How Great a Number Testified of These Things

One of the consistent messages of the Book of Mormon prophets from Lehi up until 3 Nephi was that Christ would indeed come in the flesh.  At the beginning this is what Lehi prophesied: “Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.”  Lehi also testified that he was not the first to give such a message: “And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world” (1 Nephi 10:4-5).  That description could have likewise been applied for the future, for “a great number” would indeed testify of these things among the Nephites. 

               Every major prophet in the Book of Mormon before the Savior’s coming testified that He would indeed come.  Nephi saw in vision the coming of the Savior in the flesh, and he left this specific prophecy, “For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (2 Nephi 25:19).  His brother Jacob revealed the name of the Messiah and prophesied of His death: “Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God” (2 Nephi 10:3).  His son Enos learned as well that the Savior would come, and wrote that “many years [would] pass away before [Christ] shall manifest himself in the flesh” (Enos 1:8).  Enos’s son Jarom wrote of how the people were encouraged to continually look forward to the coming of the Messiah: “Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was” (Jarom 1:11).  Even though it was hundreds of years away, the people were still encouraged to look forward to that time when He would accomplish His mission in the flesh. 

               Many other prophets recorded on Mormon’s abridgment of the large plates also testified to the people of the coming of the Messiah.  King Benjamin taught his people in this powerful language, “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases” (Mosiah 3:5).  This must have surely caused great excitement among his people to understand these details about His coming.  Abinadi also taught the wicked priests of King Noah of the coming of Christ: “I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God” (Mosiah 15:1-2).  Alma focused much in his teachings about the coming of the Lord as he sought to prepare his people for that day.  To those at Gideon he said, “For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people” (Alma 7:7).  To the people of Ammonihah he similarly said, “And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering” (Alma 9:26).  Alma’s grandson Helaman exhorted his children Nephi and Lehi, “Yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world” (Helaman 5:9).  Nephi also taught of the coming of the Messiah to the wicked Nephites of his day as he relied on the words of previous prophets: “Did [Moses] not bear record that the Son of God should come?...  And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham….  Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come” (Helaman 8:22).  All prophets before the Savior came in the flesh looked forward and prophesied of His coming. 

            Perhaps the most famous Book of Mormon prophet to testify of the coming of the Son of God was Samuel the Lamanite.  He prophesied saying, “Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name…. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night” (Helaman 14:2, 4).  This prediction was clung to by the faithful as they risked their lives to believe in this very specific prophecy of Christ’s coming, and of course it was fulfilled in every whit.  The coming of the Lord in Jerusalem and then in the Americas to the Nephites was the long promised day by all the Book of Mormon prophets, and He did indeed come forth among them in “power and great glory” as had been prophesied (1 Nephi 11:28).