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Abstract
Testimony about the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly evident in the teachings of the prophets who preceded him.
By D. Kelly Ogden and R. Val Johnson
Testimony about the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly evident in the teachings of the prophets who preceded him.
The scene was not rare: many of the Lord’s people had forgotten their God. Some, in fact, were glorying in their iniquity. To make matters worse, their legal system had been corrupted by leaders intent on acquiring wealth and power at any cost. The Lord’s response was to send a prophet. Speaking God’s word with boldness, Nephi, son of Helaman, called the Nephites to repentance, confronting them with their sins and revealing their judges to be members of a secret society called the Gadianton band. (See Hel. 7.)
The wicked responded as the wicked generally do: they tried to incite the people to silence him, perhaps even kill him. But the spirit of prophecy was upon Nephi, and enough people believed him that he escaped harm.
At the heart of his preaching was one vital fact: God had always sent word through his prophets of what his people needed to know to be happy and at peace. Foremost among what they needed to know was that the Messiah, the Son of God, would come to earth to redeem mankind. All who looked to him would live.
Nephi then listed a number of prophets who had detailed the Savior’s advent. Among these prophets were Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi. Indeed, Nephi pointed out, “many prophets” over the centuries had testified of Christ. (See Hel. 8:11–22.)
This observation was not unique to Nephi. More than a century earlier, Abinadi told King Noah: “Did not Moses prophesy … concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?” (Mosiah 13:33.)
So clear was this understanding that Amulek could tell the apostate Zoramites in 74 B.C. that it was “impossible that [they] should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ,” for that fact had been taught to them bountifully. (Alma 34:2.) If they weren’t aware of Christ’s impending mortal ministry, it was because they were unacquainted with God’s word.
An in-depth study of the Book of Mormon reveals this to be true. So clear are the revelations that the Nephites should have known the name by which the Messiah would be called in mortality, when he would be born, where he would be born, the name of his mother, many details of his ministry, how he would suffer and die, and that his resurrection would break the bands of death for all mankind. More importantly, they should have understood how his atonement could reconcile them to God and what they had to do to receive that marvelous gift. All this was known and taught by the prophets on what we know today as the American continent.
The same details—in the same clarity—seem not to have been available to the people in Jerusalem, at least not at the time of the Lord’s appearance among them. Even so, enough prophecies and foreshadowings remained in the scriptures that those who read them or heard them read could have had many clues to apply in their search for the coming Messiah. As the accompanying chart shows, Jesus Christ did not come to earth unheralded. From Adam to John the Baptist and from Lehi to Samuel the Lamanite, the prophets testified of his coming and taught of his atonement. These prophecies revealed Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God. They declared unequivocally that a person must have faith in Christ, repent, be baptized in his name by one who has authority, and receive the Holy Ghost as a guide and companion. Those who did, and who kept their covenants with Christ to the end of their days, would be raised by the power of his atonement to celestial glory in God’s presence.
Many of the ancient Nephites received these truths with gladness. But others rejected them as sheer speculation. If we had been among those taught by Nephi, son of Helaman, how would we have reacted? Would we have known the prophecies well enough to recognize the truth when it came? Would we have rejoiced in the Savior’s future advent? Or would we, too, have looked beyond the mark?
This chart identifies many, but not all, of the scriptural passages that foretold the Messiah’s advent centuries before he came. In some instances, because of space limitations, a grouping combines related prophecies. Interested readers may examine the scriptures referenced and determine which prophet referenced a specific detail of the Savior’s atoning mission.
