King Benjamin on God’s Wisdom, Patience, and Longsuffering (Episode Eight)

King Benjamin’s charge to serve the poor and needy articulated in King Benjamin on Serving the Poor and Needy: Living the Gospel Through Charity (Episode Seven), was more than a command—it was an invitation to see others through God’s eyes, with the same patience, love, and generosity that He shows to all His children. This principle naturally leads into his next teaching, where he turns from the acts of charity toward the divine attributes that inspire them.

In a remote corner of the ancient world—far from most civilizations save those nearby—lived a righteous ruler named King Benjamin. In the pages of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, his heartfelt entreaty called his people to change and hope. Praising the wisdom, longsuffering, and patience of God, King Benjamin declared: “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things… believe that he has all wisdom, and all power… [and] that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend” [1] (Mosiah 4:9). His words transformed a generation then, and they hold power for us today.

God’s Wisdom: Trusting the Eternal Mind Above Mortal Thought

Benjamin counseled his people to believe in God and that His wisdom is greater than the wisdom of mortal men. He then instructed them that, to gain salvation, they must always remember the supreme example of God’s wisdom above all others.

Nephi’s Trust in Divine Wisdom

Nephi, the first legitimate leader of the Nephite nation, showed his trust in God’s wisdom by stating in his record: “I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” [2]

Nephi remembered that God’s wisdom exceeded his own so much that he could have confidence in each commandment God gave, no matter how strange or unreasonable it might seem to humanity in general.

Isaiah’s Testimony of God’s Higher Ways

Isaiah recorded, speaking with divine investiture of authority from God: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” [3]

Wisdom as Law for the Righteous

The work of God is foolishness to the wicked, but to the righteous who know and remember His wisdom, His wisdom is law. The questions as to why things occur the way they do in life are answered in the wisdom of God, who sees the beginning, the middle, the end—and beyond.

Humanity’s Eternal Nature and Divine Inheritance

Humanity is an eternal species and possesses the ability to exist indefinitely because of the wisdom of God. Being the literal children of God means the seeds of deity are within humanity, which explains the inventive genius of mortal man.

Reason dictates that God intends to reveal more to humanity as it moves beyond the carnality of telestial mortal life toward celestial life. For, as King Benjamin instructed: “The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.” [4]

The antithesis of that scriptural concept of the natural man is found in the second part of Mosiah 3:19. What must a person seeking to overcome the natural man or woman do?

“…becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” [4]

God does not expect men and women to become children, but to be as approachable and easy to entreat as children often are—submissive to their parents’ care, meek or yielding to their parents’ authority and influence, humble or willing to defer to their parents, patient or willing to act according to their parents’ timetable, and full of love or unconditional affection for their parents.

Most children respond this way even to mortal, imperfect parents. They are often willing to submit to all things—here the implication being good things—that worthy parents will require. God is the Parent to whom King Benjamin implores his listeners to submit.

God is perfect, and His requests are also perfect, warranting the complete trust of His children.

Applying Ancient Counsel to Modern Discipleship

How can this ancient sentiment of submitting to the will of the Father be applied to modern behavior? Doctrine and Covenants 20:31 answers what it looks like to be a submissive child of God, and thereby become a child of the covenant through Jesus Christ. It is not by force but by choice that sinners become saints, laying down their old lives to stand up in Christ.

“…they who humble themselves before God, and have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and having received the remission of their sins, and having received the Holy Spirit, are sanctified by the reception of the Holy Spirit, having their garments made white being pure and spotless before God.” [5] (Doctrine and Covenants 20:31)

Putting off the natural man involves having faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, repenting—changing actions and thoughts to fit God’s will—being baptized by immersion as a token of this new life in Christ, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost for sanctification. Sanctification means redemption from imperfections because the saint trusts that Christ can deliver.

The Spiritual man or woman is a friend to God and has been since his or her acceptance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and will be forever and ever because he or she yields himself or herself to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, putting off the natural man or woman and becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.

Including women specifically is not necessary since the term man refers to humanity in general. Yet the times suggest that delineating the sexes and explicitly naming both can be instructive and beneficial. The enemy of truth—the natural man or woman—must be defined so that those caught in the tangles of the natural-minded world can focus on the truth and turn to God through Jesus Christ, believing in Him.

As part of the plan of happiness God designed for the human family, King Benjamin wanted his subjects to remember that Heavenly Father waits patiently and tolerantly regarding their imperfections until they can reach the level of righteousness He expects.

