Abinadi's Fire

"Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire" (Book of Mormon, Mosiah, Chapter 17:15)

The Book of Mormon tells the story of Abinidi who was a great Ancient American prophet who testified to the King and corrupt priests of the people concerning their wickedness and immorality. In consequence of Abinidi's boldness, the King ordered Abinadi be burned by fire. Abinadi's final prophecy foretold the same fate to the king and his priests that he had suffered. And according to the Book of Mormon not long thereafter the king was killed by his people for leading a cowardly retreat.

The Book of Mormon was written for our day. The people chronicled in the book never had it. The details selected by another ancient American prophet named Mormon we're written as a witness and a warning to the Gentiles who would inherit America after the collapse and destruction of the Nephite civilization. It is believed that the overall plot themes are prophetic and foretell what will eventually befall the Gentiles in the Last Days.

The same is true of the Bible. Jesus Christ Himself tells us that the Last Days will be like the days of Noah before the Flood. Therefore, as we read about Joseph in Egypt's preparation for the 7 years of famine and we read about Noah's preparation in building the Ark, we see how God's people are preserved through terrible calamity. John the Revelator makes the connection between Joshua and the fall of Jericho and the 7 Trumpets of Tribulation that will sound before the fall of Babylon. This pattern has been and can be applied to foretell the fall of Jerusalem, the Roman Empire, and the eventual fall of our current western civilization.

The Bible also gives specific warning like in Isa 17 which warns Ephraim that when 'Damascus ceases to be a city, (one of the oldest cities in the world), the fortress of Ephraim will fall.'. Daniel 8 warns about the division of Greece when Alexander the Great (goat) attacks Syria and Iran (ram). Joel 1-3 warns of an invasion of heathen armies. Rev 18 warns of the future burning of Babylon where the merchants stand afar off and mourn its burning. Zachariah 5 foretells of burning judgement upon Babylon brought about by flying missiles (megillahs). Also, the great prophecy regarding the gathering of the Jews back to Israel (fig tree nation) and the rebuilding of the temple and the eventual gathering of a great army at Armageddon.

The Isa 17, Damascus warning is a lot like the pre-flood prophecy surrounding Methuselah. Methuselah was the oldest man ever to live upon the Earth at 969 years old. Methuselah means "his death shall bring" and the prophecy foretold that the Great Flood would occur following his death. Similarly, Damascus is the oldest continually inhabited city in the world and it's complete destruction in Isa 17 foretells a great judgement upon Ephraim and the world.

In the Book of Mormon, there are additional plot elements that may also be prophetic. Some of these include:

1. The peaceful submission to foreign occupation and miraculous deliverance of Alma in Helem.
2. The militant resistance to foreign occupation and suffering by Limhi in the City of Nephi.
3. Peaceful submission of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's towards the attacking kindred Lamanites.
4. Miraculous preservation of the 2000 stripling warriors of the Army of Helaman.
5. Success of Captain Moronihah in converting occupying enemies to Christianity vs. militantly retaking their lands. (word mightier than the sword)
6. Nephi being given the sealing power to seal the heavens and interrupt a terrible war with a great drought and famine.
6. The gathering of the people together in the center of the land by King Lachoneas against the Gadianton armies.
7. The calamitous destruction and cleansing of the land by Earthquake and fire preceding the appearance of Jesus Christ in America.
8. Threatening of the believers on the eve of the predicted sign.


Of course we cannot forget the central warning of the Book of Mormon to the Gentiles that if we allow secret combinations and conspiracies to overrun our government, the support of these 'special interests' will lead to our destruction.

Currently we are hearing about conflict with Syria that should get our attention. When Iraq was in a protracted war with Iran, Western interests provided Saddam Hussain with biological and chemical weapons. Just before the Gulf War 2, Russia transported most of those weapons to Syria. The media is telling us that King Assad may be desperate enough to use those chemical weapons against Tel Aviv or the rebels in Syria. If that were to happen, it is easy to see how a nuclear-equipped Israel could fulfill the Damascus prophecy.

But what about Abinadi's story? Why did Mormon bother to tell us this story? Who in our day would represent a modern righteous Abinadi suffering death by fire? If nuclear war is the fire, could Japan or Damascus serve as Abinadi? I don't think so.

Maybe there is no future parallel here but some see the great FEMA preparations over the last decade since Katrina and it is clear with how SuperStorm Sandy was poorly handled that FEMA has not been preparing for hurricanes all this time.

FEMA seems to be preparing to handle something much worse involving many more casualties. (DMORT, mega-morgues, FEMA cemeteries, MREs, SRS nuclear evidence processing center, FEMA Residency Centers). Could FEMA be preparing for a future mega quake? Or maybe a nuclear detonation in a US metropolitan area. Will there be an Abinadi sacrificed that would give Western powers the excuse to deal with Syria and Iran? And will those actions against Iran precipitate a response by Russia and China against the West?

There is an unofficial report of an LDS Tongan Patriarch Yohani Wolfgramm receiving a vision of the tribulation that will befall the northern Utah Area. Patriarch Wolfgramm is reported to have predicted the election of George Bush Jr and a financial failure during the 3rd year of his 2nd term. Following the financial problems there would be a great drought throughout America followed by a nuclear bomb that would detonate in Northern Utah and then foreign invasion. My question is, if the Northern Utah detonation was isolated or part of a more global coordinated attack? Could Patriarch Wolfgramm have been shown Abinadi's fire?