Hear and Know the Voice

In King Benjamin’s final words to his people, he commended them for the covenant they made to follow Christ. He said, “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.” He encouraged them to be faithful to the end: “I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.” He reminded them that there were really only two choices: follow this covenant with Christ or not. He continued, “And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ. And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God” (Mosiah 5:7-10). When we take upon us the name of Christ, then we learn to be called by that name. This language reminds us of how the Savoir used the analogy of sheep to speak of those who follow Him: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). To take upon us the name of Christ is to become like sheep, accepting Him as our shepherd and choosing to follow Him voice to lead us. The Savior put it this way later in the Book of Mormon to Alma: “And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive” (Mosiah 26:21).

                King Benjamin continued this theme of hearing His voice in the final few verses of Mosiah 5 as he finished his message to his people. He said, “I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you” (v12). While not mentioning sheep specifically, he emphasized the need to hear and recognize the voice of the Lord. If the name of the Savior is written on our hearts, then we will hear His voice through the scriptures, the words of the prophets, and the Holy Ghost. He then asked this important question: “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” This again is similar to the Savior’s words about sheep: “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers” (John 10:4-5). If the Savior is a stranger to us, then we will not recognize or follow His voice. King Benjamin then said this: “And again, doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his neighbor, and keep him? I say unto you, Nay; he will not even suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but will drive him away, and cast him out. I say unto you, that even so shall it be among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called” (v14). This verse has always puzzled me for it seems to be an abrupt change in subject—why did he suddenly start talking about us taking donkeys from our neighbor? After pondering this verse, though, I realized that the “man” who won’t take his neighbor’s donkey is the Savior, not us. We are the donkey, and the reason the Savior wouldn’t take a donkey among his flocks (perhaps sheep and other animals as well) is because the donkey doesn’t know Him but belongs to another (e.g. the devil). This then is actually perfectly consistent with the previous verses in this chapter: we must know Him and His voice or He won’t own us or bring us into His flocks. Interestingly, I did a little searching and found that donkeys indeed “develop strong bonds” with people and their owners. King Benjamin then wanted to emphasize to us that we must develop strong bonds with the Savior so that we become His forever instead of the adversary’s. That was the message of his next (and final) verse: “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, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all” (v15). Like sheep and donkeys, we must learn to hear His voice and strive each day to be sealed His. That was King Benjamin’s final message and the summary of all he taught: through our covenants we must learn to belong fully to Christ.