Mosiah 29

Summary: Mosiah proposes that judges be chosen in place of a king—Unrighteous kings lead their people into sin—Alma the younger is chosen chief judge by the voice of the people—He is also the high priest over the Church—Alma the elder and Mosiah die. About 92—91 B.C.

The majority of this chapter is concerning why it is unwise to have a king be ruler over the people. Mosiah's reasons include the following:
*7 And now if there should be another appointed in his stead, behold I fear there would rise acontentions among you. And who knoweth but what my son, to whom the kingdom doth belong, should turn to be angry and bdraw away a part of this people after him, which would cause wars and contentions among you, which would be the cause of shedding much blood and perverting the way of the Lord, yea, and destroy the souls of many people.

*all men are not just

*much ainiquity doth one bwicked king cause to be committed

*ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous aking save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood

*22 For behold, he has his afriends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God;
23 And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth not obey his laws he acauseth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an unrighteous bking doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.

Because of all of these reasons, Mosiah proposes that judges be appointed "that will judge this people according to the commandments of God." (vs. 11)

There are 2 important principles taught in this chapeter. 1)We are reminded that Alma and his people were saved from bondage because they humbled themselves and cried continually to the Lord. 2)And we learn that we must be God-fearing.

1)There comes a time in everyone's life when we need to be reminded of the Lord. We get so caught up in the day to day that it gets easy to forget the Lord. We forget the Lord by neglecting our scripture study, forgetting to pray, neglecting our callings or temple worship or service. There is a reason the Lord has put these commandments in place: to help us remember Him and remember from where all our blessings come. And further, to allow us to be instruments in His hands. I personally know that the Lord has "saved me from bondage" many times. I did have to be humbled, so that I could more sincerely and fully rely on the Lord and see His hand in my life. I know that it will happen again because I am not perfect and still have much to learn. But through it all, the Lord has blessed my family so much. Especially in these hard times, I have seen His hand. He has worked miracles in our home. I know that we would have NOTHING without Him. I hope I can always remember that.

2) I admire so much how the people in this chapter come to realize the importance of being God-fearing. Especially Mosiah. By that I mean, everything he does, he considers what it is the Lord would want him to do. He mentions that several time throughout the chapter. He was a righteous man who remembered the Lord in all that he did and constantly sought to do His will. 25 "Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord." 30 "And I command you to do these things in the fear of the Lord."
This just made me think, how often do I strive to truly follow the will of the Lord?