Alma continues his elaboration on Psalm 95:7-11 by discussing the priesthood. Many people were foreordained to be priests. If they choose in this life not to harden their hearts, then they enter the rest of the Lord, as Melchizedek and his people did. Alma ends with an urgent invitation: “Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh” (Alma 13:21).
Chapter Outline
- How people become “high priests forever” (v. 1-9)
- Entering into the rest of the Lord (v. 10-13)
- Melchizedek was a great high priest (v. 14-19)
- Now is the time to repent (v. 20-31)
My Takeaways
- We were all foreordained to accomplish specific things, but the specific assignments come to us only when we are ready.
- We can enter “the rest of the Lord,” meaning to find stability and peace in life.
- Don’t procrastinate!
Featured Blog Posts
Psalm 95 and Alma 12-13
Alma doesn’t tell us that he’s quoting from Psalm 95, but during his sermon in Ammonihah, he elaborates on phrases and concepts from that psalm. The central message: repent now, be receptive to God, and He will give you peace and stability.
❖ Becoming a high priest – Alma 13:1-9
What Is the Priesthood?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines priesthood simply as “the office or position of a priest.” This is the everyday meaning of the word. When Mormon tells us that Alma gave up his position as chief judge and “confined himself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of God” (Alma 4:20), he is simply…
What Is a High Priest?
After leading the children of Israel out of slavery, Moses consecrated his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons to serve as priests. They were given special clothing to wear, but Aaron’s clothing was distinct from the others. He wore a vest or apron called the ephod (אֵפוֹד). He wore a breastplate which contained the Urim and…
What Is a “Preparatory Redemption?”
In the middle of Alma’s remarks to the people of Ammonihah, he uses a phrase which appears no where else in the scriptures: “a preparatory redemption.” What did he mean by that? In order to understand this phrase, we will need to examine the entire passage (Alma 13:1-3), one verse at a time: And again,…
What Is Foreordination?
The Lord told Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5). God also assured Abraham, “Thou was chosen before thou wast born” (Abraham 3:22-23). Peter testified that Jesus “was…
Being Called and Prepared – Alma 13:3
3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained–being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great…
Foreordained
Alma taught that people were foreordained to participate in God’s work but that they only receive those assignments when they choose to do good. All of us have been chosen to fulfill specific missions in life, and those assignments come when we are ready.
This Holy Order
God wants our lives, our homes, and our discipleship to be orderly. When we exercise faith in Him and are willing to repent, He will invite us into His order, which will enable us to experience peace and calmness.
❖ The rest of the Lord – Alma 13:10-13
Rest
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years before they were ready to enter the promised land. God was ready to help them enter that land long before they were ready to receive His assistance. One of the psalms quotes God looking back on that time: Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people…
That Ye May Also Enter into That Rest – Alma 13:12-13
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. 13 And now,…
No More Desire to Do Evil
It’s wonderful to discipline ourselves to do what’s right, but God has promised something better. He has promised to change our desires. As we draw closer to Jesus Christ, He fills our lives with light, and there is less and less room for darkness.
❖ Melchizedek – Alma 13:14-19
Who Was Melchizedek?
After Abraham and Lot settled in the land of Canaan, Lot fought in a battle and was taken prisoner. Abraham and 318 of his servants rescued him from his captors (Genesis 14:1-16). Upon their return, they were met by the king of Sodom (Bera) and the king of Salem (Melchizedek). The author of Genesis tells…
Why Are Ordinances Important?
Yesterday, I wrote that to be ordained is to be set in order. An ordinance is the mechanism used to create order. It is an action that is formally prescribed by God which we perform to show our devotion to Him and draw closer to Him. The prophet Nephi urged his people to “keep the…
❖ Do not procrastinate – Alma 13:20-31
Procrastination
Twice in the Book of Mormon, we are urged not to procrastinate. When Alma and Amulek teach the people of Ammonihah, Alma ends their joint sermon with a call to action: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh;… I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with…
“Now Is the Time” – Alma 13:21, Alma 34:33
After teaching the people of Ammonihah about the Fall of Adam and Eve and about how to receive the grace of God, Alma issued a call to action. Extending his arm toward his audience, he proclaimed, “Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh” (Alma 13:21). He urged the people…
Old Testament Foundations
To Day
David said that our deadline to repent is “today.” So did Paul, Jacob, Alma, and Amulek. Paul explains that the deadline of “today” applies to us. President Nelson added that we should repent every day, because repentance is not an event. It’s a process.
