Alma 58

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant God of Israel, the premortal Christ

Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people. Alma 58:10–11

'The Lord our God' who answers the prayers of a starving army is Jehovah, the premortal Christ. He speaks peace to their souls and makes Himself the object of their hope ('our deliverance in him'), which is how the Savior still answers prayer.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

Faith in Christ

But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come. Alma 58:40

The 'prophecies concerning that which is to come' are the prophecies of Christ's coming, which the Anti-Nephi-Lehies believed as they kept the law of Moses. The 'liberty wherewith God has made them free' is the same wording Paul later uses for the freedom Christ gives.

• alludes to Alma 25:15-16 — The converted Lamanites (these young men's parents) kept the law of Moses, looking forward to the coming of Christ and believing in the prophecies.
• the same title in Galatians 5:1 — Nearly identical wording: 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.'
• alludes to Mosiah 5:8 — King Benjamin: 'under this head ye are made free' by taking upon them the name of Christ.

Redeemer

Redeemer — one who buys back and sets free

And now, my beloved brother, Moroni, may the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support. And now, behold, I close mine epistle. I am Helaman, the son of Alma. Alma 58:41

Helaman calls the Lord the One 'who has redeemed us and made us free,' which names His role as Redeemer. For Latter-day Saints, the Lord God of the Nephites who redeems is Jesus Christ, and His redemption brings people back into God's presence.

• the same title in Mosiah 26:26 — The Lord says, 'I am the Lord their God, ... I am their Redeemer.'