Brief Biography
Helaman was the son of Helaman who was the son of Alma, and kept the plates of Nephi after the death of his uncle Shiblon (Alma 63:11). He lived during a tumultuous time in Nephite history. He became the chief judge following the death of the three sons of Pahoran and survived an attempted assassination plot. During this time, the Church of God experienced remarkable growth (Helaman 3:24-26), followed by significant dissension and apostasy (Helaman 3:33-36). Despite these challenges, Helaman taught his two sons Nephi and Lehi in the ways of the Lord (Helaman 3:21; 5:5), and "he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father" (Helaman 3:37). He died after reigning 11 years.
Insights into the Words and Phrases
Helaman Son of Helaman
Did you know that Helaman’s testimony of the power of Christ’s redemption sustained him and kept him grounded in times of social disruption and change?
The words "fadeth" and "shafts" are only used by Helaman. Another distinctive feature of his words are his references to nature and the weather, with the words "hail," "whirlwind," "rock," "winds," and "storm." While some of these are used by other speakers, this cluster of words within the brief sample of his teachings is unusual. Also, distinctively, he uses the word "remember" at a rate over 50 times greater than the rest of the Book of Mormon.
Helaman is the only person who refers to the "rock of our Redeemer" and the "rock upon which ye are built." He is also the only Book of Mormon speaker to refer to God as the "foundation." Only one of two speakers refer to Christ as the "sure foundation;" the other is Jacob. Helaman’s dominant theme is shown in the high frequency of redemption-related words and phrases. These include "redeem," "redeem his people," and "Redeemer." He is one of 13 speakers who talk about the "Redeemer." In fact, he uses "Redeemer" 13 times in only 446 words, which is at a rate 50 times greater than in the rest of the Book of Mormon.
Key Insights
We only have one small selection from Helaman’s many teachings (Helaman 5:13); however, what we do have shows that redemption through Christ in a chaotic world was a central concern to him. This doctrine would have provided sustaining comfort in a time of jarring events, such as war, dissension, apostasy in the Church, and secret combinations. When we read Helaman’s words of counsel, we should ponder how we can strengthen our faith in Christ and become more securely established on his foundation, to remain grounded in times of change and confusion.