1 Nephi 11:31

31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

It’s interesting and significant to note that healing illness and possession by devils or unclean spirits not only is a trait of Christ’s ministry, but of those who serve Him as well. So powerful is Christ’s influence that through His authority, mere mortals have the same power through His name.

• Mormon 9:24

1 Nephi 11:30

30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.

The angels who descended and ministered unto the children of men were most likely charged with preparing them for Christ’s ministry, so that they might have their hearts softened and they might believe in Christ when He ministered to them. I think this was necessary because even miracles can be dismissed by the faithless.

1 Nephi 11:29

29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

Clearly the organization of the Church is not established on a whim; the twelve apostles were not organized as a last minute idea that Christ came up with during His mortal ministry. This vision of Nephi’s occurred nearly 600 years before that time.

• 1 Nephi 14:20

1 Nephi 11:28

28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.

Christ’s ministry obviously had a polarizing effect on people, which this verse points out. Multitudes gathered together to hear him, and possibly, but not necessarily, the same people cast him out. I don’t think there was much indifference where Christ’s teaching or ministry were concerned. The people either worshipped him or hated him, or were in the process of going one way or the other.

• D&C 138:26

1 Nephi 11:27

27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.

The baptism of Christ begins His mortal ministry, which is itself a form of condescension. To think that God himself would come and live among men, suffering the same hardships, is amazing. On the one hand, this fallen earth life is well beneath Him. On the other hand it is a comfort to know that the rules for one are the rules for all. In other words, in order for Christ to attain all the glory of His potential, He still needed a body. He still needed to keep the commandments, including baptism. That tells me that this ordinance is more than simply washing away sins. Conditions of godhood are the same for everyone, and Christ didn’t exclude himself from meeting those conditions. In fact, He met them perfectly. His is the example we should strive to live up to.

• Matthew 3:13–17
• Matthew 11:10 (7–11)
• 1 Nephi 10:7 (7–10)
• 2 Nephi 31:4 (4–18)

1 Nephi 11:26

26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God!

The angel teaches more about the condescension of God. Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggests that the first one (vs. 16–19) could refer to God the Father condescending to father a child by a mortal woman, while this one could refer to the condescension of Christ through submitting himself to the hardships of mortal life (see Mormon Doctrine, p. 155). I think, however, that another point of His condescension was his baptism, as will be described hereafter. To think that a perfect person needs to be cleansed from non-existent sin is in itself a form of condescension.

1 Nephi 11:24–25

24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

Nephi is shown the ministry of Christ, His teaching and healing. His attention then goes back to Lehi’s vision, specifically the iron rod. This sequence leads Nephi to the interpretation of the iron rod being the word of God. This rod of iron acts like a banister. If we hold to it, we a re led to the Tree of Life. In other words, as we adhere to the teachings of Christ, we will be led to partake of the love of God. Verse 25 also gives the fountain of living waters as the love of God.

I would like to focus on the relationship between the rod of iron and the Tree of Life. I think the rod of iron is evidence of the Fall of Adam and mankind. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were allowed to partake of any fruit freely (Genesis 2:16–17), including the fruit of the Tree of Life. The single exception to this permission was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The day they took that fruit was the day they would die, or be separated from freely eating the Tree of Life fruit. In other words, they would have to make some other effort to partake of the Love of God.

Adam’s Tree of Life may well be an actual tree with actual fruit, but I don’t think we should lose sight of the symbolism. Partaking of Lehi’s Tree of Life was the same as dwelling continually in the Love of God. Adam had that freely because he was clean and pure, without sin. Once he fell by transgressing God’s commandment, he had to earn the right to re-enter the benefits of God’s love. So he has the gospel preached to him (Moses 5:5–7) — the iron rod — to bring him back to the full benefit of God’s presence and love. So God’s love (Tree of Life) is offered to all, but no longer freely, as it was to Adam and Eve before the Fall. In order to experience the full benefit of God’s love, each person must make their way to it. We must adhere to the word of God (iron rod) that leads us to His love. The more strictly we adhere to the Word, the more sure our path will be.

• John 1:1–14
• Revelation 2:27, See especially JST
• 1 Nephi 8:19

1 Nephi 11:21–23

21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

A couple of things impress me about these verses. First, they give the interpretation of the tree. Second, they show how Christ personifies God’s love.

I find the sequence here to be interesting. Nephi asks the meaning of the tree (vs. 11), he sees a vision of Mary (vs. 13), when he confesses to the angel that he doesn’t know the meaning of God’s condescension, he is told who the virgin is, and her significance (vs. 16–18). Now he sees the birth of Christ (vs. 19–20), and is immediately asked if he knows the meaning of the tree.

So Nephi knows there is a connection between the tree (his original question) and the birth of Christ (his answer). Nephi’s answer had to have been inspired, or at least I don’t know that I would have come up with the same answer without some divine help. His correct answer is that the tree represents the love of God. So Christ personifies the love of God, which, coupled with the symbol of the tree is quite simple and profound. The Tree’s fruit is available to everyone, but we must make the effort to partake of it. Alma 5:62 tells us that the way we partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life (love of God) is to be baptized unto repentance. Moroni 8:25–26 gets more detailed. It gives the process like this: repentance, whose first fruit is baptism, which is a result of faith, the kind of faith it takes to keep the commandments. Keeping the commandments with faith brings a remission of sins. The remission of sins brings meekness and lowliness of heart, then comes the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which fills you with hope and perfect love, which is charity, defined as the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:47), or the fruit of the Tree of Life.

This makes it sound like our Heavenly Father is playing favorites among His children. But if we consider love to be a verb instead of a feeling, it makes more sense. Of course God loves all His children, or in other words, has that feeling toward all His children. That’s why He makes the same opportunity available to all. The verb “love,” however, is reserved for those who make an effort toward Him, in other words, partake of the fruit. God would like all His children to partake, but He shows favor and blessing to those who actually do partake.

• 1 John 4:7–9
• Alma 5:62
• Moroni 8:26

1 Nephi 11:18–20

18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

Here Nephi is allowed to see for himself how Christ was to come miraculously into the world. He doesn’t need to see the details of how Jesus was conceived; that doesn’t matter. What matters is that Christ is literally the Son of God, not how it happened to be so. This is, to my knowledge, the earliest record in all the scriptures, giving this much detail as to how this virgin was to conceive the Son of God. Again, this is a story I have heard my whole life, but Nephi was seeing this for the first time. Do I take this miracle for granted? Having seen this for himself, Nephi can testify with sure knowledge regarding the divinity of Christ.

