1 Nephi 13

Jehovah

Jehovah — I AM, the covenant God of Israel

And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles. 1 Nephi 13:23

The Lord who made covenants with the house of Israel is Jehovah, the premortal Jesus Christ. The Bible is precious because it holds His covenants.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• interpreted by 3 Nephi 15:5 — Jesus: I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God. 1 Nephi 13:24–25

The Bible originally held the fulness of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the apostles testified of. Their witness rests on the truth found in the Lamb of God.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• the same title in 1 Nephi 14:26 — Sealed records come forth according to the truth which is in the Lamb.
• alludes to John 14:6 — Jesus: I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. 1 Nephi 13:26–29

The Bible is called 'the book of the Lamb of God' and its message 'the gospel of the Lamb.' When plain truths about Christ were removed, many people stumbled, because the plainness of the gospel is found in Him.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• the same event in Moses 1:41 — The Lord foretells that men will take many of His words from the book, and they will be restored.
• alludes to Articles of Faith 1:8 — The Bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.

Jehovah

Jehovah — I AM, the covenant God of Israel

Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren. 1 Nephi 13:30–32

The Lord God who covenanted the promised land to Lehi and protects his descendants is Jehovah, the premortal Christ, keeping His covenant with Israel.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• the same title in 2 Nephi 1:5 — Lehi: the Lord God has covenanted this land with me and my children.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen. 1 Nephi 13:32

The angel again names the gospel as the gospel of the Lamb; the Gentiles' spiritual blindness comes from the loss of plain truths about Christ.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• the same title in 1 Nephi 13:26 — Parts taken away from the gospel of the Lamb.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment. 1 Nephi 13:33–34

The angel quotes the Lamb of God speaking for Himself. Christ promises mercy to the Gentiles and that He will personally bring forth His plain and precious gospel again, which is the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• the same title in 1 Nephi 14:7 — Saith the Lamb of God: I will work a great and a marvelous work.
• the same event in 2 Nephi 29:1-2 — The Lord will do a marvelous work and His words will hiss forth to the ends of the earth.
• the same event in 3 Nephi 21:9 — Jesus speaks of a great and marvelous work among the Gentiles.

Appearance to the Nephites

For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb. 1 Nephi 13:35

Christ Himself promises to appear to Nephi's descendants and teach them, and that their record of His words would be hidden and brought forth by His power. This describes 3 Nephi and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 11:8-10 — The resurrected Jesus appears and declares Himself to the Nephites.
• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 23:4 — Jesus commands them to write the things He has told them.
• fulfilled by D&C 20:8 — Joseph Smith was given power from on high to translate the Book of Mormon.

Rock

Rock — the sure foundation

And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation. 1 Nephi 13:36

Christ says the Nephite record will contain His gospel, His rock, and His salvation. His doctrine is the sure foundation we build on.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him

• the same title in Helaman 5:12 — Build upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ.
• the same title in 3 Nephi 11:39 — Jesus: whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock.
• the same title in Psalm 89:26 — Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

Kingdom of the Lamb

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be. 1 Nephi 13:37

Those who help bring forth Zion and endure will be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb. Messengers who publish the good news of Christ are beautiful to the Lord.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• quotes Isaiah 52:7 — How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth peace.
• interpreted by Mosiah 15:14-18 — Abinadi applies the verse to the prophets and to the Lord, the founder of peace.
• alludes to Luke 2:10 — Good tidings of great joy at the Savior's birth.

Lamb of God

Lamb of God — the sacrificial Lamb God provides

And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren. 1 Nephi 13:38–39

The Bible (the book of the Lamb) comes to the Lamanite remnant, and other latter-day books come forth by the power of the Lamb to prove that the Bible's witnesses are true.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• alludes to Mormon 7:9 — The Book of Mormon is written that you may believe the Bible, and the Bible that you may believe it.
• the same event in 2 Nephi 3:12 — The writings of Judah and of Joseph grow together.

Son of the Eternal Father

Son of God — the literal Son of the Father

And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. 1 Nephi 13:40

The central purpose of the latter-day records, including the Book of Mormon, is to teach everyone that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world, and that no one can be saved without coming to Him.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in 1 Nephi 11:21 — Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father.
• alludes to 2 Nephi 25:20 — There is none other name given under heaven save this Jesus Christ whereby man can be saved.
• alludes to Mosiah 3:17 — No other name nor means whereby salvation can come, but in and through Christ.

One Shepherd

Shepherd — the one who feeds, guards, and gathers the flock

And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth. 1 Nephi 13:41

The words of the Lamb are in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and together they testify as one, because Christ is the one Shepherd over all the earth, gathering every flock.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in John 10:16 — Other sheep; there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
• interprets 3 Nephi 15:21 — Jesus says the Nephites are the other sheep He spoke of.
• alludes to Ezekiel 37:16-17 — The sticks of Judah and Joseph become one in the hand.
• the same title in 1 Nephi 22:25 — There shall be one fold and one shepherd.

Manifest to all nations

And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. 1 Nephi 13:42

Christ will make Himself known to every nation. The gospel went first to the Jews and then the Gentiles in His day; in the last days it goes first to the Gentiles and then the Jews.

• alludes to Matthew 20:16 — So the last shall be first, and the first last.
• the same event in Ether 13:12 — They who were first shall be last, and they who were last shall be first.
• the same event in D&C 90:9 — The gospel goes to the Gentiles first, then to the Jews.