Mormon 5

Creator

But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them. Mormon 5:2

The Book of Mormon teaches that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things. The Nephites fight for their lives but will not call on the very Being who made them and could save them.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• the same title in Mosiah 3:8 — Christ is 'the Creator of all things from the beginning.'
• alludes to 3 Nephi 9:15 — Christ: 'I created the heavens and the earth.'

Jesus Christ

And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people. Mormon 5:9

The Lord who foretold that the Gentiles would scatter Lehi's descendants is the risen Christ, who said so while teaching the Nephites.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 3 Nephi 16:8-9 — Christ prophesies that the Gentiles will scatter and afflict the house of Israel in this land.
• alludes to 3 Nephi 20:27-28 — Christ speaks of the Gentiles and the scattering of His people.

Jesus

Jesus — Jehovah is salvation

For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus. Mormon 5:11

Jesus is pictured with arms open to hold anyone who repents. The tragedy of the Nephites is that they could have been held by Him and chose not to be.

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

• alludes to 3 Nephi 9:14 — Christ: 'mine arm of mercy is extended towards you.'
• alludes to Mormon 6:17 — Mormon mourns those who rejected 'that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you.'
• alludes to Alma 5:33 — 'The arms of mercy are extended towards them.'

Son of God

Christ — the Anointed One; Son of the living God

And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant; Mormon 5:14

The records will come forth to convince the Jews of Peter's confession: that Jesus is the promised Messiah and the Son of God.

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

• alludes to Matthew 16:16 — Peter: 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
• alludes to Mormon 3:21 — Mormon's parallel purpose statement: Jesus is the very Christ and the very God.
• alludes to 2 Nephi 26:12 — The Jews must be convinced that Jesus is the Christ.

Beloved Son

Most Beloved — the Father's Beloved Son

And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant; Mormon 5:14

The Father works out His great plan to gather Israel through His 'most Beloved,' Jesus Christ. This is a hidden title for the Son, the one the Father introduced as 'my Beloved Son.'

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

• the same title in 3 Nephi 11:7 — The Father: 'Behold my Beloved Son.'
• the same title in Matthew 3:17 — 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
• alludes to 3 Nephi 20:29 — Christ speaks of the covenant to gather the Jews to the land of their inheritance.

Doctrine of Christ

And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles; for this people shall be scattered, and shall become a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that which ever hath been amongst us, yea, even that which hath been among the Lamanites, and this because of their unbelief and idolatry. Mormon 5:15

'His gospel' is the gospel of Jesus, the Beloved named in the previous verse. Christ foretold that it would reach Lehi's descendants through the Gentiles.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 3 Nephi 21:2-3 — Christ foretells that these things will come from the Gentiles to the remnant.

Christ

Christ — the Anointed One

For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to strive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in the world; and they are driven about as chaff before the wind. Mormon 5:16

Being without Christ means having no anchor. The people drift like chaff in the wind.

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

• alludes to Ephesians 2:12 — 'Without Christ... having no hope, and without God in the world.'

Good Shepherd

Christ — the Anointed One; Shepherd — He who leads and feeds the flock

They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father. Mormon 5:17

The Nephites were once Christ's own flock, the 'other sheep' He visited, and through Him they were led by the Father. Mormon mourns what they lost.

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 John 10:14 — 'I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep.'
• alludes to 3 Nephi 15:21 — Christ tells the Nephites they are the other sheep He spoke of.

Jehovah

Jehovah — the self-existent, eternal God (I AM)

But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel. Mormon 5:20

The covenant God of Abraham is Jehovah, the premortal Christ. After the scattering, He will remember His covenant to gather Israel. (In 3 Nephi 20 Christ calls it the covenant the Father made, which is why the person is ambiguous.)

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 3 Nephi 20:25-27 — Christ explains the covenant made with Abraham and its fulfillment.
• alludes to Abraham 2:8-11 — Jehovah makes the covenant with Abraham.

Second Coming

And then, O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways? Mormon 5:22–24

Mormon warns the latter-day Gentiles about the end of the world, when the earth is rolled up like a scroll. He uses Christ's own prophecy that a remnant of Jacob will be like a lion among Gentiles who do not repent.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to 3 Nephi 20:16 — Christ: the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles as a lion among the beasts of the forest.
• alludes to 3 Nephi 21:12 — Christ repeats the lion prophecy for Gentiles who will not repent.
• alludes to Micah 5:8 — The original lion prophecy of the remnant of Jacob.
• alludes to 3 Nephi 26:3 — Christ expounded until the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll.