Abraham 1

High Priest

And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers. Abraham 1:2

Abraham longs to be "a prince of peace" and becomes a high priest, words that echo titles of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and the great High Priest. As a righteous high priest and father of the faithful, Abraham reflects the Savior he served.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Isaiah 9:6 — Christ's title "The Prince of Peace".
• alludes to Hebrews 4:14 — Jesus the Son of God as the great high priest.

Jehovah

And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and he filled me with the vision of the Almighty, and the angel of his presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands; Abraham 1:15

The Lord who hears Abraham's cry on the altar is identified in the next verse as Jehovah, the premortal Christ. He is the Deliverer who rescues His servant from death.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same event in Abraham 2:13 — Abraham later thanks the Lord for sending His angel to deliver him from the gods of Elkenah.
• the same event in Abraham 3:20 — The Lord reminds Abraham that He sent His angel to deliver him from the priest of Elkenah.

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant name of God, often understood as "I Am" or "the Eternal One"; the name of the premortal Jesus Christ

And his voice was unto me: Abraham, Abraham, behold, my name is Jehovah, and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy father's house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a strange land which thou knowest not of; Abraham 1:16–17

The Lord speaks to Abraham and declares His own name: Jehovah. Latter-day Saints understand Jehovah to be Jesus Christ before His birth, the same God who later appeared in the Kirtland Temple. He comes down to deliver Abraham, just as He would later come down to deliver all mankind.

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

• the same title in Abraham 2:8 — "My name is Jehovah" is declared to Abraham again.
• the same title in Exodus 6:3 — God tells Moses He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and names Himself JEHOVAH.
• the same title in D&C 110:3-4 — The voice of Jehovah in the Kirtland Temple declares He is the one who was slain, identifying Jehovah as Christ.

Take His Name

Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee. Abraham 1:18–19

Jehovah promises to put His name upon Abraham through the priesthood. The priesthood is the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, so to receive it is to bear Christ's name and make it known in the earth.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• interprets D&C 107:3-4 — The priesthood is named after the Order of the Son of God, to avoid too frequent use of His name.
• the same event in Abraham 2:6 — Jehovah calls Abraham to be a minister to bear His name in a strange land.

Jehovah

Behold, Potiphar's Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea. And the Lord broke down the altar of Elkenah, and of the gods of the land, and utterly destroyed them, and smote the priest that he died; and there was great mourning in Chaldea, and also in the court of Pharaoh; which Pharaoh signifies king by royal blood. Abraham 1:20

The Lord, Jehovah, fulfills His promise to destroy the idolatrous altar and the priest who tried to kill Abraham, showing He is the living God who overthrows false gods.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him