1 Nephi 10

Lehi went on to speak and prophesy about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jewish people. After Jerusalem fell, many of the people would be carried away in slavery to Babylon. In God’s time they would return again and come to occupy the lands from which they would be driven, this land of their inheritance. Six hundred years following our departure from Jerusalem, a prophet and Messiah of God would arise among the Jews as a Savior of the world. Because all of mankind was in a lost and fallen state, they would rely on this Savior as their Redeemer. Many other prophets, he reminded us, had also foreseen the coming of this Messiah.

Lehi said a prophet would precede the Messiah to prepare the way, and baptize him with water in Bethabara, beyond Jordan. After baptizing the Messiah, this prophet would make a record that he had baptized the man who would remove the sins of the world. This Messiah would be disbelieved, would be slain, would arise from the dead to be seen, and afterwards would redeem the sins of mankind.

The family of Israel, he said, is like an olive tree whose branches will be broken off and scattered across the face of the Earth. “We are,” he said, “like branches broken off from a natural tree. Our journey from Jerusalem to the promised land is a fulfillment of the prophecy that the Jewish people will be scattered.”

In the last days, after the Gentiles have received the full and true gospel of Jesus Christ, the scattered branches will be gathered together again and grafted onto the tree which is the knowledge of the true Messiah.

Having heard my father’s words, I also wanted to see and hear these things for myself, about the mysteries of God. So God gave me the authority to speak of these things and tell anyone who seeks diligently for God that he will be rewarded by finding the mysteries laid bare. I also want to remind those who would listen that all of our doings will be brought to judgment. Those who have sinned in their lives will be forever cast off.