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Abinadi

This paper examines Abinadi, the surrounding story and as a type and ashadow of things which are to come.

In the Hebrew the word:

Abi means Father or Father ofAdoni means my Lord is righteous or my Lord

Let me set-up the story, briefly, so we can see what is going on at the timeAbinidi comes on the scene. Zeniff came up out of the land of Zarahemlawhich was the land of their fathers, who was made a king by the voice of thepeople (Mosiah 7:9). Noah is conferred the Kingdom by his father Zenniff(Mosiah 11:1) and he began to reign in his stead. Zeniff kept the

commandments of God and his son Noah did not (Mosiah 11:2). Noah walkedafter the desires of his own heart (See Babylon definition D&C 1:16).

On the other hand, Abinadi does not have a history of where he came from andhe began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath hecommanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord--Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and theirwickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them inmine anger (and Mosiah 11:20) Maybe if we keep in mind his Hebrew nameorigin it may give us clues of who he is and what his mission was.

Now at the beginning of Abinadis entrance, King Noah makes a curiousstatement Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, orwhois the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction? (Mosiah 11:27).The statement that Who is Abinadi and who is the Lord are in parallel with oneanother which suggests that they are the same person. Things get reallyinteresting in Mosiah 12:1 when Abinadi came among them in disguise andthey knew him not especially when just two years before he went forth amongthem, and began to prophesy unto the people (Mosiah 11:20). The Hebrewword for disguise from several words

chaphas {khaw-fas'}

1) to be searched for, be sought out2) to let oneself be searched fornakar {naw-kar'}1) to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard2) to be recognised

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3) pay attention to, pay regard to, notice4) to recognise (as formerly known), perceive'alaph {aw-laf'}

1) to covershana {shaw-naw'}

1) to be changed

shanah {shaw-naw'}1) to repeat, do again, change, alter2) to be repeated3) to be changed

Brother Nibley in reference about Abinadis disguise says that is a commondevice of the prophets, and angels do it. We are told that men have oftenentertained angels unawares. And the Lord himself was not recognized. Its away to get an audience. (Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Honors Book ofMormon Class at BYU, 1988-1990.)

Could the following Messianic patterns of Abinadi give us insights as to the realstory of Christ Crucifixion or gives us additional events not sighted in the Gospelsor scriptures? Keep in mind when reviewing this list as to the events of Christ

AND who this Abinadi that is disguised.

1) for [they] shall know that I am the Lord. (Mosiah 12:3) (Christ ParallelsJohn 8:28)

2) they took him and carried him bound before the king (Mosiah 12:9)(Christ Parallel Matthew 27:11)

3) we deliver him into thy hands; thou mayest do with him as seemeththee good. (Mosiah 12:16)

4) he [king Noah] commanded that the priests should gather themselvestogether that he might hold a council with them what he should do withhim. (Mosiah 12:17) (Christ Parallels Matthew 26:59)

5) Bring him hither that we may question him; and the king commandedthat he should be brought before them. (Mosiah 12:18)

6) And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that therebythey might have wherewith to accuse him; but he answered them boldly,and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he didwithstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all theirwords. (Mosiah 12:19) (Christ Parallel Matthew 26:59)

7) And now Abinadi said unto them: Are you priests, and pretend to teachthis people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire

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to know of me what these things mean? (Mosiah 12:25) Rememberthat in Revelation 19:10 it says that the spirit of prophesy is thetestimony of Jesus. What is Abinadi really saying here? Could he bereferring to himself as Jesus Christ, the Father, or some other Messianicperson like the Arm of the Lord?

8) I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord!For ifye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye haveperverted the ways of the Lord. (Mosiah 12:26)

9) And now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his priests:Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do with him, forhe is mad. (Mosiah 13:1)

10) And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him; but hewithstood them (Mosiah 13:2)

11) Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, forI have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me to deliver;neither have I told you that which ye requested that I should tell;

therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be destroyed at this time.(Mosiah 13:3) (Christ parallel John 7:6, Matthew 24:6, John 8:20)12) But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded

me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me. Andagain, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged me that Iam mad. (Mosiah 13:4) (Christ parallel John 5:19)

13) the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spiritof 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 theLord. (Mosiah 13:5)

14) But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be

that I am saved. (Mosiah 13:9)15) But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this, shall be as atype and a shadow of things which are to come . (Mosiah 13:10)

16) I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Mosesas yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no morebe expedient to keep the law of Moses. (Mosiah 13:27)

Now Abinadi goes on to say that that God himself should come down amongthe children of men, and take upon him the form of man (Mosiah 13:34) andthat all the prophets have testified of the coming of the Messiah (Mosiah13:33-35).

The question I ask is why did Abinadi lead us in this direction towards Christlife and ? Mosiah 14:1