Almost All of Our Fathershave Testified of the Coming of Christ

"At the heart of [Nephi’s] preaching was one vital fact: God had always sent word through his prophets of what his people needed to know to be happy and at peace. Foremost among what they needed to know was that the Messiah, the Son of God, would come to earth to redeem mankind. All who looked to him would live.

"Nephi then listed a number of prophets who had detailed the Savior’s advent. Among these prophets were Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi. Indeed, Nephi pointed out, ‘many prophets’ over the centuries had testified of Christ. (See Hel. 8:11-22.)

"This observation was not unique to Nephi. More than a century earlier, Abinadi told King Noah: ’Did not Moses prophesy … concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?’ (Mosiah 13:33.)

"So clear was this understanding that Amulek could tell the apostate Zoramites in 74 B.C. that it was ’impossible that [they] should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ,’ for that fact had been taught to them bountifully. (Alma 34:2.) If they weren‘t aware of Christ’s impending mortal ministry, it was because they were unacquainted with God’s word.

“An in-depth study of the Book of Mormon reveals this to be true. So clear are the revelations that the Nephites should have known the name by which the Messiah would be called in mortality, when he would be born, where he would be born, the name of his mother, many details of his ministry, how he would suffer and die, and that his resurrection would break the bands of death for all mankind. More importantly, they should have understood how his atonement could reconcile them to God and what they had to do to receive that marvelous gift. All this was known and taught by the prophets on what we know today as the American continent.” (D. Kelly Ogden, R. Val Johnson, Ensign, Jan. 1994, p. 31)