The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to bring all nations, kindreds, tongues and people to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is, as the Book of Mormon states, a “voice crying from the dust.” I hear that voice and that plea to come unto Christ. The Title Page of the Book of Mormon states this purpose when it says that the Book of Mormon is for the “convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.” This theme jumps out on almost every page. According to researchers here is the breakdown of how often the name of Christ or any other names or titles that reference the Savior are mentioned int the Book of Mormon.

By Name or Title: 3,925 total mentions (about once every 1.7 verses). There are 100 different names and titles used, such as “Creator,” “Lamb of God,” and “Messiah”.
Including Pronouns: Broader studies that include pronouns and possessive references tally up to 7,452 total references (more than one per verse).
By Direct Name Only: References explicitly using “Jesus,” “Christ,” or the direct name of the Lord occur 476 times by name, which equates to roughly one direct name mention per page in standard editions.

Can there be a more Christ-Centered book other than the New Testament? Frequently the Book of Mormon talks about the scattered remnants of the House of Israel coming to a true knowledge of the Messiah. Lehi makes this prophesy in 1 Nephi 10.

1 Nephi 10:14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

Nephi also prophesies of his descendants coming to knowledge of Jesus Christ.

1 Nephi 30:5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.

Why are these scriptures so important? What do they mean to me? These very specific prophesies were given about 592-560 BC. God’s covenant people knew of Jesus Christ in Old Testament times. I did a Google search to ask if people in the Old Testament knew of Jesus Christ. This is what I found out:

“People in the Old Testament did not know the historical person or the specific name of Jesus Christ, but they did look forward to a promised savior or Messiah. While they trusted God’s promises of redemption, they did not understand the specific New Testament details, such as the exact name “Jesus,” his crucifixion by the Romans, or the timing of his first-century arrival.”

The Book of Mormon teaches us the ancient prophets knew of Christ. Lehi and Nephi each saw in vision his birth, baptism, his ministry, his death and his resurrection. They knew he would come in 600 years from the time they left Jerusalem in 600 BC. Jacob teaches us:

Jacob 4: For, for this intent have we written these things, that they (meaning their descendants) may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.  Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name.

These scriptures teach me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was prepared from the “foundation of the world.” God is the same “yesterday, today and forever.” His gospel was taught to Adam and Eve. It has not changed. I can have faith and confidence in it. God has made covenants with His children from the very beginning and He will fulfill his covenants to us if we honor our covenants with Him.

The Book of Mormon exists to bring all nations, kindreds and tongues to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.

These prophecies are also God’s promise to all of His children that they are not forgotten. God will fulfill his covenants. He will continue to reach to each of us “as long as the world shall stand.”

Moroni 7:35 . . . “has the day of miracles ceased? Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

President Russell M Nelson talked often of God’s covenant with His children. He said:

Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.

That is the promise of the Book of Mormon and I testify that it’s true.