Helaman 14

Son of God

And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. Helaman 14:2

Samuel gives an exact countdown: in five years the Son of God will come to redeem everyone who believes on His name.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 1:13 — The Lord tells Nephi, 'on the morrow come I into the world'.
• the same title in Helaman 13:6 — Samuel earlier named Him the Lord Jesus Christ who shall come into the world.

Birth of Christ

And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Helaman 14:3–4

The sign of His birth: a day, a night and a day with no darkness, as if it were one long day. The Light of the World coming is announced by a night without darkness.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 1:15 — At sundown there was no darkness.
• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 1:19 — No darkness all night; they knew it was the day the Lord should be born.

New star at His birth

And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you. Helaman 14:5

A new star will mark Christ's birth, the same star the wise men followed in the Old World.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 1:21 — A new star did appear, according to the word.
• the same event in Matthew 2:2 — Wise men: 'we have seen his star in the east'.

Faith in the Son of God

And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life. Helaman 14:8

Samuel teaches the heart of the gospel: whoever believes on the Son of God has everlasting life.

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

• the same title in John 3:16 — Same promise: whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life.

The Lord whose way is prepared

And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel, that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord. Helaman 14:9

The angel sends Samuel to 'prepare the way of the Lord', the Lord who is about to come in the flesh. Samuel plays a forerunner role for the Nephites, like John the Baptist in Judea.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Isaiah 40:3 — 'Prepare ye the way of the LORD.'
• alludes to 1 Nephi 10:8 — Lehi foretells a prophet who will prepare the way of the Lord.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God

Jesus — Jehovah saves; Christ — the Anointed One

And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name. Helaman 14:12

Samuel says his whole purpose on the wall is for the people to know Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is coming and to believe on His name.

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

• alludes to Mosiah 3:8 — The angel's words to King Benjamin use the same string of titles.
• quoted by Helaman 16:18 — Unbelievers repeat these titles mockingly.

Father of Heaven and Earth, Creator

Creator — the one who made all things under the Father

And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name. Helaman 14:12

Jesus Christ is called the Father of heaven and earth and the Creator because He created the world under the Father's direction. 'Father' here means Creator, not that He is Heavenly Father.

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

• the same title in Mosiah 3:8 — 'the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning'.
• the same title in Mosiah 15:4 — Abinadi: 'the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth'.

Remission through His merits

And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits. Helaman 14:13

Belief on Christ's name leads to repentance, and sins are forgiven through His merits, meaning what He did, not what we earn.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 2 Nephi 2:8 — No flesh can dwell with God save through the merits, mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah.

Death of Christ

And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign of his death. Helaman 14:14–15

Samuel says Christ must die so salvation and the resurrection of all people can come, bringing people back into the Lord's presence.

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

• alludes to 2 Nephi 2:8 — He lays down His life and takes it again to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead.
• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 8:5 — The great storm and destruction at His death begin.

Resurrection of Christ

Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first death—that spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual. Helaman 14:16–18

Because of Adam's fall everyone is cut off from God. Christ's death and Resurrection bring all mankind back into God's presence to be judged, and make repentance possible so we need not suffer the second death.

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

• alluded to by Mormon 9:13 — Moroni: the death of Christ brings the resurrection and all men are brought back into the presence of the Lord.
• the same event in 1 Corinthians 15:22 — As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Darkness at His death

But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead. Helaman 14:20

The sign of His death: three days of darkness from His death until He rises from the dead. The Light of the world is gone for three days.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 8:20-23 — Thick darkness that could be felt, for three days.
• the same event in Helaman 14:27 — The angel told Samuel darkness would cover the whole earth for three days.
• the same event in 1 Nephi 19:10 — Zenos: three days of darkness as a sign of His death.

Earthquake at His death

Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up; Helaman 14:21–24

When Christ gives up His life, the earth itself will react: thunder, earthquakes, broken rocks, mountains and valleys changed, cities destroyed.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 8:17-18 — The rocks were rent in twain and found in seams and cracks.
• the same event in Matthew 27:51 — At His death the earth quaked and the rocks rent.

Saints rise after His Resurrection

And many graves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many. Helaman 14:25

Following Christ's Resurrection, many righteous dead will rise and appear to people, proof that His Resurrection opens the graves for others.

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

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 23:9-11 — The risen Christ asks why this fulfilled prophecy of Samuel was not written, and has it added.
• the same event in Matthew 27:52-53 — Graves opened and bodies of the saints arose after His resurrection.