Examples of thematic repetition in Mosiah -- part 2

My last post introduced the purpose of this series on examples of thematic repetition in the Book of Mormon.  Please read that post first before reading this one.

Example #2 -- The type and shadow of things to come

Our next example teaches an extremely important lesson in a subtle way.  This is accomplished through the story of Abinadi and Noah.  Early in Mosiah 13, Mosiah attempts to have Abinadi killed:

1 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, for he is mad.

They tried in vain to kill him, and Abinadi explains why:

3 Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands upon me, for I 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.
4 But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me. And again, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged me that I am mad.
5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of 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 the Lord.
6 And he spake with power and authority from God; and he continued his words, saying:
7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message. Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts (see 1 Nephi 16:2) because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.
8 Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.
9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved. (Mosiah 13)

There is so much to say about these verses, but I'm trying to limit my comments to the concept of thematic repetition. Here are two key points:

#1: Connections to Nephi

Compare this story to Nephi's encounter with his brothers in 1 Nephi 17:

• His brothers call him a "fool" because he thinks he can build a ship (1 Nephi 17:17).
• They are certain the people in Jerusalem "were a righteous people" (v. 22) because they kept the law of Moses. (Noah's priests teach the law of Moses.)
• Nephi is "filled with the power of God" (v. 48)
• Nephi is protected by the Spirit of God (1 Nephi 17:52)

Each of these details matches up with Abinadi and Noah.  Abinadi plays the role of Nephi, and Noah and his wicked priests match up with Laman and Lemuel. 

#2: Connecting looking beyond the mark at the law of Moses to spiritual death

The next thematic parallel is more subtle, but it aligns with a major theme from the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon -- rejecting the everlasting covenant leads to spiritual death.  I believe this is taught in Mosiah 13 when we look at two verses with very similar wording:

10 But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.



31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.

In verse 10, Abinadi is speaking about himself. This direct prophecy is fulfilled when the people burned Noah in Mosiah, but there is a deeper parallel when we connect verse 10 and verse 31.  Abinadi says in verse 9 that after he finishes his message, "it matters not whither I go, if it so be that I am saved." In other words, his physical death is swallowed up in eternal life because of Christ. 

The context of verse 31 is also important, as it makes reference to the fact that the law cannot save anyone from anything. To quote Abinadi:

28 ...I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

The law was only meant to serve as a type of things to come, not a means of salvation in itself. By referring to the strict "performances" and "ordinances" of the law of Moses as a type of things to come, Abinadi is also pointing back to his own words about himself (and about Christ's sacrifice for mankind).  If we read between the lines, he's assuring them that strict adherence to the law alone (ignoring its deeper meaning) will lead to spiritual death. Only Christ has the power to save, not the law of Moses.

Example #3 -- Alma teaches privately

We'll end this post with a very subtle, short parallel about Alma-1.  In the first few verses of Mosiah 18, we learn that Alma-1 taught the people the words of Abinadi "privately" (see verses 1 and 3). Compare this to the description of how Alma-2 and the sons of Mosiah would later go about trying to destroy the church:

10 And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king (Mosiah 27)

Perhaps it's too much of a stretch to connect these two details with a lot of certainty, but the simple message I see in this is the importance of having a righteous king. If you don't, the Gospel must be taught in secret. Another lesson might be that the sins of the fathers resonate down to future generations even after sincere repentance.

In the next post we'll look at a few more examples.