The Priests of Noah

I’ve often wondered about the seeming good fortune of the priests of Noah.  They were clearly as wicked as King Noah was, for when he wanted to perhaps let Abinadi off they were the ones who convinced him to slay Abinadi.  And yet they had a much different fate than Noah.  When the people finally woke up and realized how terrible Noah was, they “caused that he should suffer, even unto death by fire.”  They were about to do likewise to all of the priests of Noah—for the people understood that those priests were just as responsible for the mess they were in as Noah was—but “they fled before them” (Mosiah 19:20-21).  Later the priests of Noah stole the daughters of the Lamanites which caused terrible problems for the Nephites, so much that Mormon would comment that the priests of Noah were responsible for “a great destruction” among the Nephites (Mosiah 21:20).  And yet, even when the Lamanites found the priests of Noah, they got away with their rather major sin of stealing the Lamanite women.  We read that when they were caught by the Lamanites, “the daugthers of the Lamanites” did “plead with their brethren, that they should not destroy their husbands” (Mosiah 23:33).  And the Lamanites went with it!  The priests of Noah had abducted their children—why would they let them off easy!?  

                Everything continued to go perfectly for the priests of Noah.  They were able to join with the Lamanites, and the king of the Lamanites put these priests of Noah in charge of the people of Alma who were trying to do what was right.  Why did the priests of Noah prosper at this moment instead of the people of Alma?  If anyone was responsible for the great wickedness during the reign of King Noah it was the priests of Noah.  And yet they seem to have gotten off so easy—as far as the text reads they never really suffered the consequences of their actions.  It reminds me of the verse in Malachi when the people complain about the wicked saying, “We call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up” (Malachi 3:15).  In other words, the wicked seem to prosper. 

                Ultimately I think that the priests of Noah served a great purpose in the Lord’s plan and perhaps that is why they were spared punishment during their mortal lives.  They were the ones who taught their language to the Lamanites, and it was because of that the Lamanites could speak to Ammon, Aaron, Omni, Himner and their brethren when they can to preach the gospel.  The actions of the priests of Noah ultimately helped to bring the Lamanites to a knowledge of the truth. We have to realize I think in our lives that things won’t always seem fair, and there is a God who notices everything we do and he will use even the wicked to bring forth His purposes.