SAVED IN THE KINGDOM

 

 

There are two prophets in the Book of Mormon who I admire for one specific thing: they valued being saved in the kingdom of God more than they valued their lives.

As you will recall, Abinadi, was a prophet sent to the descendants of Zeniff with a grim prediction of bondage and destruction if they did not turn away from their sins. The king who sat on the throne governing this people was Zeniff's son Noah. Unlike his father before him who led the people in righteousness, Noah was the opposite.

Abinadi's message was not well received to say the least. In fact, King Noah sought to put him to death. Abinadi escaped only to resurface two years later not caring much for his life. This time King Noah succeeded in turning Abinadi into 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 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 sensibilities to contemplate because 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. This is most likely the death that Abinadi suffered.

Abinadi testified of Christ, spoke at length about resurrection and expounded on Isaiah but the greatest words he uttered were these: "....I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved." (Mosiah 13:9)

 

Ether was banished by the Jaredites who rejected his ‘great and marvellous prophecies’ and ‘esteemed him as naught, and cast him out’ (Ether 13:13). He was reduced to living in a cavity of a rock where he lived during the day recording the sad tale of the destruction of his people, the results of which he viewed by night (v 14).

Ether spent six years in the cavity of the rock because people sought to kill him (Ether 13:22;14:3;15:14). There was no mention of any friends or family. He lived in such a manner for this long to bear witness of the total destruction of the Jaredites. After their last and fatal battle, the Lord instructed Ether to view the carnage and record that all the words of the Lord had been fulfilled (Ether 15:33).

 

We don’t know what happened to Ether, whether he was translated or whether he died but he didn’t much care according to the very last words he wrote : ‘it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God’ (Ether 15:33,34).

An iron-clad testimony of Christ would mean that you would not only live for it but die for it too. When I read Nephi’s vision of us and the persecution that awaits us before the Saviour comes (1 Nephi 14:12-14), I wonder how many of us would say that it doesn’t matter what happens to us if we are saved in the kingdom of God. I only hope that I am one of them.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Ether by James H Fullmer)

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)

YOUR PURPOSE - ODE TO ABINADI

 

If you have ever wondered what your purpose in life is, then the story of Abinadi is the story for you.  When Abinadi first came on the scene preaching repentance in 148 B.C., he escaped King Noah’s edict of execution only to resurface two years later to go from a frypan into the fire.  And not any fire. Being burnt at stake would have been more merciful than what he suffered. Abinadi was scorched to death by flames of faggots that were used to poke and sear his skin until death (Mosiah 17:13,14). This practice of torture and death by fire was practiced widely among native American cultures. 

 

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….”. It is about Messiah’s humiliation and sufferings. But 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 is that he fulfilled his purpose. 

 

Another amazing thing about Abinadi…..he focused on delivering his message, he did not fixate on the success thereof….so he went to his death believing he fulfilled his purpose without any results, but there was a convert….Alma, then Alma the Younger, then Helaman, then his son Nephi, then 3^rd Nephi…and we all know what these men achieved. 

 

In your journey of self-discovery, be not afraid to step into deeper waters to discover what your true purpose in life is, and do not be worried about obvious results. Only be concerned with God’s approbation. Find the Abinadi in you and do not be afraid of the flames…..

 

 

ODE TO ABINADI:

How beautiful were your feet

As you published peace

And were numbered amongst His seed

Of the faithful and the believing;

As you so valiantly accepted His call

To bring Him 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 by Briana Shawcroft)

