COURAGEOUS ABINADI

 

 

Herein is Christ’s mercy to the descendants of Zeniff who had become idolatrous people under the reign of his son Noah (Mosiah 11:7). Whenever God needs to call people to repentance He sends a prophet. Noah got one of the most valiant ones that ever lived: Abinadi.

This is what will forever be recorded in the annals of history about this man:  His unwavering testimony of Christ. When questioned by the priests of Noah, Abinadi recited Isaiah 53 in its perfection and entirety. I am sure he didn’t carry scriptures around and most certainly didn’t have them handy when handcuffed standing in front of his accusers. How many of us could memorise Isaiah, recite it word for word and then explain it? This is chapter 53: “….surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows….he was wounded for our transgressions…he was oppressed and afflicted….”. the prophecy of Messiah and the foundation of Abinadi’s testimony. There is something else very interesting about Chapter 53. Abinadi quoted that Christ would, because of His death, divide His eternal reward ‘with the strong’ (Mosiah 14:12).  Well, you can’t get stronger than Abinadi who knew he was going to meet his death but who wouldn’t abstain from finishing his message. Take note why: “I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved.” (Mosiah 13:9). Never a more poignant statement has been made…..in the end, all that mattered was that he fulfilled his purpose.

Abinadi's call to repentance was not well received to say the least. In fact, King Noah sought to put him to death (Mosiah 11:28). Abinadi escaped only to resurface two years later. The interesting thing about his return is that he did not reappear at just any time.  Abinadi's discourse with Noah's priests on the law of Moses, and his jail confinement of three days suggests that Abinadi came back during the Israelite festival of Pentecost (John W Welch, "Abinadi and Pentecost", ScripturePlus). Pentecost was a three-day festival which celebrated Israel's deliverance from Egypt and the receipt of the Mosaic Law.  So Abinadi reappeared during a busy time hoping to find a larger audience, not caring that there is a warrant out for his arrest. In fact, he ensured that he would be arrested because the first thing he did was speak against King Noah pronouncing a death sentence on his life, which he said would be 'valued even as a garment in a hot furnace' (Mosiah 12:3). This, he was sure, would bring him to King Noah himself because one thing he knew for sure, he had to deliver the words which God had commanded him to deliver (Mosiah 13:4), even at the peril of his life.

Abinadi did get to see King Noah and as a result he became one of the great Christian martyrs.  The scriptures say Abinadi 'suffered death by fire' (Mosiah 17:20). Our modern day supposition of this would be being burned at the stake, however, the description of his death never mentions that this was the case. Instead, it states that Abinadi was 'scourged with faggots'...'until the flames began to scorch him' (Mosiah 17:13,14). Such a death is almost too much for our modern-day sensibilities to contemplate, however, history speaks of the ancient method of burning bundles of sticks (faggots) with which they poked and burnt the victim's skin until he died. Sometimes this process was dragged out for days or weeks to maximise the extent of the agony (see Ethnohistorical Sources and the Death of Abinadi, BYU Religious Studies Center). This is most likely the death that Abinadi suffered. The amazing thing is that he anticipated he would meet such a death when he proclaimed without fear that King Noah would also meet a death by fire, which he did (Mosiah 19:20). Have you ever heard of such courage?

ODE TO ABINADI: 

How beautiful were your feet

As you published peace

And brought Christ as an offering

To the proud and the unbelieving.

You stood without flinching

As the flames licked your body

And defiant spirit without yielding.

With courage you proclaimed His Sonship

And His godly might;

With righteous devotion

You earned entrance to His holy heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Abinadi by Briana Shawcroft)