The emphasis on the Messiah is particularly for their people because Nephi and Jacob understand what lies in their future. Both Nephi and Jacob also understand that if the Nephites were to hold true to faith in the Messiah, in Christ that they would not suffer the fate of their apostasy and eventual destruction. Both Nephi and Jacob are aware of this, and are intent upon preventing it, were it at all possible. Nephi's instructions suppose that it would be a firm faith in the Messiah that would accomplish this alteration in the predicted course of Nephite future history.