2 Nephi Chapter 11
Summary: Nephi teaches that he and his brother Jacob have seem their Redeemer. He then teaches that the law of Moses (given by God)"typifies" the coming of Jesus Christ. He then introduces the writings of Isaiah. See Why did Nephi Include the Writings of Isaiah in his Records?
Lessons Taught/To be Learned:
Nephi uses the word "typifies" in this scripture. To typify something means to serve as a typical example of it — to represent, embody, or characterize the essential qualities of. So Nephi was essentially saying that the law of Moses was given because it typified the coming of the Savior. The law of Moses was that a person should offer onto the Lord a sacrifice, which was to be the "firstling of their flock". One can see the significance of how this typifies the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from these scripture from he Book of Moses 5:5-8:
5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.
6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.
Key Scriptures (italicized and in quotes):
"4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him."