During the reign of King Noah, the prohet Abinadi warned the people to repent. He also pophesied of pending destruction for turning from God. Abinadi's teachings also demonstrated the Savior's divinity, His unity with the Father, and the great sacrifice the Savior would make in the Atonement process. By studying the words of Abinadi, you can renew feelings of gratitude for the Savior's sacrifice and gain deeper appreciation of the Atonement.
The people who followed Alma into the wilderness humbled themselves by believing the word of God, repenting and accepting the covenant of baptism. Even so they fell captive to the Lamanites for a length of time. In the same period of history, the people of Limhi continued to live under Lamanite domination. They eventually humbled themselves after failing to free themselves by their own strength and were delivered by God.
Abinadi's testimony led to the conversion of Alma, but cost him his life. Through his one known convert (Alma) came the next several generations of prophets who prepared the people for the coming of Jesus Christ.
(Taken from the Book of Mormon-Institute Student Manual)
Post yhour comments, questions, and spiritual experiences relating to this weeks readings here.
3 comments:
The wicked priests of King Noah questioned Abinadi and tried to use the scriptures against him by quoting Isaiah (bad idea). They say, "What meaneth the words which are written . . . 'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good. . .'" It is as if the wicket priests are saying "Listen, Bucko, the scriptures say to bring good words, peaceful tidings, etc., none of this repentance mumbo-jumbo that you're teaching." Thus they take the scriptures out of context and focus on the mercy, love, and good-naturedness of God without considering His hate of sin and punishment of the wicked.
Abinadi’s message was not heeded and the Nephites’ enemies were brought upon them. Many died, tearing apart many families, and other families were further separated, presumably permanently, by losing their daughters to the Lamanites in order to stay further destruction. All those left alive entered into a persecuted state of semi-slavery.
But, in the end, one of those wicked priests repented, formed a congregation, and baptized many in the Waters of Mormon - bringing many to repentance and a return to their God. It is definitely “good tidings” that His reproof can be avoided by pre-reproof repentance, and it is also good tidings that His favor can be restored through post-reproof repentance, and that, in general, the wicked can allow themselves to be transformed into the faithful.
But I think the thing I most gather from that is that the wicked priests, and many in the world in general, and probably even us in the Church, sometimes think of God's mercy without remembering His justice and strictness. The whole "God will beat us with a few stripes" mentality. The Book of Mormon is a great example of God's justice and punishment of the wicked to get them to repent. He will do more than "beat us with a few stripes," He will allow nation to harass nation even including death, He will allow things like slavery, He will allow families to be torn apart, even though that may be painful to many, to persuade them to turn to Him and repent. Like Joseph Smith said, "Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive; and at the same time more terrible to the workers of iniquity, more awful in the executions of His punishments, and more ready to detect in every false way, than we are apt to suppose Him to be." But the latter part of that, the awful execution of punishments, readiness to detect every false way, etc., is based in love and His desire for us to be happy.
I guess overall it's just an observation that God is the perfect mix of justice and mercy, the ultimate parent, tough when He needs to be, soft when He needs to be, showering us with mercy whenever possible and when it will help us, ever omniscient and perfectly tailoring His reactions to our behavior based on where we are spiritually, emotionally, mentally, etc., at the time and what its effect will be on us.
Post a Comment