1 Nephi 10:1-10

Chapter 10

Lehi predicts the Babylonian captivity—He tells of the coming among the Jews of a Messiah, a Savior, a Redeemer—He tells also of the coming of the one who should baptize the Lamb of God—Lehi tells of the death and resurrection of the Messiah—He compares the scattering and gathering of Israel to an olive tree—Nephi speaks of the Son of God, of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of the need for righteousness. About 600–592 B.C.

Having told us about the two sets of plates, Nephi continues writing on the small plates, giving “an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry” (1 Nephi 10:1).  He is going to speak things concerning Lehi and Nephi’s brothers.  When Lehi exhorted Laman and Lemuel (see 1 Nephi 8:37), Nephi shares Lehi’s words. 

Lehi explains that after Jerusalem is destroyed, many Jews will be taken to Babylon.  The day would come when the captives would return to Jerusalem and “possess again the land of their inheritance” (1 Nephi 10:3).

Lehi prophecies that 600 years after they 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” (1 Nephi 10:4).   Many prophets had testified of Christ.  When Jacob confronted Sherem’s denial of Christ, he tells him, “Then ye do not understand [the scriptures]; for they truly testify of Christ.  Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ” (Jacob 7:11).  Abinadi would remind King Noah and his priests, “did not Moses prophesy unto them 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).

From his garden tower, Nephi₃ tells those angry with his prophesy of Christ…

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.

In addition, 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?

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—

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.

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.

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.

Helaman 8:19 - 24

Lehi taught we are all in “a lost and in a fallen state” (1 Nephi 10:6).  This is why we need a Redeemer.  To be saved, we must rely on our Redeemer.  Paul, writing to the Romans, told them, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”  (Romans 3:23).

Corbin Volluz writes about the importance of these words.

It would be hard to put it any more forcefully than that. Nephi comes close when he says, "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and fallen state" (1 Nephi 10:6). Fallen man is "lost" due to his inability to fully obey the commandments of God … If men could keep the law, whether temporal or spiritual, they would be justified by it. But because man in his natural state can not keep the commandments, Lehi is correct in stating categorically that "by the law no flesh is justified," whether that law be temporal or spiritual (a possible allusion to the Mosaic law and the Law of the Gospel respectively).[1]

Before the Messiah comes, a prophet, John the Baptist, would come before Him.  Lehi would refer to the words of Isaiah, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3).  He would teach, One would come who “is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing"  (1 Nephi 10:8).  John would baptize in Bethabara, baptizing with water.  The Messiah would also be baptized with water by John.  John would testify “that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world” (1 Nephi 9:10).

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[1] Cry Redemption: The Plan of Redemption as Taught in the Book of Mormon, Corbin T. Volluz, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 2, 2013.