Abinadi Prophesies to Noah’S People

Event 56

Reference: Mosiah 11:20-29; 12:1-37; 13:1-35; 14:1-12;15:1-31; 16:1-15; See Isa. 52:7-10; 53:1-12

And it came to pass that there was a man among themwhose name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them,and began to prophesy, saying:MormonLand of Nephiand land ofShilom280 to 121 B.C.Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me,saying,AbinadiGo forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo beunto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and theirwickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I willvisit them in mine anger. 21 And except they repent and turn tothe Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands oftheir enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; andthey shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies. 22 And itshall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord theirGod, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.23 And it shall come to pass that except this people repent andturn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought intobondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord theAlmighty God. 24 Yea, and it shall come to pass that when theyshall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and Iwill suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies. 25 Andexcept they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily tothe Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will Ideliver them out of their afflictions;The Lordand thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.Abinadi26 Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken thesewords unto them they were wroth with him, and sought totake away his life; but the Lord delivered him out of theirhands. 27 Now when king Noah had heard of the wordswhich Abinadi had spoken unto the people, he was alsowroth; and he said:MormonWho is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, orwho is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such greataffliction? 28 I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I mayslay him, for he has said these things that he might stir up mypeople to anger one with another, and to raise contentions amongmy people; therefore I will slay him.King Noah29 Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore theyhardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and theysought from that time forward to take him. And king Noahhardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he didnot repent of his evil doings.Mormon 1 AND it came to pass that after the space of two years thatAbinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew himnot, and began to prophesy among them, saying:MormonLand of Nephiand land ofShilom280 to 121 B.C.Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying—AbinadiAbinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people, for they havehardened their hearts against my words; they have repented notof their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea,in my fierce anger will I visit them in their iniquities andabominations. 2 Yea, wo be unto this generation!The LordAnd the Lord said unto me:AbinadiStretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith theLord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of theiriniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smittenon the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall beslain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wildbeasts, shall devour their flesh. 3 And it shall come to pass thatthe life of king Noah shall be valued even as a garment in a hotfurnace; for he shall know that I am the Lord. 4 And it shallcome to pass that I will smite this my people with soreafflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and I willcause that they shall howl all the day long. 5 Yea, and I willcause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; andthey shall be driven before like a dumb ass. 6 And it shall cometo pass that I will send forth hail among them, and it shall smitethem; and they shall also be smitten with the east wind; andinsects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain. 7 Andthey shall be smitten with a great pestilence—and all this will Ido because of their iniquities and abominations. 8 And it shallcome to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy themfrom off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a recordbehind them, and I will preserve them for other nations whichshall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I maydiscover the abominations of this people to other nations.The LordAnd many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.Mormon9 And it came to pass that they were angry with him; andthey took him and carried him bound before the king, andsaid unto the king:King Noah’spalace in land ofNephiBehold, we have brought a man before thee who has prophesiedevil concerning thy people, and saith that God will destroy them.10 And he also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith thatthy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire. 11 And again, hesaith that thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a dry stalk of the field,which is run over by the beasts and trodden under foot. 12 Andagain, he saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle, which,when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is driven forth upon theface of the land. And he pretendeth the Lord hath spoken it. AndPeople he saith all this shall come upon thee except thou repent, and thisbecause of thine iniquities. 13 And now, O king, what great evilhast thou done, or what great sins have thy people committed, thatwe should be condemned of God or judged of this man? 14 Andnow, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast notsinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and he hasprophesied in vain. 15 And behold, we are strong, we shall notcome into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, andthou hast prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper. 16Behold, here is the man, we deliver him into thy hands; thoumayest do with him as seemeth thee good.PeopleKing Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.17 And it came to pass that king Noah caused that Abinadishould be cast into prison; and he commanded that thepriests should gather themselves together that he might holda council with them what he should do with him.Mormon18 And it came to pass that they said unto the king:Bring him hither that we may question him;King Noah’sPriestsand the king commanded that he should be brought beforethem. 19 And they began to question him, that they mightcross him, that thereby they might have wherewith toaccuse him; but he answered them boldly, and withstood alltheir questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he didwithstand them in all their questions, and did confoundthem in all their words.Mormon20 And it came to pass that one of them said unto him:What meaneth the words which are written, and which have beentaught by our fathers, saying:King Noah’sPriests21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him thatbringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth goodtidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion,Thy God reigneth; 22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; withthe voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eyewhen the Lord shall bring again Zion; 23 Break forth into joy;sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hathcomforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem; 24 The Lordhath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, andall the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?IsaiahSee Isa. 52:7-1025 And now Abinadi said unto them:MormonAre you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and tounderstand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of mewhat these things mean? 26 I say unto you, wo be unto you forAbinadi perverting the ways of the Lord! For if ye understand these thingsye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways ofthe Lord. 27 Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding;therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye thispeople?AbinadiSee Isa. 52:7-10King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.28 And they said:MormonWe teach the law of Moses.King Noah’sPriests29 And again he said unto them:MormonIf ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it? Why do ye setyour hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whoredoms andspend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people tocommit sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy againstthis people, yea, even a great evil against this people? 