This chapter is story of five miracles which occurred to the four sons of king Mosiah and the son of Alma, the president of the Church. Satan had overcome all five of them and they were among the most wicked individuals in the land. Later on Alma the younger will explain that he did nothing in this life to earn the right to have an angel knock him to the ground and snatch him back from the brink of hell-fire. But later in Alma chapter 13 it was revealed that he had been valiant in the pre-existence, and it was there that he earned the right to be rescued from Satan. This chapter begins when these five men going out among the members of the Church and trying to destroy the testimony of those who belonged to it. In fact there was a great persecution of the Saints sweeping down across the land.
We like to think that all men are created equal but whenever anybody is being persecuted and discriminated against because of race, religion or membership in a legitimate organization, the principle of equality is being violated. This was happening to a disgraceful extent among the people of Zarahemla. The king's proclamation declared that this persecution, inhumanity and inequality must cease.