“They Have…Changed the Ordinance”
A disciple is a person who learns a discipline from someone who has already mastered it. You can’t do that by simply memorizing facts or understanding concepts. A discipline is a set of habits and skills, and it requires practice. Self-directed learning is popular, and exploration has its place. But when you’re trying to develop…
“Until the Lord Hath Given Your Brethren Rest”
Before the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River, two and a half of the tribes requested permission to stay on the east side of the river. Moses granted them permission, on the condition that they agreed to help the remaining tribes secure land on the west side of the river. (See Numbers 32.) So,…
A Priest Forever
Speaking of the Savior, King David said: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110:4 Commenting on this passage, the apostle Paul wrote the following cryptic description of Melchizedek: Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth…
Tithed
After Abraham and his servants rescued his nephew Lot, they returned home, rejoicing in a successful mission. They were met by Melchizedek, King of Salem, who brought bread and wine and blessed Abraham. Grateful for his success, “Abraham paid [Melchizedek] tithes of all” (Genesis 14:20). A tithe is a tenth. (See Alma 13:15, Hebrews 11:1-10.)…
“They Shall Not Be Ashamed That Wait for Me”
Waiting doesn’t come easy for human beings. We aren’t naturally patient. But multiple times, the prophet Isaiah identifies waiting as a key component of discipleship. Here are some examples: After quoting one of those passages, Nephi’s brother Jacob reaffirmed this principle: For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait…
New Testament Parallels
Keeping Our Estates
In the Epistle of Jude, the author provides several examples of groups of people who suffered as a result of distancing themselves from God. One of those examples is heavenly rather than earthly: The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude…
Called and Chosen
Twice in the Gospel of Matthew, the Savior makes a distinction between being called or invited (kletoi in Greek) and being chosen or selected (eklektoi). “Many are called,” He says, “but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14; see also Matthew 22:16). Several Book of Mormon passages emphasize the principle that a person can be called without…
Without Beginning of Days or End of Years – Alma 13:8-9
8 Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end— 9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son,…
Church History Connections
First Lessons
Learning was an important part of our premortal existence. Joseph F. Smith saw in a vision many faithful spirits, including biblical prophets, gathered at the time of the death of Jesus Christ. Then, he noticed a number of people who had not yet been born, including his uncle, Joseph Smith, and his father, Hyrum Smith.…
After the Order of the Son – Alma 13:8-9
8 Now they were ordained after this manner–being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end– 9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son,…
The Power of Godliness
In 1832, the Lord invited church members to receive priesthood ordinances, explaining that “the power of godliness is manifest” in them (Doctrine and Covenants 84:20). An ordinance is “a sacred, formal act or ceremony performed by the authority of the priesthood” (Gospel Topics, “Ordinances”). Some examples of ordinances are baptism, confirmation, the temple endowment, and…
Premortal Life
We lived before we were born, and we chose to participate in this mortal experience. That knowledge gives perspective to our mortal journey. In a September 1830 revelation, the Lord shared with Joseph Smith the origin story of the devil and his followers: He rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part…
“The Time Is Past”
I’ve been thinking this week about a stern message the Lord gave to Oliver Cowdery in an 1829 revelation. Oliver had sought the gift to translate and had been given permission to try. When he failed, the Lord instructed him to resume his role as scribe. The problem, apparently, was that Oliver hadn’t realized the…
All Posts Referencing Alma 13
