Mosiah 14:1-12

 Chapter 14

Isaiah speaks Messianically—Messiah's humiliation and sufferings are set forth—He makes his soul an offering for sin and makes intercession for transgressors—Compare Isaiah 53. About 148 B.C.

1  YEA, even doth not Isaiah say: 

    Who hath believed our report, 

         and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, 

         and as a root out of dry ground; 

    he hath no form nor comeliness; 

         and when we shall see him 

         there is no beauty that we should desire him.
 

3  He is despised and rejected of men; 

         a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; 

    and we hid as it were our faces from him;

         he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4  Surely he has borne our griefs, 

         and carried our sorrows; 

    yet we did esteem him stricken, 

         smitten of God, and afflicted.
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions,

         he was bruised for our iniquities; 

    the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 

         and with his stripes we are healed.

6  All we, like sheep, have gone astray; 

         we have turned every one to his own way; 

    and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, 

         yet he opened not his mouth; 

    he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 

         and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb 

         so he opened not his mouth.
8  He was taken from prison and from judgment; 

         and who shall declare his generation?  

    For he was cut off out of the land of the living; 

         for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
9  And he made his grave with the wicked, 

         and with the rich in his death; 

   because he had done no evil, 

         neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10  Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; 

          he hath put him to grief; 

     when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin

          he shall see his seed, 

     he shall prolong his days, 

          and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11  He shall see the travail of his soul, 

           and shall be satisfied; 

      by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; 

            for he shall bear their iniquities.
12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,

           and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; 

      because he hath poured out his soul unto death; 

           and he was numbered with the transgressors; 

      and he bore the sins of many, 

           and made intercession for the transgressors.

Mosiah 14:1-12 (Emphasis mine)

(Note:  The poetry formatting used in Mosiah 14 is found in The Book of Mormon - A Reader's Edition, by Grant Hardy, pgs. 211-212)

After teaching "that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth? Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?" (13:34-35), Abinadi quoted Isaiah 53, the above set of scriptures.  He reminded them that this was a part of their scripture, yet they did not teach this to the people.

At this point, I would like to compare the two records (Book of Mormon & Old Testament), identifying differences in the text.  The first entry will be from the Old Testament, the second from the Book of Mormon.  Differences will be highlighted in the Book of Mormon text.

9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

We see one difference in verse 9.  The King James version uses the word violence.  In the Book of Mormon, evil is used in its place.  The Hebrew word used in this verse is hāmās.  This translates as  violence, destruction, malice, ruthfulness and fierceness.  (See The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, entry Hebrew 2555.)  Using evil in place of violence doesn't change the meaning and intent of the verse.

There are no more differences in the verses.

Abinadi  makes it clear that the priests are not teaching the people the true word of God.

Mosiah 13:25-35

27  And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses.  I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
28  And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.
29  And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;
30  Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him.
31  But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.

Mosiah 13:27-31 (Emphasis mine)

Yes, the law of Moses leads to salvation, Abinadi tells them, but they day will come when this will not be so.  Salvation can only come through the atonement.  The atonement must be done by God himself.  

He then answers a question - "Why do we have the law of Moses?"  It was easy for them to fall into sinful and wicked ways.  In many ways, spiritually speaking, they were children.  They needed a constant reminder of how they were to live; hence, the law of Moses.  

This was a performance oriented law.  There were daily observances that needed to be done in order to fulfill the law.  These constant observances were a way for them to always remember what the Lord expected of them.

The law was also a "type" of things to come.  Let's turn to the scriptures to get an idea of what Abinadi meant.

3  ¶ Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Exodus 12:3-5 (Emphasis mine)

29  ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:29 (Emphasis mine)

The Lamb, of course, represents Christ.  He was called the Lamb of God, and he was without blemish (sin).

9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Numbers 21:9 (Emphasis mine)

14  ¶ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:14-15 (Emphasis mine)

17  ¶ Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.  And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 1:17 (Emphasis mine)

Christ was in the tomb three days and three nights.

32  And now, did they understand the law?  I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God.
33  For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people?  Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?
34  Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?
35  Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?

Mosiah 13:32-35 (Emphasis mine)

Even though they were given a performance law, the people still did not understand the law and its purpose.  Moses prophesied of the coming of Christ; all prophets have basically taught about the coming of Christ.  Yet, they  people still didn't get it.  They hardened their hearts and ignored the words of the prophets. 

9  He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Psalms 111:9-10 (Emphasis mine)

9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1 Peter 1:9-11(Emphasis mine)

So we learn that salvation comes through the law of Moses for a time, but that God himself would come to Earth and sacrifice His life for our sins.  It will ultimately be through the atonement that all will be saved. 

Mosiah 13:1-24

 Chapter 13

Abinadi is protected by divine power—He teaches the Ten Commandments—Salvation does not come by the law of Moses alone—God himself shall make an atonement and redeem his people. About 148 B.C.

1  AND now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his priests: Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do with him, for he is mad.
2  And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him; but he withstood them, and said unto them:
3  Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time.
4  But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me.  And again, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged me that I am mad.

5  Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord.
6  And he spake with power and authority from God; and he continued his words, saying:
7  Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message.  Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.
8  Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.
9  But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved.

Mosiah 13:1-9 (Emphasis mine)

Noah has had all he can take from Abinadi.  He's nuts.  Let's kill him.  He doesn't respond to his words; he doesn't discuss his words; he just dismisses them out of hand.  If we get rid of the problem, all this will go away.

Of course, things don't always work that smoothly.  Abinadi has a message to deliver.  It hasn't been delivered.  He is going nowhere until he delivers the Lord's word to the king and his priests.

In Jerusalem, Christ faced this type of rejection.  We read:

17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This commandment have I received of my Father.
19  ¶ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
20  And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
21  Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil.  Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

John 10:17-21 (Emphasis mine)

Other prophets faced rejection and death.

10  And [Elijah] said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Kings 19:10 (Emphasis mine)

20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper?  because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21  And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 24:20 - 21 (Emphasis mine)

15  And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
16  But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (Emphasis mine)

19  But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

Jeremiah 11:19 (Emphasis mine)

11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 (Emphasis mine)

47  Woe unto you!  for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48  Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Luke 11:47-51 (Emphasis mine)

51  ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?  and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54  ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on [Stephen] with their teeth.

Acts 7:51-54 (Emphasis mine)

In the April 2010 General Conference, Elder Kevin R. Duncan talked about the importance of following the prophets.

"With technology today, information on a myriad of subjects is available with the click of a keystroke. It is easy to get caught in the trap of looking to the 'arm of flesh' for advice on everything from how to raise children to how to find happiness. While some information has merit, as members of the Church we have access to the source of pure truth, even God Himself. We would do well to search out answers to our problems and questions by investigating what the Lord has revealed through His prophets. With that same technology today, we have at our fingertips access to the words of the prophets on nearly any subject. What has God taught us about marriage and the family through His prophets? What has He taught us about education and provident living through His prophets? What has He taught us about personal happiness and fulfillment through His prophets?  What the prophets teach may to some seem outdated, unpopular, or even impossible. But God is a God of order and has established a system whereby we may know His will. 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.' At the opening of this, the dispensation of the fullness of times, the Lord reaffirmed that He would communicate with us through His prophets. He stated, 'My word … shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.' " (Emphasis mine)

In v3, Abinadi says that "... God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time."  (Emphasis mine)  It appears that Abinadi realized that it was likely that, by coming back and preaching after two years, his life would not only be threatened, but that there was a good chance he would be sealing his testimony with his blood.  In fact, his fate didn't matter to him.  He was going to give his message to the people.  If he went free, great.  If not, fine.  He knew that he wold be saved because of his faith and willingness to keep the commandments and serve God.

Then, he gives them a very straightforward warning. 

10  But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.

Mosiah 13:10 (Emphasis mine)

How they treat him will determine their fate.  If they show mercy, they will receive mercy.  If they don't they will suffer the consequences.

Abinadi reviews the Ten Commandments.