30 Know yenot that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; andyou ought to tremble before God. 31 And it shall come to pass thatye shall be smitten for your iniquities, for ye have said that yeteach the law of Moses. And what know ye concerning the law ofMoses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?Abinadi32 And they answered and said that salvation did come bythe law of Moses. 33 But now Abinadi said unto them:MormonI know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved;yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered untoMoses in the mount of Sinai, saying:Abinadi34 I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the landof Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 35 Thou shalt have noother God before me. 36 Thou shalt not make unto thee anygraven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, orthings which are in the earth beneath.The Lord37 Now Abinadi said unto them,MormonHave ye done all this? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not. And haveye taught this people that they should do all these things? I sayunto you, Nay, ye have not.Abinadi1 AND now when the king had heard these words, he saidunto his priests:MormonKing Noah’spalace in land ofNephiAway with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do withhim, for he is mad.King Noah2 And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands onhim; but he withstood them, and said unto them:Mormon3 Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands uponme, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent meto deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that Ishould tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyedAbinadi at this time. 4 But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith Godhas commanded me; and because I have told you the truth ye areangry with me. And again, because I have spoken the word of Godye have judged me that I am mad.AbinadiSee Isa. 52:7-10King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these wordsthat the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands onhim, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his faceshone with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while inthe mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord. 6 And hespake with power and authority from God; and hecontinued his words, saying:Mormon7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish mymessage. Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts becauseI tell you the truth concerning your iniquities. 8 Yea, and my wordsfill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger. 9 But I finishmy message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that Iam saved. 10 But this much I tell you, what you do with me, afterthis, shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandmentsof God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; Iperceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part ofyour lives. 12 And now, ye remember that I said unto you:AbinadiThou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or anylikeness of things which are in heaven above, or which are inthe earth beneath, or which are in the water under the earth.The Lord13 And again:AbinadiThou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; forI the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities ofthe fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourthgenerations of them that hate me; 14 And showing mercy untothousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; forthe Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.16 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 17 Six days shaltthou labor, and do all thy work; 18 But the seventh day, thesabbath of the Lord thy God, thou shalt not do any work, thou,nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;19 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea,and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbathday, and hallowed it. 20 Honor thy father and thy mother, thatthy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy Godgiveth thee. 21 Thou shalt not kill. 22 Thou shalt not commitadultery. Thou shalt not steal. 23 Thou shalt not bear falsewitness against thy neighbor. 24 Thou shalt not covet thyneighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, norhis man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass,nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.The Lord 25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an endof these sayings that he said unto them:MormonSee Isa. 52:7-10King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all thesethings for to keep these commandments? 26 I say unto you, Nay;for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forthand to prophesy evil concerning this people. 27 And now ye havesaid that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you thatit is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but Isay unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more beexpedient to keep the law of Moses. 28 And moreover, I say untoyou, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it notfor the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins andiniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish,notwithstanding the law of Moses. 29 And now I say unto you thatit was expedient that there should be a law given to the children ofIsrael, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffneckedpeople, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord theirGod; 30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law ofperformances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observestrictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God andtheir duty towards him. 31 But behold, I say unto you, that allthese things were types of things to come. 32 And now, did theyunderstand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not allunderstand the law; and this because of the hardness of theirhearts; for they understood not that there could not any man besaved except it were through the redemption of God. 33 Forbehold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the comingof the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, andeven all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the worldbegan—have they not spoken more or less concerning thesethings? 34 Have they not said that God himself should come downamong the children of men, and take upon him the form of man,and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth? 35 Yea,and have they not said also that he should bring to pass theresurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressedand afflicted?Abinadi1 YEA, even doth not Isaiah say:Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of theLord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tenderplant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form norcomeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty thatwe should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; aman of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as itwere our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemedhim not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried oursorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, andIsaiahSee Isa. 53:1-12 afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he wasbruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace wasupon him; and with his stripes we are healed.IsaiahSee Isa. 53:1-12King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquitiesof us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet heopened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not hismouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; andwho shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of theland of the living; for the transgressions of my people was hestricken.9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich inhis death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit inhis mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath puthim to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sinhe shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasureof the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see the travailof his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall myrighteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and heshall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath pouredout his soul unto death; and he was numbered with thetransgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and madeintercession for the transgressors.1 AND now Abinadi said unto them:MormonI would that ye should understand that God himself shall comedown among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. 