They Have Spoken Concerning This Christ

One of the themes of the words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, is the importance of the testimony and promises of ancient prophets. In our first introduction to Jacob’s words in 2 Nephi 6 he said, “Behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah” (v4). He quoted from Isaiah 49:22-26 in that chapter, then he cited from Isaiah 50:1-52:2 in 2 Nephi 7-8. Jacob then summarized, “I have read these things that ye might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel—That he has spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to generation, until the time comes that they shall be restored to the true church and fold of God” (2 Nephi 9:1-2). Jacob had great faith in the words of ancient prophets and their testimony of the Savior. He cited Isaiah 49:23 again in 2 Nephi 10:9, and he quoted these words of the Lord highlighting the importance of all that ancient prophets have prophesied: “I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men.” Jacob applied this to his own people in these words, “For the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea. But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea” (2 Nephi 10:17, 20-21). Those promises were given by ancient prophets that Jacob revered, and he sought to help his people understand and apply them.

                Later as Jacob sought to write a testimony on the plates that his children and brethren would receive, he also highlighted the importance of the testimony of ancient prophets. He wrote, “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 was very aware his knowledge of the Savior was not knew and that ancient prophets had also testified of Christ. He highlighted in particular the experience of the patriarch Abraham: “Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.” Abraham had worshipped the Father in the name of Christ and his offering of Isaac was in similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten. Jacob continued, “Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken.” Jacob turned to the testimony of ancient prophets to gain revelations and the spirit of prophecy for themselves. He invited us to likewise seek to understand the revelations of God in the words of ancient prophets: “Brethren, despise not the revelations of God. For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word” (Jacob 4:4-9). He then turned to the words of another ancient prophet, Zenos, and quoted in its entirety the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. Jacob then summarized, “The things which this prophet Zenos spake, concerning the house of Israel, in the which he likened them unto a tame olive tree, must surely come to pass” (Jacob 6:1). Jacob had great faith in the truth of the words of the prophets who had preceded them. He summarized to Sherem, “Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ” (Jacob 7:11). True prophets, like Jacob, have always testified of Christ and that is why we should heed their words whenever they were given. We look forward to the words of modern prophets which will be given this weekend, and we can be sure that they too will speak concerning this Christ and share their hope of His glory.