1 Nephi 11:14–17

14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

I think sometimes I take for granted the knowledge and understanding that is available to me through these scriptures, and through modern revelation. But if I stop and put myself in Nephi’s position, I get a whole different perspective. I’m sure he had read the prophets such as Isaiah when they talked about how a virgin would “conceive and bear a son,” (Isaiah 7:14), but I’m not sure he totally comprehended the big picture or that it actually struck him how significant this was before this vision. After Nephi correctly identifies to the angel that what he saw was a virgin, he is asked if he knows what the condescension of God is. Nephi had to have been a bit confused at this point, not knowing where this was going. So he gives what to me is a great answer. He basically says, “I know that God loves His children, but I don’t know what this condescension thing is.” He had to have been wondering what all this had to do with the interpretation of Lehi’s tree. We’ll see that Nephi is a quick study, but I think at this point the angel has taken him by surprise and lead this discussion in an unexpected direction.

1 Nephi 11:13

13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

I find it interesting that Nephi’s direct questions are answered indirectly here. Instead of just being told the meaning of the Tree of Life, he is given visionary clues. From these clues, he is to draw meaning and interpret the dream. It’s a great teaching method because what we discover, we own and remember. The knowledge that I best retain is understanding that I figure out more than information I’m given, unless that information is a clue to a deeper understanding. This also ensures the learner learns what he is ready for and nothing more that may be forgotten, or worse, overwhelming to him. A teacher can lead a student to draw his own correct conclusions (thereby teaching himself) by leading him through a series of lesser, already understood principles.

1 Nephi 11:12

12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.

I used to play with the idea that this verse, coupled with verse 14, where an angel came to replace the Spirit of the Lord, was evidence that the first visitor was the pre-mortal Lord Himself, that His spirit could only be in one place at a time, and it was needed to show the rest of the vision about Him. Therefore, a replacement was needed to talk to Nephi. The Lord’s spirit was needed to be in the vision about Him, and since He couldn’t be in the vision and explain it at the same time, an angel came to do the explaining. Now, I suppose this might be the case, but I have never heard or read anything else about that. So I don’t necessarily subscribe to the idea, but Nephi seems to make it very clear that he was visited by two separate Beings. If the first visitor was the Holy Ghost, he wouldn’t need to leave, since his job is to testify anyway. I had this question while serving my mission. James E. Talmage and Bruce R. McConkie didn’t agree on this, one saying it was Christ, the other saying it was the Holy Ghost. The footnotes used to cross-reference Nephi’s Spirit of the Lord with the brother of Jared’s Spirit of the Lord, which was definitely Christ. The version of The Book of Mormon we currently have doesn’t make that reference. So we’re left to our own now, but my best guess is that this Spirit of the Lord is Christ.

1 Nephi 11:10–11

10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?

11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof—for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.

After granting Nephi his first request (seeing the tree that Lehi saw—vs. 2–3), the Spirit of the Lord asks Nephi what he wants now. Nephi’s answer that he wanted to know the interpretation of the tree is what he really wanted all along. He believed his father saw the tree; he just didn’t know what it meant. And, knowing that all interpretation of dreams belong to the Lord (Genesis 40:8), he went right to the source, something that Laman and Lemuel didn’t consider doing (1Nephi 15:7–9). We don’t know exactly who this Spirit of the Lord is, but we know he is a man, in the form of a man. This teaches us something about the nature of spirits—that they have human form.

• Genesis 40:8

1 Nephi 11:8–9

8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.

9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.

The use of a tree to represent the Love of God is particularly fitting, and there are some interesting side thoughts. Such as, why was the tree white? I am not aware of any tree in nature that is close to being white. They all have green leaves or needles. I’m no scientist, but I think it’s the chlorophyll that makes them green. The New Standard Encyclopedia says, “Together with light, water, and air, chlorophyll makes it possible for plants, through the process of photosynthesis, to manufacture food, which is eaten by animals and man. Without chlorophyll there would be almost no life on earth…Chlorophyll is formed only when there is light…” This tree, being representative of the love of God, was a light source of its own and didn’t need chlorophyll, so it’s white. The white also symbolizes the purity of God’s love. The fruit of the tree is renewable and available to all who will take it. As we eat the fruit, it becomes a part of us, particularly as we nurture this love. If we don’t nurture it, it does not prosper within us. There are so many analogies that make this tree a fitting symbol of God’s love, it seems like whole chapters could be written.

• 1 Nephi 11:22 (22–25)

1 Nephi 11:7

7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

The Spirit describes to Nephi what he will be shown in this vision, namely the tree that Lehi saw, then also the coming of the Son of God. He seems to be priming Nephi for the interpretation of the dream. He tells Nephi that seeing the coming of the Son of God will be a sign.

1 Nephi 11:6

6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.

To me, the most important part of this verse is that Nephi is shown this vision as a result of his belief. If he had not believed, the vision would not have come to him. But there is another part of this scripture that is interesting to think about. For me, it’s pure speculation, but kind of fun to wonder about.

The question is, which member of the Godhead is appearing to Nephi? The next few verses make a definite distinction between the Spirit of the Lord, who has appeared to him at the beginning of the chapter, and the angel who appears a little later. I may discuss this in more detail later, but here it sounds like the Holy Ghost bearing testimony of the Lord, the most high God. Later on it seems like the case could be made that this is the pre-mortal spirit of Christ himself. Again, this is not critical, but it is fun to think about.

1 Nephi 11:4–5

4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?

5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.

It’s clear that the Lord gives to those who will receive. The Spirit of the Lord asks Nephi right off if he believed his father’s dream. I suppose that if he had answered negatively, we would not have the next few chapters. But Nephi’s answer tells us that not only did he honor his parents, but because of his belief, he was ready to receive further light and knowledge. The World would say that seeing is believing, but in many cases, believing is seeing. This is especially true with regard to spiritual matters. Understanding is after believing. One of our main purposes for coming to earth is to learn to live by faith. Understanding comes as a bonus.

• 1 Nephi 15:6–11
• 2 Nephi 28:30
• Mosiah 26:3

1 Nephi 11:2–3

2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?

3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.

I wonder why Nephi felt such a need or desire to see his father’s vision. He clearly believed Lehi’s account, and I’m glad for the additional insights we gain from Nephi, but it’s just curious to me why. I suppose Nephi may not have fully understood the vision, but he also could have asked Lehi for clarification. I think the key is in verse one, where Nephi was pondering for understanding and confirmation. Nephi’s faith, coupled with his calling as a prophet, may have been a deciding factor in why he was given the vision and its interpretation. He needed that first-hand testimony.

1 Nephi 11:1

1 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

Nephi is shown this great vision as a result of him pondering (in an attitude of faith) the things that his father had taught. The importance of pondering and meditation along with sincere and quiet scripture study cannot be overestimated. The voice of the Lord, or the instruction of the Spirit comes in a still, small voice. In order to hear that still, quiet instruction, we must be still and quiet. In some cases, as recorded by a few prophets, the Spirit will take them away to mountains, usually to receive further instruction. My guess is that these mountains are like temples in that they allow you to be separated from the world for awhile. The Lord does not usually give us this kind of instruction until we demonstrate our readiness to receive it.

