In bearing his testimony, Amulek was saying he had made the experiment himself, and it was a valid exercise (v. 8). But more significantly, he adds five important doctrinal points of the Atonement, which are a great contribution to our understanding of this fundamental and extremely complex doctrine. Amulek’s first doctrinal point was that the Atonement was according to the great plan of the Eternal God (v. 9). This was an eternal doctrine taught from the foundation of the world. In the pre-mortal council, the Father’s “Beloved and Chosen from the beginning” volunteered to do the will of the Father (Moses 4:2). The Father’s will was for his Son as Redeemer to pay the demands of justice required by the eternal laws that would be broken (see Mosiah 15:9). As confirmed in this dispensation: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” (Article of Faith 3). Since all mankind would be born into a fallen and lost condition, an Atonement would be needed or all would perish (Alma 34:9).
The second doctrinal point of Amulek’s testimony was that the Atonement would be the great and last sacrifice (v. 10). This sacrifice was interpreted to be the ultimate of all sacrifices, and the last official one of the law of Moses (v. 14). As Amulek said, “Then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood, then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled” (v. 13). All of the sacrifices before the law of Moses, and a part of the law of Moses, was symbolic of, or a type of, the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ when he would come as a mortal upon the earth (v. 14). The sacrifice required after Christ’s sacrifice would be “a broken heart and a contrite spirit,” as he taught the Nephites (3 Nephi 9:21). Amulek’s qualification, “or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood” (v. 13) may have been inserted because he knew the Jews collectively would reject Jesus Christ and continue to offer blood sacrifices, as Isaiah had prophesied (see Isaiah 29:1). However, the Prophet Malachi prophesied:
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. [Malachi 3:1–4]
The messenger to prepare the way before Jesus Christ’s First Coming was John the Baptist (see Mark 1:1–4). He also came to prepare the way before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. On May 15, 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained them saying:
Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. [D&C 13]
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained how the sons of Levi would make this offering.
These [blood] sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the Holy Prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.
It may be asked by some, what necessity for sacrifice, since the Great Sacrifice was offered? In answer to which, if repentance, baptism, and faith existed prior to the days of Christ, what necessity for them since that time? The Priesthood has descended in a regular line from father to son, through their succeeding generations. (See book of Doctrine and Covenants) (October 5, 1840.) (D.H.C. 4:207–212). [ TPJS, 173]
The law of Moses being fulfilled, every jot and tittle (Alma 34:13), was saying every letter of the law and the smallest part of each letter of the law would be fulfilled. The “jot,” or today’s yod, was and is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The tittle was a small extension on other letters that differentiated one from another (the koph and the bait, or the rosh and the dalet). Thus the whole law was fulfilled in Christ (v. 14, see also 3 Nephi 12:18).
The third doctrinal point of Amulek’s testimony of the Atonement was “it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice” (Alma 34:10). Infinite means all-inclusive. He atoned for every living soul, “every living creature, both men, women, and children who belong to the family of Adam” (2 Nephi 9:21). The sacrifice was infinite because it covered all the sins of the world (Alma 34:12). It was an eternal sacrifice because Christ is a divine being. In the words of the angel, he “was and is from all eternity to all eternity” (Mosiah 5:3). The sacrifice would not be of man or beast, but of a God. Jesus Christ was a God in the pre-mortal life: “in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation” (D&C 93:8). Because no man can atone for another the law requires the life of the murderer, but the Atonement covers this sin because it is infinite (Alma 34:11–12).
The fourth doctrinal point was that Christ brought salvation to all. His Atonement brought all people back into the presence of God, but only those who would not repent suffer a second death and are cast out (see Helaman 14:17–18). Thus Amulek says he brings salvation to all “who believe on his name” and “his bowels of mercy,” overpower justice and allows men to have faith unto repentance (Alma 34:15). Those who will not repent are exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice. Thus the fifth doctrine point: Mercy can satisfy the demands of justice (v. 16).