A REBELLIOUS SON

There lived in Zarahemla about 120 B.C. a very wicked and idolatrous man who had power over many people to entice them to sin and who went about actively destroying everything his father had painstakingly worked for. This son was the very vilest of sinners, who prepared the way for the enemy of God to steal many souls and who sought to destroy the church of God. This man was the son of the prophet Alma, the only convert of the martyred Abinadi, who defied the wicked king Noah and converted and baptised many people in the waters of Mormon. Imagine the grief and sorrow to have your own son working to discredit your life's work. This was Alma the Younger. Because he was a son and called The Younger, many readers of the Book of Mormon have presumed that Alma the Younger was a youth when rebelling against his father and against God. Mormon however, identifies him as 'a man' (Alma 27:8,9), a well seasoned sinner, well practiced in his ability to create trouble, an apostate who made it his life's work to discredit the Church. It is very unlikely that Alma the Younger was a reckless hot headed youth when he was wreaking havoc. A hot headed youth is more concerned with pursuing his own self interests and rebellion than being involved in apostasy. Shortly after Alma the Younger is visited by an angel, his father Alma dies at the age of 82 (Mosiah 29:45). It would have been unlikely that Alma at this age had a son in his twenties. This would suggest that Alma was more likely to have been in his 40s at the height of his wickedness and ensuing repentance.

The question of Alma's age offers more insight into the severity of his sinful life. His sins were not trivial, but heinous and destructive, not only to himself but to others. His sins and the persecutions which he heaped upon the saints no doubt went on for years. These were not trivial sins easily washed away. One might wonder why the Lord waited so long to send an angel to Alma the Younger to turn him away from his destructive course. In Alma's story, however, we see that God has a purpose for each of us for Alma's conversion became the most powerful lesson about the effectiveness of the Atonement in all the works of scripture. Alma's conversion shows us that no matter how big the sin, the Atonement is bigger still. Not only was Alma exceedingly sinful, his ability to draw people to him and his power to convince them to follow his course would have filled him with enormous pride which would have hardened his heart to be in direct opposition to God, making repentance extremely difficult without God's intervention (expressed by Elder L. Tom Perry, source unknown). Alma was surely in Satan's clutches in every way. For such a vile sinner, there had to be a spectacular conversion. A conversion that would show what the Lord can make of us even when we seem to be beyond the point of no return, a conversion that would highlight not only the Saviour's mercy but the scope of His care and incomprehensible love. The extent and seriousness of Alma's sins can be seen in the recounting of his experience where he says he waded 'through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death', being 'in the darkest abyss', his soul being 'racked with eternal torment' (Mosiah 27:28,29). Amidst all that anguish of soul, Alma describes his deliverance with an interesting word. He says he was snatched from eternal torment and everlasting burning. Imagine the Saviour's willingness to go to the fires of hell to deliver one of the vilest of sinners. Imagine the power to snatch someone from excruciating pain before they are consumed. What more powerful lesson can we learn from Alma's conversion than this?

"I remember reading about a fire fighter in the eastern United States who ran into a burning house to rescue several children from an arson-induced fire. While his colleagues battled the blaze to keep it from spreading to other structures in the neighborhood, this man dashed into the building again and again, each time emerging with a child in his arms. After rescuing a fifth child, he started into the inferno once more. Neighbors shouted that there were no more children in the family. But he insisted that he had seen a baby in a cradle, and he dove into the intensifying heat.

Moments after he disappeared into the fire and smoke, a horrifying explosion shook the building and the entire structure collapsed. It was several hours before fire fighters were able to locate their colleague's body. They found him in the nursery near the crib, huddled protectively over a  life-sized - and practically unscratched - doll.

I'm overwhelmed by that story. I'm touched by the fire fighter's courageous and selfless devotion to duty, and I'm thankful that there are men and women in the world who are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of others.

As I think about such heroism, however, I'm reminded that the most heroic act of all time ever was performed in behalf of all mankind by the Son of God. In a very real sense, all of humanity - past, present, and future - was trapped behind a wall of flame that was fueled and fanned by our own faithlessness. Sin separated mortals from God (see Romans 6:23), and would do so forever unless a way was found to put out the fires of sin and rescue us from ourselves" (Elder M. Russell Ballard, Our Search for Happiness, p 11)

"Can a woman forget her sucking child,

that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?

Yea, they may forget, 

yet will I not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;

thy walls are continually before me."

Isaiah 49:15,16

(I wish to acknowledge two sources of insights for this blog, namely: Maurine Proctor of Meridian Magazine who raised the question of Alma's age and Ted Gibbons for highlighting the word 'snatch', in their informative articles on The Book of Mormon Lesson #20, My Soul Is Pained No More)