Mosiah 2

(All of my own thoughts are in red type.5/20 Green 3/21 Orange 6/22 Brown 2023.)

Chapter 2

King Benjamin addresses his people—He recounts the equity, fairness, and spirituality of his reign—He counsels them to serve their Heavenly King—Those who rebel against God will suffer anguish like unquenchable fire. About 124 B.C.

  1 And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people ^agathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the ^btemple to ^chear the ^dwords which king Benjamin should speak unto them. Think “General Conference”
  2 And there were a great number, even so many that they did not number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great in the land. And yet they were in a state of peace. Awesome!z
  3 And they also took of the ^afirstlings of their flocks, that they might offer ^bsacrifice and ^cburnt ^dofferings ^eaccording to the law of Moses; So they did temple rites too, not just listen to King Benjamin. Was this preparatory to their great conversion? They repented and offered sacrifice first? Lesson...I’ll try that this April. (No follow up to that...sorry...) I have often asked if they offered animal sacrifices. Here is one of the few places it is specifically mentioned. 
  4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had ^aappointed just men to be their ^bteachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the ^cland of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to ^dkeep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with ^elove towards God and all men. They were also in a great attitude of gratitude and humility. Part of the heavenly gift of being born again is rejoicing and being filled with love towards God and all men. They had a measure of this before their mighty change. Seems like it's saying that their animal sacrifice was also to give thanks. Do we ever fast out of gratitude or only when we need something? 
  5 And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his ^afamily, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another. Did every married son go with his father? So if we did this today, would I have all my kids sitting with me except Aubrey's family? When Tanner and Jace's families marry, they would have no children sitting with them because all the girls would go with their husband's families? 
  6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his ^atent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them; shade? campout? 
  7 For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within does this mean inside the building or inside the gates? the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a ^atower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them. Did he anticipate this before the gathering or was it erected on the spot? How much time would that take? He is now literally the “watchman on the tower”
  8 And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words. Must have had a kind of paper and ink. Did they have to wait until the entire speech was over to get the written version or were their "runners" delivering it in parts?
  9 And these are the words which he ^aspake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to ^btrifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should ^chearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your ^dhearts that ye may understand, and your ^eminds that the ^fmysteries of God may be unfolded to your view. Consider:
  1. Don't trifle with the words of the prophets - trifle: to consider of little value or importance
  2. Hearken - pay attention, remember so you can act
  3. Open your ears- Be willing to hear what God intends, not what you think
  4. Open your hearts to understanding - Believe what you hear so you can act
  5. Open your minds so the mysteries of God can be unfolded to your view - We see with a spiritual eye. Mysteries are what we did not see or understand before
 10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear ^ame, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man. Here the prophet/king establishes that he is like them. He is mortal. They need not fear him because of his position. Remember if he is mortal, he is not perfect and subject to temptation and error and misjudgment, no matter how hard he tries to stay in tune. 
 11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and ^aconsecrated by ^bmy father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.
 12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to ^aspend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought ^bgold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;
 13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you—Here is a clear statement against slavery. Notice slavery is listed with the list of murder, plunder, stealing, and adultery - all serious offenses and examples of wickedness. Speaks to the great influence leaders have on the people.
 14 And even I, myself, have ^alabored with mine own ^bhands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be ^claden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.
 15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might ^aboast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear ^bconscience before God this day. Our motivation is to be square with God, not to prove anything to others or for their approval.  So he does not say, “look how great I have been” or “I haven’t required anything of you so if you are suffering it’s your own fault”. 
 16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God. We serve others because of our love for God and for man.
 17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. Understand who it is you are serving and why... One person's account of her "mighty change" was that she was so filled with God's love for her that all she did after that was to please him. And she knew serving others pleased him the most. So she served others out of love for God. He also filled her with love for others that made it even easier to serve. 
 18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to ^aserve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
 19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to ^athank your heavenly ^bKing! Always point others to Christ
 20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the ^athanks and ^bpraise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and ^cpreserved you, and has caused that ye should ^drejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
