Abinadi Today?

Under the reign of King Noah and the teachings of his priests, the following occurred and was being practiced in the land: (See Mosiah Chapters 11-17)

- Religious landscape transformed

- Commandments of God ignored

- Doctrines changed

- Altered the affairs of the kingdom

- Put down all the priests, who were previously consecrated, and called news ones with corrupt and prideful hearts

- Adjusted the laws to embrace iniquity

- Many wives and concubines

- Sins, abominations encouraged

- Large tax, donations expected and then used the funds to support the king, wives, concubines, and his priests and leadership.

- Supported in laziness, idolatry, whoredoms

- People labored to support iniquity

- Built elegant and spacious buildings, palaces, and a temple of fine wood, copper, and brass; and a very high tower near the temple

- Seats were set apart for the priests which were above all the other seats.

- Built many buildings throughout the land

- Hearts were placed upon riches $$$

- Riotous living with wives and concubines

- Priests spent their time with harlots

- Spoke lying and vain words to the people

- All is well message

- “Worship the king, follow the priests, and be saved” mentality

- We are safe here; we are righteous; God is on our side and with us.

- Look at our wealth, power, and abundance … Obviously, God is showing His approval and blessing!

- We are the most blessed people of God … No enemy has the power to overcome us

- And … how dare anyone even question or suggest otherwise!

And then … Abinadi was sent by God to warn and call repentance

I do not believe that Abinadi showed up to warn and call repentance to King Noah and his priests and people by chance. Abinadi, on his own accord, had no personal motivation or gain sufficient to inspire him to do such a thing? But when God spoke to Abinadi, clearly declared His message to be delivered, and specifically asked Abinadi to be His authorized messenger, I believe there appeared a whole new “set of cards” before Abinadi. Abinadi trusted God, exercised faith in God, and acted. He followed through with his heavenly assignment by delivering God's authorized message, meekly receiving rejection from the people, and suffering death by fire. I do not believe any of that was an accident or happened by chance. Nor do I believe that it was unplanned that the record was preserved in the Book of Mormon by those who “saw our day” and included that which would prove to “foreshadow our day”.

Are you taking special note and identifying the similarities between the account of Abinadi found in the Book of Mormon and what we find playing before our very eyes today? Has religious landscape changed? Are laws becoming increasingly corrupt? Beliefs? Iniquity? Abominations? Are lying and vain words being preached to the people? Are some taking it in “hook, line and sinker”? Power distributed? Controls in place? $$$ working? Are wives, concubines, and harlots being exploited, used, and abused? How are taxes, tithes, donations, and “perks” being used to support religion, priests, iniquity, and much, much more? Buildings? High end developments? Real Estate? Investments? Palaces? Conference Centers? Temples? High tower near the temple? High rise condominiums? Universities? Ranches? Seems almost never ending? Look at our wealth, power, and abundance … Is God showing us His approval and blessing? Are we in fact the most blessed people of God on earth?

And then in the latter days…God sent a messenger to warn and call repentance to the people. Perhaps, we should be very reluctant about rejecting a message of God from someone like Abinadi today. When you hear a voice of warning today, it may be wise to pay attention and take heed to the message.

The significant credential of someone like that today, as it has proven to be in the past, is the content of the message that came from God.