Moses wanted to bring the children of Israel into God’s presence. At God’s instruction, he told them to sanctify themselves, wash their clothes, and be ready, “for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai” (Exodus 19:10-11). On the third day, there was a cloud over the mountain, with thunder and lightning and the sound of a trumpet (Exodus 19:16). The people gathered near the mountain and heard the Ten Commandments for the first time.
But they were afraid. They withdrew from the mountain and asked Moses to be their representative:
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Exodus 20:19
Centuries later on another continent, the prophet Abinadi quizzed a group of corrupt priests about the law which Moses received on that mountain. “What know ye concerning the law of Moses?” he asked. “Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?” (Mosiah 12:31). When they answered that it did, he made the first of three statements about the relationship between the commandments and salvation:
- “I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai” (Mosiah 12:33).
He then proceeded to quote the Ten Commandments verbatim, to make clear exactly which commandments he meant.
After quoting them, he added a second statement:
- “I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses” (Mosiah 13:28).
He explained that Moses, like all prophets, had prophesied of the Messiah. Then Abinadi testified that “God himself” would come to earth and redeem His people (Mosiah 15:1).
At the end of his sermon, Abinadi urged them to teach the law as a means to an end:
- “If ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come — teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father” (Mosiah 16:14-15).
Just like Moses, Abinadi wanted to bring people into God’s presence. He knew that obedience to God’s commandments could get them to the base of the mountain, but he also knew that so much more was available to them, through the grace of Jesus Christ, if they were only willing to receive it. He wanted them to see the law as a reflection of the Lawgiver, who had the power to sanctify them and bring them back into His presence. Obedience to the law was an important step in that process, if it turned their hearts toward Him and increased their faith in Him.
Today, I will obey and draw near. I will view God’s commandments as instructions to grow closer to Him and receive His saving power.
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