Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that after the people and their scriptures had been burned, the chief judge asked Alma and Amulek if they still wanted to preach, after what they had witnessed. He smote them on the cheeks. But Alma and Amulek held their peace and would not speak to him.  They were cast into prison. Others came to the prison to question them, but they would not answer them. They were continually questioned and smitten and spit upon but retained their silence. They were mocked and not given food or water. They took away their clothes and bound them with cords.  Alma 14:14-22 "Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had been cast into the fire were consumed, and also the records which were cast in with them, the chief judge of the land came and stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote them with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After what ye have seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?  Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they were of thy faith. And the judge smote them again upon their cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves? Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew Gideon.  And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison.  And when they had been cast into prison three days, there came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they answered them nothing.  And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing. And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves?  And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we look when we are damned?  And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison."

In the Old Testament we read that Egypt and all her helpers would be destroyed, and they would know that the Lord is God.  Ezekiel 30:1-8 "The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,  Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!  For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.  And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.  Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.  Thus saith the Lord; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord God.  And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.  And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that even a child is known by his acts--whether what they do is pure and right.  Proverbs 20: 11 "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."