• D&C 138:11 — this section was received as a direct result of Joseph F. Smith pondering some scriptures.
• 3 Nephi 17:3 — Christ tells the people to go home and ponder the things He had taught them.

1 Nephi Chapter 11 Overview

Nephi sees the Spirit of the Lord and is shown in vision the tree of life—He sees the mother of the Son of God and learns of the condescension of God—He sees the baptism, ministry, and crucifixion of the Lamb of God—He sees also the call and ministry of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

This is the beginning of a vision that is shown to Nephi and covers the next four chapters. In this chapter Nephi is shown the Tree of Life visions that Lehi saw. Nephi asks some questions about interpretation, so we get the meaning of this great vision. This really must be a significant vision that it is recorded twice. And I think there is evidence of it being shown to other cultures as well. It seems I saw something to that effect once, but I can’t say where or when.

1 Nephi 10:22

22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.

When Nephi tells us that he is speaking with the authority of the Holy Ghost, he is telling us that his words are scripture. D&C 68:2–4 says that when those who are ordained to the priesthood, and their mission is to preach, speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost (i.e. with his authority), it is scripture. These are the words, mind, and will of the Lord, and we should heed them.

• D&C 68:2–4

1 Nephi 10:20–21

20 Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment. 21 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.

Clearly we are judged according to our works as well as our faith. I love the way James puts it in James 2:14–18, when he talks about showing our faith by our works. I think that a major reason that works factor into our judgment so heavily is that works are a clear indicator of where our heart really is. In other words, we really are judged according to our desires, as Alma taught his son, Corianton, in Alma 41:3–6. Ultimately, we do what we either want to do, or we do something to avoid the consequences of not doing it. But it comes down to desire. We are judged according to our deepest heart’s desire. If we desire wickedness, we won’t try to overcome the natural tendency to be carnal. If we want righteousness, we may be weak and stumble, but our efforts will be to make positive changes, and our direction will be toward God. It really doesn’t matter where we are on the path that leads to eternal life, as long as we are on it and we are headed the right direction. The Atonement compensated for the rest.

• Ecclesiastes 12:14
• 1 Corinthians 6:9 (9–10)
• James 2:17–18
• Revelation 20:12–13
• Alma 11:36–37
• Alma 40:26
• Alma 41:3–6
• 3 Nephi 27:19
• D&C 138:20, 37
• Moses 6:57

1 Nephi 10:19

19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

I like that Nephi adds the word “diligently” into the formula of seeking and finding. This implies much more than merely seeking. It implies that you may not get your answer on your first attempt, that you must exercise faith to get results. But after the trial of faith, the Lord opens even the mysteries of Godhood to us. This is part of being unchangeable and consistent.

• Matthew 7:7–11 [see JST for these verses]
• D&C 42:61

1 Nephi 10:18

18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

It makes perfect sense that God would be the same yesterday, today, and forever. The reason people and things change is due to their imperfection. For the most part, when people change, they are getting better or worse. If we were perfect, as God is, we could not improve, and we may not have the ability to get worse either. Perfection implies that you have no desire or need to do imperfectly; you have overcome that. That being the case, God, being perfect, has no need or desire to change or overcome anything. So we can count on Him being completely consistent.

1 Nephi 10:15–17

15 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.

16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.

17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.

Nephi sets a good example here of seeking confirmation to the prophet’s words. There is no hint of doubting his father’s words or his message. He just wanted his own confirmation and greater understanding. Furthermore, Nephi clearly understood that he could receive his own vision. He knew that through faith and diligent effort, this could be expected. He also speaks of the power of the Holy Ghost, which I see as different from the Light of Christ, or even the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We can certainly have those things without power. The power of the Holy Ghost comes after we diligently seek for it, or to know the Lord. This is an important distinction. Where we can enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost almost passively (as long as we are not doing anything really wrong) the power of the Holy Ghost comes after some diligent effort on our part. We can’t be passive and have that kind of power. It takes desire, faith, and diligently seeking out the Lord. Then we receive this power of the Holy Ghost, by which we “may know the truth of all things.” Seeking confirmation after hearing the words of the prophet is not showing doubt, but faith.

• Moroni 10:7 (4–5, 7, 19)
• D&C 20:26

1 Nephi 10:12–14

12 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth

13 Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

Lehi was apparently influenced by the allegory of the olive vineyard as recorded on the Brass Plates by the prophet, Zenos, and later put into the Plates of Nephi by Jacob (Jacob 5). Lehi clearly had a firm understanding of the comparison, especially as it related to his branch of the family. This grafting in seems to be more descriptive than “gathering,” which is the term more often used. It seems like everyone is looking for a physical gathering of the Jews to the land of their inheritance. While that may be true, the term “grafting” suggests more of a conversion. The Children of Israel won’t necessarily pack their bags and move to Jerusalem, but will be spiritually gathered, or grafted into the true Church. They will “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer” (verse 14). This seems to be farther off than the physical gathering is right now.

• 1 Nephi 13:42
• 1 Nephi 19:15 (14–17)
• 1 Nephi 22:3 (3–8)
• D&C 14:10

1 Nephi 10:11

11 And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.

Lehi obviously had a clear vision and understanding of the Savior’s mission. He also saw clearly how the Savior would manifest himself to the House of Israel and not directly to the Gentiles. We who are the Gentiles receive our testimonies of Christ not by direct manifestation, but through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. That is the mission of the Holy Ghost, to testify of Christ and His mission.

• Jacob 4:15 (14–18)
• 3 Nephi 15:23 (21–24)

1 Nephi 10:9–10

9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.

10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.

This was a significant element of John’s mission: baptizing the Savior, who needed no baptism, at least not for the purpose of cleansing sin, then bearing record of it. This verse also confirms where John was baptizing: Bethabara, as stated in John 1:28. Apparently many Bible scholars question that translation and think it should read Bethany, which would have put him closer to the home where he is believed to have grown up. Instead, Bethabara is over in Galilee. I’m not sure why people would make an issue of this. To me, the most important point is that he baptized Christ, not where he did it. The account that John made of the Savior’s baptism indicates that 1) John the Baptist was specifically sent to baptize with water, and 2) he apparently didn’t know that his cousin was to be the Savior until it was revealed to him at the time of the baptism (John 1:29–34). This is something I had not considered before, but it makes perfect sense.

• Matthew 3:13–17

1 Nephi 10:8

8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.

I’m not sure I have totally appreciated who John the Baptist is and his significance in the mission of Jesus Christ. And yet Jesus called him the greatest among men that were born of women (Matthew 11:11). That’s a pretty strong statement, and John turns around and says he is not even worthy to unloose Christ’s shoe latchet. John understood his mission well and fulfilled it flawlessly. He prepared the way for Christ to perform His ministry. This was a direct fulfillment of prophecy.

