“They the Jews Should Return Again and Possess Again the Land of Their Inheritance”

Bryan Richards

Lehi prophesied that the Jews would return to Jerusalem after they were sacked by the Babylonians. This is a well described event in the Old Testament. Jeremiah said, For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place (Jer 28:10). The entire book of Nehemiah describes the return from Babylon to Jerusalem and the unusual penitent attitude of the Jews at the time. The following quote is a more detailed discussion of the Lords dealings with the Jews at this time:

"Lehi, like other Old Testament prophets, foretold the ultimate return of the Jews to Jerusalem. Almost a century and a half earlier, Isaiah had spoken prophetically of the coming of Cyrus the Persian, the man God would raise up among a heathen nation to allow the return and rebuilding of Jerusalem. In speaking of Cyrus, the Lord said: 'He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.' Indeed, the Lord called Cyrus his 'anointed,' and stressed that his 'right hand I have holden.' (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1.) Jeremiah, speaking in behalf of Jehovah, explained: 'And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon [the Persians would garner power], and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations' (Jeremiah 25:12). Jeremiah also prophesied: 'For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place' (Jeremiah 29:10). Indeed, within seventy years Cyrus the Persian would issue a decree allowing the return and reconstruction of the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). (McConkie, Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 64)

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