1 NOW it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers. 2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. 3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. 4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God.
Mosiah 26:1-4 (Emphasis mine)
Mormon tells us about the next generation, the children of the generation of Alma(1) and Mosiah(2). They were children when King Benjamin spoke and, know that they’ve grown, they reject the “tradition of their fathers.”
Some of this generation was raised in Zarahemla. Even though they were little children, they were most likely present when Benjamin gave his powerful address.
On the other hand, we have many in this generation who were not present. They heard about this sermon second hand. This would be the children of the people of Limhi and Alma(1). It was only a tradition with which they grew. It meant little to them.
It is not unusual for a new generation to desire to find their way. Things that are old are not valued. That’s the way it was. They are quick to want to throw out the old values. They fail to follow the advice of Robert Frost: “Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.”
We see this happening with the upcoming generation as they reject the things they had been taught. They rejected the resurrection. They rejected Christ. They hardened their hearts towards the things of God. They lost the spirit and were unable to understand the things of God. They refused baptism and church membership.
Daniel Peterson writes:
“[S]ome of the younger generation—those who had not experienced the great spiritual outpouring that occurred at the abdication sermon of King Benjamin, now perhaps more than two decades in the past—refused to be baptized or to join the church (Mosiah 26:1—5). Their worldly influence, in turn, began to take its toll on those who had already enrolled themselves as members of the church, which was itself well into its second generation.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
Robert Millet explains:
“Learning by faith requires that we be as rigorous in our pursuit of sacred things through the established channels—scriptures, living prophets, personal revelation—as we are in our research and study of secular things. Sometimes members of the Church dismiss outright or at least underestimate the power of the gospel message because they have not paid a sufficient price to plumb the depths of those things God has made known … Learning by faith seems to entail something else as well. An episode in the Book of Mormon highlights another very important principle. ‘Now it came to pass,’ Mormon writes, ‘that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.’ And now note this powerful statement: "And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened’ (Mosiah 26:1–3, emphasis added). Because of their unbelief—their refusal to believe, to accept the true but unseen, to surrender and yield to God—they denied themselves the right to understanding. To give a modern-day example, one who approaches the reading of the Book of Mormon with a cynical eye is not likely to mine its doctrinal gold or gain a witness of its truthfulness; there must be a willful suspension of disbelief, an inclination to accept the truth when confronted with it, an openness to the possibility that something just might be true.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous as the people of God; but because of the dissensions among the brethren they became more numerous. 6 For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church.
Mosiah 26:5-6 (Emphasis mine)
While the younger generation was not very numerous, they were able to spread dissension among the church. They used flattering words to lead the people astray. It was as Paul’s warning to the early church: “[f]or I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30).
Nephi explained that Lehi had seen things like this in his Tree of Life vision: “I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building … And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit. And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost … And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building … And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also…” (1 Nephi 8:26-28; 31, 33).
In our generation, the Lord warned us that “Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction. And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God … Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work. Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him. And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare. And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men” (D&C 10:22, 24-27).
[1] Authority in the Book of Mosiah, Daniel C. Peterson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 26, 2012.
[2] Knowledge by Faith, Robert L. Millet, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 26, 2012.
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