If perfect love casteth out all fear (Moroni 8:16), then Noah must lack any charity. Indeed, fear is one of his best emotions. A coward's response to danger and fear is to run away, and this is precisely how Noah responded. His wickedness left him without any hope that the Lord would preserve him personally or his people collectively. As the servant of Satan, Noah had only the evil one to come to his rescue, but the devil will not support his children (Alma 30:60).
His first problem is Gideon, a leader in a group of dissidents unhappy with Noah's rule. As is typical, Noah's only concern is the preservation of his life. Accordingly, when chased to the tower, Noah sees a Lamanite army approaching. This is his great opportunity to divert Gideon's attention. Mormon makes it clear that Noah was only concerned with himself, saying, now the king was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life (v. 8). His argument implied that the people needed him to face the Lamanites, but he had no intention of facing them. His typical response was the directive, "run for your lives." But why not trust in the Lord and face the Lamanites with faith? The Nephites had beaten Lamanite armies before, even when greatly outnumbered, but their successes in these instances were predicated upon faith in the Lord. Noah lacked the spiritual leadership to draw upon the powers of heaven in preserving his people. His cowardice only increases as the story continues.
Next, after being caught by the Lamanite armies, his people begin to get slaughtered. This is a time of great crisis for his people, but Noah is again more concerned with preserving his own life. If captured, Noah may well have been imprisoned, tortured, or killed, and so Noah commands the men to leave their women and children and flee. Again this is a ruse designed to preserve his own life. Some of the people left their families to preserve their own lives. Finally, their consciences began to bother them and they decided to return to the aid of their families, Noah, who had no conscience, commanded them that they should not return (v. 20). This was his final cowardly command. The people, apparently realizing at last that Noah was the source of most of their problems, turned on him and killed him by fire.
While there are many villains and evil men in the history of the Nephites and Lamanites, there are no individuals as self-centered and cowardly as Noah. Who has less integrity? Who has less faith? Who has less fortitude? Unquestionably, Noah represents the antithesis of manhood and integrity.
Elder John H. Smith
"May the spirit of cowardice, fear and trembling never come to you. May you stand [tall] in the majesty of the cleanest, sweetest manhood, not blushing in the presence of your mothers, sisters or wives, nor even in the presence of the Lord, but be confident of His mercy.
"Again I say to you young men, be not afraid of the enemies of Zion, bow not in fear and trembling before any hand that may be raised. Accept the responsibilities that may be imposed upon you by the Divine Master, and preach His Gospel in the world. Stand for right, not only for your own house hold and those of your own faith, but see to it that the Catholic, the Jew, the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the atheist and the pagan shall enjoy that right of conscience which you yourself wish to enjoy, and that you with them shall stand up and maintain it with your lives, if necessary. May the spirit of heroism, faith, love, charity, forbearance, kindness and consideration, without fear or trembling, characterize the lives of all of you, that wherever you go you may mingle among men as honorable men or women, understanding yourselves, resolved upon the maintenance of purity of life, that the finger of God, if it should touch you, would not cause you to shrink with fear because of wrongdoing." (Conference Reports, Oct. 1906, pp. 25-6)