Mosiah 17

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 6/20 Green 3/21  Orange 6/22 Brown 2023.)

Chapter 17

Alma believes and writes the words of Abinadi—Abinadi suffers death by fire—He prophesies disease and death by fire upon his murderers. About 148 B.C.

  1 And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the ^apriests should take him and cause that he should be put to ^bdeath. Considering that no one said a word or tried to stop him because he said "touch me not" and was "shining"....how bold of the king when he was finished to just continue with wanting to kill him. Nothing Abinadi said or how he looked or the power that was in his words phased him at all? Or anyone else except Alma?
  2 But there was one among them whose name was ^aAlma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. So was he related to Amulek? Not sure now why I thought he was related to Amulek, other than them both being Nephites... weren't all these people Nephites? I guess they could be descendants of Sam or Ishmael or Zoram...And he was a young man, I wonder what his "story" is and how he got become a priest of King Noah so young this voids my theory that perhaps Alma the younger was already a teen when his father was converted and he ^bbelieved the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew but stayed silent? went along? concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them; therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace.
  3 But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him. Did Alma know he was speaking out at the risk of his own life?
  4 But he fled from before them and ^ahid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days did ^bwrite all the words which Abinadi had spoken. Hidden somewhere he had access to write things down...
  5 And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast him into prison.
  6 And after three days, having counseled with his ^apriests, he caused that he should again be brought before him. I wonder why it took him 3 days?
  7 And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death. Trying to sound like what they are going to do is "just"
  8 For thou hast said that ^aGod himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people. This is the kind of nonsense thinking consuming the crazy left these days. You should die because you have a belief about God. But if you'll deny the evil things you said about us (you hurt my feelings) then you don't have to die for what you said about God. Whaaat? I suppose they would say these "words" could lead to an insurrection, so they have to be silenced...
  9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will ^anot recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands. This is a type of Christ. He allowed them to take him and crucify him.
 10 Yea, and I will ^asuffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a ^btestimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed ^cinnocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day. Very few have this kind of conviction and faith in our day.
 11 And now king Noah was about to release him, for he feared his word; for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon him. This shows Noah had a tiny bit of sense and belief in God and worried he could be wrong.
 12 But the ^apriests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king. Therefore the king was stirred up in ^banger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain. There's the great and spacious building again...Don't underestimate the power of the "group"
 13 And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and ^ascourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto ^bdeath. Again a type
 14 And now when the flames began to scorch him, he cried unto them, saying:
 15 Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to pass that thy ^aseed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer, even the pains of ^bdeath by fire; and this because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God. He is prophesying that others will be martyred in like manner. Not a pretty picture...
 16 And it will come to pass that ye shall be afflicted with all manner of ^adiseases because of your iniquities.
 17 Yea, and ye shall be smitten on every hand, and shall be driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven by wild and ferocious beasts.
 18 And in that day ye shall be ^ahunted, and ye shall be taken by the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer, the pains of ^bdeath by fire.
 19 Thus God executeth ^avengeance upon those that destroy his people. O God, ^breceive my soul. If Noah was fearful at Abinadi's words before he should surely be terrified now! Notice that being God's people doesn't mean He always spares you from evil...Right here he says that evil people sometimes "destroy his people" and then God executes vengeance upon them. I hope "his people" who suffer death this way can all say "receive my soul" and be spared the suffering part of it somehow...I just read an account of a dream where there were beheaded for not denying Christ, but their spirit was taken out of their body so they didn't feel anything. Surely this is how "death is sweet to the righteous"!
 20 And now, when ^aAbinadi had said these words, he fell, having suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his ^bdeath. Killed because of his words. So evil and weak at the same time.