2And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son ofGod, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, beingthe Father and the Son— 3 The Father, because he was conceivedby the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thusbecoming the Father and Son— 4 And they are one God, yea, thevery Eternal Father of heaven and of earth. 5 And thus the fleshbecoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being oneGod, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, butsuffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, anddisowned by his people. 6 And after all this, after working manymighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea,even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so heopened not his mouth. 7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, andslain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of theSon being swallowed up in the will of the Father.Abinadi8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained thevictory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession forthe children of men— 9 Having ascended into heaven, having thebowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having brokenthe bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and theirtransgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demandsof justice. 10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare hisgeneration? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has beenmade an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what sayye? And who shall be his seed?AbinadiSee Isa. 53:1-12King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words ofthe prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesiedconcerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all thosewho have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lordwould redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day fora remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, orthey are the heirs of the kingdom of God. 12 For these are theywhose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, toredeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not hisseed? 13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has openedhis mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, Imean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say untoyou that they are his seed.14 And these are they who have published peace, who havebrought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; andsaid unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! 15 And O how beautiful uponthe mountains were their feet! 16 And again, how beautiful uponthe mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet ofthose who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this timehenceforth and forever! 18 And behold, I say unto you, this is notall. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of himthat bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, eventhe Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has grantedsalvation unto his people; 19 For were it not for the redemptionwhich he hath made for his people, which was prepared from thefoundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, allmankind must have perished.20 But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Sonreigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth topass the resurrection of the dead. 21 And there cometh aresurrection, even a first resurrection; yea, even a resurrection ofthose that have been, and who are, and who shall be, even until theresurrection of Christ—for so shall he be called. 22 And now, theresurrection of all the prophets, and all those that have believed intheir words, or all those that have kept the commandments of God,shall come forth in the first resurrection; therefore, they are thefirst resurrection. 23 They are raised to dwell with God who hasredeemed them; thus they have eternal life through Christ, who hasbroken the bands of death. 24 And these are those who have part inthe first resurrection; and these are they that have died beforeChrist came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared untothem. And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life,being redeemed by the Lord. 25 And little children also haveeternal life.AbinadiSee Isa. 53:1-12King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought totremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against himand die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in theirsins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled againstGod, that have known the commandments of God, and would notkeep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection.27 Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh tonone such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither canthe Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannotdeny justice when it has its claim.28 And now I say unto you that the time shall come that thesalvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred,tongue, and people. 29 Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up theirvoice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall seeeye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. 30 Break forthinto joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lordhath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 31 TheLord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations;and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.1 AND now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spokenthese words he stretched forth his hand and said:MormonThe time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord;when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye toeye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just. 2And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause tohowl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this becausethey would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore theLord redeemeth them not. 3 For they are carnal and devilish, andthe devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that didbeguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; whichwas the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish,knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil. 4Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have beenendlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from theirlost and fallen state.Abinadi5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, andgoes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth inhis fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore heis as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy toGod; and also is the devil an enemy to God. 6 And now if Christhad not come into the world, speaking of things to come as thoughthey had already come, there could have been no redemption. 7And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken thebands of death that the grave should have no victory, and thatdeath should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection. 8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory,and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. 9 He is the lightand the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can neverbe darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can beno more death.AbinadiSee Isa. 53:1-12King Noah’spalace in land ofNephi280 to 121 B.C.10 Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptionshall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before thebar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whetherthey be good or whether they be evil— 11 If they be good, to theresurrection of endless life and happiness; and if they be evil, tothe resurrection of endless damnation, being delivered up to thedevil, who hath subjected them, which is damnation— 12 Havinggone according to their own carnal wills and desires; having nevercalled upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extendedtowards them; for the arms of mercy were extended towards them,and they would not; they being warned of their iniquities and yetthey would not depart from them; and they were commanded torepent and yet they would not repent. 13 And now, ought ye not totremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in andthrough Christ ye can be saved? 14 Therefore, if ye teach the lawof Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which areto come— 15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christthe Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.