Chapter 2
King Benjamin
addresses his people—He recounts the equity, fairness, and spirituality of his
reign—He counsels them to serve their Heavenly King—Those who rebel against God
will suffer anguish like unquenchable fire. About 124 B.C.
1 And it came to pass
that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a
proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves
together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear
the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.
2 And there were a
great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had
multiplied exceedingly and waxed great in the land.
3 And they also took
of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt
offerings according to the law of Moses;
4 And also that they
might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land
of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and
had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their
king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught
them to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled
with love towards God and all men. (Mosiah 2:1-4).
Mosiah has sent a proclamation around the land telling the
people to gather together. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as
ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
“Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God
was liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of assembling
themselves together to hear the word of God.
“Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they
should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in
behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God”(Alma 6:5-6).
They were to come to the temple to hear King Benjamin and
the message he had prepared. Calling the people together is something which had
been done in Judah. “And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all
the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the
Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the
words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord” (2 Chronicles
34:30).
A huge crowd responded to Benjamin’s summons. It was so
large, “they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed
great in the land” (Mosiah 2:2).
The people took the firstlings of their flocks to offer as a
sacrifice and burnt offerings based on the law of Moses.
“That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all [IE all the
firstborn] that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast
which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s” (Exodus 13:12).
“And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your
sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings [HEB given contributions] of
your hand, and your vows [OR vowed offerings], and your freewill offerings, and
the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks” (Deuteronomy 12:6).
“And he gave unto them commandments, that they should
worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for
an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the
Lord” (Moses 5:5).
“If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him
offer a male without [HEB whole, sound] blemish: he shall offer it of his own
voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the
Lord” (Leviticus 1:3).
“And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law
of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall
be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 25:24).
“Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of
the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God, according to
the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should
be fulfilled” (Alma 30:3),
“Because the natural man tends to hoard or consume
everything, the Lord wisely commanded ancient Israel to sacrifice not the last
and poorest of the flock, but the firstlings—not the leftovers of the field,
but the firstfruits. Genuine sacrifice has been a hallmark of the faithful from
the beginning.”[1]
“[T]he wording of Mosiah 2:3 may be idiomatic in character
and need not be read as suggesting that the Nephites necessarily used
firstlings for burnt offerings. Mormon's statement may simply mean that, in
accordance with Mosaic law, the Nephites (1) brought firstlings to be offered
in the sacrificial peace offering and (2) also brought other animal victims for
the burnt offering.”[2]
They also gave thanks to the Lord for their deliverance.
They were grateful for those who had been appointed as teachers over them. “And
this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared
from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on
account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left
to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising
exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy
calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for
such” (Alma 13:3).
“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy,
and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the
Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (Articles of Faith 1:5).
“And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God,
ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain
to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God” (Mosiah 18:18).
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even
as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).
They were grateful for a just man as their king. He had established
peace throughout the land. He had taught them to keep the commandments and
rejoice they were filled with love towards God and man.
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even
as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).
“Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his
charge, and his statutes, and his judgments [HEB ordinances], and his
commandments, always” (Deuteronomy 11:1).
[1] Tithing
– A Commandment Even For the Destitute, Elder Lynn G. Robbins, April 2005
General Conference.
[2] Sacrifices
and Burnt Offerings in the Book of Mormon, Maxwell Institute website.
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