Break the Bands of Death

Mosiah 15:6 And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—
9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

This painting was part of a grouping finished and displayed in August of 2020 at Writ & Vision in Provo. I was especially interested in this story at that time because of current political and church policy events. Many Latter-day Saints at that time drew parallels between King Noah and Donald Trump. Additionally, the creation of the first “Mormon” church in written story, at the Waters of Mormon, was an interesting thing to think about in light of the directive to drop the self-identifier “Mormon” within the church.

Copyright retained by J. Kirk Richards. Contact the artist to license this image for publication.