• Matthew 3:3 (1–3)
• Matthew 11:7–11
• John 1:23

1 Nephi 10:7

7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—

This verse is, of course, a prophecy about John the Baptist. He was the one foreordained to prepare the way for Christ, which foreordination he fulfilled honorably and according to prophecy.

1 Nephi 10:6

6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

In terms of Lehi’s Tree of Life dream, the lost would be anybody who did not come to and stay at the Tree. Due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, all mankind are separated from God, both physically and spiritually. That is what is meant by the phrase, “a lost and fallen stat.” Because we are all subject to sin, none of us is worthy to return to God’s presence, for no unclean thing can endure that. This is where the Atonement comes in. We are not capable of cleansing and purifying ourselves. Only Christ, who is clean and pure, can do that; and He can do it for everyone. However, He has conditions. We must repent. Only if we rely on Christ and His conditions will we be able to be clean again and return to Heavenly Father. This is both just and merciful. Just, because we weren’t responsible for being in this fallen state. That was Adam, so through Christ’s resurrection, we overcome that part of the Fall. The other part of the Fall, being lost, is due to our own decisions. This is where the mercy kicks in. We have the opportunity to undo our bad decisions.

• 1 Corinthians 15:21–22
• 1 John 1:8–10

1 Nephi 10:5

5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.

Lehi talks about the great number of prophets who have testified of Christ down through the ages. Other references go further and say that all prophets have prophesied of Christ (see Jacob 7:11; Mosiah 13:33). This is what a prophet of God does; he testifies of Him. Revelation 19:10 says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” If you are a prophet, by definition, you testify of Christ. The rest of us who have a testimony may have the spirit of prophecy, but if you are a called prophet of God, you are obligated to testify. It’s what you do.

• Revelation 19:10
• Jacob 7:11
• Mosiah 13:33
• Helaman 8:24 (19–24)
• 3 Nephi 20:24 (23–24)

1 Nephi 10:4

4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

Maybe not a main point of this scripture, but it’s interesting that Lehi and Nephi knew that Christ would come 600 years from when they left Jerusalem. That knowledge came not only from their own revelation, but apparently it was derived from the brass plates as well (see 2 Nephi 25:19). About 500 years later, Alma seems to have no clue as to the time frame of the Lord’s coming (Alma 13:25). I wonder why. I suspect it probably wasn’t talked about too much, and so it was forgotten. Mormon found this small record of Nephi as if he didn’t know he had it. So maybe it had been “lost” among all the other records, and nobody read it until Mormon found it. Certainly the revelations about Christ were very clear at this time. Lehi and his family understood the purpose of their laws and their form of worship. They understood them to be a type and shadow leading them to Christ. Later on that knowledge seems to have been lost, or thought of as not being significant, or something. At least in Jerusalem the Jews seemed to not understand.

• 1 Nephi 19:8(8–14)
• 2 Nephi 25:19

1 Nephi 10:3

3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.

Of course, the events that Lehi prophesied of here are a matter of history now. But I’m sure that at the time, Laman and Lemuel probably thought Lehi was crazy to think that Jerusalem, as strong a city as it was, and with so much history of successful warfare, could fall to anybody. It seems that worldly people can never acknowledge the hand of the Lord, or even the role of righteousness and wickedness in the fate of nations and history in general. Or, as is probably the case with Laman and Lemuel, they think that because the Lord has fought their battles in the past that He will always do so, regardless of whether the people are righteous or not. Nevertheless, a prophet’s job is to warn. Our job is to listen and repent when necessary.

1 Nephi 10:1–2

1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.

2 For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews—

These are introductory verses to explain why he is proceeding with his father’s account. If Nephi doesn’t include this chapter, the next few chapters seem out of context.

1 Nephi Chapter 10 Overview

Lehi predicts the Babylonian captivity—He tells of the coming among the Jews of a Messiah, a Savior, a Redeemer—He tells also of the coming of the one who should baptize the Lamb of God—Lehi tells of the death and resurrection of the Messiah—He compares the scattering and gathering of Israel to an olive tree—Nephi speaks of the Son of God, of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of the need for righteousness. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

After telling us in chapter nine that he was not going to spend much time with Lehi’s ministry, Nephi once again launches immediately into a synopsis of his father’s prophecy. He tells us this time that he includes the history, or proceedings of his father and brothers to give context to his proceedings. In this case, the next several chapters are responding to Lehi’s vision and his preaching as a result of the vision.

1 Nephi 9:6

6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

The scriptures tell us that all things are present to the Lord (Moses 1:6). I think this must be something unique with God and gods. That’s how, for example, He is able to keep two records against the eventuality of Joseph Smith losing one record. Satan must not have that ability, or he would have at least gotten suspicious about the other record and changed his plans. It’s a great advantage to have that foreknowledge. Sometimes this war we are in, and have been since the Great War in Heaven, seems very much like a game of chess. Only God is not only the master of strategy, but also knows His opponents’ thoughts and schemes. So He can counter before Satan even knows that he needs to be countered.

Doctrine and Covenants 130:6–8 says that God and angels live in a place that is a great urim and thumim. This would explain why God knows everything and Satan doesn’t. It’s not just that He is eternal that gives God this ability; otherwise Satan would have the same power. It’s where He resides. Satan remembers the pre-existence, but he can’t see the next life. God, because of where He is, in part, sees the beginning and the end. All things are known to Him.

• 1 Nephi 3:7 — Nephi’s testimony that the Lord makes it possible to accomplish all the things He commands us to do.
• D&C 130:6–8 — where we see that God’s very dwelling place is a great Urim and Thummim, where all things past, present, and future, “are continually before the Lord.”

1 Nephi 9:5

5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

Obviously the Lord doesn’t reveal everything to His prophets. This is one example of that. Nephi is told to keep two separate records, but he isn’t told why. Alma (and most if not all the rest of the prophets) is told to preserve both records (Alma 37:2, 12, 14). Mormon is told to put bother records into his abridgement, and he wasn’t told why (W of M 1:7). At least not specifically why. They just accept on faith that it is for a wise purpose. I suppose, in hindsight, this is at least partially for the purpose of keeping the purpose away from Satan, who, if privy to this knowledge, could then change events so that a second record wouldn’t matter. But Satan is doomed to failure and he knows it. God is in control and will not allow Lucifer to deter or thwart His purposes.

1 Nephi 9:4

4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.

Even if the Lord had not anticipated the lost manuscript pages, keeping a more spiritual record is a good idea. That and the more historical record have two different purposes, of course, but that makes it easier and more effective for those who come later to search the records for what they want. If they want to find a spiritual matter, they come to these small plates. Researchers don’t have to sift through so much history to get to the matters of the Lord.

1 Nephi 9:3

3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

Later on, Enos is told that his fathers required of the Lord that these records be preserved. Surely his uncle, Nephi, was one of those fathers.

