King Noah had several offramps in his collision course with prophecy. When he heard Abinadi’s testimony and saw his power, he could have repented. When one of his priests defended Abinadi, he could have shown mercy. Finally, after sentencing Abinadi to death, he could have (and almost did) heed Abinadi’s very specific warning that his life was in danger. But Noah didn’t take any of those offramps. He stubbornly carried out the execution in spite of the warnings.
Abinadi, in contrast, remained faithful to the end. As he burned, he reiterated his prophecies, “[sealing] the truth of his words by his death.”
Chapter Outline
- Alma pleads on Abinadi’s behalf and is cast out (v. 1-5)
- Abinadi is condemned to death (v. 6-13)
- Abinadi’s final prophecy and death (v. 14-20)
My Takeaways
- We need to prioritize the truth over convenience, acceptance, or influence.
- You can tell how much a person values something by the price they are willing to pay for it.
- We must not let ourselves be unduly influenced by other people’s opinions.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Abinadi condemned to death – Mosiah 17:6-13
“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…
I Have Suffered Myself That I Have Fallen into Your Hands – Mosiah 17:9
9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands. (Mosiah 17:9) I admire Abinadi’s boldness in…
❖ Abinadi’s final prophecy and death – Mosiah 17:14-20
Having Sealed the Truth of His Words by His Death – Mosiah 17:20
20 And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death.(Mosiah 17:20) You can tell how much a person values something by the price they…
Old Testament Foundations
“What Shall We Do Unto the Queen?”
It is generally a good idea to check in with experienced and capable people before making a significant decision. They may help you look at the problem from different perspectives, and they may recommend options you hadn’t thought of. Hearing from a variety of people can enrich your experience and help you make better decisions…
Your Past Does Not Define You
I was struck this morning by something Elder S. Gifford Nielsen observed about Joshua: He was raised as a slave in Egypt. How did he become the successor of Moses, leading the children of Israel into the promised land? Certainly not by dwelling on his own weaknesses or lack of qualifications. Here is Elder Nielsen’s…
New Testament Parallels
Them Which Sat with Him at Meat
King Herod and King Noah both made tragic mistakes because they feared the people around them. We can also fall into the trap of valuing other people’s approval over God’s approval. One key is to not let people pressure you to make decisions too quickly.
Church History Connections
“To Seal the Testimony”
Talk is cheap. It’s easy to say something, and in many circumstances the speaker pays no price if their words are inaccurate. When we need more certainty that a person is telling the truth, we take formal steps to increase our confidence. For example, in court, we have witnesses swear an oath before they testify,…
Stirred Up
What would possess a group of people to invade and occupy their own Capitol Building while their elected representatives were conducting official government business on their behalf? How could they convince themselves that this action was morally acceptable, or that it was even helpful to their cause? The troubling events this week in the United…
Having Sealed the Truth of His Words – Mosiah 17:20
20 And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death. (Mosiah 17:20) You can tell how much you value something by how much you…
All Posts Referencing [Chapter] – update shortcode below too
- With the Rich in His Death (4/2/2026)
- Abinadi, Authority, and the Image of God (1/15/2026)
- A Proclamation (10/31/2025)
- Mahaleel and Our Times of Awakening (9/25/2025)
- “O God…” (12/6/2024)
- Ether’s Courage (11/29/2024)
- Being the Father and the Son (5/19/2024)
- Limhi’s Psalm (5/10/2024)
- God With Us (12/24/2023)
- Numbered with the Transgressors (6/3/2023)
- Them Which Sat with Him at Meat (3/30/2023)
- “What Shall We Do Unto the Queen?” (7/26/2022)
- Your Past Does Not Define You (5/24/2022)
- “To Seal the Testimony” (11/26/2021)
- Stirred Up (1/9/2021)
- Truth (1/8/2021)
- Martyrdom (6/17/2020)
- “I Have Told You the Truth” – Mosiah 13:4, 7 (5/9/2020)
- Why Do We “Bear” Witness? (5/23/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Anger? (5/9/2019)
- Having Sealed the Truth of His Words – Mosiah 17:20 (1/12/2017)
- The King Was Stirred Up – Mosiah 17:11-12 (1/12/2017)
- I Will Not Recall My Words – Mosiah 17:9-10 (5/28/2016)
- Having Sealed the Truth of His Words by His Death – Mosiah 17:20 (5/13/2015)
- I Have Suffered Myself That I Have Fallen into Your Hands – Mosiah 17:9 (5/9/2015)