29 And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye
should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto you that I can
no longer be your teacher, nor your king;
30 For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble
exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God doth support
me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you, and hath commanded me
that I should declare unto you this day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a
ruler over you.
31 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye
have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments
of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the
hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or
the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall
prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you.
32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise
contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken of
by my father Mosiah.
33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth
to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in
his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his
wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to
his own knowledge. (Mosiah 2:29-33)
King Benjamin explains he had the people assemble so he might
declare he cannot continue as their teacher or king.
His “frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to
speak” (Mosiah 2:30).
He then announced he had selected his son, Mosiah, as their
king.
“Therefore, he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are
the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that ye should make
a proclamation throughout all this land among all this people, or the people of
Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah who dwell in the land, that thereby they
may be gathered together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my
people out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this people,
whom the Lord our God hath given us” (Mosiah 1:10).
They people had kept his commandments of both him and his
father. They have prospered in the land. They have not fallen into the hands of
their enemies.
If they keep Mosiah’s commandments, this will continue
Beware, King Benjamin told them, of contentions among them.
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your
wrath:
“Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27).[1]
“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit
of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of
contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one
with another” (3 Nephi 11:29).
Do not choose to obey the evil spirit spoken of by his
father, Mosiah.
“Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth
unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but whosoever
bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of the devil, for he
hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.
“And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him;
therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things pertaining unto
righteousness, being dead unto all good works” (Alma 5:41-42).
“And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of
the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the
last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell” (Alma 30:60).
“For they love darkness rather than light, and their deeds
are evil, and they receive their wages of whom they list to obey” (D&C 29:45).
A wo is pronounced on those who choose to obey the devil. “Wherefore,
men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are
expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life,
through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death,
according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men
might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27).
These will bring damnation to their souls. “And if they will
not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to
the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has
spoken it” (2 Nephi 9:24).
“Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is
at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according to that
which they have been—if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation
of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if
they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to
the power and captivation of the devil” (Alma 9:28).
They will receive, as their wages, everlasting punishment. “And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment” (Jacob 6:10).
“For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it!
For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is
endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—
“Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.
“Endless punishment is God’s punishment” (D&C 19:10-12).
[1] “Can ye be angry, and not
sin? let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
“Neither give place to the
devil” (JST Ephesians 4:26-27).
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