• Enos 1:16–18

1 Nephi 9:2

2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

There are parts of this large plates/small plates account that confuse me. Obviously this is done to counter an event that would happen over 2500 years later when Martin Harris lost the 116 manuscript pages. I was confused about the content of those pages. The Doctrine and Covenants Institute manual says the 116 pages were from the large plates of Nephi (D&C Student Manual, 1981, p. 23). They were, according to Joseph Smith, an abridgement of the plates of Lehi. So when they were lost, the Lord instructed Joseph to replace them with the unabridged plates of Nephi, which Mormon included somewhere in his abridgement. I just don’t know where they physically were.

• 1 Nephi 19:2
• Words of Mormon 1:2–11
• D&C 10:38–40

1 Nephi 9:1

1 And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak, as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.

I wonder how many years Lehi and his family stayed in the Valley of Lemuel. It seems like it was around eight years, going by the footnotes. Anyway, there were some important events and revelations recorded during that time. We know they were in the wilderness for eight years before they reached the place they called Bountiful, from which they built and launched their ship (1Nephi 17:4), but it seems like they were in the Valley of Lemuel for a significant portion of that time.

1 Nephi Chapter 9 Overview

Nephi makes two sets of records—Each is called the plates of Nephi—The larger plates contain a secular history; the smaller ones deal primarily with sacred things. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

This is kind of a transition chapter. As Talmage indicates, the translation is from an abridgement of Lehi’s ministry to an account of his (Nephi's) own (see Articles of Faith, 263–264). Nephi also tells us that he has two sets of plates going. The larger set is for the day-to-day history of the people, a political history, if you will, as it records the history of the kings. This, however, is the smaller set of plates and is reserved for the ministry of the people. From that I understand that the things written herein are of a spiritual nature. Even the historical narrative has a spiritual purpose. So that is how I will approach The Book of Mormon: with the understanding that it is a spiritual record first and foremost. I assume the historical events included are to give context to the spiritual principles being taught, or that the events themselves have some spiritual lesson.

1 Nephi 8:36–38

36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

Lehi never gave up trying to get his sons to be converted. His dying words to them were an expression of concern for their eternal welfare and for them to repent. (See 2 Nephi 1:13–29) I suppose if I had any rebellious children I would take it personally, as so many parents do. They feel like they didn’t do enough, or that they should have done something differently. Often that is the case, but there is no evidence from Lehi’s experience that he was judged for his children’s rebellion. (2 Nephi 1:15) We believe that children will not be punished for their parents’ sins, so likewise parents should not be punished for their children’s sins as long as they are doing everything they can to bring those children to Christ. In my situation, with no rebellious children, it’s easy to see that parents are not judged for their children’s sins, as long as they are doing their best to teach them correct principles. It may be more difficult to see that if my situation were different. When you teach and work and love someone, like your children, and they don’t respond, it must be very difficult to not blame yourself. But as long as parents are doing their best, there is no evidence that they need fear for their own eternal welfare, just for their children.

• 2 Nephi 1:13–29

1 Nephi 8:35

35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

We are often our own worst enemies, and that is the case with Laman and Lemuel. They had the same opportunity as everyone else to partake of the fruit. In fact, their chance was better. They had someone show them the way, show them the iron rod, show them the benefits of taking the fruit, and they consciously chose to ignore or reject the opportunity. This is the nature of the agency of man. Once we are told what the choices are, we are free to choose life or death. We literally get what we want.

• 2 Nephi 5:20 (19–24)

1 Nephi 8:34

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

I never thought about it in this way, but following the crowd was apparently contrary to the Law of Moses. Exodus 23:2 commands that, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil…” Whenever I read “Thou shalt not,” I assume the Lord means business. In several places the Lord tells his people that they are a “peculiar people,” which tells me that they are to be different from the crowd, if the crowd is going contrary to the Lord’s will. Peer pressure is powerful, so it’s important that we have our own testimonies and that we are truly converted. In that way we’re more secure in our beliefs and are less susceptible to peer influence. Peer influence works well on those who don’t have a clear understanding of who they are and what they want. This applies to areas other than spiritual as well. Any time we allow peer pressure to take us away from accomplishing a worthy goal, we were not really committed to that goal.

• Exodus 23:2
• Deuteronomy 14:2
• Proverb 19:27
• Mosiah 2:37 (33, 37)

1 Nephi 8:33

33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

Those who found their way to the great and spacious building turned around and mocked the ones who found the very thing that most of them were looking for when they found the building instead. This is not too bright. As recorded in Ether 12:26, “fools mock, but they shall mourn.” That is the end of pride. Humility does not mock or scorn.

I like those who, at the end of the verse, were partaking of the fruit and paid no heed to the scorners. This is someone who is secure in his beliefs and faith. It reminded me of Joshua 24:15, where he tells the people of Israel, “You guys do what you will, worship who or what you want, but it doesn’t matter to me, because I and my household will worship God regardless of what you do.” I like that idea of doing the right thing even if it’s unpopular and you’re the only one.

• Ether 12:26
• Joshua 24:15

1 Nephi 8:31–32

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

These descriptions of people and their fate really make it look like most people are searching for some answers in their lives. The multitude “feeling their way towards that great and spacious building” sounds as if they are just as lost and blinded as those who came across the iron rod were. These just didn’t find the direction of that rod, so they drifted to the building instead of the Tree, almost unwittingly at first. Once they entered the building they joined the others who were persecuting and mocking the ones who found the Tree of Life. (see vs. 33) Is part of this out of jealousy? Some of those who were searching never found any answers, right or wrong, but “were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.” Although not mocking, they are just as bad off personally. So are those who are “drowned in the depths of the fountain.” It’s like they just give up hope of finding the answers they are looking for. The time to help these people is while they are searching and before they give up hope. It’s much harder to help someone who has given up or has entered the building than it is to help someone who is looking for answers. The ones who give up don’t believe there are answers, and those in the building think they have the answers and everyone else is wrong. All these groups are closed to the truth. Now the trick is to be able to recognize the people who are searching.

1 Nephi 8:29–30

29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

This next group of people is the one who really become converted. Nephi doesn’t make a full description of their situation here, but this seems to be the people who ultimately return to Heavenly Father and stay there. These would be the ones described in D&C 76:50–70.

• D&C 76:50–70

1 Nephi 8:28

28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

Those who enter into sacred covenants with the Lord, then break away from those covenants are worse off than those who never took the covenant in the first place. They are spiritually left to themselves, or as D&C 121:38 says, “[they are] left unto [themselves], to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints and to fight against God.” They had tasted the good fruit, but it takes self discipline to stay in the Kingdom of God. You have to want it enough to make fundamental changes in your life, to give up certain worldly things that may seem precious. I like the way King Lamoni’s father, in his prayer of repentance after listening to Aaron, said, “I will give away all my sins to know thee.” (Alma 22:18) That seems like a simple enough trade, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. It’s definitely appropriate and worth it, but those sins are often habits hard to break. If we don’t do it, we can’t come to really know God. Then we “fall into forbidden paths and are lost.”

