Helaman 8:17-24

¹⁷ Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice. ¹⁸ Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.

¹⁹ And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain. ²⁰ And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah.  O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy?

Helaman 8:17 – 20 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi₂ continues to remind the people of past prophecies concerning Christ.  He repeated Abraham saw his coming.  The Savior testified, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). 

Many before Abraham were called “by the order of God” (v. 18).  Speaking of Melchizedek, Alma₂ taught, “Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness; But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people.  And behold, they did repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father. Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention” (Alma 13:17 - 19),

Many prophets testified of the coming of Christ.  Nephi₂ lists Zenock, Zenos, Ezias (prophets found on the Brass Plates), as well as Isaiah and Jeremiah.  Alma₂ also taught that many prophets testified of Christ.  “And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old? Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son. Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the scriptures?  If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God? For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things, but Zenock also spake of these things—“ (Alma 33:12 - 15)

Todd Parker wrote, “Now, this is one of the plain and precious truths that has been lost from the Old Testament: Every Old Testament prophet was a Christian prophet … All these prophets were Christian prophets.”[1]

Nephi₂ told them they knew of the destruction of Jerusalem. “Nephi, son of Helaman, later said that the destruction of Jerusalem was common knowledge among the Nephites … He cites as evidence the contact with the people of Mulek, who confirmed the historical reality of the destruction of Jerusalem.”[2]

²¹ And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed?  Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek?  Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem?  But behold, this is not all—²² 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.

²³ And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come. ²⁴ And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences which ye have received; yea, even ye have received all things, both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as a witness that they are true.

 (Book of Mormon | Helaman 8:21 - 24)

Will they dispute the destruction of Jerusalem?  Will they say all the sons of Zedekiah weren’t slain, except Mulek?[3]   Lehi₁ was drive out of Jerusalem for his prophecies of the coming of Christ.  “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 … And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world. And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away.  But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:5, 19 - 20).

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[1] Abinadi: The Message and the Martyr, Todd B. Parker, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 23, 2012.

[2] How Could Jerusalem, "That Great City," Be Destroyed? David R. Seely, and Fred E. Woods, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 23, 2012.

[3] For current information about Mulek, read New Information about Mulek, Son of the King, Robert F. Smith, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 23, 2012.