Champion Chess Players in the Scriptures

I'm not a great chess player. I love the game...I love the strategy...but I'm not a great chess player. But there's another version of chess that I'm getting better at. It's a spiritual version. And I have champion spiritual chess players to look up to like Adam, Moses, Melchizedek, Nephi, Joseph Smith and the greatest one of all - Captain Moroni. Maybe some background will help you see how these men were such expert chess players.

In Seminary, we recently studied the Jaredite civilization. The group came out of present-day Iraq about 2200 B.C. Their language was preserved following the destruction of the Tower of Babel and they were brought by the hand of the Lord to the American continent.

Hugh Nibley wrote that "The insane wars of the Jaredite chiefs ended in the complete annihilation of both sides, with the kings the last to go." He went on to describe two Asiatic tactics of warfare:

1) Since every war is strictly a personal contest between kings, the battle must continue until one of the kings falls or is taken.
2) And yet things are so arranged that the king must be very last to fall, the whole army existing for the sole purpose of defending his person.

He goes on to say that "This is clearly seen in the game of chess, in which all pieces are expendable except the king, who can never be taken. 'The shah in chess,' writes M. E. Moghadam, 'is not killed and does not die. The game is terminated when the shah is pressed into a position from which he cannot escape. This is in line with all good traditions of chess playing, and back of it the tradition of capturing the king in war rather than slaying him whenever that could be accomplished.' You will recall the many instances in the book of Ether in which kings were kept in prison for many years but not killed. In the code of medieval chivalry, taken over from central Asia, the person of the king is sacred, and all others must perish in his defense. As long as the war went on, the king could not die, for whenever he did die, the war was over, no matter how strong his surviving forces. Wars of extermination are a standard institution in the history of Asia."

Fascinating. But what's the connection? How can I apply this game of chess to my spiritual life? Stay with me just a little longer. I'm getting there. It came to all of us as we were taking this journey together during the lesson.

Actually, I'll cut it short. Because it would make this post way too long if I went into the other part of this learning experience. I'll save that for another time. But here's the bottom line/application:

Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved. (Ether 8:26)

The great men listed above were great chess players because they learned how to place Satan in checkmate. If we humble ourselves and learn how to do good continually, we too can place him in checkmate...and he will have no power over us...no matter how strong his surviving forces are. The Savior has given us the ability to overcome Satan.

Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. (Alma 48:17)