Friday, November 14, 2008

30e - Did Lehi and his Descendants Look Forward to the First Christmas?

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TODAY'S THEME












Christmas, a Joyful Time!

What makes Christmas a joyful time? Is it just because Baby Jesus was born then? And because we receive presents then?



Or is it really because of what that baby was to do for all of us after He had grown up!



Jesus, although having lived perfectly, and having gone through very extreme persecution by even His nation's leaders, and then having shown many marvelous miracles though His divine power, and then being betrayed by one of His chosen apostles, and then by going through His suffering in Gethsemane to atone for our sins, and then by dieing on the cross, and then bringing about the Forgiveness of Sins (Atonement) for those who repent! and then eventual resurrection for all of us, even for those who had lived wicked lives without repenting during their mortal lives?

Painting by Arnold Friberg
One of my favorite Book of Mormon Prophets is Abinadi who bravely faced one very wicked Nephite king, Noah, and his wicked priests, and taught them the truth about Jesus Christ who was to born as a baby so as to become the Redeemer of the World.

We aren't told anything about Abinadi's background in the Book of Mosiah, one of the individual books in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ. What we learned about what he did in the land of Nephi-Lehi must have been written by Alma or Mosiah and perhaps edited by Mormon, the great compiler of the Book of Mormon. These events occurred about 148 years before Baby Jesus was born.

I have written much about Abinadi in a previous blog (Post 12). He was sent to call King Noah and his priests to repentance, but he knew beforehand that they would not believe his true words. Abinadi actually knew that they would kill him, nonetheless he told them exactly what God wanted him to tell them.


I state very surely that Abinadi's words and actions were a great future Christmas gift for us. What he tells us in what I will ask you to read below really tells us why Christmas is such a wonderful event. This is just a small portion of what Abinadi taught King Noah and his people, including one of his wicked priests, Alma, who was brought to repentance, and did much good as a result, including writing all of Abinadi's words and under authority from God founded Jesus' Church.I suggest you prayerfully read Abinadi's words which will help you understand more fully why Christmas should be such a joyful time. Before you read Abinadi's words. This  painting really tells us a lot about what was going on there in the king's court room.

Before reading the scripture below, please say a silent or vocal prayer asking Heavenly Father to help you really understand Abinadi's inspired words and by them understand the greatest of all earthly missions, that of Jesus Christ who was born in a lowly Bethlehem manger.

Please ask the Lord to help you know how all of this applies to you personally.


You can now read that scripture. Listening may help you to better remember what you read! That option will be given you when the scripture is on your screen: Mosiah 14: 1-12




MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES! (On behalf of the Ancient Prophet, Abinadi) Please read and listen to this scripture again to really understand and appreciate Abinadi's words.

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This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other Blog Post You Decide To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: (The First) Christmas, Did Lehi and His Descendants Look Forward To That? - Post 30e. When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next to a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item/s Or Use the Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed).
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Neil Birch

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