• 2 Peter 2:20 (19–22)
• Mark 4:17 (14–20)
• 8:38; Luke 8:13 (11–15)
• John 12:43 (42–43)
• Hebrews 6:4–6
• Luke 9:62 (57–62)
• D&C 121:34–35 (34–40)

1 Nephi 8:27

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

The irony of this verse is that the world, as represented by the mocking people in the spacious building, is mocking those who have rejected them. They are trying to appeal to the insecurities of those who have taken the fruit, but even in their pride, they themselves are not secure. If they were secure in their choices, why would they even care about anybody who made different choices? This is the way it has always been though. The Savior told His disciples that the world would hate those who have been chosen out of the world. (see John 15:19) In fact, if you find that you are popular with the world, you may need to reexamine yourself. The world will always accept those who conform to their beliefs. In fact, they will surround themselves with these people, so-called “yes men,” who will not tell them what they need to hear, but rather what they want to hear. (see 2 Timothy 4:3–4) So there is the irony. Pride puts on the face of security and confidence, when in fact it has none.

• Luke 6:26
• John 15:19

1 Nephi 8:26

26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

Later we learn that this great and spacious building represents the learning and pride of the world. Considering that, it is completely appropriate that the building be floating high above the earth. The pride of man is baseless; it has no firm foundation. In spite of that, the proud have no eyes to see how silly they are. They think they are the beginning and end of wisdom. They can’t see beyond their own discoveries. Paul taught that the “foolishness of God is wiser than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) There is nothing humble about this building. From its size to its foundation floating in the air, it is full of pride.

• 1 Nephi 11:35 (35–36)
• 1 Nephi 12:18

1 Nephi 8:25

25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

It’s interesting to me that people feel ashamed for feeling the Love of God. There seems to be no sense of accomplishment with some who live a good and righteous life. For example, the world heaps praise and respect upon those who complete their secular educations. The same honor is not given to those who raise a righteous family, even though it takes all the wisdom, energy, creativity, and most of your time throughout your life. The world dismisses that effort as if it has no value. Then they turn around and lament the awful state the world is in. Some who partake of the Love of God seem to get caught up in that and become more concerned with the honors of men than of God. It takes faith to stay at the Tree, just as it takes faith to get to it. I think that being ashamed of partaking of this fruit is a sign of a loss of faith. This is one of the scariest verses in this chapter to me. I never want to be ashamed of my relationship with Heavenly Father.

• Romans 1:16
• Alma 46:21
• Mormon 8:38
• D&C 60:2–3

1 Nephi 8:24 (24–28)

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

[verses 24–28] These verses describe a set of people who are very sad to me. After doing everything right, getting on the path, clinging to the rod of iron, pressing forward to the point of partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life, the Love of God, they blow it. They get ashamed and self-conscious because they are different from those who are making fun of them. I hope and pray that I am not in this group. These people almost endure to the end, but once t hey get to where they want to be they give it up for popularity, or some other equally unworthy motive.

One thing I do admire about Christians these day, and especially Evangelical Christians in the “Bible Belt” is that they are not ashamed to be Christian. While I may not agree with some of their doctrines, I am encouraged to see them stand up to a very anti-Christian world. I think that gradually they are gaining that same respect for the LDS Church members, as we stand up to with them, and often lead the way in some issues that are definitely not taught by the Lord. I hope that I am that bold when it comes down to it.

1 Nephi 8:21–23

21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

This first group of people that Lehi saw in his dream are, for the most part, good-intentioned people who want the right things in life. However, just knowing the way to the Tree of Life, and having a desire to obtain its fruits is not enough to get you there. Temptations will confuse and misdirect even those with the best of desires and highest of goals if they don’t keep the word of God. The fact is that the path is His path, and in order to travel it we must follow His rules. That’s where the iron rod comes in. How can we go by His rules if we don’t know what they are? People want to return to Father in their own way instead of by His word. They are deceived. If we don’t hold fast to the word of God, it is impossible to stay on the path, to do the things we need to do to return to Him, no matter what our desires may be.

• Matthew 7:21–23
• Matthew 13:19–22
• 1 Nephi 12:17
• D&C 76:75 (71–80)
• D&C 123:12

1 Nephi 8:20

20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.

The “strait and narrow” path is an interesting study. Prior to the 1981 edition of The Book of Mormon, the phrase was rendered “straight and narrow.” While straight and strait definitely have two different meanings (and there is some discussion about which one is more accurate in this verse), I think that either rendition works here. On the one hand, strait, while a bit redundant in conjunction with the word “narrow,” since they have similar definitions, emphasizes how strict or how exact the requirements are to return to Heavenly Father. On the other hand, the term straight emphasizes that there are no hidden, secret ways to return to Father. Any deviation from straight forward is our deviation, not the Lord’s. The Lord does not “walk in crooked paths” (Alma 7:20), and neither is our path to Him crooked as we follow in His footsteps. So, while either strait or straight may be serviceable in this verse, I like the added meaning offered by “straight.”

This leads me to the Christian world’s attitude about being saved. Many believe that as long as you are Christian (confess Christ) it doesn’t matter what church you belong to; they all get you back to heaven. And in a sense they are right, but not the way they think. There are only two churches: God’s true church, and all the others. If you don’t belong to His true church, it really doesn’t matter which one you belong to. Both of these paths may indeed lead you to heaven and some form of salvation, but the difference is where in heaven you end up, and how much authority and honor you have when you get there. It’s not the same. The road to heaven is not so broad as what the world would have us believe. (Matthew 7:13–14)

• Matthew 7:13–14
• Alma 7:19–20

1 Nephi 8:19

19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

I’m not totally sure that I completely understand or appreciate the importance of holding to the iron rod. I do know a few things about it, however. This iron rod, or the word of God, is the only thing that I have found that will take us safely through the perils and temptations of the world. And it’s more than just knowing the words, it’s holding to them, following their teachings. It takes determination, and it takes faith to stay with it and obey. The Liahona was also compared to the word of God. (see Alma 37:43–45) It only worked according to faith and diligence in following it. Interestingly, these are both fairly passive tools. The rod of iron doesn’t reach out and grab your hand, and the Liahona doesn’t ring a bell or grab your attention every time it has new directions. Just the opposite is true. We have to hold to the rod with our own effort; we have to look for direction with our own desire to find it. And yet, once we take that initiative to live by the word of God, it somehow changes into a very powerful tool. In telling us to put on the “whole armor of God,” the apostle, Paul, describes the only offensive weapon in the armor as the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Once we take possession of the word of God, it gives us power to not only defend ourselves, but to help others find the Tree of Life. Someone holding to the rod can hold another’s hand and lead them to the rod, but only if the first person is holding to it. In the dark, just talking about the rod doesn’t get either one to it. This is very powerful doctrine, yet such simple imagery.

