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HIDDEN
LDS/JEWISH INSIGHTS #18
Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
<< GOD HIMSELF...SHALL
REDEEM HIS PEOPLE >>
Mosiah 12-17
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(1.) CONTRAST OF ABINADI AND
JONAH:
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King Noah and his nobles did not repent when the prophet Abinadi
spoke to them. However, in Jonah’s case, the king and his nobles heeded the
words of God’s prophet. Jonah acknowledges that God himself is the Redeemer
and that the prophet speaks for Him, not himself. "A prophet does not
choose his profession but is chosen, often against his own will, as in the case
of Jonah, to convey the word of God to the people regardless of whether they
wish to hear it." "The individuality of the prophet is never affected.
No two prophets prophesied in the same style. God speaks to the prophet and the
prophet in turn speaks out." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(2.) DAY OF ATONEMENT (YOM
KIPPUR) – ASKING FOR SPIRIT:
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Jonah teaches the atonement through the
experience God gives him of being in a great fish three nights and three days.
The book of Jonah is read by religious Jews on Yom Kippur, accompanied by a full
day of fasting and prayer. The prayers given that day ask for forgiveness and
for the Lord’s spirit to be with them.
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(3.) THE LAW AS LETTER AND
SPIRIT:
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Abinadi makes it clear that the Children of Israel preferred a
"strict law" rather than following the spirit. The giving of the
"strict" but lesser Law of Moses is celebrated fifty days after
Passover (Shavuot). In the Savior’s time, the giving of the Higher Law, the
gift of the Holy Ghost, was fifty days after Passover called Pentecost. The
imagery of receiving the Torah from above on Shavuot leads to understanding the
"New Testament" day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost came down. The
Holy Ghost came down so that the Savior could go up. Likewise, we must have the
Holy Ghost come down on us so that we can go up to our Savior, who will bring us
to his and our Father in Heaven.
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(4.) SOME LISTEN SOME DON’T:
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listening to Jonah, the people of Nineveh repented. Yet, the people of King Noah
rebelled even more, resulting in the martyrdom of the Prophet Abinadi. Jewish
thought on martyrdom states: "Martyrdom is permitted only in the most
exceptional circumstances; to lay down one's life, even for the fulfillment of
divine laws, when such sacrifice is not required by law, is regarded as a mortal
offense." "The willingness to sacrifice life rather than faith, is one
of the most significant concepts of Judaism, and has paradoxically been a factor
in Jewish survival . . . rather than worship idols, commit an unchaste act, or
murder, the Jew is commanded to choose death. (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(5.) MARTYRDOM, PAST AND
PRESENT:
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"Jewish history is replete with examples of those willing to
die for their faith from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo, who in the Book of
Daniel refused to worship an idol and thus endangered their lives, up to the
present generation of Soviet Jews who suffer indescribable hardships rather than
give up their Jewishness." "In modern times . . . renewed persecution
under the Nazis revived the ancient tradition in the ghettos and concentration
camps of Europe and very many cases of honorable death among the six million who
perished must have gone unrecorded." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(6.) PROPHETS IN PERIL:
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Another example of the Lord’s prophet speaking out against the people - at the
peril of his own life - was Jeremiah. He, like Abinadi, prophesied against the
government and the people who followed their wickedness. "Then took they
Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that
was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in
the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire."
(Jeremiah 38:4-6)
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(7.) PROPHETS AS
REPRESENTATIONS OF SAVIOR:
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True prophets were models of their Master, the
Savior, who would prophesy against the corrupt part of the Jewish government and
the people who followed their wickedness. Yet, there would be some who would
hearken to the Lord and become his seed. Abinadi knew that those who listen with
their hearts and their spirits, would be redeemed and become his seed. (Mosiah
15:12-14) The Lord gave his life. As Abinadi gave his life, he succeeded in
reaching through the crowd of wickedness to one soul. One Alma hears the voice
of the prophet. More importantly, he feels the spirit of the Lord and he becomes
a prophet to speak to the people for God.
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