There are several things that are very reassuring about Jesus’ final departure from these people and the end of this astonishingly magnificent day. Can we really fathom what has happened here? What significance do you find in the fact that Jesus ended his second appearance to the Nephites, first, with the renewal of covenants again with the sacrament, ministering again unto the children, healing again all the sick, letting the children speak, baptizing those who came forth, seeing that they shared all things in common and that they did all things as they had been commanded (3 Nephi 26:13–20).
We don’t know when he finally left these people, but we know that he didn’t leave until he had walked and talked many days with his disciples, and didn’t go until he was sure that they were fully trained and able to carry on with the building of Zion in their community. He did not leave until he knew that those little children who had been blessed were being properly taught and the order of the Church had been properly instituted.
Just as the children are of supreme importance to Jesus’s ministry here on Day 2, I believe those little children who were present on this occasion will become the key to understanding 4 Nephi. There were four generations of wonderful righteousness, peace, and happiness following the appearance of Jesus among these people, partly because those little children would have lived long enough to testify of their experiences to the future generations. In an era of peace and prosperity, life expectancy increases. So, their grandchildren would likely have known them, which means four generations of people would have been taught by those little children who grew up, married, had children and grandchildren. Many years later, those people could say, my grandmother told me what it was like “when I was there with the Savior.” This kind of testimony no doubt fueled the amazing Zion community that 4 Nephi reports. I do not think Jesus would have departed until he was sure that that all this was securely in place.
Brothers and sisters, I realize that this block of text (3 Nephi 19–26) is as deep as it is dense. I plead with you to take extra time and make a sincere effort as you ponder these precious words, praying that the Holy Ghost will open your eyes of understanding. In these words, Jesus gives to us, as well as to those Nephites who were in attendance, the very essence of the Father’s prophetic covenant with his people. The events of Day 1 moved us as the Savior received each individual, compassionately healed their sick, and ministered unto the children. On this Day 2, the teachings are deeper, intentionally veiled, and more abstract, and yet, even more importantly, Jesus here gives us the heart of the Father’s promised covenant to all of mankind. Working through these supernal words this time, line upon line, was more spiritually moving and more revealing to me than ever before. I am grateful—as I am sure you will be too—for the guidance of the Holy Ghost in bringing all this together in one great whole.
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Did the Peace Last So Long in 4 Nephi? (4 Nephi 1:16),” KnoWhy 225 (November 7, 2016).