Abinadi Returns in Disguise
Two years later, Abinadi returned—disguised this time so no one would recognize him. He started prophesying again: “The Lord commanded me: ‘Abinadi, go prophesy to my people. Their hearts have hardened against my words. They haven’t turned from their evil ways. So I’m going to come down on them in my fierce anger. I’ll make them answer for their sins and disgusting practices.’ This generation is doomed. The Lord told me: ‘Stretch out your hand and prophesy. Tell them: Because of their sins, this generation will be enslaved. They’ll be struck across the face. They’ll be driven by men and killed. Vultures will circle overhead. Wild dogs and beasts will tear apart their bodies.’”
“King Noah’s life will burn away like a piece of cloth thrown into a blazing furnace. Then he’ll know that I am the Lord.”
“I will crush my people with terrible suffering—with famine and disease. They’ll cry out in agony all day long.”
“I’ll strap heavy loads on their backs. They’ll be driven forward like stubborn donkeys.”
“I’ll send hail to batter them. The east wind will strike them down. Insects will swarm their land and eat their crops.”
“They’ll be struck with plague. All this will happen because of their sins and abominations.”
“Unless they turn back to me, I will completely wipe them out. But they’ll leave a record behind, and I’ll preserve it for other nations who will live in this land. I want those future people to see the terrible things this generation did.” Abinadi prophesied many other things against them.
Arrested and Brought Before the King
The people were furious. They grabbed him, tied him up, and dragged him before the king. “We’ve brought you a man who’s been prophesying doom against your people. He says God will destroy them.”
“He also prophesied doom for you personally. He says your life will be like a garment thrown into a blazing furnace.”
“And another thing: He says you’ll be like a dry stalk in a field, trampled by wild animals.”
“And he says you’ll be like thistle blossoms—when they’re fully ripe, the wind blows them away across the land. He claims the Lord told him all this. He says all these things will happen unless you repent—that it’s all because of your sins.”
“What terrible evil have you done, O king? What great sins have your people committed that we should be condemned by God or judged by this man?”
“Look, we’re innocent. And you, O king, haven’t sinned either. This man is lying about you. His prophecies are empty.”
“We’re strong. We won’t be enslaved or captured by enemies. You’ve thrived in this land, and you’ll keep on thriving.”
“Here’s the man. We’re handing him over to you. Do whatever you want with him.”
The Priests Interrogate Abinadi
King Noah ordered Abinadi thrown in prison. Then he called his priests together to decide what to do with him.
The priests told the king: “Bring him here so we can question him.” The king ordered Abinadi brought before them.
They started interrogating him, trying to trap him so they could find something to accuse him of. But Abinadi answered boldly and stood firm against every question they threw at him. They were stunned—he handled every question and turned their own words against them.
One of them asked: “What do these words mean that our fathers taught us? ’How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger bringing good news, announcing peace, bringing good news of salvation, saying to Zion: Your God reigns!’ ’Your watchmen will raise their voices and sing together in joy, because they’ll see it clearly when the Lord restores Zion.’ ’Break into joyful song, you ruined places of Jerusalem! The Lord has comforted his people and rescued Jerusalem.’ ’The Lord has shown his holy power before all nations. Every corner of the earth will see our God’s salvation.’”
Abinadi Confronts Their Hypocrisy
Abinadi shot back: “You call yourselves priests? You claim to teach these people and understand the Spirit of prophecy, yet you’re asking me what these scriptures mean? Shame on you for twisting the Lord’s ways! If you actually understand these scriptures, you haven’t been teaching them. You’ve corrupted the Lord’s ways. You haven’t put your minds to understanding. You haven’t been wise. So what exactly are you teaching these people?”
They answered: “We teach the law of Moses.”
Abinadi fired back: “If you teach the law of Moses, why don’t you keep it? Why do you chase after wealth? Why do you sleep with prostitutes and waste your strength on them? Why do you lead these people into sin—giving the Lord every reason to send me to prophesy against you? He’s bringing terrible judgment on this people!”
“You know I’m speaking the truth. You know it. You should be trembling before God.”
“You’re going to be punished for your sins. You claim you teach the law of Moses. But what do you really know about it? Does the law of Moses save you? Answer me that.”
They answered: “Yes, salvation comes through the law of Moses.”
Abinadi said: “I know this: if you keep God’s commandments, you’ll be saved. If you keep the commandments the Lord gave Moses on Mount Sinai—like these: ’I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of slavery.’ ’You will have no other gods before me.’ ’You will not make any idols or images of anything in heaven above or on earth below.’”
Abinadi looked at them: “Have you done all this? No, you haven’t. Have you taught these people to do these things? No, you haven’t.”