Abinadi’s sermon was prompted by a question. Not a sincere, heartfelt question from an earnest seeker after truth, but an adversarial question from a priest who wanted to discredit him. The question was this: What is the meaning of Isaiah 52:7-10?
Abinadi had been imprisoned because King Noah believed that his message of warning was dangerous to his regime. Noah and his priests kept the people in submission by constantly declaring “vain,” “flattering,” and “lying” messages to their people (Mosiah 11:7, 11). Abinadi’s words, in contrast, sounded revolutionary: Danger was coming, and the people, including the leaders, needed to repent.
Isaiah 52:7-10 speaks of a messenger from God who brings good news—a message of piece that causes the people to unite and rejoice. The undercurrent of the question was that King Noah and his priests were like the messenger in the passage, while Abinadi was not.
Abinadi responded by teaching Noah and his priests several fundamental concepts:
- The importance of internalizing the laws of God (Mosiah 13)
- The sorrow and suffering of the Savior (Mosiah 14)
- The importance of preaching the gospel of repentance (Mosiah 15-16)
During the sermon, Abinadi was protected from the king’s guards by the power of God. After the sermon, King Noah was inclined to set Abinadi free, but his priests convinced him to execute the prophet. As he died, Abinadi shared a final, fearless testimony.
Here is an outline of the sermon, with my takeaways: Abinadi teaches the priests of King Noah.
Here are some additional blog posts about Abinadi’s sermon:
Blog posts about King Noah and his priests
- The far-reaching influence of a leader: And He Did Cause His People to Commit Sin – Mosiah 11:1-2
- The danger of overconfidence: They Did Boast in Their Own Strength – Mosiah 11:19
- How to be more teachable: Ye Have Not Applied Your Hearts to Understanding – Mosiah 12:27
Blog posts about internalizing the laws of God
- Understanding, observing, and defending God’s law: What Does It Mean to “Keep” God’s Commandments?
- Internalizing the word of God: I Perceive That They Are Not Written in Your Hearts – Mosiah 13:11
- How the law teaches us: Types of Things to Come – Mosiah 13:29-31
Blog posts about the sorrow and suffering of the Savior
- Worldly power vs. spiritual power: “He Was Despised” – Mosiah 14:3
- The impact of silence: He Opened Not His Mouth – Mosiah 14:7
- Intentional service: All We, Like Sheep, Have Gone Astray – Mosiah 14:3-6
- Mourning with those that mourn: A Man of Sorrows – Mosiah 14:3
- Extraordinary self-discipline: How Is Jesus Both “the Father and the Son?”
- Deep and intense compassion: What Are “Bowels of Mercy?”
Blog posts about preaching the gospel of repentance
- Sharing genuinely good news: What Does It Mean to “Publish Peace?”
- Working for a durable peace: Thy Watchmen Shall Lift up Their Voice – Mosiah 15:28-29
- Born again: Who Shall Declare His Generation? – Mosiah 15:10-12
- Overcoming both physical and spiritual death: What Is the “Resurrection of Damnation?”
- Complacency is not a winning strategy: He That Persists in His Own Carnal Nature – Mosiah 16:5
Blog posts about Abinadi’s final testimony
- A meaningful burden: Why Do We “Bear” Witness?
- Acting instead of reacting: I Have Suffered Myself That I Have Fallen into Your Hands – Mosiah 17:9
Blog Posts: May 5-10
“Swallowed Up in Christ” – Mosiah 16:8
I’ve been thinking today about Abinadi’s testimony that “the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ” (Mosiah 16:8). Abinadi was likely familiar with Isaiah’s prophecy that the Lord would one day “swallow up death in victory” (Isaiah 25:8). He knew that this passage referred to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of His resurrection,…
Timeline of the Book of Mosiah
The Book of Mosiah is not written in chronological order, so it can be hard to keep track of where you are as you read. Here is a chart which will hopefully make it easier: A few observations:
How Can I Apply My Heart to Understanding? (Mosiah 12:27)
As Abinadi began to teach the priests of King Noah, he explained to them that their lack of knowledge was a result of their own lack of effort. “Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding,” he said; “therefore, ye have not been wise” (Mosiah 12:27). Versions of this phrase appear six times in the…
“Thus Saith the Lord” – Mosiah 11:20, 25, Mosiah 12:2
King Noah received two sets of messages. One set came from Abinadi, a prophet of God. The other set came from his own priests, whom he had chosen. Here are some of the messages he heard: Topic Abinadi The priests of King Noah The behavior of King Noah and his people “Thus saith the Lord—Wo…
“Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs” – Mosiah 14:3-4
As Abinadi taught the wicked priests of King Noah, he quoted Isaiah 53 to emphasize that salvation is available to us only because of Jesus Christ. In this chapter, Isaiah called the Savior “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Then, he identified the source of those afflictions: “Surely he has borne our griefs,…
“I Have Told You the Truth” – Mosiah 13:4, 7
It’s not just about the message; it’s also about the messenger. Alma was convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel when he heard Abinadi preach in King Noah’s court. Abinadi’s words were true, but he was persuasive not only because of his message. He was persuasive because of the personal sacrifice he was willing to…
“His Judgments Are Just” – Mosiah 16:1
I wrote yesterday about Abinadi’s commitment to the truth and his willingness to sacrifice convenience, status, and even his life for it. He maintained this integrity in spite of severe personal hardship because he was able to take the long view. As he told King Noah and his priests, “I finish my message; and then…
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