• Ephesians 6:13–18
• Revelation 22:14
• 1 Nephi 11:25
• 1 Nephi 15:23–24
• 2 Nephi 31:17–21
• Alma 31:5
• Alma 37:38–47

1 Nephi 8:17–18

17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

If a prophet’s joy (or any parent’s joy) is greatest when their own families accept the gospel and come to Christ, how great must be their disappointment and sadness when they choose to not partake. I’m sure that as much trouble as Laman and Lemuel caused, Lehi still loved them and wanted them to join him and the rest of the family at the tree. However, it should be noted that he didn’t want to be together with his sons enough to leave the tree. It was still up to Laman and Lemuel to come and partake; the tree could not go to them, nor could Lehi take some of the fruit to them. I know of some parents who, in an attempt to befriend their children and have a positive influence over them, have become caught up in the same problems the children are having. As parents, we need to teach and encourage, but never lower ourselves to the standards of a wayward child.

1 Nephi 8:14–16

14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go. 15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. 16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

Lehi must have been very pleased that Sariah, Sam, and Nephi came to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life. A prophet’s calling is to invite and encourage all people to come unto Christ, but they must feel a particular joy and satisfaction when their own families partake of this precious fruit. Verse three tells us that Lehi has reason to rejoice because of these three family members. Like Lehi, I have had great joy over the years as I watch how my family has come to the Tree and partaken of this fruit.

• D&C 18:14–16

1 Nephi 8:13

13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

What an interesting image that is used to symbolize the division between the wicked and the righteous. This is the interpretation that was given to Nephi in 1 Nephi 12:16–18. Not only does it separate the wicked from the Tree of Life, it represents the depths of hell. This is the illustration I think is so interesting here: the contrast between the love of God and its rewards, and the depths of hell. The tree is solid and bears delicious fruit, while the river is shifting and ever changing its filthy contents. It has no fruit, but the water conforms its standard to whatever its surroundings happen to be. It is always trying to erode its banks or boundaries, so those standards, if you will, are always shifting. Satan works that way and would have us believe that truth itself and standards of righteousness are what is shifting relative to their circumstances. This includes situations you are in and where you happen to be in history. In other words, whatever the standards of the world are determines whether something is right or wrong. Standards of morality, for example, are based on what is acceptable and tolerable to the society in general, not on what is acceptable to the Lord. If adultery is not punishable by law, it must be ok, for example. Another example of that is plural marriage. In some societies it is acceptable, in others it is not. The Lord’s standards are not based on what is socially acceptable, but man’s standards often are. So I think the shifting nature of a river is an appropriate symbol for hell.

• 1 Nephi 15:26–27 (26–29)

1 Nephi 8:12

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

This verse has a couple of significant points. First is the joy Lehi felt after partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life. The whole purpose of man, or at the main purpose of man, is to have joy (2 Nephi 2:25). We gain that joy by coming to Christ and partaking of His love. Lehi found that joy was the most desirable thing, “above all other fruit.” It seems that a person’s main objective in life is to find joy or true happiness. Realizing this, Satan provides many activities that provide a false or counterfeit form of happiness, but as Alma says, “Wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) The more fully we keep the commandments, the more we are encircled in God’s love, and the more joy we feel, even to a fullness of joy.

The next point in this verse is that once you fully partake, you want to share with your loved ones. If you love someone, you want him or her to feel the same joy and happiness you feel. Not so much with Satan’s counterfeit. The person pursuing Satan’s version of “happiness” may want others to be in the same situation they are in, but the feeling is pretty selfish. The cliché, “Misery loves company,” applies here. They may want to drag others in, but it’s not so the others can feel happy, it’s more so the one doing the dragging can feel like they aren’t the only one messing up. You can plug in any kind of vice (i.e. Satan’s addictions) here, and see that the motivation is different from Lehi’s motivation to share the fruit with his family.

• 2 Nephi 2:25
• Psalm 16:11
• John 15:7–11
• Alma 41:10

1 Nephi 8:11

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

The Tree of Life, or Love of God, is offered freely to all, but only those who make the effort to go to the tree, actively seeking that love are able to enjoy its fruit. And the fruit of this tree is desirable. It is white, or pure, more pure than anything we can experience in this life. The closest we come is charity, which Mormon defines as the “pure love of Christ.” (Moroni 7:47) Charity is one of the fruits of the Tree of Life. Again, the tree is offered to us all, but it doesn’t come to us without effort on our part. We must approach the Tree. If we wait for the Tree to come to us, we miss the mark. It must be our effort that brings us the fruits of God’s love.

• Moroni 7:47
• Matthew 7:17–20
• 3 Nephi 14:17–20

1 Nephi 8:10

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

I’ve been studying and pondering this Tree of Life and its meaning for several days now, and I don’t think I yet comprehend all the implications of it. So I’m glad this will not be the last chance to write about this tree and its fruit.

The Tree of Life is a symbol of God’s love, and interestingly is found in several ancient civilizations. The fruit of that love makes us happy and fulfilled. As I think about people who clearly have come to this tree or partaken of its fruit, the personal traits they possess are things like self-confidence, peace, and an understanding of who they are. It’s interesting to note that while the tree is offered and available to all men, only those who make the effort to come to it get to partake of its beauty and fruit. I had a religion teacher at BYU, Joseph R. McConkie, who taught us that God’s love is conditional, contrary to what the world, and often the members of this Church teach. It’s conditional on us making that effort to come and partake of it. Yes, it is offered to all unconditionally, but only those who come to Him actually receive the benefits of His love. If you consider love and hate as verbs instead of feelings, this is more easily understood. The Lord loves and supports His people more than His enemies. In that sense the love of God is conditional on us becoming His people. The way we signify that is through taking on us the saving ordinances, such as baptism. In other words, we make a covenant.

The relationship we have with God has been compared many times in the scriptures to a marriage covenant, and it’s a great metaphor. I have a covenant relationship with my wife and children that sets them apart from everyone else in the world. That doesn’t mean I don’t love other women and children, but I certainly don’t have the kind of relationship with them that I do with my own wife and children. The covenant makes all the difference. And just like that, the Lord loves all of us, but I believe He holds a special place in his heart, or has a special kind of love and relationship with those who are willing to make a covenant with him. In this case, that covenant is symbolized by taking the fruit of the Tree of Life.

• Revelation 22:1–6
• 2 Nephi 2:15,25

1 Nephi 8:9

9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

After praying for deliverance from the dark and dreary waste, Lehi is shown a large and spacious field. In other scripture the field represents the World (see Matthew 13:38; 1 Nephi 8:20, for example), which Lehi could not see before he prayed to essentially have the Light of Christ. After he received that light he was able to see the world (field). There are people who think that those who accept the Lord are not being realistic, that they are blinding themselves to the world around them, that faith is God is blind faith. I think the opposite is true. I think that through the light of Christ we can have a more clear view of what the world really is. We can not only see the problems, but we also see the love of God, as Lehi will describe in the next verse as a tree with desirable fruit. Whitout that light, all there is to the world is darkness and dreariness — no hope, no life. That’s a sad state to be in, and much less realistic that a life with Christ.

