Ether 9

Jehovah, God of the promised land

And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath. Ether 9:20

The Lord who made the covenant about the choice land speaks in the first person. The Book of Ether names this God of the land as Jesus Christ.

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

• the same title in Ether 2:12 — The land is free if its people 'serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ'.

Son of Righteousness

Son (Sun) of Righteousness — the Righteous One who rises with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2)

And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his day; and he died in peace. Ether 9:22

King Emer was so righteous that he saw Christ, the Son of Righteousness, and rejoiced in His day. It is a hidden title and a quiet theophany in the middle of a royal list.

How we know: a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in Malachi 4:2 — 'Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.'
• the same title in 3 Nephi 25:2 — Christ quotes Malachi: 'the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings'.
• the same title in 2 Nephi 26:9 — 'The Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them.'
• alludes to John 8:56 — 'Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.'

Jehovah (prepare the way of the Lord)

And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them—that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent. Ether 9:28

The prophets' cry to 'prepare the way of the Lord' echoes Isaiah's words that the Gospels apply to John the Baptist preparing for Christ. Here it is a call to repent before the Lord.

• alludes to Isaiah 40:3 — 'Prepare ye the way of the LORD.'
• alludes to Matthew 3:3 — John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord Jesus.

Jehovah

And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord. Ether 9:34–35

When the people humble themselves and cry to the Lord, He sends rain and saves them from famine. It is the same merciful Lord of the Jaredites, Jesus Christ.

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

• interpreted by Ether 3:14 — The Lord of the Jaredites identifies Himself as Jesus Christ.