11  And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives.
12  And now, ye remember that I said unto you: Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of things which are in heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which are in the water under the earth.
13  And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generations of them that hate me;
14  And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
15  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
16  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
17  Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
18  But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man–servant, nor thy maid–servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;
19  For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
20  Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
21  Thou shalt not kill.
22  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Thou shalt not steal.
23  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
24  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man–servant, nor his maid–servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

Mosiah 13:11-24

In the next post, we'll study some deep and profound Gospel truths from Abinadi.

Mosiah 12:17-37

17  And it came to pass that king Noah caused that Abinadi should be cast into prison; and he commanded that the priests should gather themselves together that he might hold a council with them what he should do with him.
18  And it came to pass that they said unto the king: Bring him hither that we may question him; and the king commanded that he should be brought before them.
19  And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words.

Mosiah 12:17-19 (Emphasis mine)

The people brought Abinadi before the King.  He decided to throw him in prison.  Then, he met with his priests.

The purpose was not to determine what to do with him, but to question him and use his words to convict him.  It won't work, as we will see.  He withstood their challenges and "... [confounded] them in all their words.

This is not an uncommon method used to attempt to confuse the righteous.

28  Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
29  Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
30  I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
31  For he shall stand at the aright hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.

Psalms 109:28-31 (Emphasis mine)

3  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.  But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last ...

John 8:3-9 (Emphasis mine)

33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:33 (Emphasis mine)

14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

James 3:14-16 (Emphasis mine)

Let the questioning begin!  The first question:

20  And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
21  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
22  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;
23  Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;
24  The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?

Mosiah 12:20-24 (Compare with Isaiah 52:7-10)

7  ¶ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
8  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion (Heb - returns to Zion or restores Zion).
9  ¶ Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 52:7-10

(Note:  The heading of Chapter 52 says, in part - In the last days, Zion shall return and Israel be redeemed.)

Abinadi's response.

25  And now Abinadi said unto them: Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?
26  I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord!  For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.
27.  Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise...

Mosiah 12:25-27 (Emphasis mine)

As was mentioned earlier, the purpose of the questioning was to challenge and confuse Abinadi.  Abinadi makes it clear he has other purposes.

His first words are to challenge them.  He tells them they claim to be priests to the people, to teach them the word of God, yet they are asking him what it means?  If you know what it means, and haven't taught the people, then they pervert the word of God.  Either way, they are not fulfilling their responsibilities as priests.

This challenge is similar to that Christ gave the Jewish leaders in His day.

8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

John 3:8-10 (Emphasis mine)

19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart ...

Matthew 13:19 (Emphasis mine) 

11  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.  Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

2 Peter 2:11-13 (Emphasis mine)

Then, the accused becomes the prosecution.

27  ... Therefore, what teach ye this people?
28  And they said: We teach the law of Moses.
29  And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it?  Why do ye set your hearts upon riches?  Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil against this people?
30  Know ye not that I speak the truth?  Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God.
31  And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses ...

Mosiah 12:27-31 (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi pulls a "gotcha!" on the priests.  He asks them what it is that they teach the people.  The Law of Moses in their response.  He has them where he wants them.

If you teach the law of Moses, Abinadi asks, why don't you live it.  He lists their sins - hearts set on riches, consorting with harlots, causing the people to commit sin.  This is not the law of Moses.

The next question he asks convicts them of their wickedness?  They know he speaks the truth. He knows that they know they are committing offenses before God.  What they are doing is not done through a lack of understanding.  They are most certainly aware that, even though they claim to teach the Law of Moses. they  know they aren't.  Abinadi catches them in their lies and sins.

Abinadi continues.

31  ... And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses?  What say ye?
32  And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law of Moses.
33  But now Abinadi said unto them: I know if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying:
34  I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
35  Thou shalt have no other God before me.
36  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.
37  Now Abinadi said unto them, Have ye done all this?  I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.  And have ye taught this people that they should do all these things?  I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.

Mosiah 12:31-37 (Emphasis mine)

Does salvation come through the Law of Moses, Abinadi asks.  The priests agree.

