1 Nephi 20:4 - 20:8

1 Nephi 20:4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

He did so in this manner because they could not be communicated with in any other way. They were proud of their heritage and figured that it was all they needed.

1 Nephi 20:5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say—Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them.

The Lord from the beginning of Israel’s history has tried to show that it is not idols that gets things done. The miracles come to pass in such a way that it is obvious to everyone that the idols did not cause them.

1 Nephi 20:6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

The children of Israel have seen all these miraculous happenings and they should be testifying about them. In fact the Lord has shown them items that they did not know that they even existed to asked about. I think that when people appeal to idols that they are asking for things they know to exist or want outcomes they have seen in the past However, the Lord always answers prayers in ways no one could have contemplated to show that He granted them not some idol.

1 Nephi 20:7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say—Behold I knew them.

And in addition these outcomes are a surprise so that someone can’t say that he knew they would turn out this way so as to claim he is a prophet. Whatever a false prophet would declare that it will be fulfilled in a certain way the Lord does it very differently. And so differently that no one could have imagined it coming to pass in such a way.

1 Nephi 20:8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

The Lord has dealt with Israel in this way because He knew they would fall into the trap of idolatry. He knew they would fall for the religions of the area and would not follow their God. He has known of their weakness even from the beginning of their existence as a nation.