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Abinadi the Prophet

Abinadi – he was a man of unparalleled faith and courage. He seems to appear out of nowhere about 150 BC among the people of King Noah. He was a deep-well of faith in a land of spiritual drought.

Noah’s people had become terribly wicked and the lord called Abinadi to warn them.

“Woe be unto these people, he said, except they repent, I will visit them in mine anger.”

These warnings, Noah and his people did not repent, you know the story, but rather became offended and tried to kill him. Fortunately, he escaped the first time and was not heard from for two years. Then, disguised just long enough to gain entry into their city, he stood and proclaimed a different message.

“Woe be unto this generation” he said, “thus saith the Lord. It shall come to pass that this generation because of their iniquities shall be brought into bondage.”

This time it was not a conditional threat but a promise now of things to come. Evidently, the day of grace passed with them. Abinadi was arrested and taken before King Noah where King Noah’s priests attempted to question him and trip him up. But Abinadi was filled with the power of God and confounded them on every hand.

Once again, they tried to kill him but such was the power of the spirit of the Lord within Abinadi that he was transfigured before them and they dared not touch him.

“I finish my message, Abinadi declared, “and then it matters not whether I go if it so be that I am saved.”

Can you imagine ? You are going to kill me but I don’t care as long as I am with my Savior. Abinadi then taught them of the coming of Jesus, profoundly interpreting the meaning of

Isaiah’s words concerning the future Messiah. Twice he announced:

“God himself shall come down among the children of men and shall redeem his people.”

Abinadi then explained that the mortal Jesús would be… and this is a passage that trips people up. He then explained that the mortal Jesús would be both God and man on Earth in the same person. Heaven and Earth would be brought together and two worlds bridged in Jesús. He would be the Son and a man of Earth because he was born of a mortal woman and he would inherit the capacity through that mortal parentage to die but he would be God also and the Father because he was God’s Almighty Son and inherited the power of his Father to be like his Father.

By this singular genetic endowment, Christ could accomplish both the resurrection and the redemption of mankind and take us home. The irony of this, for declaring such doctrine that God himself would come down among men, Abinadi was sentenced to die.

“Abinadi, Noah said to the man in bonds. We have found an accusation against thee and thou art worthy of death for thou hast said that God himself shall come down among the

children of men” and then King Noah says, “if you’ll recall all the words you’ve spoken against me, we’ll let you go.”

Obviously the doctrine was a pretense but it was enough. When Abinadi was offered the chance to recant, he refused gloriously.

“I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning these people for they are true and that you may know of their surety. I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands yea and I will suffer even until death and I will not recall my words.”

The power of that man. Words on a page don’t do justice to the heroism of that moment. I can’t wait to see the video of Abinadi before King Noah. Then as you know what happens, with flaming torches of fire, the enraged priests of Noah whipped and scourged Abinadi until he was dead. For teaching the greatest truth in time and eternity that God would come down among men, they killed him. But perhaps that is not so strange. If truth cuts to the heart then the greater the truth, the deeper the cut and the blacker the hate of the wicked.

Thank the Lord for Abinadi’s courage and even more to know the truth that he knew. I’ve always loved that story and I can’t wait for the day when you and I get to meet Abinadi and Mormon and Gid Gadonai and others.