As I studied Mosiah Chapter 11 this morning I could not help but think of the leadership of our country today. As we watched the happenings shortly after Obama took office, we quickly saw him surround himself with leaders of like mindedness. I don't see Obama as living riotously as did King Noah, but I do see him as one who has ". . .changed the affairs of the kingdom (v4)". It is a huge concern.
When the Lamanites came against them, they were able to drive them back. Again, pride is the enemy. While they are taking credit for being strong, their cancerous pride is eating away at their spiritual strength.
Abinadi comes to warn them of the trouble they are in. Life is good; why should they fear anything Abinadi has to say? Abinadi becomes an enemy to the King and is sought after by the people who support King Noah.
It is fascinating to me at how quickly things seem to change. It was King Noah's father who was a righteous man and lead in righteousness. How does an offspring go so wrong so fast? Once the spirit of the Lord ceases to dwell with a leader, he is left to his own carnal devices. Because the natural man is an enemy to God, he becomes his own God so to speak. Whatever he wants is right in his eyes and the means to achieve those desires is also right. What is hard for me to understand is getting people to follow this mindset. But King Noah didn't seem to have any problem with that either. He used the taxes of the people to pay his people to support him in his riotous living. Life was good for them; why not?
So what am I to learn from this chapter? What am I to correct? So many times when I read the scriptures and ask myself these questions, the answer seems to be a Sunday School answer, and is that wrong? We must put the Lord first in our lives - worship him, keep his commandments, study the words of the Lord to know his will. In other words, set a righteous example and keep on keeping on!
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