Arise and Come Forth

3 Nephi 11:14-15

Jesus said,

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

 15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

After Jesus was resurrected, He appeared a few times unto several people in the Old World, Jerusalem. Jesus then appeared to the Nephites in America. A multitude was gathered together and heard a voice that said, "Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name--hear ye him."

When they heard this declaration from God the Father, they didn't understand it initially. They heard the same statement two more times and then they understood. Jesus descended out of heaven and stood in the midst of them, and they thought it was an angel. Jesus introduced himself, declared His atonement, and invited each person to come unto Him and feel the sacred wound prints in His hands, wrists, feet, and side. This they did, one-by-one, until they all had felt the sacred marks in His body resulting from His infinite atonement. The Holy Ghost bore record that this was indeed Jesus, the Christ, the one who had atoned for the sins of the world a short while back. As they felt the prints in His hands and feet, the Spirit overcame them such that they knew for a certainty that it was Jesus who had been crucified and resurrected. Jesus became the first fruits of them that slept.

They were humbly overwhelmed. Jesus visited this multitude because of their faith in Him, believing that he would come in fulfillment of prophecy. As they looked at Him, "His eyes were as a flame of fire."

Jesus continues to invite us to "Arise and come forth" unto Him daily and know that He is the Savior and Redeemer of this world and all worlds created without number. He is the Savior and Redeemer of all, due to His infinite atonement. His influence never ceases.

"BEHOLD, I AM JESUS CHRIST"

Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name (3 Nephi 9:15).

And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying: Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world (3 Nephi 11:10).

Jesus literally introduces himself when He said, ‘Behold, I am Jesus Christ.” You can get any more clear than this. He wanted the people to know who He was, and that He was indeed Christ, the Son of God. He even invited the people to come unto Him, feel the prints of the nails in His hands, wrists, feet, and to thrust their hands into His side to know for a more surety that He was who He said He was. During this time, the Holy Ghost bore witness to the people that it truly was Jesus Christ as He had introduced himself.

CHRIST IN AMERICA

Jesus Christ in Western Hemisphere

 

1 And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.

2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death.

3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.

5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

Click to Learn about Christ’s Second Coming

JESUS CHRIST: UNIVERSAL RESURRECTION

Jesus Christ: In America In Me

And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and the people of his church.

--2 Nephi 25:14

Jesus, the Messiah, rose from the dead and appeared to those who believed in Him. He appeared to the believers in Jerusalem area as well as the believers in America in the city of Bountiful. Upon His appearance, they felt the prints of the nails in His hands, wrists, feet. They also thrust their hands into His pierced side where the spear had been jabbed into Him. They believed in Him prior to His appearance, but now, by the power of the Holy Ghost, they knew for a surety that He was Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of the World, their personal Confidant.

The Resurrected Christ in America

JESUS CHRIST: VISITS AMERICA

Discover America: Read the Book of Mormon