Abinadi testifies to them that salvation comes through the commandments handed to Moses at Mt. Sinai.  Then he asks the priests if they have taught the people this.  No, they haven't.  They haven't taught the people the things necessary for salvation.

What they are doing is paying lip service to the word of God.  Yeah, I believe,  Yeah, the people should know it, but who cares?  Life's too good to worry about teaching the people.

We see that, in their initial confrontation, Abinadi is not going let them off the hook.  He has been called of God to call the people to repent and return to righteous living.  No one, especially a group of false priests, will stop him from proclaiming the word of God.

16 ¶ And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20  And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the atop of the mount; and Moses went up.

Exodus 19:16-20 (Emphasis mine)

1  AND God spake all these words, saying,
2  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
12  ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13  Thou shalt not kill.
14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15  Thou shalt not steal.
16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 

Exodus 20:1-4; 7-8, 12-17 (Emphasis mine)

13  Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
14  And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

Nehemiah 9:13-14 (Emphasis mine)

In the April 1992 issue of the Ensign, Robert J. Matthews wrote a great article about Abinadi.  Describing Abinadi, he wrote:

"The prophet Abinadi holds a singular place in the Book of Mormon. He was the first to die as a martyr, and his doctrinal teachings clarify the purpose of the law of Moses, identify the Redeemer, and declare facts about the doctrine of resurrection not previously mentioned in the book. He was capable of exquisite language sparked with fiery metaphor, yet was plainspoken to the point of bluntness." (Emphasis mine)

The June 2000 issue of the Liahona has an article by Clyde J. Williams.  He says about Abinadi:

"The ministry of Abinadi illustrates the importance of timeliness in heeding prophetic warnings. When Abinadi first warned the Nephites in the land of Lehi-Nephi, no one responded to his warning to repent or be placed in bondage (see Mosiah 11:21). Consequently, when Abinadi returned two years later, the severity of his warning increased. He now prophesied that the Nephites would be brought into bondage and that, if they still did not repent, they would be destroyed (see Mosiah 12:2, 8)." (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi's teachings help us better understand the gospel and brings us closer to the Lord.  He is also a powerful example of standing up for righteousness that we can follow today.

Mosiah 12:2-16

2  Yea, wo be unto this generation!  And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.
3  And it shall come to pass that the life of king Noah shall be valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for he shall know that I am the Lord.
4  And it shall come to pass that I will smite this my people with sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and I will cause that they shall howl all the day long.
5  Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass.
6  And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten with the beast wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain.
7  And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence—and all this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.
8  And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations.  And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.

Mosiah 12:2-8 (Emphasis mine)

Once again, Abinadi, using plain language, lets the people know what's in store for them if they don't repent.  Let's look at the list:

• Brought into bondage.
• Smitten on the check (beaten)
• Driven and slain
• Bodies left behind to be consumed by vultures, dogs, and wild beasts
• Stricken with famine and pestilence
• Burdens lashed on their backs (slavery)
• Hail and winds
• Insects devouring their crops

Any one or two of these would be bad enough; they will face all these things. 

To top it off, Abinadi did the thing kings like the very least - he threatened the life of the King.  An arrogant, evil man like Noah would be very upset about this.  If it was possible, Noah probably hated Abinadi even more now and wanted him stopped.

The Lord doesn't just threaten consequences because He doesn't have anything else better to do.  He does this because of "their iniquities" (v2), "and all this will I  do because of their iniquities and abominations" (v7).  Abinadi is telling them they brought this upon themselves.  

I have a sign in my classroom that says "Choices have consequences."  This is the message the  Lord is giving this people.  Their choice of wickedness has severe consequences if it continues.  And, he makes those consequences very clear.

