At the end of Jacob’s (Israel’s) life, he called his twelve sons together and gave them each a far-reaching blessing, which applied not only to them but to their posterity for generations to come. The first part of his blessing to Joseph suggested that some of his descendants would migrate away from the group and flourish in another region:
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall.
The archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him, and hated him.
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.
Genesis 49:22-24
As Lehi and his family fled from Jerusalem and began their journey to a new land, he learned from the brass plates that he was a descendant of Joseph. He felt a particular affinity for this ancestor, who had left the promised land and saved the rest of his family because of his prosperity in his new home. (See 1 Nephi 5:14-15.) It can’t be a coincidence that Joseph was the name he and Sariah chose for their youngest son, who was born during their journey. (See 1 Nephi 18:7.)
At the end of Lehi’s life, he followed the pattern set by his ancestor Jacob, gathering his own children to give them his final words of counsel and blessing. His words to his son Joseph are remarkably far-reaching, stretching generations into the past and the future. He quoted a prophecy of their ancestor Joseph, who spoke of a future prophet, also named Joseph, comparing him with Moses, even though Moses was also in the future from the ancient Joseph’s perspective! Here’s a diagram showing the breadth of this prophecy:
Lehi doesn’t say that the future prophet would be named Joseph Smith, but the context makes it clear that he is the prophet the ancient Joseph was talking about. Among other details, Lehi explained that this prophet would be named after his father (Joseph Smith, Sr.) and that he would bring forth new scripture which would complement and support the scriptures that would be written by the descendants of the ancient Joseph’s brother, Judah. (See 2 Nephi 3:11-15.)
I find it breathtaking to hear God telling ancient Joseph that his future namesake will be “great like unto Moses,” and then adding, “Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt” (2 Nephi 3:10). With extraordinary faith, ancient Joseph testified:
I am sure of this thing [the future mission of Joseph Smith], just as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever.
2 Nephi 3:16
Why did Lehi share all of his with his young son Joseph? I think he wanted his son to have a sense of context for his own life and mission. I think he wanted young Joseph to identify with these other prophets who shared his name and to recognize the intergenerational impact his life could have. Lehi described their new home as “thine inheritance, and the inheritance of thy seed…, for thy security forever,” and he promised twice, “Thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed” (2 Nephi 3:2-3, 23).
Today, I will strive for an intergenerational perspective. I will remember that many of my decisions were made possible by those who preceded me and that those decisions will have an impact on those who follow. I will think about my relationship with people whom I will never meet in this life but who are nevertheless deeply and durably bound to me.
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