Among the thousands assembled at the temple in Zarahemla there is not one (save little children) who does not enter into the covenant of obedience in the wake of the mighty change experienced that day. Universal repentance—what a glorious outcome for the assembly. It reminds us of the triumph of the high priest Melchizedek in Jerusalem at a time when the people had all gone astray. Alma includes the example of Melchizedek in his discourse on the priesthood before the hard-hearted leadership in the city of Ammonihah:
Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness;
But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.
Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention (Alma 13:17–19).
For Melchizedek they all repented. For Benjamin likewise. How extraordinary to achieve such a blessed outcome through the power of the Atonement and the Spirit—in both cases before the actual atoning sacrifice has been made. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland comments on the miraculous results of King Benjamin’s inspired appeal:
King Benjamin was delighted with this response from the congregation and informed them that in this covenant-making process, they had become “children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters.” “For behold,” he told them, “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 …” (Mosiah 5:7).
This is one way in which that title [Father] is appropriately applied to him who is customarily referred to as “Son.” He is the Father of redeemed, restored, spiritual life—in short, eternal life. The faithful are born again—of Christ and by Christ and through Christ—when this mighty change wrought by him comes into their hearts. As is appropriate at the time of a new birth, a name is given, and the name the redeemed take upon themselves is “the name of Christ,” evidence that all such have entered into a covenant with God that they would be obedient to the gospel to the end of their lives… .
That this sermon carried a spiritual power beyond the clarity of the written word is undeniable, for following the close of the discourse and wishing to take “the names of all those who had entered into a covenant,” this mighty servant of God realized “there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ.” (Mosiah 6:1–2.) Oh that we might have more such sermons, and, even more important, that all who hear them might make such honest and binding covenants as a result. (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997], 102–103)
By keeping our covenants, we receive the blessings of exaltation. Every commandment and covenant honored has a blessing (see D&C 130:20–21), just as every one that is broken has a consequence and punishment (see 2 Nephi 2:26; Amos 2:4; D&C 58:29). Do we keep the covenants we make with the Lord? (See also Mosiah 5:5.)