His Birth | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. The Creator, Jehovah, would take a mortal body in order to redeem mankind | The brother of Jared, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Ammon, Lamoni, John the Baptist | Isa. 44:24; Ether 3:6–16; 1 Ne. 19:7–12; 2 Ne. 9:5; Mosiah 3:5; Mosiah 7:27; Mosiah 13:34; Mosiah 15:1; Mosiah 19:13; D&C 93:6–11 |
b. He would be the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, the God of Israel | Adam, Enoch, Moses, Isaiah, Nephi, Jacob, Abinadi, Alma, John the Baptist | Moses 1:6, 33; Moses 2:1, 26; Moses 6:52; Isa. 9:6–7; 1 Ne. 11:20–21; 1 Ne. 22:12; 2 Ne. 25:12; Jacob 4:5; Mosiah 15:2–5; Alma 5:48; Alma 7:10; Alma 9:26; D&C 93:11–14 |
c. His mother would be a virgin, a descendant of Jacob through King David; she would be from Nazareth, and her name would be Mary | Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nephi, King Benjamin, Alma | Gen. 49:24; Isa. 7:14; Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5–6; Jer. 33:15–16; 1 Ne. 11:13–21; Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10 |
d. Signs (a star, light, etc.) would attend his birth | Samuel the Lamanite | Hel. 14:3–7 |
His Name | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. The Messiah would be called “Salvation” (in Hebrew, Yeshua; in English, Jesus) | Moses, Isaiah | Ex. 15:2; Isa. 12:2–6 |
b. His name would be Jesus Christ | Adam, Enoch, Noah, brother of Jared, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma | Moses 6:52, 57; Moses 8:23–24; Ether 3:14–16; 2 Ne. 10:3; 2 Ne. 25:19; 2 Ne. 31:10; Jacob 4:11; Mosiah 3:8, 17; Mosiah 7:27; Alma 5:48 |
His Time of Birth | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
Jesus would be born in the meridian of time; 600 years after Lehi left Jerusalem and 5 years after Samuel’s prophecy | Adam, Enoch, Moses, Lehi, Nephi, Samuel the Lamanite | Moses 5:57; Moses 6:57, 62; Moses 7:45–46; 1 Ne. 10:4; 1 Ne. 19:8; 2 Ne. 25:19; Hel. 14:2 |
His Place of Birth | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
Christ would be born among the Jews near Jerusalem at a place called Bethlehem | Micah, Jacob, Alma | Micah 5:2; 2 Ne. 10:3; Alma 7:10 |
Details of His Ministry | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. A messenger prophet would prepare the way for Messiah’s mission | Isaiah, Lehi | Isa. 40:3; 1 Ne. 10:7–9 |
b. Christ would come out of Egypt | Hosea | Hosea 11:1 |
c. He would be a child in Nazareth | Nephi | 1 Ne. 11:13, 20 |
d. He would be baptized by the messenger-prophet beyond Jordan near Bethabara; the prophet would testify of him, and the Holy Ghost would descend on him as a dove | Lehi, Nephi | 1 Ne. 10:9–10; 1 Ne. 11:27; 2 Ne. 31:4–8 |
e. He would suffer temptations, hunger, thirst | Isaiah, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma | Isa. 53:3; Mosiah 3:7; Mosiah 15:5; Alma 7:11 |
f. He would call twelve Apostles in the Old World and twelve disciples in the New World | Nephi | 1 Ne. 11:29, 34; 1 Ne. 12:8–10 |
g. He would preach glad tidings | Isaiah | Isa. 61:1 |
h. He would care for his followers as a shepherd | Isaiah, Ezekiel | Isa. 40:10–11; Ezek. 34:11–31 |
i. He would be a priest forever (after the order of Melchizedek) | Moses, David, Alma | JST, Gen. 14:25–28; Ps. 110:1–4; Alma 13:7–9 |
j. He would minister in power and glory, performing miracles | Isaiah, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma | Isa. 59:16–19; 1 Ne. 11:28, 31; 2 Ne. 10:4; Mosiah 3:5–6; Mosiah 15:6; Alma 5:50 |
k. He would come to Zion (Jerusalem) | Isaiah | Isa. 59:20 |
l. He would come as a king riding on a young ass | Zechariah | Zech. 9:9 |
m. He would be a stumbling block to his people, who would reject him | David, Isaiah, Nephi, Jacob | Ps. 118:21–22; Isa. 8:13–14; Isa. 53:3; 1 Ne. 19:13; 2 Ne. 10:3–5; 2 Ne. 25:12; Jacob 4:15 |
n. He would be betrayed by his friends for thirty pieces of silver | David, Zechariah | Ps. 41:9; Zech. 11:12–13; Zech. 13:6 |
o. Foreshadowings of his life and mission | Adam, Nephi | Moses 6:62–63; 2 Ne. 11:4 |
Atonement: His Suffering | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. Christ would yield himself to suffer | Isaiah, Nephi, Abinadi | Isa. 50:6; Isa. 53:7; 1 Ne. 19:9–10; Mosiah 15:5–6 |
b. He would be innocent of violence and deceit | Isaiah | Isa. 53:9 |
c. He would suffer to atone for our sins and help our sicknesses; blood would come from every pore | Isaiah, Jacob, King Benjamin, Alma, Amulek, Aaron | Isa. 53:3–12; 2 Ne. 9:21–22; Mosiah 3:7; Alma 7:11–13; Alma 21:9; Alma 34:8–9 |
d. He would be judged and placed in prison | Isaiah, Nephi | Isa. 53:8; 1 Ne. 11:32 |
