The “order of the Nehors” refers to the followers of Nehor (v. 4), the man who slew Gideon (see Alma 1:9, 15). They followed priestcraft, Satan’s counterfeit of the priesthood (see 2 Nephi 26:29 and Alma 1:12). Not only did they question spiritual experiences such as angels appearing, and doctrines such as the Spirit revealing thoughts and prophecies of the future, but they advocated Satan’s plan of saving all men (Alma 21:6). He said he would “redeem all mankind” and “rebelled against [God], and sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:1–3). They also rejected the teachings of the scriptures (Alma 21:9), and resorted to anger and mockery, other tactics of Satan (see 2 Nephi 28:20; Alma 5:30).
We do not know why Aaron chose to go to the Amalekites first (Alma 21:4). Perhaps the Lord wanted to give the Nephites the opportunity to accept the gospel before going to the Lamanites as the Apostle Paul went to the Jews before going to the Gentiles (see Acts 13:46–47). Another possibility is that Aaron was hopeful that being Nephites there was still an element of truth among them. Regardless of why—whether he or the Lord wanted the work to start where it did—Aaron was rejected. As Amalekites, they rejected the ministering of angels, an Aaronic priesthood key (see D&C 84:26), on the grounds of God being no respecter of persons (Alma 21:5). They had lost the precept taught by Nephi that while God is no respecter of persons he loves “those who will have him to be their God” (1 Nephi 17:40). In rejecting God’s ability to read thoughts and his people’s need to repent (v. 6), the Amalekite’s spokesman is setting himself up as the light to the world, another characteristic of priestcraft (see 2 Nephi 26:29). The scriptures teach that “there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart” (D&C 6:16). Apparently Aaron had been teaching this principle from the plates of brass, and if so, it has now been lost from the Old Testament teachings (see 1 Nephi 13:26–29). The Amalekites further argued that all religions will bring salvation, for all people will eventually be saved (Alma 21:6). This teaching was labeled as a philosophy of men by Nephi (see 2 Nephi 28:8). The apostasy of the Amalekites had sunk deep into their hearts.
Aaron attempts to answer the Amalekite contentions by testifying of the coming of the Son of God (Alma 21:7), but the Amalekites labeled the prophecies of the coming of Christ as foolish traditions (v. 8). Therefore, Aaron turned to the scriptures concerning Christ, his Resurrection, and his Atonement (v. 9). Inspired by Satan, the entire congregation turned a deaf ear (v. 10). Satan “is the father of contention” (3 Nephi 11:29). As Nephi testified, he will “rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good” (2 Nephi 28:20). The apostate Nephites had forsaken the teachings of him after whom they were called.