Because of his righteous leadership, Alma was beloved of his people, who asked him to be their king. He refused and in so doing outlined doctrinal principles of political and religious leadership: kingship is not the Lord’s system because it places one individual in unchecked authority over all others (Alma seemed to have in mind 1 Nephi 17:35). Kingship would be a good system of governance if the king could be guaranteed to be just, but this guarantee is rarely possible—just look at King Noah. We should cherish the liberty that has been given of God and refrain from seeking the faulty system of kingship. In fact, as with political leaders, so with other leaders and teachers—follow no one except he be a man of God (Mosiah 29).
Significantly, the elders of ancient Israel lobbied Samuel the prophet for a king, but for a different reason: They wanted to be like the surrounding nations. Through Samuel, the Lord told the people of Israel essentially the same thing Alma told his people: a king would rule over them in tyranny. Still, the people refused to obey the Lord. Therefore, the Lord gave them what they wanted (1 Samuel 8:4–22), which is another important lesson for us.
The Lord’s principles of governance eschew kingship—in every dispensation. By Alma’s refusal of kingship, Jacob’s prophecy of centuries earlier continued to be fulfilled: “And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 10:11).See commentary at Mosiah 29 for an exception to this general principle.