Humanity and God Wait on Each Other!

Literature on how people must wait patiently for things to occur in God’s time is extensive. Yet God also waits on people—waiting for them to become righteous enough to hear His voice and abide by the commandments He has given for their salvation.

God and His children enter into a covenant for the salvation of each soul, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who suffered for the sins of all. The condition of this covenant for mortals is to accept that sacrifice and become a disciple of Jesus Christ—fully.

As Alma taught, “time only is measured unto men” [6] (Alma 40:8), yet the Lord’s mercy is not bound by mortal timelines. His arm of mercy remains “extended towards” all who will come unto Him [7] (3 Nephi 9:14), patiently waiting for each soul to be ready to receive His word and obey His commandments.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, explained that waiting on the Lord is an act of faith, discipleship, and trust in God’s perfect timing, a sacred acknowledgment that “the times and seasons … are His and His alone to direct.” [8]

Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy and Church Historian and Recorder, testified that “even while we are patiently waiting upon the Lord, there are certain blessings that come to us immediately.” [9]

In His patience, God sustains, strengthens, and guides His children while He waits for them to turn fully to Him, making the covenant path a place not of anxious delay, but of sanctifying preparation.

God’s Patience and Long-suffering in Action

After Joseph Smith was ready to act and obey, the Lord appeared to him in the Sacred Grove, instructing him on things to come. Nephi’s plans to obtain the Brass Plates failed at first, but then God delivered Laban into his hands and commanded him to slay the man.

God waited until after Lehi pondered the dreams he had received, thinking deeply about their meaning and application, and then inquired of the Lord, before granting him a vision and a charge to preach in Jerusalem.

God waits until His people are prepared before revealing miracles or giving commandments. Fortunately, He is a perfectly patient and long-suffering Being.

Moroni captured this principle in terms that apply to both mortals and the immortal God of heaven:

Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not. And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. [10] (Ether 12:5–6)

Benjamin taught that God’s patience and long-suffering are grounded in His perfect knowledge—of both His children’s ability to fulfill His will and their eternal potential. The past, present, and future are ever before Him, fully within His sight and control.

Some attempt to explain this foreknowledge in ways that also absolve Him from responsibility for sin or evil, as well as credit for all goodness. Such reasoning is rooted in a linear, mortal view of time.

Whether God foresees all possible scenarios or perceives all events as a present reality is of little consequence—the result is the same: He knows all things and waits patiently for them to unfold so He can act for the good of all people, both collectively and individually.

He endures the errors and misconceptions of His children for the chance to correct them in ways each is most likely to receive—whether that correction comes through His authorized servants, an imam, a television program, or a next-door neighbor.

God works through His appointed means for general counsel to His people—a prophet. Anyone entrusted with leadership over others has the right to receive inspiration for his or her stewardship, but no one has the right to act as God’s official representative without direct authority from Him through the priesthood.

Though King Benjamin did not detail all these examples in his address, he wanted his people to understand that God continually waits upon humankind to exalt them. And His patience is not temporary—it is eternal.

What to Remember about God for Salvation:

1. God's Goodness
2. God's Power
3. God's Wisdom
4. God's Patience
5. God's Long Suffering
6. God's Atonement

King Benjamin’s timeless counsel invites every soul to see God not only as the Creator of all but as the perfectly wise, infinitely patient, and unfailingly loving Father who is ever working for our salvation.

His wisdom surpasses mortal thought, His patience outlasts mortal weakness, and His longsuffering bears with our faltering steps until we choose to walk His covenant path.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the natural man or woman can become a saint, the rebellious can become submissive, and the hesitant can be filled with faith.

In every age and circumstance, the call is the same: believe in God, trust His timing, yield to His Spirit, and follow His Son—knowing that the end He offers is eternal life in His presence.

To better understand the foundation of Benjamin’s influence and the legacy he built upon, return to the beginning of the series with King Benjamin: Ancient American Prophet-King (Episode One) and discover how a holy man and righteous ruler prepared his people—and us—for these eternal truths.

References

1. Mosiah 4:9, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

2. 1 Nephi 3:7, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

3. Isaiah 55:8–9, The Holy Bible, King James Version.

4. Mosiah 3:19, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

5. Doctrine and Covenants 20:31, The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

6. Alma 40:8, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

7. 3 Nephi 9:14, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

8. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Waiting on the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Oct. 2020.

9. Kyle S. McKay, “The Immediate Goodness of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2019.

10. Ether 12:5–6, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.