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CHAPTER 17Alma 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.] |
Alma believes and writes he words of Abinadi and a record of his people of the chruch of God, which Mormon intigrates into his Book of Mormon abridgement—Abinadi suffers death by fire which he prophesies will be a type of order of events to come—He also prophesies all manner of disease upon the people of King Noah according to their iniquities. [About 148 B.C.] | |
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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.
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1a
TG
False Priesthoods b Jer. 26:11
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2 But there was one among them whose name was
aAlma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a
young man, and he bbelieved the words which Abinadi had
spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi has 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. 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 spokena.
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4a did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken Now it was Alma who did preserve the words of Abinadi and it is Alma who make the record of his own people who divided themselves from the people of King Noah. And though the Book of Mormon states that the record of Zeniff includes chapters 9 through 22, it must be understood that Mormon's abridgement did record from both the plates of the record of Zeniff and also from the record which Alma made to compile the abridged record of these proceedings which is had in our modern Book of Mormon from chapters 9 through 22. |
2a
Mosiah 23:9 b Mosiah 26:15; Alma 5:11 4a 1 Kings 17:3 (1-16); Ether 13:13, 22 b TG Scriptures, Writing of
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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. 7 And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death.
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6a
Mosiah 11:5
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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.
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8a
Mosiah 7:27;
Mosiah 13:34
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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.
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.
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9a
TG
Courage;
TG
Integrity 10a TG Persecution b TG Testimony c Jer. 26:15 (14-15); Lam. 4:13; Alma 14:11; Alma 60:13
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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.
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. 13 And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and ascourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto bdeath.
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12a
Mosiah 11:5;
Mosiah 12:25 (17-25) b Prov. 20:2 13a Dan. 3:6; James 5:10-11; Alma 14:26 (20-27) b Mosiah 7:28; Mosiah 21:30; Alma 25:11
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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 athy aseed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer, even the pains of bdeath by firea; and this because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their Godb. 16 And it will come to pass that ye shall be afflicted with all manner of adiseases because of your iniquities.
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15a even as ye have done unto me, so shall
it come to pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains
that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire Now the seed of
the people of King Noah are the same as the seed of Limhi and his people, and
it is a part of this people who did come to dwell in the city of Ammonihah.
It being part of the land which the 43 explorers of Lehi had familiarized
themselves with when they were in search for the city of Zarahemla. And thus
it would be their descendants who would put people to death by fire because
of their testimony of Christ in such future events in the Book of Mormon (See
Alma 14:7-8). Thus it is, when we look for a people putting others to death
by fire, not just being put to death by fire, but being put to death because
of their belief and testimony of Christ, then this is the connecting link
which help defines the development of the land of Zarahamela and who the
priests and lawyers of Ammoniah after the order of Nehor were. They were
those whose repentance did not remain true, but reverted back to the ways
of the priestcrafts of their anciesters, the wicked priests of Noah.
15b because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God And here is the reason that the seed of the people of King Noah's people will put others to death by fire. That is that these others also believe in the Salvation of the Lord. This seems hardly a fair judgement that says you will burn me and your seed will also burn others to death for their testimony of Christ. Where is the justice in this? For that answer we must turn to where the seed of Limhi's people do put others to death by fire who believe in Christ. Now it is apparent that many of the seed of the people of Limhi did go and occupy and create the cities of Ammonihah and Noah for it is there that a people who believe hin Christ are put to death by fire at the hand of the Nephites who are the seed of Noah's people. During that awful scene Amulek desires to stop the deaths by the power of God, but Alma is constrain that they do not do it. And he gives the answer why God allows wicked men to so murder the innocent believers of Christ (See Alma 14:10-11). And this is so that 'the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against the wicked at the last day', that the wicked may be put away for eternity and apart from the righteous forever. |
15a
Alma 14:8-11 15a Mosiah 13:10; Alma 25:12 (7-12) b Alma 25:5 16a Deut. 28:60 (25-60)
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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.
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18a
Alma 25:8 b Mosiah 13:10; Mosiah 19:20; Alma 25:11 (7-12) 19a Ps. 125:3 b Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59
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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.
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20*
[About 148 B.C.] a Mosiah 7:26 b Heb. 9:16-17
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| * Verse 20 [About 148 B.C.] |
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