King Limhi cites three reasons for his people being in bondage to the Lamanites. The first reason was Zeniff’s [ Limhi’s grandfather] being overzealous to inherit the land of his father (v. 21). His enthusiasm may be attributed to his knowledge that the land was the first major settlement of Nephi’s people after they separated from Laman and Lemuel (2 Nephi 5:8). It was called by Zeniff “the land of Nephi, or the land of our fathers’ first inheritance” (Mosiah 9:1). The admonition of King Benjamin may be applicable here: “it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength” (Mosiah 4:27). It is acknowledged that he was referring to physical efforts, but the same is true of intellectual or mental strength. The Lord has cautioned:
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me. [D&C 9:8–9]
Had Zeniff studied out the Lamanite situation, the Nephites would probably not be paying tribute of one half of all their goods to the Lamanites, nor would many of their brethren have been slain. More will be said of tribute or taxation in a later chapter.
The second reason is mentioned twice; once in the previous verses discussed, “because of our iniquities and abomination” (Mosiah 7:20), and “if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord would not have suffered [allowed] that this great evil should come upon them.” There was contention, even murder, among them (v. 25). The devil “is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend, one with another” (3 Nephi 11:29). Great persecutions came upon the Latter-day Saints for the same reason.
6 Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.
7 They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble. [D&C 101:6–7]
Six months later the redemption of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri was postponed for a little season in the Lord’s time “in consequence of transgression of my people” (D&C 101:9).
2 Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now.
3 But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;
4 And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;
5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.
6 And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer. [D&C 105:2–6]
I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise. [D&C 82:10]
The third reason for bondage to the Lamanites was an extension of the second reason. They had contented and even “shed blood among them” (v. 25), and that included Abinadi the prophet of the Lord, whom we will be introduced to in Mosiah chapter 11 and learn the significance of his martyrdom in Mosiah chapter 17.
Abinadi prophesied of the coming of Christ, and said he was “the God, the Father of all things.” He also said he would take upon him the image of man “the image after which man was created in the beginning” and that God [Christ] should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood” (v. 27). Almost all of these doctrinal points were made in King Benjamin’s great sermon, part of which he was quoting an angel of God (Mosiah 3). It is important to note that the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred for the same reason—teaching the truth about God, which he learned in “the First Vision.”
“It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” [Joseph Smith—History 1:17]
He taught that:
“ … God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible, —I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another.”
“… These are incomprehensible ideas to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converse with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.” [ TPJS, 345–346]
The Book of Mormon, which the Lord brought forth through Joseph, teaches the fatherhood of Christ (see Mosiah 5:7; 15:1–2; Alma 11:38–40). For these doctrines, Latter-day Saints are accused of not being Christians. As always, the truth will prevail, in the end.