1 Nephi 22: 21

21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness.

In case there was any doubt as to who this prophet is that is spoken of by Moses, Nephi testifies in no uncertain terms that He is the Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ. All mystery is stripped away on this point. There is no excuse for misunderstanding, or not understanding.

Alma testified to Korihor that all things testify of God and Christ (see Alma 30: 41 (39–41)). Moses himself was told that he was in the similitude of Christ (see Moses 1: 6). And most important, Christ identified himself as the prophet spoken of by Moses (see 3 Nephi 20: 23). So some testimonies of Christ are quite specific, such as Nephi’s and Christ’s. Other testimonies, like Alma’s, may take some leaps of faith and even some imagination to see as testimonies of Christ. Of course, that is where the Holy Ghost comes in and testifies. Then the thing that is testified to the individual is clear and unmistakable, even if they can’t share it in all its strength. I’m sure Moses could not express the full power and conviction that he was in the similitude of the God of this earth. Even if you knew that without a doubt, how could you adequately express it or testify of it to others? It’s just too big. I’m a believer in simple, straightforward testimony, as express here by Nephi.

• Deuteronomy 18: 15 (15–19)
• Psalm 98: 9
• Acts 3: 22 (20–23)
• 1 Nephi 10: 4
• 3 Nephi 20: 23
• Moses 1: 6

1 Nephi 22: 20

20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

This is how the righteous are spared. They follow this prophet who is like unto Moses. And those who do not will be cut off. In verse 21 Nephi identifies this prophet as the “Holy One of Israel,” or in other words, Jesus Christ. So those who follow Christ shall not perish, while those who do not follow Him will be cut off.

Here, Moses is identified as a type (or symbol) of the Savior. Just as those who followed Moses out of Egypt were spared that physical slavery, or were led out of it, so those who follow Christ are led out of the spiritual slavery or captivity of sin and the devil. This concept invites a lot of comparisons between the Israelites following Moses and us following Christ. One that comes to mind is that simply taking the first step of leaving is no guarantee you will finish. Almost all of those who followed Moses out of Egypt and started on the road to the Promised Land did not finish the journey because of rebellion against Moses and the Lord. Similarly, not all who take on the covenant of baptism will remain faithful. If they do not live up to those covenants they made they will not receive the reward they started for. However, those who endure to the end and follow the prophet will have eternal life.

• Deuteronomy 18: 15–22
• Acts 3: 23
• D&C 133: 63

1 Nephi 22: 18–19

18 Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.
19 For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be cut off.

Verse 18 verifies in no uncertain terms the fact that the destruction Nephi has been describing will be physical. There may also be a spiritual destruction or death, but Nephi says there will also be a physical, or temporal destruction, complete with blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. And here is the Lord’s time frame once again, “these things must shortly come.” It was nearly 600 years from when Nephi recorded this to the Savior’s first coming, which caused all that destruction. It has been more than 2,500 years since then until now, and we still have not seen the Second Coming yet. I think there are a couple of possibilities here. “Shortly” could simply mean according to the Lord’s time schedule, where one day to God is 1000 years to us (see Abraham 3: 4). I think a more likely meaning in this case could be “suddenly,” as in taking us by surprise. Of course we have all the signs leading up to it that have been prophesied, but I suspect that when the time actually arrives it will seem that it suddenly arrives. The best way to be prepared for all this is not to be concerned with time frames, but to be concerned with personal righteousness. If we are prepared, we have no need to fear these destructions (see D&C 38: 30). The Lord says in many places, such as verse 19 here, that this destruction is for the wicked, and that the righteous will be spared. Our job is to be among the righteous.

1 Nephi 22: 17

17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.

There is ample evidence in the scriptures, and even in non-scriptural history to suggest and verify that the Lord will preserve and protect his people. I find it interesting that in the latter days it will be by fire. Of course, I don’t know how the scene will play out, but I do have a couple of thoughts about it.

This fire (and again, I am working on the assumption that it is a literal fire) will destroy the wicked. According to this verse the righteous “shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire” (my emphasis). I was thinking about how the righteous would be separated from the wicked so this fire would not consume them. Then I realized that the covenant people don’t need a physical separation. They can simply be made to withstand the fire, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who survived the fiery furnace (see Daniel 8), or Alma and Amulek, who walked out of a destroyed prison, unhurt, while everyone around them was killed by that prison’s destruction (see Alma 14: 27).

A second way this destruction by fire could play out is described in how the wicked were destroyed in the Book of Mormon at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. Whole cities were destroyed that were full of the wicked (see 3 Nephi 9: 2–13). Another example of this would be the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament (see Genesis 9). It could be that the more righteous are instructed to leave a city or area. Those with faith to obey are spared as those who are not obedient are destroyed. So there are many ways this destruction by fire could come about.

Another idea I had that contradicts what I have said in the past about the wicked destroying the wicked is that maybe the Lord will not allow anyone else to punish the wicked. By allowing the wicked to destroy the wicked there may be too much collateral damage. In other words, contrary to what was written in verse 16, the wicked could destroy the righteous in their effort to destroy the wicked.

On the other hand, this could all mean the destruction of souls in the eternities. Maybe it’s a situation like Alma and Amulek witnessed when they were commanded to stand by and watch while their faithful converts were martyred (see Alma 14: 8–13). The bodies were destroyed, but not their spirits, which were saved. Maybe that is why the wicked will not be able to destroy the righteous. So many ways this could go, but I still think it will be a physical destruction. Regardless of how it plays out, my best defense against that destruction is personal righteousness. The righteous will be saved in either case, whether it is physical or spiritual destruction.

• Psalm 55: 22
• 1 Nephi 17: 35 (33–38)
• 2 Nephi 30: 10
• 3 Nephi 22: 13 (13–17)
• Moses 7: 61

1 Nephi 22: 16

16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

First, a word about the Lord’s timetable. Very seldom are we given enough detail in the scriptures so we can put an exact date on an event before it happens, even thought that event may be the subject of prophecy before it is fulfilled. This verse has an example of that. Nephi has been writing about events in the last days leading up to Christ’s Second Coming. Yet here he uses the word, “soon.” “The time soon cometh…” This was written nearly 600 years before the first coming of Jesus Christ, let alone His second coming. Now here we are, more than 2500 years later, and these prophecies are being fulfilled. Could this be evidence that Nephi knew who his real audience was? Yes, he was writing for the benefit of his people in his time, but his ultimate audience was the people in the latter days, like me. So the use of “soon” could very easily be directed at us here in the last days.

The fires that will burn the wicked as stubble will come in time to preserve the righteous covenant people of God from being destroyed by the devil. Mormon clearly states that, “it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished” (Mormon 4: 5), and here Nephi is telling us that the Lord “will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.” So ultimately, in the end the Lord will take this punishment of the wicked into his own hands. This seems to be one good way for Him to control who is destroyed and who is not.

• Mormon 4: 5