Introduction
Hand out the following pictures before class:
a. Noah preaching to the people (62053; Gospel Art Picture Kit 102)
b. Moses leading the Israelites out of
c. Lehi warning the people in
d. Esther going before King Ahasuerus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 125)
e. Abinadi preaching to King Noah (62042; Gospel Art Picture Kit 308)
f. Samuel preaching in Zarahemla (62370; Gospel Art Picture Kit 314)
g. Joseph Smith fulfilling his mission as the Prophet of the Restoration (62470; Gospel Art Picture Kit 403)
Answer the following questions for each person:
- Who was this person?
- Was his mission or assignment easy?
- Was he successful in his mission?
Point out that each person was willing to preach and was successful because of God’s help.
Abinadi teaches of the Atonement and Law of Moses
In the last lesson, Abinadi warned the people of King Noah to repent, but they rejected him and he fled. Two years later, he returned and told them that since they had not repented, they would suffer the punishments he had foretold. Read Mosiah 12:8 – Notice that at this point, some consequences are unavoidable (punishment) but that others are still conditioned on their non-repentance (destruction). Unfortunately the people still rejected him, bound him, and took him to King Noah where the priests tried to “cross him.”
After trying to trip Abinadi up in his words, one of the priests (maybe this was
Rather than explaining the meaning of this passage, how does Abinadi respond? See Mosiah 12:25-27. What does it mean to “apply our hearts to understanding”?
Where did Noah and his priests apply their hearts? Read Mosiah 12:28-29.
Abinadi explained the purpose of the Law of Moses and how it relates to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and teaches them the Ten Commandments. He then explains how salvation comes. Read Mosiah 13:28. Salvation does not come by the Law of Moses, keeping the Ten Commandments, going home teaching faithfully every month, paying tithing, and every other righteous practice we engage in. Compare with the Third Article of Faith and 2 Nephi 25:23.
Abinadi teaches the words of Isaiah
In Mosiah 14, Abinadi returns to Isaiah and quotes Isaiah 53. Read Mosiah 14:3-6, 15:1, 8-9, 18-20.
- Jesus suffered for our sins, and we (using the word “we” as Isaiah does) thought it was his fault he was smitten
- God himself atones for his people. He does not send anyone else in his place. (Comment on my discomfort with the question as a missionary of whether we believe Jesus is God. Now I better understand that of course he is! There is no other possible way to answer that question.)
- Jesus makes possible the resurrection
- Jesus can intercede for his people and satisfy the demands of justice. What is justice?
- Distribution of punishment (which we all deserve, but our loving Father would rather not have us suffer)
- Distribution of blessings (which we don’t deserve, but which God wants to give us)
- We will discuss this idea in greater detail when we discuss
- Without Jesus’ atonement, we are all hopelessly lost
Abinadi concludes with this admonition in Mosiah 16:13-15. We can apply this ourselves by repenting, remembering Jesus Christ, and focusing all our teachings on him and his atonement.
Abinadi seals his testimony with his life
Because Abinadi refused to recall his testimony of Jesus Christ, he was killed. While we are not likely to die for our faith, we need to allow our faith to change our lives. Quote by President Benson:
President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world. Men changed for Christ will be captained by Christ. … Men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. … Their will is swallowed up in His will. (See John 5:30.) They do always those things that please the Lord. (See John 8:29.) Not only would they die for the Lord, but more important they want to live for Him” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1985, 5–6; or Ensign, Nov. 1985, 6).
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