The Lord made this very clear to Israel.  He told them: 

15  ¶ But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16  Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17  Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18  Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
20  The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, ...
22  The LORD shall smite thee with ... the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
25  The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt ... be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
26  And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
30  ... thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
31  Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.
38  Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
39  Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.
40  Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.
41  Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
42  All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
45  Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
46  And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

Deuteronomy 28:15-18, 20, 22, 25-26, 30-31, 38-42, 45-46 (Emphasis mine)

In the October 2009 General Conference, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

"But there is one kind of latter-day destruction that has always sounded to me more personal than public, more individual than collective—a warning, perhaps more applicable inside the Church than outside it. The Savior warned that in the last days even those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth. If we think of this as a form of spiritual destruction, it may cast light on another latter-day prophecy. Think of the heart as the figurative center of our faith, the poetic location of our loyalties and our values; then consider Jesus’s declaration that in the last days 'men’s hearts [shall fail] them.' " (Emphasis mine)

In the April 2003 General Conference, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said:

"Truly converted disciples, though still imperfect, will pursue 'the life of the soul' on any day, in any decade, amid any decadence and destruction. This process constitutes being about our 'Father’s business' (Luke 2:49; see also Moses 1:39).  Since this full conversion is what is supposed to be happening anyway, stern events and turbulence may actually even help us by causing a resumption of the journey or an acceleration." (Emphasis mine)

Every warning of the Lord is an if...then... proposition.  If the people continue their wicked ways, then these are the consequences of their choice to continue to do evil.  If the people repent, then none of this will happen and they will be blessed of the Lord.  We don't suffer the consequences of our wickedness without a warning from the Lord.   It's up to us to listen.

Here's the response of the people, the typical response of the wicked.

9  And it came to pass that they were angry with him; and they took him and carried him bound before the king, and said unto the king: Behold, we have brought a man before thee who has prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will destroy them.
10  And he also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith that thy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire.
11  And again, he saith that thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a dry stalk of the field, which is run over by the beasts and trodden under foot.
12  And again, he saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle, which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is driven forth upon the face of the land.  And he pretendeth the Lord hath spoken it.  And he saith all this shall come upon thee except thou repent, and this because of thine iniquities.
13  And now, O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of God or judged of this man?
14  And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not sinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and he has prophesied in vain.
15  And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper.
16  Behold, here is the man, we deliver him into thy hands; thou mayest do with him as seemeth thee good.

Mosiah 12:9-16 (Emphasis mine)

After taking Abinadi, before King Noah,notice how they start.   They don't start with what he said about their wickedness.   They tell the King "Look at what he said about you!"  Threats to the King are most certainly going to get his attention (v9-12).  

Only after they get the King's full attention, they they flatter him.  "Your not a bad guy.  You'[ve done none of the things he has said.  You are not wicked and evil.  You're a great guy and we love you."  

Then, and only then, do they say (vs14-15), "Oh, by the way, we're not that bad either.  We're guiltless and haven't committed sin.  We're also a mighty  people.  There is no way we're going to be defeated by anyone who comes against us  Who does this guy think he is?"

Of course, they're all in denial.  They rejoice in their sins and wicked lifestyle.  They have accepted their lifestyle and the way they should live.  They don't need this rabble rouser to come among them and upset their good life.  

Abinadi is then turned over to the King so he may do with him what he desires.

Mosiah 11:26-29; 12:1

26  Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his life; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands.
27  Now when king Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had spoken unto the people, he was also wroth; and he said: Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or who is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction?
28  I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him, for he has said these things that he might astir up my people to anger one with another, and to raise contentions among my people; therefore I will slay him.
29  Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him.  And king Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings.

Mosiah 11:26-29 (Emphasis mine)

After Abinadi preached, we see the standard response of the wicked. 

First they were upset with him.  We see the standard question of the wicked expressed by King Noah:  "... Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or who is the Lord ..." (v27)  We see the arrogance of the people and King.  "Who does Abinadi think he is?  How dare he judge us?  We're good people.  Let's get him."  (Today, we tend to ignore the preaching rather than trying to punish the messenger in a physical manner.)

Noah sees problems as well.  From his perspective, things are going well.  They people are prosperous.  The Lamanites aren't attacking them.  Then, Abinadi enters the picture and starts shaking things up.  The natives are starting to become restless.  Who knows where that could lead.  Why, they might even, at some point, listen to him and realize he's right.  What would happen to Noah?  He knows he could possibly lose his lifestyle; he could lose his wealth; he could lose his slaves.  No, this is not something Noah wants.

