Chapter Five - Zeniff, Noah, and the Rise of Abinadi

CHAPTER FIVE

Zeniff, Noah, and the Rise of Abinadi

MOSIAH 7–17

Flashback.

A group of Nephites once left Zarahemla and went back to the old land Nephi fled.

The leader was Zeniff.
He convinced a Lamanite king to let his people settle there.

At first, things were peaceful.
Then the Lamanites turned on them.
War broke out.
Zeniff fought hard, defended the land, and ruled for years.
He was righteous. But when he died, his son took over.

His son was Noah.

And Noah was corrupt.

He taxed the people.
He built towers and palaces.
He had many wives and many concubines.
He surrounded himself with flattering priests.
He drank constantly.
He ignored the scriptures.
He made himself rich.

The people followed his lead.

That’s when Abinadi shows up.

A lone prophet.
He walks straight into the city and starts preaching destruction.

He says:
If you don’t repent, you will be taken by your enemies.
You’ll suffer worse than you can imagine.

He’s arrested.
Dragged before Noah and his priests.

They interrogate him.

He tells them they don't keep the Ten Commandments.
They pretend to be righteous, but they’re liars and whores.

One priest, Alma, listens.

The others do not.

Abinadi is asked to explain a passage from Isaiah.
He does.
Then he preaches Christ.

He says the Messiah will come.
He will suffer.
He will take on the sins of the world.
He will be judged for our guilt.
He will rise again.

He says redemption comes only through Him.

The priests are furious.
But they can’t trap him.
Noah orders him killed anyway.

Abinadi says:

“You can burn me, but what I’ve said will stand.
And you, you will suffer like I suffer.”

Then they burn him alive.

But one priest, Alma, believed.

He flees.
Goes into hiding.
And begins writing down everything Abinadi said.

The message wasn’t wasted.