What led Alma, son of Alma, and the sons of Mosiah to be rebellious is not mentioned, but much learning is suggested by association with “many words” and “flattery,” as discussed above (v. 8). Jacob, brother of Nephi, warned earlier:
28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. [2 Nephi 9:28–29]
Isaiah likewise warned of pseudo-intellectualism: “Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!” (2 Nephi 15:21).
The enemy of God is Satan. His power over Alma, son of Alma, and Mosiah’s four sons was obtained because they were breaking God’s commandments (Mosiah 27:8). The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything that comes from God, the devil takes power” (TPJS, 181). One of the purposes of angels appearing to men “is to call them to repentance” (Moroni 7:31). God and angels have greater power than Satan. The angel descending as it were in a cloud was apparently seen by all or some of those five people for it to be recorded. No one else was present. The voice of thunder causing the earth to shake (Mosiah 27:11), along with a glorious man in mid air descending without falling, was certainly evidence to them that the power of God was causing them to be overcome.