Upon the prideful and impenitent the word of God falls as the sword of justice, but upon the humble and obedient it distills as comforting dews from heaven. When people reject the word of God, dire consequences inevitably follow. Elder Mark E. Petersen confirms this truth:
Abinadi came as a prophet of the Lord to call the people to repentance. He went among them and began to prophesy, saying: “Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.” (Mosiah 11:20.)
Note that Abinadi received a revelation from the Lord calling him to confront the king, and giving him instructions as to what he should say. His words were forceful: “Thus saith the Lord,” he cried out, “and thus hath he commanded me,” and then he quotes the language of the Lord.
God always directs his prophets. There was revelation in those days even as now. And so the Lord commanded Abinadi to give his warning, “Thus saith the Lord, Wo be unto this people.”
This was revelation, and it was God’s message to those people. Abinadi was but the instrument of communication. The language is in the first person, as the Lord himself addressed them… .
Abinadi’s visit left the people more than ever entrenched in their sins. Their “hearts were hardened” against the words of the prophet as they searched for him that they might kill him.
“And King Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings” (Mosiah 11:21–29.). (Alma and Abinadi [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983], 8–9)