All the Prophets

One of things we learn from modern day scriptures is that a detailed knowledge of Jesus Christ was had among the prophets before the Savior came.  The Old Testament as we have it is, though full of references to the Savior, is not as clear in its prophecies of the coming of Jesus as the Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon.  Jacob, for example, wrote to us over 500 years before Christ: “For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us” (Jacob 4:4).  Not only did he and the rest of the Book of Mormon prophets before the Savior know of His coming, but Jacob’s words here teach us that all true prophets that lived before the Savior knew of Him.  We certainly see this in the Book of Mormon as we read testimonies from Lehi, Nephi, Amaleki, King Benjamin, Alma, Helaman and others who prophesied of the coming of Jesus Christ.   

               From the Pearl of Great Price we learn of five prophets of the Old Testament specifically that knew of and taught about Christ before His coming.  Adam was taught by God from the beginning and learned of the Savior and His gospel: “If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men” (Moses 6:52).  Enoch taught about this encounter of Adam to his people and how “the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt” (Moses 6:54).  He quoted the words of Adam saying, “Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time” (Moses 6:57).  Noah also taught his people of the Savior and His gospel saying, “Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest” (Moses 8:24).  Abraham had a vision of the premortal realm that included the “choosing of a Redeemer” in which he saw the Savior before the Father in the Grand Council: “And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first” (Abraham 3:27).  Moses saw the Savior face to face and learned of God’s plan and “Only Begotten” who is “the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth” (Moses 1:6). 

               All prophets from the beginning have taught about Christ and the scriptures of the Restoration help us see that God’s teachings and plan of redemption is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  It has always been centered in Christ.  As King Benjamin declared, “The Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins” (Mosiah 3:13).  Christianity didn’t start with the first century Church but has been among men since the very first man walked the earth.