- “I Have a Work for Thee” (1/9/2026)
- Why Does Tithing Promote Unity? (10/19/2025)
- Principles of Priesthood Power from Doctrine and Covenants 107 (9/26/2025)
- King of Righteousness, King of Peace (9/24/2025)
- “My Strange Act” (9/3/2025)
- Without Beginning of Days or End of Years (7/30/2025)
- Our Emerging Redemption (5/11/2025)
- “The Harvest Is Past” (5/7/2025)
- Thy Calling, Thy Duty (3/18/2025)
- How to Recognize the Holy Ghost (2/5/2025)
- What Is the Second Death? (9/14/2024)
- After the Holy Order of God (8/13/2024)
- No More Desire to Do Evil (6/28/2024)
- Psalm 95 and Alma 12-13 (6/27/2024)
- This Holy Order (6/26/2024)
- Foreordained (6/25/2024)
- How to Preach (6/15/2024)
- His Holy Order (2/21/2024)
- Testimony of Jesus = Spirit of Prophecy (12/30/2023)
- Letters to the Seven Churches (12/7/2023)
- To Day (11/2/2023)
- All Scripture Is Profitable (10/25/2023)
- “They Have…Changed the Ordinance” (9/17/2022)
- The Book of Psalms and the Book of Mormon (8/27/2022)
- The King of Glory Shall Come In (8/12/2022)
- Finding Grace (6/12/2022)
- “Until the Lord Hath Given Your Brethren Rest” (5/27/2022)
- Hardened Hearts (3/30/2022)
- An Help, Meet for Him (1/7/2022)
- Keeping Our Estates (12/29/2021)
- Glory (12/28/2021)
- First Lessons (12/3/2021)
- A Priest Forever (10/28/2021)
- Called and Chosen (10/20/2021)
- Tithed (10/17/2021)
- “After the Order of His Son” (9/25/2021)
- Rest (7/28/2021)
- The Power of Godliness (7/27/2021)
- Premortal Life (3/26/2021)
- “In Wisdom and Order” – Mosiah 4:27 (3/16/2021)
- “The Time Is Past” (1/30/2021)
- “They Shall Not Be Ashamed That Wait for Me” (1/24/2021)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- Procrastination (7/18/2020)
- Privilege (6/20/2020)
- “Now Is the Time” – Alma 13:21, Alma 34:33 (6/18/2020)
- What Is a “Remission” of Your Sins? (4/23/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Clarify? (12/31/2019)
- What Is Meekness? (12/22/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Tithing? (11/19/2019)
- What Is Foreordination? (11/15/2019)
- Why Are Ordinances Important? (11/9/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Ordained? (11/8/2019)
- Who Was Melchizedek? (11/7/2019)
- What Is a High Priest? (11/6/2019)
- What Is the Priesthood? (11/5/2019)
- What Is a Priest? (11/4/2019)
- Why Is It Important Not to Procrastinate Repentance? (9/15/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be Saved “In and Through” the Grace of God? (8/27/2019)
- How Should I Deal with Anxiety? (7/10/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Watch and Pray?” (6/28/2019)
- What Is “Fruit Meet for Repentance?” (6/22/2019)
- Why Does God Command Us to Pay Tithing? (6/7/2019)
- What Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates? (5/26/2019)
- How Can I Be More Humble? (5/13/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Complacency? (5/11/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Patience? (4/11/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be “Long-Suffering?” (3/1/2019)
- What Is a “Preparatory Redemption?” (2/17/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Our Garments to Be “Washed White Through the Blood of the Lamb?” (2/1/2019)
- How Is the Word “Atonement” Used in the Book of Mormon? (1/30/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Grace? (1/28/2019)
- Why Does the Book of Mormon Quote from the Bible? (1/20/2019)
- High Priests Forever – Alma 13:8-9 (11/21/2018)
- Without Beginning of Days or End of Years – Alma 13:8-9 (7/14/2018)
- The Lord God Ordained Priests – Alma 13:1-2 (7/13/2018)
- That Ye Would…Not Procrastinate the Day of Your Repentance – Alma 13:27-29 (11/8/2017)
- That Ye May Also Enter into That Rest – Alma 13:12-13 (11/7/2017)
- That They Might Enter into the Rest of the Lord – Alma 13:16 (11/2/2016)
- That They Also Might Enter into His Rest – Alma 13:6 (6/30/2016)
- After the Order of the Son – Alma 13:8-9 (6/9/2016)
- That They Might Look Forward to Him – Alma 13:16 (6/8/2016)
- A Preparatory Redemption – Alma 13:3-5 (2/20/2016)
- Being Left to Choose – Alma 13:3-5 (2/19/2016)
- Called and Prepared – Alma 13:3-5 (2/18/2016)
- That Ye Would…Not Procrastinate – Alma 13:27 (6/19/2015)
- Being Called and Prepared – Alma 13:3 (6/19/2015)