Today a Book of Mormon great arrives on the scene, the wonderful, faithful, and fearless Abinadi. When we think of Abinadi, the famous Arnold Friberg portrait probably comes to mind.
I am going to let Elder Holland set the stage (the talk in its entirety can be found HERE it is an amazing discourse about teaching the gospel):
"Abinadi has, from my youth upward, been one of my most admired prophets in our entire standard works of scripture. Abinadi comes on the scene as a virtual unknown, claiming no prophetic heritage nor revealing any famous family line. With things degenerating in Zeniff’s headstrong colony, Abinadi is called to cry repentance unto Zeniff’s son and pathetic successor, King Noah. You know the account.
"Noah immediately puts out a death warrant, and Abinadi is forced to flee. After two years in hiding, Abinadi again steps forward to teach and testify. I pause here to smile at the prophet’s apparent childlike innocence in all of this. He has been in total seclusion for 24 months, now wears a disguise to give him further anonymity, and yet upon his return the first phrase out of his mouth is, “The Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and prophesy.” At this point I have to wonder about the effectiveness of the disguise, but we certainly don’t wonder about his faith and determination.
"Prophesying boldly against the abominations of King Noah and his court, Abinadi is arrested and eventually brought before the very tribunal that he has been condemning. Interrogated ruthlessly by this council, the mighty prophet “answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, … and did confound them in all their words.” Then shifting from defense to offense, he begins some five and a half chapters of doctrine that rank among the most powerful given in the entire Book of Mormon. Scarcely had he begun, when Noah, guilt-ridden and detestable, calls for him to be slain.
"All of that is to set the stage for a scene that is forever etched in my soul, not quite the way Arnold Friberg portrays it in his marvelous painting, but it’s close enough. In any case, as a prisoner Abinadi certainly would have been in restraints, some kind of shackling current to the day. His age, we don’t know. Friberg has him as an old man (or older), but the text doesn’t say that. I don’t know how old he was. Strong physically? Don’t know, but he’s just come from two years of seclusion of some kind and there probably wasn’t much food. Think of Elijah being fed by ravens. You ever seen a raven’s claw? I don’t think in flight those little winged fellows held many supersized orders of anything. We don’t know, but perhaps Abinadi was hungry, tired, and at least a little weak physically given his circumstances. ("Angles and Astonishment", Jeffrey R. Holland, Church Educational System Training Broadcast, June 12, 2019)"
Love Elder Holland and the way he sets the stage for scriptural stories, pulling out all the implied details. Now this sets up Mosiah 13:5, "the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord." Abinadi was so righteous that he literally glowed as he spoke with the "power and authority from God (Mosiah 13:6).
This brings the story to each us. We often refer in modern terms to people's countenances, of this visible look in their eyes or on their face that depicts something deeper. You know when you look at someone, even a complete stranger and you somehow know they are good person just by how their is this "light" in their eyes, and gleam of joy on their face. Hopefully you understand what I am getting at. Do you radiate that light that draws people in? Does your testimony and love of the Savior show just by looking at you?
Can you imagine what the entire world would be like if we radiated that light everywhere we went. Then that light translates into a powerful ability to teach, testify, explain, and point others towards the Savior because we would know what it meant to "always have His spirit to be with us." Can you say WOW!!
I want to end with the questions I found myself pondering:
I am going to let Elder Holland set the stage (the talk in its entirety can be found HERE it is an amazing discourse about teaching the gospel):
"Abinadi has, from my youth upward, been one of my most admired prophets in our entire standard works of scripture. Abinadi comes on the scene as a virtual unknown, claiming no prophetic heritage nor revealing any famous family line. With things degenerating in Zeniff’s headstrong colony, Abinadi is called to cry repentance unto Zeniff’s son and pathetic successor, King Noah. You know the account.
"Noah immediately puts out a death warrant, and Abinadi is forced to flee. After two years in hiding, Abinadi again steps forward to teach and testify. I pause here to smile at the prophet’s apparent childlike innocence in all of this. He has been in total seclusion for 24 months, now wears a disguise to give him further anonymity, and yet upon his return the first phrase out of his mouth is, “The Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and prophesy.” At this point I have to wonder about the effectiveness of the disguise, but we certainly don’t wonder about his faith and determination.
"Prophesying boldly against the abominations of King Noah and his court, Abinadi is arrested and eventually brought before the very tribunal that he has been condemning. Interrogated ruthlessly by this council, the mighty prophet “answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, … and did confound them in all their words.” Then shifting from defense to offense, he begins some five and a half chapters of doctrine that rank among the most powerful given in the entire Book of Mormon. Scarcely had he begun, when Noah, guilt-ridden and detestable, calls for him to be slain.
"All of that is to set the stage for a scene that is forever etched in my soul, not quite the way Arnold Friberg portrays it in his marvelous painting, but it’s close enough. In any case, as a prisoner Abinadi certainly would have been in restraints, some kind of shackling current to the day. His age, we don’t know. Friberg has him as an old man (or older), but the text doesn’t say that. I don’t know how old he was. Strong physically? Don’t know, but he’s just come from two years of seclusion of some kind and there probably wasn’t much food. Think of Elijah being fed by ravens. You ever seen a raven’s claw? I don’t think in flight those little winged fellows held many supersized orders of anything. We don’t know, but perhaps Abinadi was hungry, tired, and at least a little weak physically given his circumstances. ("Angles and Astonishment", Jeffrey R. Holland, Church Educational System Training Broadcast, June 12, 2019)"
Love Elder Holland and the way he sets the stage for scriptural stories, pulling out all the implied details. Now this sets up Mosiah 13:5, "the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord." Abinadi was so righteous that he literally glowed as he spoke with the "power and authority from God (Mosiah 13:6).
This brings the story to each us. We often refer in modern terms to people's countenances, of this visible look in their eyes or on their face that depicts something deeper. You know when you look at someone, even a complete stranger and you somehow know they are good person just by how their is this "light" in their eyes, and gleam of joy on their face. Hopefully you understand what I am getting at. Do you radiate that light that draws people in? Does your testimony and love of the Savior show just by looking at you?
Can you imagine what the entire world would be like if we radiated that light everywhere we went. Then that light translates into a powerful ability to teach, testify, explain, and point others towards the Savior because we would know what it meant to "always have His spirit to be with us." Can you say WOW!!
I want to end with the questions I found myself pondering:
- What am I doing daily to ensure I am inviting the Spirit and light of Christ into my life?
- Are there things I am doing in my life that take away that light?
- Who do I desire to teach like Abinadi?
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