e. Foreshadowings of his suffering | Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jacob | Gen. 22:1–14; Lev. 16:7–10; Jacob 4:5 |
Atonement: His Crucifixion | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. Christ would die voluntarily | Isaiah, Lehi, Nephi, Abinadi | Isa. 53:7, 9, 12; 1 Ne. 19:9–10; 2 Ne. 2:6–7; Mosiah 15:5, 7 |
b. He would be crucified for and by his people | Enoch, Zenock, Neum, Lehi, Nephi, Jacob | Moses 7:47, 55; 1 Ne. 10:11; 1 Ne. 11:32–33; 1 Ne. 19:10; 2 Ne. 6:9; 2 Ne. 10:3–5; 2 Ne. 25:13 |
c. His hands and feet would be pierced | David, Isaiah, Zechariah | Ps. 22:16; Isa. 22:23–25; Zech. 12:10; Zech. 13:6 |
d. He would be mocked and suffer pain and thirst | David, Isaiah | Ps. 22:7–8; Isa. 50:6 |
e. He would be given vinegar to drink | David | Ps. 69:20–21 |
f. He would speak specific words from the cross | David | Ps. 22:1; Ps. 31:5 |
g. None of his bones would be broken | David | Ps. 34:19–20 |
h. Lots would be cast for his garments | David | Ps. 22:18 |
i. He would be buried in a sepulchre | Zenos, Nephi | 1 Ne. 19:10; 2 Ne. 25:13 |
j. Signs would attend his death (darkness, earthquakes, etc.) | Zenos, Nephi, Samuel the Lamanite | 1 Ne. 12:4–6; 1 Ne. 19:10–13; Hel. 14:20–28 |
k. Clear foreshadowings of his atonement and death | Adam, Eve, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Ezekiel, Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Nephi (son of Helaman) | Moses 5:4–7; Moses 6:63–65; Gen. 22:1–14; Ex. 12; Ex. 16:12–35; Ex. 17:1–7; Ex. 29; Lev. 1–17; Lev. 21–23; Num. 19; Num. 21:5–9; Ezek. 43:18–27; Ezek. 45:18–25; 1 Ne. 17:41; Jacob 4:4–5; Alma 33:18–23; Hel. 8:13–15 |
Atonement: His Resurrection | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. Jesus would rise from death after three days and show himself to witnesses | Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin | 1 Ne. 10:11; 2 Ne. 25:13–14; 2 Ne. 26:1; Mosiah 3:10 |
b. Others would be resurrected because he overcame death | Enoch, Samuel, Job, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Jacob, Abinadi, Alma, Amulek, Samuel the Lamanite | Moses 7:55–56, 62; 1 Sam. 2:6; Job 19:25–27; Ps. 16:9–10; Isa. 25:8; Isa. 26:19; Ezek. 37:12–13; Hosea 13:14; 2 Ne. 2:8; 2 Ne. 9:4–13; Mosiah 13:33–35; Mosiah 15:20–24; Mosiah 16:7–11; Alma 11:42–45; Alma 33:22; Alma 40:2–23; Hel. 14:25 |
c. Foreshadowings of his resurrection | Jonah | Jonah 1:17; Jonah 2:1–10; see also item k, bottom of page 35 |
Atonement: Whys and Hows | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
a. Christ’s atonement would be infinite | Nephi, Jacob, Amulek | 2 Ne. 9:7; 2 Ne. 25:16; Alma 34:8–14 |
b. His sacrifice would satisfy the laws of justice and mercy | Jacob, Abinadi, Alma, Amulek | 2 Ne. 9:25–26; 2 Ne. 25:16; Mosiah 15:8–9, 26–27; Alma 34:14–18; Alma 42:13–30 |
c. His atonement would redeem all mankind from physical death, brought by Adam’s fall | Lehi, Jacob, Abinadi, Alma, Amulek | 2 Ne. 2:8–9; 2 Ne. 9:4–15; Mosiah 15:7–9, 20–27; Alma 11:39–45; Alma 12:21–25; Alma 40:23; Alma 41:2–15 |
d. His atonement would make available the forgiveness of sins for all who have faith in him, repent, are baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure; they thus become his sons and daughters and receive joy and eternal life | Adam, Eve, Noah, brother of Jared, Isaiah, Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma, Amulek, Aaron, John the Baptist | Moses 5:8–11; Moses 6:51–68; Moses 8:23–24; Matt. 3:11; Ether 3:14; Isa. 1:16–18; 1 Ne. 10:4–6; 2 Ne. 2:3–29; 2 Ne. 9:10–42; 2 Ne. 31:10–21; Mosiah 3:11–19; Mosiah 4:5–30; Mosiah 5:6–15; Mosiah 15:10–19; Alma 5:6–62; Alma 11:36–43; Alma 12:12–37; Alma 22:14; Alma 34:2–41; Alma 42:2–28 |
His Visit to the Spirit World | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
The Savior’s atonement would extend into the spirit world, setting the prisoners free | Enoch, Isaiah, Zechariah | Moses 7:57; Isa. 42:6–7; Isa. 61:1; Zech. 9:11 |
His Visit to a Branch of Joseph | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
Christ would visit a branch of Joseph’s descendants | Joseph, Nephi | JST, Gen. 50:25; 1 Ne. 12:1, 6; 2 Ne. 26:1 |
His Ascension into Heaven | ||
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Prophecy | Person Speaking/Writing | Reference |
Jesus would ascend to the Father after his resurrection | Enoch | Moses 7:59 |
D. Kelly Ogden is an associate professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University.
R. Val Johnson, assistant managing editor of International Magazines, serves as ward clerk in the Eastridge Third Ward, Draper Utah North Stake.
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