1 Nephi 10:5

Brant Gardner

Lehi preached more than repentance to prevent destruction in Jerusalem. He preached of the coming Messiah (see 1 Nephi 1:19). During Lehi’s lifetime the concept of the Messiah was being redefined to overlap with the earthy king. As a coming, conquering ruler, the current king became a representative of that aspect of the Messiah. Thus, the officially taught aspect of the Messiah was as the coming king. That is certainly part of the mission of the Messiah.

However, it is the mission of the Messiah in the end of times. In the meridian of time, the Messiah came to be an atoner, not a conqueror. Jehovah came to earth to conquer death, not countries. It is this atoning mission of the Messiah that Lehi preached in addition to the destruction of Jerusalem. It is the theme that Nephi will preach throughout his available writings.

As Nephi concludes his father’s description of the symbolic dream, he changes to a more direct discourse. We do not know how long after the discussion of the dream that Lehi taught this next lesson, but Nephi presents it as the natural result of the dream. Indeed, when he wrote, he clearly had his own vision, and that vision taught him that a discussion of the atoning Messiah was precisely what should follow from the symbols in the dream.

Therefore, Lehi teaches about the coming Messiah, the Redeemer of the world.

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