The arrogance of the wicked is also seen in Noah's response - "... who is the Lord ..."  (v27)  Noah believes he is so powerful that no one can stand in his way.  Who does the Lord think He is?  The God of this world?  The Father of our souls?  Our guide on our path to eternal life?  (Well, Noah probably didn't think this!)  To Noah, this "lord" is nothing more than an annoyance that is upsetting his great society.

When the people try to detain Abinadi, he escapes through help from the Lord and the people can't find him.  I have no doubt their attitude is "Good riddance."

Rejecting the words of the prophet is a "time honored" activity.  The wicked don't want to hear the truth, so if they get rid of the messenger, all is well.

9  ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10  And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Kings 19:9-10 (Emphasis mine)

20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper?  because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21  And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 24:20-21 (Emphasis mine)

18  ¶ And the LORD hath given me [Jeremiah] knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19  But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
20  But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
21  Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

Jeremiah 11:18-21 (Emphasis mine)

11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12 (Emphasis mine)

24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of EliseusNaaman the Syrian.
28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

Luke 4:24-29 (Emphasis mine)

51  ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?  and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
57  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 7:51-52; 57-60 (Emphasis mine)

 Chapter 12

Abinadi is imprisoned for prophesying the destruction of the people and the death of King Noah—The false priests quote the scriptures and pretend to keep the law of Moses—Abinadi begins to teach them the Ten Commandments. About 148 B.C.

1  AND it came to pass that after the space of two years [about 148 B.C.] that Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people, for they have hardened their hearts against my words; they have repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in their iniquities and abominations.

Mosiah 12:1 (Emphasis mine)

Two years have past and nothing has changed.  The people are still wicked; the Lord send Abinadi back to the people to warn them the consequences of their sins.

We will look more at his words in the next post.

Our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson said in the April 2007 General Conference:

"Today, as always, the skeptic’s voice challenges the word of God, and each must choose to whom he will listen. Clarence Darrow, the famous lawyer and agnostic, declared, 'No life is of much value, and … every death is [but a] little loss.' Schopenhauer, the German philosopher and pessimist, wrote, 'To desire immortality is to desire the eternal perpetuation of a great mistake.' And to their words are added those of new generations, as foolish men crucify the Christ anew—for they modify His miracles, doubt His divinity, and reject His Resurrection ... My brothers and sisters, we laugh, we cry, we work, we play, we love, we live. And then we die. Death is our universal heritage. All must pass its portals. Death claims the aged, the weary and worn. It visits the youth in the bloom of hope and the glory of expectation. Nor are little children kept beyond its grasp. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “It is appointed unto men once to die.'And dead we would remain but for one Man and His mission, even Jesus of Nazareth. Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, His birth fulfilled the inspired pronouncements of many prophets. He was taught from on high. He provided the life, the light, and the way. Multitudes followed Him. Children adored Him. The haughty rejected Him. He spoke in parables. He taught by example. He lived a perfect life.  Though the King of kings and Lord of lords had come, He was accorded by some the greeting given to an enemy, a traitor. There followed a mockery which some called a trial. Cries of “crucify him, crucify him' filled the air. Then commenced the climb to Calvary’s hill. He was ridiculed, reviled, mocked, jeered, and nailed to a cross amidst shouts of 'Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.'  'He saved others; himself he cannot save.' His response: 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do to thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.' His body was placed by loving hands in a sepulchre hewn of stone. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, along with others, came to the sepulchre. To their astonishment, the body of their Lord was gone. Luke records that two men in shining garments stood by them and said: 'Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.' "  (In the last sentence, we see the seven most important and powerful words ever spoken on Earth.  Christ had won.  We all can now go back and live eternally with God.  "  (Emphasis mine)

Mosiah 11:16-25

16  And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks.
17  And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to exercise their hatred upon them.
18  And it came to pass that king Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.
19  And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the Lamanites; and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness of their king and priests.

Mosiah 11:16-19 (Emphasis mine)

The Lamanites, having lost in battle in the past, still wanted the land.  They sent an army, fought and won a temporary victory because Noah, no doubt in his arrogance, felt his armies could not be beat.  

