1 Nephi 1:20

And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

The verse starts off by talking about how the people rejected Lehi and tried to kill him. Then Nephi says he will show us that “the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” This is really meaty when you start to ponder it.

Consider: “mercies.” The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English defines mercy as “(capacity for) holding oneself back from punishment, or from causing suffering to [somebody] whom one has the right or power to punish.” If it weren’t for the tender mercies of the Lord, He would have every right to punish each one of us because of unrighteousness. I don’t think the Lord wants to punish anyone, but the laws of justice must be met. However, under certain conditions, the Lord can extend His mercy and protect us from most of the punishment. He extends this mercy to “those whom he hath chosen.” Faith seems to be the deciding factor in whether one is or is not chosen. D&C 121:34–40 gives some more insight into why people are not chosen. It says there, in effect, that many who are called are not chosen because they don’t understand the priesthood. The reason they don’t understand is because their hearts are “set so much on the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men.” Those who fit this description are the proud ones who don’t have faith in God, so they seek the honors of men instead.

Then Nephi says the Lord makes these chosen ones “mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” It’s a bit unclear to me at what level this is meaning. The Topical Guide makes reference to deliverance from everything: physical danger to deliverance from Hell. I think the verse has application on an eternal salvation scale, but based on the context, I think Nephi must be thinking more temporal deliverance than spiritual at this time. He’s going to show now how the Lord protects one of His chosen servants—Lehi.

• D&C 121:34–40

1 Nephi 1:19

And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

I was interested in the cross references to this verse, especially 2 Chronicles 36:16 and Jeremiah 25:1–4. These verses made direct reference to what Lehi was doing in warning the people. Although the Bible does not name Lehi, we know through this verse that Lehi was one of the servants of the Lord referred to in these Bible verses. I also found it interesting that the verses in the Book of Mormon referred to Laman and Lemuel and seem to cement them in with the whole Jerusalem scene. They were rebelling and mocking prophets right along with the other Jews.

• Jeremiah 38:2–4

1 Nephi 1:18

Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

After Lehi saw everything the Lord showed him, including the warning of Jerusalem’s destruction, Lehi was obligated to share the message. In D&C 88:81 (81–82) it says that everyone who has been warned should warn his neighbor. We all have this responsibility, but the calling of a prophet gives one a specific stewardship. Amos 3:7 says the Lord won’t do anything without first telling His prophets.

D&C 88:82 says that warning people makes them responsible for their own sins. Jacob 1:19 makes it very clear that Jacob and Joseph took this responsibility seriously. They knew that if they didn’t do their best to teach the people and encourage their repentance that they (Jacob and Joseph) would answer “the sins of the people upon [their] own heads if [they] did not teach them the word of God with all diligence. The way this all works out is recorded quite at length in Ezekiel 3:17–21.

• 2 Nephi 25:9
• D&C 88:81
• Jacob 1:19

1 Nephi 1:17

But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

Nephi is very concerned about record keeping. I wouldn’t be surprised if we found out he kept a personal journal as well as the official records that he kept. I believe the abridgement referred to here is the 116 pages of manuscript that Joseph Smith lost.

1 Nephi 1:16

And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

Lehi is not the only one to see visions and visions in dreams. The cross references (Ezekiel 1:1, JSH 1:24) refer to only two of the many visions seen by many people, prophets in particular.

1 Nephi 1:15

And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

Isn’t it interesting that after all the destruction Lehi saw, he still rejoiced after the vision was finished. Death truly is swallowed up in the atonement. This takes a long view at life to understand. Those who do not view life as being more than this mortal probation struggle with the ideas of death and destruction. Those who do take an eternal view of life understand that physical death is part of the plan. Spiritual death has much greater consequences than physical death. So Lehi rejoices in the Atonement and that he has been favored of the Lord to see these visions.

1 Nephi 1:14

And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

In this verse Lehi praises God. I’m especially interested in the end of the verse, the fact that the kingdom of God is open to literally anybody willing to conform his or her lives to the way Father would.

• 3 Nephi. 9:14 (13–14)

1 Nephi 1:13

And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

It’s obvious that Lehi was one of the prophets the Lord sent to warn the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The things he saw in the book he was shown were about Jerusalem’s demise. That is all a matter of record in the Old Testament and other historical records.

• 2 Chronicles 36:14
• 2 Kings 24:2

1 Nephi 1:12

And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

Lehi is filled with the Spirit of the Lord. This seems to involve either or both inspiration and revelation. The cross references cited in the footnotes for this verse are interesting. First, Genesis 41:38. Here, Joseph has interpreted Pharaoh’s dream of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. This interpretation came by revelation.

The next cross-reference is where Ammon perceives the thoughts of Lamoni, the Lamanite king. This is again revealed to Ammon through being filled with the Spirit (see D&C 6:16).

The next reference is interesting, being apparently different from the others. Mosiah 27:24 is where Alma the Younger wakes up after his conversion, says he has repented, has been redeemed of the Lord, then he says he is “born of the Spirit.” He then teaches what he learned, by revelation, about being born of the Spirit and how everyone needs to do that (be spiritually reborn).

All three references have to do with revelation to one degree or another. When we are filled with the Spirit of the Lord, we are filled with the spirit of revelation. Revelation 19:10 says, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” How does this relate to the relationship just described between revelation and the Spirit of the Lord?

1 Nephi 1:11

And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

The One who gave Lehi the book is the Lord. Verses 12–14 give some idea of what kind of prophesies were in the book.

1 Nephi 1:10

And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

The twelve apostles of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 1:9

"And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day."

The “One” who descended out of the midst of heaven was Jesus Christ.

1 Nephi 1:8

And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

Several places in the scriptures talk about the heavens being opened and someone seeing God. D&C 137 seems to have the descriptive account.

• D&C 137:1–5

1 Nephi 1:7

And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

Lehi is left with no physical strength or energy after seeing his vision. Often throughout the scriptures, when someone has a vision or a deeply religious experience, they are left with no energy. Moses 1:9–11 says that after he saw God, Moses was left with no strength, that he was transfigured in order to see his vision. Joseph Smith reported also that after his First Vision he found himself lying on his back, looking up into heaven, and that he had no strength. This state of transfiguration must be taxing on the mortal body.

• Moses 1:10 (9–11); Joseph Smith—History 1:20

1 Nephi 1:1-5

I actually didn't start keeping the journal part of my scripture study until verse 6, but here are cross references to the first 5 verses, in case you are interested. verse 1

• D&C 68:25, 28

verse 4

• 2 Kin. 24:18; 17:13 (13–15)
• 1 Chr. 9:3; 36:15 (15–16)
• Jer. 26:18 (17–19)
• 2 Ne. 1:4

verse 5

• Jer. 29:13
• James 5:16
• 2 Ne. 4:24 (23–25)

1 Nephi 1:6

It looks to me like the Lord appeared to Lehi in the pillar of fire. In all of the cross references shown at the bottom of the page (except Helaman 5:24, 43), the Lord is in the pillar of fire (or, as Joseph Smith puts it, a pillar of light). In Helaman, the characters are encircled by a pillar of fire, but when a pillar of fire is recorded, usually the Lord is in it. Another clue that Lehi may have seen the Lord at this time is the reference in Isaiah, which clearly stated that Isaiah trembled (as did Lehi) because he saw God.