Rhetoric: Alma simultaneously addresses Zeezrom and the listeners. In answering Zeezrom’s unstated question, he also attempts to reinforce their meaning for the crowd. In Alma 12:6, Alma stresses: “All that this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity” (emphasis mine). Alma is reiterating images used in verse 6 but in a slightly different context. In verse 6 the lawyers had the people in chains and captivity. Now hell is depicted as chains and captivity. He strongly implies that the lawyers are in league with the devil. While they might proclaim their belief in Yahweh, Alma associates them with Satan.
The interchange so far would not logically predict Alma’s use of this imagery, but he preached to the same theme in Zarahemla (Alma 5:7–10).
Scripture: Alma defines the chains of hell metaphorically, rather than literally:
“And they that will harden their hearts,… ”: A particular type of person will fall captive to the chains of hell. Hardening the heart is how we begin to reject the promptings of the Spirit.
“… to them is given the lesser portion of the word… ”: As a person’s heart becomes increasingly hardened, he or she receives less and less of God’s word—not because the Lord no longer offers it, but because of the individual is increasingly unwilling to listen.
“… until they know nothing concerning his mysteries;… ”: “Until” signals that a process is at work, not an overnight change. The more we harden our hearts, the less we hear of the word. The less we know of God’s word, the less we know of the mysteries. Here, “mysteries” are not great imponderables about God’s nature but any understanding of him at all. Because God is so much greater than human beings, all true information about him is a “mystery”—beyond the scope of normal human logic and understanding.
“… and then they are taken captive by the devil,… ”: Satan steps in where our understanding of and commitment to God are weak. If we will not worship God, Satan will find a way for us to worship him.
“… and led by his will down to destruction.”: No one who is so gently led down by the devil intentionally walks to his own destruction. Such individuals go willingly because they do not recognize the path and think they are on a very different road. But the spiritual destruction will be the same, whether deceived or purposely chosen.