Omni

A series of men, good and bad, become the keepers of the record. I found humor in the single verse written by Chemish. He notes that he writes in the same book as his brother and that he saw his brother write what he wrote on the same day that he passed along the record. Amaron, his brother, wrote 5 short verses 38 years after he received the record. Chemish notes that "after this manner we keep the records." Things changed dramatically from the days of Jacob when the people "had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come." (Jacob 1:6)

Abinadom, the son of Chemish, wrote very little, also, and concluded by writing:

11...I know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.

So, for some generations, the men entrusted with the sacred record seem to have been men of the world who took up the sword to defend their people, but who had little time for God. We have people today who are casual adherents to Christ -- who call themselves Christians as these men undoubtedly considered themselves, but who, like these Book of Mormon writers, do not connect with the divine. Some are caught up in the thick of thin things. Our lives are consumed with work and activities that do little for others or for our own eternal salvation.

The last writer in the book of Omni is Abinadom's son Amaleki. He is different. He clearly had a greater measure of the spirit of Christ. I guess Amaleki gives us hope that our children can be better and stronger than we or our ancestors have been. After generations of fathers who had little or nothing to say about the things of the spirit or of God at all, Amaleki found his way to Christ. He left a call to all who would read the record to do the things his predecessors appear not to have done:

25 And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord, wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil.

26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

To offer your whole soul as an offering to him is to give yourself completely to his cause. It is to conform yourself to his will and keep his commandments. It is to follow his example of love and selfless service to others.