1 Nephi 17:23 - 17:27

1 Nephi 17:23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying: Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel, would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?

Nephi tries to use some history to teach the boys some of the events that are in the scriptures which show that in other times and places, the Lord has lead people from one place to another for their own good. He starts with the example of the freeing of the children of Israel from Egypt with which they were all very familiar. Nephi asked the boys if they thought the children of Israel would have escaped the servitude of the Egyptians if they had not heeded the words of the Lord? Would they be enjoying the freedom like what they had in Jerusalem if the children of Israel had still been in Egypt?

1 Nephi 17:24 Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead them out of bondage?

Nephi reminds them that they would still be in Egypt if the Lord had not commanded Moses to get them out. Someone had to come forward to get the process going of freeing these people from the slavery they were under.

1 Nephi 17:25 Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.

Nephi reminds them that they know very well that the children of Israel were in a very bad situation in Egypt. They were slaves to the Egyptians and had no rights or freedom. The boys also knew that it was a good thing that they were freed from this grievous condition. They would not be enjoying the life they had in Jerusalem if the children of Israel were still in Egypt.

1 Nephi 17:26 Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground.

The boys in addition knew that one man, namely Moses was commanded to bring them out of Egypt. It was one man against tremendous odds to free a nation of slaves from the most powerful nation on earth at the time. Moses did it with the power of the Lord which was shown by the parting of the Red Sea and the children of Israel leaving the land of Egypt on dry ground to entry the Sinai desert on the other side.

It is interesting to consider that it was just one man that pulled this off. Almost all major changes in civilization happen because of one individual. We can also compare Moses to Christ. One man freeing us from death and hell as Moses did in freeing the Israelites from their miserable lives and the hell of slavery. And we all can be that "one individual" that can free others from their lives of uncertainly of what comes after this life and show them to way to freedom. Along with that we can be that "one individual" that can free our ancestors by our Temple work.

1 Nephi 17:27 But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh.

In addition the boys knew that the armies of Pharaoh were drowned when the waters came back together again.