Jacob 4:4-5

4 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.

5 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.

6 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, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Jacob 4:4-7

After explaining he had been writing for future generations, Jacob testifies of Christ.  He wanted them to know they knew about Christ and “had a hope of his glory.”  Not only did they know of Christ, but also all prophets knew of Christ.

While walking with His disciples on the road to Emmaus, Christ taught them “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

Abinadi would testify to King Noah and his priests, “For behold, 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).

Paul Thomas Smith explains:

The plan of salvation with Jesus Christ at its center has always been the message of the prophets. For example, Abinadi taught that, some 1,350 years before the Savior's mortal birth, Moses prophesied to the Israelites concerning the Messiah's coming. Abinadi added that even all the prophets have [thus] prophesied ever since the world began" (Mosiah 13:33; emphasis added). Some 550 years before the Savior's birth, Nephi testified that "according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God (2 Ne. 25:19). Later, Nephi's brother Jacob also testified: "For, for this intent have we written these things [our testimonies], that they [our posterity] 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 4:4; see also Hel. 8:22).[1]

The prophets worshiped the Father in the name of Christ.  The Nephites do as well.   Nephi₂ taught, “And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham” (Helaman 8:16).

The Nephites kept the Law of Moses.  The Law points the way to Christ.  Nephi₁ wrote, “And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 25:24).

Jacob’s grandson, Jarom, explained “the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the ^claw of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.  And after this manner did they teach them” (Jarom 1:11).

We are told the Ammonites

… did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled.  But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances until the time that he should be revealed unto them.

Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come.

Alma 25:15-16

Paul explained “the law was our schoolmaster [GR pedagogue, director, supervisor of children] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

We read that when Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, this was “a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.”

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[1] Birth of the Messiah, Paul Thomas Smith, Maxwell Institute, accessed March 21, 2014.