zoramites back to the truth (see Alma 31:31–38). These are valuable examples for followers of Christ today when false messages are common. We can find truth by trusting, as Alma did, “the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5).
Alma 30: Korihor, the anti-Christ, ridicules Christ, the Atonement, and the spirit of prophecy—He teaches that there is no God, no fall of man, no penalty for sin, and no Christ—Alma testifies that Christ will come and that all things denote there is a God—Korihor demands a sign and is struck dumb—The devil had appeared to Korihor as an angel and taught him what to say—Korihor is trodden down and dies. About 76–74 B.C.
Alma 31: Alma heads a mission to reclaim the apostate Zoramites—The Zoramites deny Christ, believe in a false concept of election, and worship with set prayers—The missionaries are filled with the Holy Spirit—Their afflictions are swallowed up in the joy of Christ. About 74 B.C.
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps 2024 — Lesson 29, Jonn Claybaugh
- Interpreter Radio: The Book of Mormon in Context Lesson 29
- Nibley Book of Mormon Lectures: Come, Follow Me Lesson 29
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 27: Alma 30-31 (2020), Jonn Claybaugh
- Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon Lesson 27 (Alma 30-31)
- Korihor and the Self-Refuting Argument (Alma 30), Hales Swift
- The Rise and Fall of Korihor, a Zoramite: A New Look at the Failed Mission of an Agent of Zoram, by Godfrey J. Ellis, Oct 22, 2021
- Abridging the Records of the Zoramite Mission: Mormon as Historian, by Steven L. Olsen, Jul 22, 2022
- Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture — Chapter 14: Alma Chapter XVI (30–35), Brant A. Gardner
- Apostate Religion in the Book of Mormon, A. Keith Thompson, May 26, 2017
- In His Footsteps: Ammon₁ and Ammon₂, Val Larsen, January 11, 2013
- Jacob Did Not Make a False Prediction, Duane Boyce, August 16, 2019
- Nephite insights into Israelite Worship Practices before the Babylonian Captivity, A. Keith Thompson, February 1, 2013
- “See That Ye Are Not Lifted Up”: The Name Zoram and Its Paronomastic Pejoration, Matthew L. Bowen, March 18, 2016
- The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy, Mark Alan Wright, August 10, 2012
- Interpreting Interpreter: Structuring Alma’s Zoramite Mission, by Kyler Rasmussen, Jul 22, 2022
- Scripture Roundtable: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 27, “All Things Denote There Is a God”, July 16, 2016
- Come, Follow Me—Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024, Lesson 29
- Alma and Amulek Teach about Faith in Jesus Christ | Alma 31–34
- The Choice of Humility (Ensign)
- How Can We Withstand False Teachings? (Ensign Weekly Book of Mormon Insights)
- Alma 30-31 (Ensign Support Articles and Activities)
- My Heavenly Father Loves Me, Children’s Songbook, 228–29
- Alma 30 to 31 – “The Virtue of the Word of God”, BYU Studies
- An Anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon—The Face May Be Strange, but the Voice Is Familiar, BYU Religious Studies Center
- Alma 30-31, John W. Welch Notes
- Why Does the Book of Mormon Use So Many Different Terms for “Law”?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #568
- Was Korihor Really an Atheist?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #532
- Why Was Korihor Cursed with Speechlessness?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #138
- How is the Name Zoram Connected with Pride?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #458
- Why Did Alma Repeat the Lord’s Name Ten Times While in Prayer?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #139
- Why did Mormon Emphasize the Zoramites’ Costly Apparel?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #283
- Discussions on the Book of Mormon – Alma 30
- Discussions on the Book of Mormon – Alma 31-32