According to Nephi, Lehi wrote down many of the things which he saw in visions and dreams. Nephi’s refers to his father’s record more than once. On the plates that Nephi is writing on he abridges his father’s record. One LDS scholar, Kent S. Brown, suggested that perhaps Lehi’s wrote down his prophecies on less durable material than metal plates, hence the need for Nephi to copy his father’s record on to more durable

1 Nephi 1:16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

1 Nephi 19:1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father

From what we do have of Lehi’s prophecies, they are a precious record indeed! Someday we will have his complete record. I Nephi 10 contains more of Lehi’s prophecies of several important future events. I call it one of the “nutshell” chapters in the Book of Mormon. There is so much information in a few verses. There his testimony of a coming Messiah and the scattering and gathering of Israel. The scattering and gathering of Israel is very important to Nephi and Lehi because they are living in it. They are a branch of the House of Israel that has been cut off. They are seeing the future of their posterity.

As far as I can tell the Book of Mormon prophets are the only ones who give a time for the coming of Jesus Christ. Both Lehi and Nephi give a time frame of 600 years from the time that they leave Jerusalem. What if we knew the time frame for the 2nd coming? What if we were told it was in 100 years? Would we feel a sense of urgency to prepare ourselves spiritually? What would I want my children to know about the coming of Jesus Christ? Lehi lets us know what he wants his children to know. Nephi lets us know what he wants his posterity to know.

2 Nephi 25:26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

The baptism of Jesus

The Book of Mormon is also unique in its detailed prophecies of the baptism of Jesus and the prophet who should prepare the way for Jesus. He even gives the name of the place where Jesus would be baptized, in the Jordan River close to Bethabara. He includes that the prophet, meaning John the Baptist, should bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God. Nephi also includes a similar testimony. This is so remarkable! I’ve asked myself why this is such an important event that these prophecies are included.

Our beautiful plan of salvation was prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Jesus is described as the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev 13:8) Jesus’s complete ministry was seen in vision by many prophets, but in our current Old Testament baptism isn’t mentioned as a Christian sacrament. It’s from the Book of Mormon and the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price we learn that baptism has always been a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was perhaps one the plain and precious truths of the gospel that was lost from our current Old Testament. How sad!

Personal application: I can ponder on the significance of Jesus’s baptism and my own baptism. I can try to take the sacrament more meaningfully as I ponder of the significance of baptism.