The Lord God Omnipotent

In the message of the angel to King Benjamin, he used the word Omnipotent to describe the Savior several times.  He said, “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men…. There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent…. Believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent…. None shall be found blameless before God, except it be little children, only through repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:5,17-18,21).  After King Benjamin’s words, the people declared, “Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts.”  King Benjamin then left his final invitation in these words, “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his” (Mosiah 5:2,15).  There is only one other verse in all of scripture which uses this word to describe the Savior: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Revelation 19:6). 

               The word omnipotent means to have all power, and these verses help remind us that Christ has power to do all things.  That Christ came down from heaven already known as the Lord God Omnipotent to live in mortality suggests that He had complete power to stop the events of the atonement and crucifixion.  He suggested this to Peter when the apostle tried to stop the arrest of Jesus with the sword: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53)  He had full power to stop the events of that night but chose not to in order to do the will of the Father.  Later the Jews mocked Him in His pretend trial, “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?” (Matt. 26:67-68).  He had the power indeed to answer that question and much more, but He held His peace.  When He was subsequently silent before Pilate, the latter said to Him, “Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?”  Pilate thought he had power, but Jesus was the one who had all power, and He told Pilate, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:10-11).  When He was on the cross He was mocked: “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now” (Matt. 27:42-43).  Indeed He could have saved Himself from that cruel experience and humiliation, but in the greatest show of self-control in the history of mankind, He chose not to save Himself and went through with the suffering for all of us.  And so, these references in the words of King Benjamin to Christ as Omnipotent stand as a testimony that He also has all power to help and heal us, to forgive our sins and help us overcome the mortal challenges we face.  And because He is Omnipotent, we can “do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [us]” (Philippians 4:13).