Publishing Peace by Rachelle Dotson

"How Beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of Him"

In Mosiah chapter 12 the prophet Abinadi has been imprisoned for his prophecies against the people and the priests, of their wicked king, and the destruction that will come upon them. In trying to find fault with him, the priests ask Abinadi to interpret Isaiah 52:7-10, which beings "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publish peace..." (Mosiah 12:21). I can imagine that what these priests are really saying is: "does not the scriptures say that they prophets shall bring good news, that there will be joy and everyone break out into singing? Do we not teach that which makes the people happy? You, Abinadi, do not publish peace, but destruction; you do not sing, you lament and condemn." But Abinadi response by saying that they do not understand the scriptures, for if they did they would understand that they testified of Christ, of which the law of Moses is only a type and shadow. Isaiah 52:10 ends with "and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God". If salvation could be personified, if people could see it, who would it be? It would be Christ, with the price of salvation graven upon his hands and feet by Roman nails.
Abinadi then complies with their question and tells them glad tidings, and Alma will publish that peace throughout all the land. The good news, that brings forth singing and joy, is of Jesus Christ, whom all the prophets have testified would condescend to come down among the children of men in flesh and blood to be slain for the sins of man. And then Abinadi identifies the feel to those who stand upon the mountain into three groups: all the holy prophets, those who have, are still, and will teach of Christ, and Christ Himself who is "the founder of peace" (Mosiah 15:18). And why is Christ the good news? Because He has won the victory, and all shall be resurrected, and all those who come unto Him shall be saved. It is interesting to note that while Abinadi testifies that Christ is the good news, the actual fulfillment of the prophecy is yet to come in the latter days. So while the good news shall come about in the meridian of time, and the angel declared that he was bringing "good tidings of great joy" to the sheperds (Luke 2:10), it shall not be delcared to all the ends of the earth until the end of time when all knees shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. This interpretation, of a latter day fulfillment, is reinforced in 3 Nephi when the Savior comes and recites Isaiah 52, also placing its fulfillment in the latter days.
In Doctrine and Covenants 128 the Prophet Joseph Smith writes in a letter that at least a partial fulfillment of Isaiah 52 has happened in vicarious work for the dead. The glad tidings are for the living and the dead, and we shall rejoice and the dead shall speak anthems of eternal praise (D&C 128:22). In fact, it would be safe to assume that the mountain these beautiful feet are on is mount Zion. Obadiah says that "saviours shall come up on mount Zion"(1:21), and if we look up "saviors on Mount Zion" in the Bible Dictionary we are directed to Temple Work (pg. 449). Thus we can be saviors with a lower case s, and we can publish peace such that our dead can recieve salvation. Oh, how beautiful will be our feet upon the mountain!
But beyond the grand and glorious work of the Lord, I would say that we need to publish peace in all our doings, that it be fulfilled in the details of our lives. In our homes, whether as wives or daughters, we should publish the peace of Christ that leads to harmony and love, and invites the Holy Ghost to dwell there. In all our conversations we should publish peace, complementing one another, and avoiding gossip and hurtful words. In all our artistic expressions, of art and writing, we should publish peace and write that which up lifts and testifies of Christ. Our entire life should be a witness of our devotion, of our constant attitude to be like Christ that we may bear His name and have His image graven upon our visages. May we not only stand upon the mountain of the Lord, the temple, but we should live such that we become temples. Oh, then how beautiful will be our feet!
In reading this scripture about publishing peace, I have wondered why the feet of them who do such are beautiful. This can be answered in Mosiah 18:30 where the people of Alma are talking about the waters of Mormon where they were baptized: "how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to a knowledge of their Redeemer". The waters are beautiful because that is where they covenanted with Christ and the Spirit witnessed to them; the Logan Temple is beautiful to my parents because there they were sealed and covenanted with the Lord; the feet of us are beautiful to our ancestors since by us they came to an opportunity to know and covenant with God. And how beautiful are the feet of Christ, who has brought me to Him. How beautiful are the feet of Christ, who stands triumphant over my sins and death. How beautiful are the feet of Christ when one day I shall kneel over them, washing them with my tears, seeing the nail marks that pierced those perfect feet. Oh, how beautiful will be the feet of Christ in that day!

Works Cited
Mosiah 12:21
Isaiah 52:10
Mosiah 15:18
Luke 2:10
D&C 128:22
Obadiah 1:21
Bible Dictionary pg. 449
Mosiah 18:30