Alma, perceiving that Zeezrom had been silenced by the words of Amulek, and that Zeezrom was caught in the trap he had set for Amulek, and further that the lies of Zeezrom seeking to destroy the missionaries were brought to naught by the Holy Spirit, began more fully to explain to Zeezrom the Scriptures pertaining to the Atonement of the Son of God, His Resurrection, and Salvation in God’s Kingdom. Amulek had opened new vistas to Zeezrom’s vision, and now Alma enlarged Zeezrom’s prospect by quoting the words of other prophets about whom Zeezrom already knew.
While Alma spoke directly into Zeezrom’s ears, his words were heard by numbers of the multitude who had gathered about them. Not in anger, nor in the spirit of reprisal, but, for a moment Alma, whom Zeezrom accused, became the accuser. Alma let the great throng that clustered around them know that Zeezrom had misled them by his lying, and had not only lied to them, but to God who knew all his innermost thoughts. Alma drew to Zeezrom’s attention, and thus to that of the multitude, the fact that Zeezrom‘s thoughts were made known to the missionaries by God’s Spirit which was in them. Zeezrom could not hide his thoughts and his designs against the servants of God by covering up his intentions in robes of public service which he attempted so to do.
Zeezrom hoped to entrap Alma and Amulek in a labyrinth of inconsistent and opposing doctrines. He had craftily designed a plan of questioning which he thought would confuse the Lord’s servants. But his visionary scheme backfired! It cleared a way in front of the missionaries that by their answers to his questions they were able to proclaim the Word of the Lord without let or hindrance from him. His mental acuteness and physical strength made Zeezrom a bold and ingenious advocate of whatsoever cause he espoused. But, however, in publically denouncing Alma and Amulek his utmost strength was proved to be absolute weakness, and his greatest wisdom but foolishness.
That the artful design of Zeezrom—who was ready at all times to invent a cause celebre and who was skilled in gaining an end—when compared with Satan’s, both were found as to the same manner born. Each was begotten by the father of all lies. “Thy plan was a very subtle plan,” Alma declared, “as to the subtlety of the devil.” That Zeezrom might deceive this people and lead them farther astray, lies, and more lies, he said, were Zeezrom’s stock in trade. To incite the Ammonihahites to riot against him and his companion and then cast them out was Alma’s fierce arraignment of Zeezrom. What Alma said to Zeezrom was meant for all who heard his voice. In spite of the fact that Alma knew the people standing before him were prejudiced, and that the court, as it were, was packed against him, he appealed to his listeners for them to escape the snare “of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjugation unto him ... according to the power of his captivity.”