1 Nephi 8:7–8

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

If this dark and dreary waste is representative of a life without God, then the only way to leave that condition is to pray for His mercy to forgive you for being in that condition and take you out of it. In other words, by inviting the Lord into our lives, He can take us out of the “dark and dreary” condition. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that where there is no vision we (the people) perish. That vision or revelation comes from the Lord through prayer. This is how we get out of our own personal “dark and dreary waste” where there is no vision and no hope. Dark = no vision; dreary = no hope.

• Proverbs 29:18

1 Nephi 8:5–6

5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

It’s not clear whether this man in the white robe is the Lord Himself, or an angel sent for the purpose. But he seems to be a sort of tour guide, leading Lehi through this dream.

1 Nephi 8:4

4 But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.

Lehi saw in his dream a “dark and dreary wilderness” that to me is symbolic of the world. More specifically, a world or a life without God, or even a world without direction. I don’t think that being in “the World” means that you necessarily want to be there or participate in it. The descriptors “dark” and “dreary” are interesting. Dark implies that it is difficult or impossible to see, while dreary seems to indicate a lack of hope or enthusiasm. Getting out of this environment requires faith and effort. Lehi’s family was able to use the Liahona to find their way through the wilderness to their Land of Promise, which Liahona only worked by faith. (Alma 37:38–46) Faith in what? Faith in God. Christ is the Light that shines in the darkness. Faith in Him will bring us out of that dark and dreary waste.

1 Nephi 8:3–4

3 And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.

4 But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.

It’s not clear to me whether Lehi had the depth of understanding of this dream that Nephi was given a little later on, but clearly he understood at least the main points. He understood enough to be concerned for his wayward sons and their eternal welfare. This is a great example of a parent’s love for all of his children, even the bad ones. Surely Lehi knew the nature of Laman and Lemuel long before he had this dream. Surely he was concerned for them before this. He likely had expressed that concern to them before this as well, but this Tree of Life dream was yet another opportunity to try to win them back to the Lord’s side. On the other hand, Nephi and Sam were the sons that Lehi and Sariah didn’t need to worry so much about. Lehi certainly understood the implications of his dream and what it meant for all of his children. He has to keep trying to save Laman and Lemuel, no matter how hopeless. I think our Heavenly Father is like that as well. He will keep trying and offering us opportunities to succeed and return to Him. We have to be pretty hopeless for His Spirit to stop striving with us, as described in Ether 15:19 for the Jeradites, and Moroni 9:4 for the Nephites.

1 Nephi 8:2

2 And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.

Clearly the Lord reveals things to His children through dreams. This is not the only way He talks to us, but it is one way. There are some people who say that whatever you dream in dreams is true. However, there are a few references in the scriptures that talk about false dreams or visions. How do we know the difference? By the power of the Holy Ghost. Obviously Lehi could tell the difference. He was a prophet. He knew he was a visionary man, and by now I’m sure he was used to receiving revelation. It takes practice, I think.

• 1 Nephi 5:4

1 Nephi 8:1

1 And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.

They obviously realized they would be traveling for some time. They brought seeds of every kind, presumably so they could plant crops and reap the harvest. That implies that they would stay in an area long enough to do that. Later on we read that they were in the wilderness for eight years.

1 Nephi Chapter 8 overview

Lehi sees a vision of the tree of life—He partakes of its fruit and desires his family to do likewise—He sees a rod of iron, a strait and narrow path, and the mists of darkness that enshroud men—Sariah, Nephi, and Sam partake of the fruit, but Laman and Lemuel refuse. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

Nephi is careful to ensure that we understand this is his record, and not his father’s. in several places he tells us that he does not intend to take a lot of space in the plates with Lehi’s visions and his story or genealogy. And yet chapter 8 gives a pretty detailed account of Lehi’s Tree of Life vision. Then we’ll see later on, starting in chapter 11, a second description of this particular vision complete with interpretation. The image of the Tree of Life has been found in m any places throughout the world. This must be a very important vision. It’s so symbolic that I’m sure a careful study will reveal layers of understanding.

1 Nephi 7:22

22 And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him.

Again, at the conclusion of a difficult journey, they take time to offer thanks to the Lord for their safe return and accomplished mission. We can learn a lesson from this. That is that the Lord helps us through difficulties, rarely stacks the deck against us, never more than we can handle, and He deserves our thanks and praise at all times.

1 Nephi 7:21

21 And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.

The Lord is very clear throughout the scriptures, in every dispensation, on the matter of forgiveness. As long as an offender seeks forgiveness, he is to be forgiven. Period. Heavenly Father gave His Son, and the Son gave His life so that we might be forgiven of our trespasses. If they can sacrifice so much that we can be forgiven of our sins, surely we can sacrifice a thing as small as our pride to forgive others their trespasses. Holding a grudge does no good to anyone, and only harms the one bearing the grudge. As with other things, forgiveness needs to be done sincerely or it’s not really forgiveness. Nephi “did frankly forgive” his brethren, not out of duty or commandment keeping, but out of sincere love and concern for them. Paul taught that even if we do great and righteous things, if we do it without charity, it profiteth us nothing. (1 Cor 13:1–3)

• Nehemiah 9: 16–17
• Matthew 18: 21–22
• Mosiah 26:31
• D&C 64:9–10
• D&C 121:41–43

1 Nephi 7:20

20 And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that they had done against me.

This is the first time we see real sorrow and regret from actions from Laman and Lemuel. And there is no indication that their repentance is anything but sincere. So why do they keep falling back into the same habits? I think part of it has to do with just the fact that rebellion was a habit with them. Rebellion and anger. Anger is an addictive behavior that Nephi’s brethren had fallen into. Sometimes, after we sin, we fall back into the same pattern, even if we don’t want to. That does not make our desires any less sincere. I think that Laman and Lemuel, and now reinforced by some of Ishmael’s children, were full of anger and resentment over leaving their world, and jealousy over Nephi’s position of authority over them, his elder brothers. If they had the strength of character and the conversion of Nephi, this could have been a real turning point for them. They felt sorrow for their sins to the point of repentance. But, as we shall see, it didn’t last.

1 Nephi 7:19

19 And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life.

Laman and Lemuel just don’t get it. I can’t believe that after Nephi breaks out of the bands, they got mad at him again. They did the same thing after the angel appeared to them. They seem to be so frustrated that they can’t find happiness in their rebellion. Now they see that Nephi has more allies than just Sam, they back off a bit. This daughter of Ishmael is most likely the one Nephi married later, the daughter that stood up for him.