Text: Alma preached this sermon to the church in Zarahemla—hence, to people who had known him, probably for his entire life, and where he had the conspicuous dual public positions of chief judge and chief priest. Yet he cites his authority for speaking—his consecration by his father—not because his own authority is inadequate but as a reminder that his father faced the same kind of opposition in the land of Nephi that Alma is now facing in Zarahemla.
He thus reminds the people of the doom Noah and his wicked priests brought upon their people; if the people heed Alma’s words, they may avoid a similar fate. His reference to the baptisms at the Waters of Mormon conceptually connects the current church with that earlier church. He is not necessarily speaking to descendants of either Alma1 or Limhi’s people, however. Those groups probably received lands that would have been part of the land of Zarahemla, but not necessarily inside the city of Zarahemla. The Limhites relocated to Gideon, where Alma will next preach (ch. 7). It is possible that some of the people of Alma stayed with him in Zarahemla, though it is likely that most of them would have relocated to Gideon to be with the rest of their people. Alma’s abbreviated account suggests that the story is well known to his listeners. He selects only the most important points for his current purpose.