The Prophet Abinadi, pronounced guilty by the loathsome King Noah and sentenced by him to die, calmly looked about the king's chambers and expressed no regrets. He offered no excuses, nor did he plead for mercy or for clemency. What mattered most to him, "he had proclaimed the message God sent him to deliver!"
In spite of the scorn King Noah's people had for Abinadi's words, and the contempt they showed in refusing to obey them, Abinadi was true to the promise he had made, "I finish my message." (Mosiah 13:9)
Led forth by Noah's wicked priests and by the clamoring throng that in carnival spirit had gathered to mock him, the prophet was hastened to his place of death and neither flinched nor feared his coming doom.
As the flames of the martyr's pyre began to scorch his weary frame, Abinadi cried unto them, saying many terrible things that would happen unto them: That because many Lamanites should "believe in the salvation of the Lord their God," their seed would cause them to "suffer the pains of death by fire," even as "ye have done unto me." Also, because of iniquity among them, pestilence and disease would be sowed broadcast. In addition to that, he said, "Yea, and ye shall be smitten on every hand, and shall be driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven by wild and ferocious beasts."
Abinadi continued his prophecy, and in a few years all his words were fulfilled: King Noah suffered death by fire even by the same hands and in the same manner that Abinadi had been put to death. The Lamanites invaded the lands of the Nephites, and they stole many of their flocks and herds and much of the grain they had stored. They were driven from their homes and were hunted as the hunter follows his game. Sickness and disease made them an easy prey to their unpitying enemies. Indeed, they became a pitiful lot.
One can easily recall Alma's account concerning the fulfillment of Abinadi's prophetic denouncement:
And behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time.
But they took their armies and went over into the borders of the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them.
And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in the which they were driven and slain.
And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah, and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites;
And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their belief-
For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in the wilderness.
And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death, yea, all those that believed in these things.
Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the east wilderness.
And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites. Thus the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should suffer death by fire.
For he said unto them: What ye shall do unto me shall be a type of things to come.
And now Abinadi was the first that suffered death by fire because of his belief in God; now this is what he meant, that many should suffer death by fire, according as he had suffered. And he said unto the priests of Noah that their seed should cause many to be put to death in the like manner as he was, and that they should be scattered abroad and slain, even as sheep having no shepherd is driven and slain by wild beasts now behold, these words were verified, for they were driven by the Lamanites, and they were hunted, and they were smitten. (Alma 25:1-12)
The events of the next few years following the martyrdom of Abinadi are a complete commentary on the fulfillment of his dying words: "Thus God executeth vengeance upon those that destroy his people," and with saying that, he cried aloud, "O God receive my soul."