The Lord is Able to Deliver Us

I’m impressed by how important a role the story of Israel’s deliverance from the Egyptians was for Nephi in the Book of Mormon. When he was in a tough spot, he encouraged his brothers by referencing the story, “Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea. Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 4:2-3). Knowing the Lord had delivered the Israelites, he had faith that the Lord would deliver him too from Laban. Once they had those plates, Nephi must have been excited by the fact that the story of the Israelites’ deliverance was on them: “And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine. And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them” (1 Nephi 5:14-15). Many years later when his brothers again were murmuring, Nephi once more referred to the same story to motivate them to trust in God: “Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground. But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh…. And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt” (1 Nephi 17:26-27, 40). After their arrival in the promised land, Nephi also wrote, “And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him” (1 Nephi 19:10). He likewise recorded these words of the Lord to Joseph in Egypt: “And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel. And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt” (2 Nephi 3:9-10). Finally, towards the end of his writing Nephi once again referred to this story as he taught of the Savior: “And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt…. yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:20). The story of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt was clearly a powerful witness to Nephi of the salvation we can obtain through Jesus Christ.

               Other prophets in the Book of Mormon also mentioned the deliverance of the children of Israel from the Egyptians. King Limhi used it to encourage his people who were in bondage: “Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did he do for them” (Mosiah 7:19). Alma also referenced it when he wrote, “Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage” (Alma 29:12). Clearly it was a motivating story for Alma of God’s power to deliver His children. He said this to his son Helaman, “And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time” (Alma 36:28). Nephi (the son of Helaman) used the story to encourage his people to believe in the power of God to direct him as a prophet: “Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?” (Helaman 8:11) The story taught these Nephite prophets that if the Lord could save the Israelites from the Egyptians in such a miraculous manner, he could deliver them as well from their trials. And so it should likewise inspire us to trust in the power of the Lord to help us with even those challenges which seem insurmountable.