Unit 12: Day 3

Mosiah 11–14

Introduction

King Noah took great pleasure in riotous living and led many of his people into wickedness. The Lord sent the prophet Abinadi to call Noah’s people to repentance and warn them of impending bondage. The people chose not to heed the warnings, and Abinadi was imprisoned for his prophecies. When the priests of King Noah questioned Abinadi, the prophet rebuked them for not living or teaching the commandments. God protected Abinadi and gave him power to finish his message to King Noah and his priests. Quoting Isaiah, Abinadi testified of all people’s need to rely on Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Mosiah 11:1–19

King Noah leads his people into wickedness

Consider the following questions:

• What would you do if your parent, guardian, or leader suggested that some of your friends were having a bad influence on you?

• What would you do if one of your parents or a Church leader asked you to dress more appropriately for Sunday worship services and other Church activities?

• What would you do if the prophet said that you needed to change your entertainment standards?

People may react differently to the questions above. As you study this lesson, watch for how the Lord would want you to respond to the people He sends to help you live righteously.

As you prepare to study Mosiah 11, it may be helpful to know that after Zeniff died, his son Noah ruled over the Nephites who were in the land of Nephi. Read Mosiah 11:1–2, 5–7, 14–19, and mark words and phrases that describe Noah’s actions and what he sought for after becoming king. Then read Mosiah 11:2, 6–7, 15, 19, and mark in a different color (if you can) the influence Noah’s actions had on the people of the kingdom.

These verses illustrate how the people we associate with may influence our actions. Consider how your peers influence the choices you make. Ponder for a moment what people in today’s world sometimes do that could be likened unto laboring “exceedingly to support iniquity” (Mosiah 11:6).

Mosiah 11:20–12:17

Abinadi urges the people to repent and warns them of bondage

Although King Noah and his people were choosing wickedness, the Lord still loved them and wanted to help them. Scan the first four lines of Mosiah 11:20, and identify what the Lord did to help Noah’s people.

Write the following truth in your scriptures next to Mosiah 11:20: God sends prophets to help us repent and avoid misery.

The Lord commanded Abinadi two different times to warn the people.

1. Copy the following chart into your scripture journal, leaving enough space under each scripture reference to write a summary. Study the verses indicated, and write a summary of Abinadi’s warnings and the people’s reactions.

	Abinadi’s Message	The People’s Reaction
First Warning	Mosiah 11:20–25	Mosiah 11:26–29
Second Warning	Mosiah 12:1–8	Mosiah 12:9–10, 13–17

2. In your scripture journal, answer the following questions about the people’s reactions to Abinadi’s warnings:

   1. Why do you think the people reacted angrily to Abinadi, who was trying to help them? Why do you think they defended King Noah, who was leading them toward misery?

   2. Note the phrase “the eyes of the people were blinded” in Mosiah 11:29. What are some examples of behaviors and influences you believe Satan is working diligently to have good people become “blinded” to in today’s world?

   3. What can you do to demonstrate humility when family members, Church leaders, and prophets encourage you to follow the word of God?

Mosiah 12:18–13:26

God protects Abinadi as he rebukes King Noah and his priests for their failure to observe and teach the commandments

Before continuing your study of Mosiah 12, rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being in full agreement) on how well the following statements describe you right now:

I know what I should be doing to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As you learn about King Noah and his priests, consider how well they knew and how well they lived the commandments. After Noah brought Abinadi out of prison, the priests began to question him about the scriptures. Read Mosiah 12:26–30, and mark what Abinadi said to rebuke Noah and his priests.

How well do you think Noah and his priests would rate on the 1 to 10 scale of knowing and living the commandments? What do you think it means to apply our “hearts to understanding”? (see Mosiah 12:27). Look in Mosiah 12:33, and underline a principle that indicates why it is important to live the commandments.

Abinadi declared this truth: If we keep the commandments of God, we shall be saved. Why is knowing the way to live not enough to qualify us for salvation?

Abinadi told King Noah and his priests that they were not living or teaching the commandments, and he began to list the Ten Commandments. This angered the king, and he commanded that Abinadi be put to death. God protected Abinadi and gave him power to continue teaching about the Ten Commandments. You might want to mark and number them in Mosiah 12:35–36 and Mosiah 13:12–24. The following chart will help you identify each of the Ten Commandments:

Abinadi Taught the Ten Commandments

Mosiah 12:35

Mosiah 12:36; 13:12–13

Mosiah 13:15

Mosiah 13:16–19

Mosiah 13:20

Mosiah 13:21

Mosiah 13:22

Mosiah 13:22

Mosiah 13:23

Mosiah 13:24

Abinadi boldly rebuked Noah and his priests for not keeping the Ten Commandments, saying, “I perceive that they are not written in your hearts” (Mosiah 13:11). To help you think about how well you are living the Ten Commandments, fill out the following self–evaluation:

The statements below may indicate how well the Ten Commandments are written in your heart. Mark how often these statements are true for you.	Almost never	Some of the time	Much of the time	Almost always
I love my Heavenly Father.
I put God first in my life (before friends, hobbies, possessions, my own desires, and other things).
I speak the Lord’s name with reverence.
I keep the Sabbath day holy by participating in activities that draw me closer to the Lord; I recognize it as His day, not mine.
I honor my parents by being obedient and respectful.
I control my anger and do not act violently toward others.
I am sexually pure. I avoid lustful images, language, and actions.
I refrain from stealing and cheating.
I tell the truth.
I avoid coveting (which means to inappropriately desire something that belongs to someone else).

3. Look back at your responses and set a goal to better live one of the Ten Commandments. Write your goal in your scripture journal.

Mosiah 13:27–14:12

Abinadi teaches about the coming of Jesus Christ

Read Mosiah 13:28, 32–35, and mark any words or phrases that could complete the following quotation by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “After all our obedience and good works, we cannot be saved from death or the effects of our individual sins without .”

The full quotation by Elder Oaks reads: “After all our obedience and good works, we cannot be saved from death or the effects of our individual sins without the grace extended by the atonement of Jesus Christ” (“Another Testament of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Mar. 1994, 67).

You may want to write this truth next to Mosiah 13:28: No one can be saved except through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Spend a few minutes studying Mosiah 14:1–12, and mark words and phrases that describe what Jesus Christ did in mortality to help you return home to our Father in Heaven. Think about the grief, sorrows, and sins Jesus Christ has carried for you. These verses correspond with Isaiah 53:1–12. Abinadi was quoting what Isaiah had written (see Mosiah 14:1).

4. In your scripture journal, write how you would explain what Mosiah 14:4–5 teaches about Jesus Christ to a friend.

5. Write the following at the bottom of today’s assignments in your scripture journal:

   I have studied Mosiah 11–14 and completed this lesson on (date).

   Additional questions, thoughts, and insights I would like to share with my teacher: