Post by Helam,
As I relate our experiences, our conversion, our bondage and deliverance, I hope and pray that I may share with you not only the facts but the spirit of our recent opportunity to get to know our Savior and His great mercy. I feel that is more important than a mere relation of events. Helem shared how he and Ammon and his other brethren had traveled to the land of Nephi in search of our people. (remember Helem spelled “em” and me Helam, spelled “am” are two different guys. Helem traveled with Ammon to rescue and I was one of Alma’s first converts.)
Alma had fled the king’s army and with over 400 of us established a city in a new land before Helem’s search party found Lemhi and his people. So until now we had no knowledge of their bondage and destruction. As we are reunited again here in Zarahemla, we have wept for each other’s trials, suffering and the loss of so many lives. It is so painful to realize it was all preventable, had we simply been humble enough to receive Abinadi when he first arrived.
I start by contrasting two of King Noah’s wicked priests, both of whom served and sinned alongside the king. Alma and Amulon were both powerful and influential men. Both served the king with all their greedy and selfish hearts and glutted themselves on the work of the people. Both rejected Abinadi and refused to repent or humble themselves when Abinadi first called our people to repentance. We as a people also rejected Abinadi. Though some hearts were softer than others, as a community we failed to accept his prophetic teachings. We were punished for it.
When Abinadi returned and was taken before the king and his priests, the differences between Amulon and Alma began to become evident. I share the events that took place during that interchange between the priests, the king and Abinadi. Alma shared them with a small group of people who were converted and fled with Alma from the land of Nephi. I was part of that small group.
In future posts, I will share more detail about Abinadi’s teaching, including the prophesies and doctrines Abinadi taught. But for now, I will keep to the story of Alma and Amulon and what happened with Abinadi.
As you know Abinadi was taken, bound and put in prison. Accusations against him included; prophesying evil against the people and prophesying evil concerning Noah’s life specifically, which of course is unpopular with wicked people with power.
Noah gathered his priests to counsel about what to do with Abinadi. Among all of these priests were of course, Alma and Amulon. Alma told us as he and the other priests began to question Abinadi their goal was to trap him. Yet, Abinadi was very bold. Abinadi’s boldness was quite astonishing and he was able to withstand all the questions. Alma said that the tables got turned, for it was Abinadi who confounded the priests. That was amazing for Alma to watch his fellow priests ask questions and get shut down so powerfully.
When asked the meaning of a specific verse of scripture in the Book of Isaiah from the Brass Plates, Abinadi accused them of perverting the ways of the Lord for pretending to teach and to understand the spirit of prophesying but they did not understanding the scriptures. After rebuking the priests, telling them they had not applied their hearts to understanding, he told them they were unwise and asked what they did teach the people?
As we listened to Alma share all of this with us, we were cheering Abinadi on. We recognized we too were guilty of rejecting Abinadi but the priests were seriously wicked and to have someone, especially someone in bondage have the guts to give it back to them made us cheer.
Answering Abinadi’s question about what they priests taught, they said they taught the Law of Moses. Then Abinadi let them have it saying,
“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? Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God.
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. And what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses? What say ye?”
We could just imagine these bold, proud priests and our once fearless and arrogant king squeaking out their now unsure answer that yes salvation did come by the law of Moses.
To which Abinadi boldly declared,
“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.”
Then he proceeded to go through each of these commandments. As he did so he rebuked them individually and collectively for not living by these commandments nor teaching them to the people.
“I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.Thou shalt have no other God before me.”
“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.”
Abinadi only got through the first two commandments and his rebuke to the king and his priests so offended the king that the king commanded the priests to remove Abinadi and kill him, accusing Abinadi of being mad. But when they tried it, Abinadi, in chains and with God’s power, shut them off completely, declaring:
“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.
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.”
So here we are, a hand full of people gathered around Alma as he is telling us this story on the bank of the Waters of Mormon. Most of us hadn’t really ever been in the King’s council chamber surrounded by his evil priests so all we could do is imagine. And until recently none of us were what you could consider righteous anyway, we were wallowing in wickedness as well, not having any clear desire to do other than live without consequences for our sins. We were following unrighteous examples and teachings, so we weren’t anxious to be very judgmental. But, wow. It gave us chills to hear Alma tells us how God’s power overcame the room and how the people of King Noah didn’t dare lay hands on him to obey the king.
The Spirit of the Lord was on Abinadi and his face shinned with overpowering luster. Alma likened it to how Moses was on Mount Sinai while speaking with the Lord. Abinadi continued with power and authority from God.
“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. Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger. But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved. 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.”
We know that this prophesy has partially come to pass already. We personally have lived through many of Abinadi’s prophesies.
First, Abinadi came to our people and warned us that if we did not repent we would be in bondage. We rejected him. Not just the king and the priests but we as a people. When Abinadi returned he warned that if we did not repent we not only would be in bondage but we would destroyed. And to the king and the priests he warned that what ever they did to him would be like what would happen to them.
Now that we have all returned to Zarahemla, we learn how his words have come to pass. We, the few followers of Alma had repented and followed Alma to start fresh. As we began to prosper, we were taken captive by the Lamanites and none other than Amulon was given power to keep us in bondage. That whole story will follow in future posts but for now my point is; when Abinadi first promised if we did not repent we would be in bondage, we did not repent and we were eventually in bondage. Those who remained in the land of Nephi with Noah and his priests were also eventually in bondage but since they did not repent the second time around, many of them were also destroyed just as Abinadi said.
The Amulon story will continue in my next post. For now I know that what the Lord declares through his prophets will of a certainty come to pass. I don’t yet see the whole story but I am sure I will. But for now, it appears that Amulon and some of the other priests have escaped God’s judgement. I have peace that His judgements are just and Amulon is not my concern, but as a mortal, with natural feelings, I wonder what the Lord has in store for Amulon and those who appear to have escaped His wrath.
Book of Mormon – Mosiah 12
