Abinadi Continues His Message
Book of Mormon Notes - Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Mosiah 13
Abinadi was a type of Christ.
When King Noah heard Abinadi’s warnings and the way that Abinadi withstood the questioning of the wicked priests, he judged Abinadi that he was mad and ordered that he be put to death:
And now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his priests: Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do with him, for he is amad. (Mosiah 13:1, my emphasis added)
Our Lord was also judged to be mad:
There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? (John 10:19-20, my emphasis added)
Not coincidentally, both Abinadi and our Lord were judged to be mad immediately after they had each spoken powerful truths and born powerful testimony, thus confirming the truth of the Apostle Paul’s keen observation:
For what man aknoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God bknoweth no man, cbut the dSpirit of God.
Now we have received, not the aspirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s awisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost bteacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the anatural man breceiveth not the things of the cSpirit of God: for they are dfoolishness unto him: neither can he eknow them, because they are fspiritually gdiscerned. (1 Cor. 2:11-14, my emphasis added)
King Noah and his wicked priests judged Abinadi to be mad, and some of the Jews judged that Jesus Christ was mad, because Abinadi and Jesus Christ taught truth by the Spirit of God, truth that could only be discerned and understood by the Spirit of God. Abinadi and Jesus Christ were judged to be mad because the natural men around them could not receive the things of the Spirit of God, and because the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the natural man. Earlier in the same epistle, the Apostle Paul explained:
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Cor. 1:25)
And the opposite is also true:
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Cor. 3:19)
Thus Abinadi’s “madness” or “foolishness” was actually the truth and the wisdom of God that King Noah and his wicked priests could not receive. Thus Jesus Christ’s “madness” or “foolishness” was actually the truth and the wisdom of God that the wicked among the Jews could not receive. In this way, and in many other ways, Abinadi is a type of Jesus Christ.
As the wicked priests of King Noah attempted to seize Abinadi, Abinadi withstood them just as Nephi had withstood Laman and Lemuel when they attempted to seize him. Like Nephi before him, Abinadi was so completely filled with the Spirit of God that his enemies were powerless before him. Mormon certainly had Nephi’s example in mind:
And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him. (1 Nephi 17:48)
Thus Abinadi similarly withstood the wicked priests:
aTouch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye brequested that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time. (Mosiah 13:3)
But Mormon made the specific connection between Moses and Abinadi:
Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face ashone with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord. (Mosiah 13:5)
The connection between Abinadi and Moses seems significant to me, especially because Abinadi taught the wicked priests the very things that Moses had taught. Moses, Nephi, and Abinadi were each a type of Christ.
Let’s recall how the Spirit of the Lord worked upon Moses:
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Exodus 34:29-35)
Later in the Book of Mormon we learn of a similar phenomenon in the examples of the two prophet brothers Lehi and Nephi:
And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
All of this reminded me of one of Parley P. Pratt’s inspiring teachings regarding the operations of the Holy Ghost upon men:
He is an intelligent being, in the Image of God, possessing every organ, attribute, sense, sympathy, and affection that is possessed by God Himself. But these are possessed by man, in his rudimental state, in a subordinate sense of the word. Or, in other words, these attributes are in embryo, and are to be gradually developed. They resemble a bud, a germ, which gradually develops into a bloom and then, by progress, produces the mature fruit after its own kind.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections and adapts them by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to give health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being.
In the presence of such persons (who have been thus affected by It), one feels to enjoy the light of their countenance, as the genial rays of a sunbeam. Their very atmosphere diffuses a thrill, a warm glow of pure gladness and sympathy of Spirit. No matter if the parties are strangers, entirely unknown to each other, each will be apt to remark in his own mind, and perhaps exclaim, when referring to the interview- "Oh, what an atmosphere encircles that stranger! How my heart thrilled with pure and holy feelings in the presence of this person. What confidence and sympathy he inspired. His countenance and spirit gave me more assurance than a thousand written recommendations, or introductory letters." Such is the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and such are it's operations, when received through the lawful channel-the Divine, Eternal Priesthood.
In fact, Moses, Nephi, Abinadi, and Parley P. Pratt each point to the One whose face we seek and whose countenance shines above them all:
We asaw the Lord bstanding upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure cgold, in color like amber.
His aeyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his bcountenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his cvoice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of dJehovah, saying:
I am the afirst and the last; I am he who bliveth, I am he who was slain; I am your cadvocate with the Father. (D&C 110:2-4)
And to the Prophet Joseph Smith the pattern was revealed for all those who wish to enjoy the presence of the Lord:
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who aforsaketh his bsins and cometh unto me, and ccalleth on my name, and dobeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall esee my fface and gknow that I am (D&C 93:1)
From these insights and passages of scripture I get the sense that Abinadi had communed with the Lord face to face, just as Moses, Nephi, Joseph Smith and others have done. During those two years in hiding, the Lord may have visited Abinadi personally. I also think that such is likely the case because of Abinadi’s love for and deep familiarity with the teachings of Isaiah, another eye-witness of Christ.
When Abinadi’s attackers realized that they were powerless against him, Abinadi continued to deliver the message that the Lord had sent him to deliver, and to answer the questions that he had not yet finished answering.
Even as he delivered the Lord’s message, Abinadi also perceived or discerned that his message cut to the heart ❤️ of his audience because he told them the truth about their iniquities. Perhaps it was at this moment that Alma’s conscience was finally awakened, and perhaps Abinadi knew in some way that he had been sent specifically to lead this one precious soul to repentance.
Abinadi prophesied that what the wicked priests would do with him after he delivered the Lord’s message would be as a type and a shadow of things to come. Remember that Christ’s Crucifixion was still about 181 years in the future, and the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith was more than 1800 years after that. Of course Abinadi’s prophecy refers specifically to the type and shadow of King Noah’s own death, but as a type of Christ, Abinadi’s martyrdom also foreshadowed the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and I suggest that these things also prepare the Prophet Joseph Smith, the translator of this record, for his own martyrdom.
Abinadi continued to teach the Ten Commandments to King Noah’s wicked priests because he perceived that they were not written upon their hearts. He also taught them that salvation does not come by the law of Moses alone. He taught them the reason for and the purpose behind the law of Moses. He taught them about the Atonement of Jesus Christ:
And moreover, I say unto you, that asalvation doth not come by the blaw alone; and were it not for the catonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.
And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very astrict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, bquick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;
Therefore there was a alaw given them, yea, a law of performances and of bordinances, a law which they were to cobserve strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him. (Mosiah 13:28-30)
Abinadi taught the wicked priests that all of these things in the law of Moses were types of things to come. All of these things pointed to Jesus Christ and His Atoning Sacrifice. But neither the children of Israel or Abinadi’s immediate audience could understand any of it because of the hardness of their hearts, or in other words, because the things of God can only be known and understood by the Spirit of God, as the Apostle Paul taught.
Abinadi taught that Moses and all the prophets had prophesied concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem His people. Abinadi moved gracefully and by the Spirit of God from the teachings of Moses and the Law of Moses to a more direct testimony of Jesus Christ, that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth. Abinadi testified of the sufferings of Christ and of Christ’s power of resurrection.
At this point King Noah and his wicked priests must have been completely awestruck and spellbound as Abinadi, in the power of the Spirit of God, his face radiant with intelligence, knowledge, and truth, testified of Christ. King Noah and most of his priests were probably so angry, amazed, and dumbfounded that they were paralyzed and immobilized before this mighty servant of God. But perhaps Alma had begun to listen more intently now that he knew that Abinadi spoke pure truth.
I know that Abinadi spoke the truth, and that his message was not just meant for King Noah, his wicked priests, or even just for Alma. Mormon abridged many parts of Zeniff’s record, but in what follows, Mormon quoted Abinadi directly, and Abinadi quoted Isaiah directly. As Abinadi moved from the teachings of Moses to the teachings of Isaiah, Mormon - following the example of Nephi and Jacob, and following the Savior’s injunction later in the Book of Mormon to search the words of Isaiah - paused his editing, abridging, and commentary to let the inspired words of Isaiah, and Isaiah’s inspired testimony of Jesus Christ flow directly from Abinadi to us, the latter-day audience of the Book of Mormon…