Lehi and His Family Leave Jerusalem
1 Nephi 1–2
About 600 years before Jesus Christ was born, the prophet Lehi lived in Jerusalem. Along with other prophets, he told the people to repent or their great city would be destroyed. Lehi loved the people and prayed for them with all his heart. One day while he was praying, a pillar of fire appeared on a rock before him, and he had a vision from God. He was so filled with the Spirit of the Lord that he began to tremble.
After this experience, Lehi returned to his home and went to bed. Still overcome by the Spirit, Lehi had another vision. The heavens opened to his view, and he saw God sitting upon His throne, surrounded by many angels who were singing and praising God. In the vision, Lehi saw Jesus Christ and twelve apostles. He was handed a book and told to read it. Lehi read about the coming of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. He also read that Jerusalem would be destroyed, many of the people would be killed in war, and many would be held captive because of their wickedness.
Lehi warned the people and pleaded with them to repent, but they did not want to hear what he said. They became angry with him and even tried to kill him.
The prophet had a dream in which the Lord commanded him to take his family and leave Jerusalem. Lehi, his wife, Sariah, and their four sons, Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi, left their home. They also left their land and their gold, silver, and other precious things and traveled in the wilderness near the shore of the Red Sea. They traveled for three days and then pitched their tent in a valley by a river.
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The Red Sea
The Red Sea is located between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and is about 180 miles south of Jerusalem. It would take Lehi’s family between twelve and fourteen days to walk there from Jerusalem.1 The Red Sea is the body of water that Moses parted so that the Israelites could walk through on dry ground.
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Lehi built an altar of stones and offered thanks to God. He named the river after Laman and the valley after Lemuel and encouraged his eldest sons to be righteous and faithful. They complained about having to leave their comfortable life behind, but Nephi and Sam did not complain. Nephi prayed for faith. As he prayed, the Lord visited him and softened his heart. Sam listened to Nephi and believed in his words, but Laman and Lemuel did not believe.
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An Altar
Ever since Adam, prophets offered sacrifices on altars, often made of stones, to show their thanks to God and to prepare the people to receive God’s ultimate sacrifice, His Son Jesus Christ.
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