When they were, he sent more troops and was able to win a victory.  Compare Zeniff's response to Noah's.  Zeniff acknowledged the hand of the Lord in his victory.  He was humble in his victory.  There were no celebrations.

Noah, on the other hand, boasted in his strength.  They couldn't be beat.  It didn't matter how large an army was sent against his, his army would prevail.  

Arrogance is a dangerous sin.  As we turn from the Lord, and start boasting about our success, we lose the Spirit.  We lose our guidance; we stand a serious chance of losing eternity.  We need to remember that the Spirit is our anchor and compass.  It helps us receive inspiration and guidance in our lives.  When we have great challenges, the Lord will guide us and help  us through.  This doesn't mean we will always succeed; it doesn't mean we will have things easy.  It just means we will ultimately benefit from the challenges in life.  We will become stronger and more faithful servants of the Lord by turning from arrogance.

The scriptures warn us about arrogance and boasting in our arrogance.

2  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3  For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Psalms 10:2-4 (Emphasis mine)

16  ¶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (Emphasis mine)

18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (Emphasis mine)

14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

Proverbs 25:14 (Emphasis mine)

12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 23:12 (Emphasis mine)

16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:16-17 (Emphasis mine)

In the October 2006 General Conference, Bishop Richard C. Edgely said:

"Sadly, some of the greatest missing values in today’s world are honesty and integrity. In the past few years an increasing number of business leaders have been exposed for dishonesty and other forms of bad behavior. As a result, tens of thousands of loyal, long-term employees have lost their livelihoods and pensions. For some this has resulted in loss of homes, change of education and other life plans. We read and hear of widespread cheating in our schools, with more concern about receiving a grade or degree than learning and preparation. We hear of students who have cheated their way through medical school and are now performing complicated procedures on their patients. The elderly and others are victims of scam artists, often resulting in the loss of homes or life savings. Always this dishonesty and lack of integrity are based on greed, arrogance, and disrespect."  (Emphasis mine)

In the April 2005 General Conference, Elder Neil  L. Andersen related the following story.

He was smiling at me.  His eyes and disarming smile gave me the impression that he was harmless, so I quickly left him and started to move toward the table. The suspect was now behind me. At that instant, I had the distinct, powerful impression come into my mind: "Beware of the evil behind the smiling eyes." I immediately turned back toward the suspect. His hand was in his large front pocket. Instinctively I grabbed his hand and pulled it from his pocket. Only then did I see, clutched in his hand, the semiautomatic pistol ready to fire. A flurry of activity followed, and I disarmed the man. Later, in another case, the drug dealer was convicted of murder and boasted that he would have also killed my friend had he not turned around at that very moment.' I have often thought of the communication that came into his mind: 'Beware of the evil behind the smiling eyes.' ”  (Emphasis mine) 

20  And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi; [about 150 B.C.] and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
21  And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
22  And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.
23  And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God.
24  Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.
25  And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.

Mosiah 11:20-25 (Emphasis mine)

The people are wicked; they have turned from the Lord.  Another principle Mormon wants us to know and understand is that the Lord will punish us for our sins; however, he will warn us of the consequences of not repenting and returning to him.  Mormon now introduces Abinadi.  He has been called of the Lord to preach to the people and call them to repentance.  Abinadi preaches to the people telling them:

• They are wicked and have turned from the Lord.
• They must repent.
• If they don't repent, the Lamanites will defeat them in war and take them into bondage.
• If they are taken into bondage, and then return to Him, He will be slow to hear them.
• He tells them that these are the words he was commanded to tell them.

As we will see, this is a pattern most Nephite prophets will follow in the future.  

The Lord is a loving Father.  He cares for His children.  A loving and caring Father, at times, has to discipline His children.  The severity of the discipline depends on what the child did.  The Nephites have become undisciplined, disobedient children.  They are warned that, if they don't get their act together, there will be more serious consequence.  We will learn that, because of their arrogance and boasting, they will suffer more severe punishments.