 21 I say unto you that if ye should ^aserve him who has created you from the beginning, and is ^bpreserving you from day to day, by lending you ^cbreath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own ^dwill, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your ^ewhole souls yet ye would be ^funprofitable servants.
 22 And behold, all that he ^arequires of you is to ^bkeep his commandments; and he has ^cpromised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth ^dvary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do ^ekeep his ^fcommandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
 23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
 24 And secondly, he doth ^arequire that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately ^bbless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast? Do you recognize the “immediate” blessings from keeping the commandments? 
 25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were ^acreated of the ^bdust of the earth; but behold, it ^cbelongeth to him who created you.
 26 And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am ^ano better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust. And ye behold that I am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother earth. I love this. We are “of the dust” which belongs to the earth, so we are “of the earth” which makes her the “mother” of our bodies. Respect and care for and love “mother earth”. What a great example of humility. Here is a "king" who considers himself no better than anyone else, but only a servant. He teaches we are all on equal footing, for we will all die.
 27 Therefore, as I said unto you that I had ^aserved you, ^bwalking with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might be found blameless, and that your ^cblood should not come upon me, when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he hath commanded me concerning you.
 28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might ^arid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal ^bspirit may join the ^cchoirs above in singing the praises of a just God. He is happy to just go to heaven and praise God. I’m sure he’ll do much more...Have we ever had a modern day prophet do this? Is it different because he was their king? Does this have anything to do with the Davidic Covenant where the sins of the people are answered by the king? 
 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; He calls himself their "teacher" not their "prophet"
 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 clearly telling them that God has commanded him to say these things. I wish we had this kind of clarity today this day, that my son Mosiah is a ^aking and a ruler over you. Again...doesn't call him to be a prophet
 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, sounds like a prophet ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you. I think he was clarifying when he said they were to keep the commandments that he would give them...I mean...the commandments that GOD delivers to him BY him. Big difference!
 32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise ^acontentions among you, and ye ^blist to ^cobey the evil spirit, which was spoken of by my father Mosiah. If there is contention...you are on enemy soil. 
 33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to ^aobey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his ^bsins, the same drinketh ^cdamnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an ^deverlasting ^epunishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.
 34 I say unto you, that there are not any among you, except it be your little children that have not been taught concerning these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally ^aindebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him ^ball that you have and are; and also have been taught concerning the ^crecords which contain the prophecies which have been spoken by the holy prophets, even down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem; Do we know any less today?
 35 And also, all that has been spoken by our fathers until now. And behold, also, they spake that which was commanded them of the Lord; therefore, they are ^ajust and true.
 36 And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go ^acontrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do ^bwithdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—Notice that YOU withdraw from the Spirit of the Lord when you rebel. He doesn’t leave you...
 37 I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh out in open ^arebellion against God; therefore he ^blisteth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in ^cunholy temples. We cut ourselves off from God when we rebel against him. It's okay if we cut ourselves off from those who contend against us.
 38 Therefore if that man ^arepenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine ^bjustice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own ^cguilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the ^dpresence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and ^epain, and ^fanguish, which is like an unquenchable ^gfire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.\
 39 And now I say unto you, that ^amercy hath no claim on that man; therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending ^btorment. For as much mercy as we experience here on earth, there can come a time when that mercy cannot reach you. 
 40 O, all ye ^aold men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to a ^bremembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression. This could footnote to Moroni who warns us in our day of awakening to our "awful situation". Maybe this is the "awful situation" that Moroni is talking about. Not just that Secret Combinations have gotten above us, but that we have fallen into transgression and have sinned against our knowledge and staring at the demands of justice.
 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ^ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are ^bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out ^cfaithful to the end they are received into ^dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. Some people soften the promise of God by saying it is just symbolic that you “prosper” when you keep the commandments. But the Book of Mormon seems to make it clear that it is temporal as well. How can you be “blessed in all things” if it is not literal? "For the Lord God hath spoken it" - how I wish our leaders spoke this clearly.