Mosiah 13:31

[pam]

Mosiah 13:31 

31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.

Quote for Discussion

"As every doctrine in the fulness of the gospel grows out of or is an appendage to the Atonement, so every ritual of the Mosaic law pointed to Christ and his atoning sacrifice. 'This is the whole meaning of the law,' Amulek explained, 'every whit pointing to the great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal' (Alma 34:14). Further, the entirety of the law of Moses was symbolic. It was a system of vicarious ordinances, all of which had as their purpose to center attention and faith in the great vicarious ordinances that brought life and hope of salvation to all who would believe. The doctrines of atonement, redemption, punishment, and forgiveness were all taught through vicarious offerings. The bullock, lamb, goat, ox, and dove were all substitutes, the lifeblood of each being offered in behalf of the one sacrificing. The whole system was one of vicarious ordinances and proxies, all pointing to the great vicarious sacrifice and the great proxy for us all." (Gospel Symbolism, pp. 81-82.)

(Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 2: 218.)

[MrShorty]

IMO, this concept, taught so forcefully by Abinadi, is one of the important principles that ties the Old Testament and New Testament together. So many times it seems that we treat the Old Testament as "ancient history" and no longer relavent. Or we have the attitude that, because Christ's atonement "fulfilled" the law (without fully understanding what that means), we view the Old Testament as theologically interesting, but not relevant. When we accept this principle that Abinadi is teaching, we can then read the Old Testament and the law of Moses and realize that God was trying to teach the same principles to the Israelites as He is trying to teach us.