1 Nephi 8
Lehi's vision (Dream)
What objects were in his vision (Dream)?
Dark & dreary waste v7
Large & spacious field v8
Tree v10
Fruit v11
Joy v12
River v13
Knew not where to go v14
Invitation v15
Acceptance of the invitation v16
Family v17
Rod of Iron v19
'Strait' & narrow path v20
Concourses of people v21
Pressing fwd v21
Mist of darkness v23
Lost v23
Shame v25
Great & Spacious Building v26
Fine clothes v27
Mocking v27
Falling Away v28
Forbidden Paths v28
Falling Down v30
Drowning in the depths of the fountain & Strange Roads v32
Enter into that building v33
Heeded them not v33
The manual only points out those in bold, but the list above is a list of the images I found in chapter 8. Some of these things are symbolic, others not so much. for example, mocking is mocking.
Below is an attempt at making sense of the symbols.
Dark & dreary waste -
Large & spacious field -
Tree - Love of God
Fruit - Blessings of the Atonement
Joy - Joy
River - Filthiness & Depths of Hell
Knew not where to go - Confusion or lack of sight/direction
Invitation -
Acceptance of the invitation -
Family -
Rod of Iron - The Word of God
'Strait' & narrow path - Our journey
Concourses of people - Everyone
Pressing fwd -
Mist of darkness - Temptations of the Devil
Lost - People who will not find their way back unless they keep looking or have some kind of intervention.
Shame - Shame
Great & Spacious Building - Pride & Vail Imaginations of the World
Fine clothes - Ancient symbol of those that place other things, like clothes before God & seek the praise or acceptance of man.
Mocking - There is no symbolism for this.
Falling Away - We use this term a lot in our faith. Represent someone who has lost their faith and has turned away from God and what He has to offer.
Forbidden Paths - Breaking commandments
Falling Down - Humility
Drowning in the depths of the fountain & Strange Roads - Drowning suggests being overwhelmed, strange roads is another suggestion of getting lost.
Enter into that building - Similar to falling away, but also making an active choice to being with another group of people.
Heeded them not - Faith
The rod of iron (iron rod) is the word of God. The last two weeks we have discussed the importance of the scriptures (the word of God). In Lehi's vision this is the only thing that leads to what makes Lehi happy.
Using the iron rod being the word of God idea. Lets explain this symbolism.
Where can we find the word of God these days? The Scriptures.
So what does clinging v24 or continually holding fast v30 to the scriptures look like? Me holding the scriptures in my hand?
It seems as though the journey to the tree is not an easy one. It is fraught with danger & difficulty. Great rivers, narrow paths, mists, persecution. Why couldn't/can't the journey be easy?
The obvious question is which group of people are you? Have you tasted the fruit & will you too listen to the scoffing and feel ashamed? What would be a good alternative attitude to take? What was Lehi's attitude. Sorrow for those that were not willing to try the fruit. Sorrow for those that decided other things were more important?
Four groups of people in Lehi’s dream. Who are they and can we relate to any of their behaviour? I suppose we like to think that we are the righteous group. But I suspect there is a bit of each group in each of us.
v34. As many as heeded them, did fall away. If you listen to those mocking, you will fall away. How do we hake sure we don't listen/heed?
Group 1 - People who pressed fwd but were lost in the dark mist.
“In 1 Nephi 8:21–23 we learn about the first group of people who pressed forward and commenced in the path that led to the tree of life. However, as the people encountered the mist of darkness, which represents ‘the temptations of the devil’ (1 Nephi 12:17), they lost their way, wandered off, and were lost. Notice that no mention is made in these verses of the rod of iron. Those who ignore or treat lightly the word of God do not have access to that divine compass which points the way to the Savior.”
Group 2 - People who pressed fwd through the mist of darkness clinging to the rod of iron and partook of the fruit. But felt mocked & ashamed and fell away.
“In 1 Nephi 8:24–28 we read about a second group of people who obtained the strait and narrow path that led to the tree of life. This group ‘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’ (verse 24). However, as the finely dressed occupants of the great and spacious building mocked this second group of people, ‘they were ashamed’ and ‘fell away into forbidden paths and were lost’ (verse 28). … Even with faith, commitment, and the word of God, this group eventually was lost—perhaps because they only periodically read or studied or searched the scriptures.”
Group 3 - Also pressed fwd through and partook of the fruit. No mention of falling away.
“In verse 30 we read about a third group of people who pressed forward ‘continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.’ The key phrase in this verse is continually holding fast to the rod of iron. The third group also pressed forward with faith and conviction; however, there is no indication that they wandered off, fell into forbidden paths, or were lost. Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the scriptures. … This is the group you and I should strive to join.”
Group 4 - Those who were well dressed in the building, having not sought the fruit at all.
“A fourth group did not seek after the tree, desiring instead the great and spacious building as their ultimate destination (see 1 Nephi 8:31–33).”
Dark & dreary waste v7
Large & spacious field v8
Tree v10
Fruit v11
Joy v12
River v13
Knew not where to go v14
Invitation v15
Acceptance of the invitation v16
Family v17
Rod of Iron v19
'Strait' & narrow path v20
Concourses of people v21
Pressing fwd v21
Mist of darkness v23
Lost v23
Shame v25
Great & Spacious Building v26
Fine clothes v27
Mocking v27
Falling Away v28
Forbidden Paths v28
Falling Down v30
Drowning in the depths of the fountain & Strange Roads v32
Enter into that building v33
Heeded them not v33
The manual only points out those in bold, but the list above is a list of the images I found in chapter 8. Some of these things are symbolic, others not so much. for example, mocking is mocking.
Below is an attempt at making sense of the symbols.
Dark & dreary waste -
Large & spacious field -
Tree - Love of God
Fruit - Blessings of the Atonement
Joy - Joy
River - Filthiness & Depths of Hell
Knew not where to go - Confusion or lack of sight/direction
Invitation -
Acceptance of the invitation -
Family -
Rod of Iron - The Word of God
'Strait' & narrow path - Our journey
Concourses of people - Everyone
Pressing fwd -
Mist of darkness - Temptations of the Devil
Lost - People who will not find their way back unless they keep looking or have some kind of intervention.
Shame - Shame
Great & Spacious Building - Pride & Vail Imaginations of the World
Fine clothes - Ancient symbol of those that place other things, like clothes before God & seek the praise or acceptance of man.
Mocking - There is no symbolism for this.
Falling Away - We use this term a lot in our faith. Represent someone who has lost their faith and has turned away from God and what He has to offer.
Forbidden Paths - Breaking commandments
Falling Down - Humility
Drowning in the depths of the fountain & Strange Roads - Drowning suggests being overwhelmed, strange roads is another suggestion of getting lost.
Enter into that building - Similar to falling away, but also making an active choice to being with another group of people.
Heeded them not - Faith
The rod of iron (iron rod) is the word of God. The last two weeks we have discussed the importance of the scriptures (the word of God). In Lehi's vision this is the only thing that leads to what makes Lehi happy.
Using the iron rod being the word of God idea. Lets explain this symbolism.
Where can we find the word of God these days? The Scriptures.
So what does clinging v24 or continually holding fast v30 to the scriptures look like? Me holding the scriptures in my hand?
It seems as though the journey to the tree is not an easy one. It is fraught with danger & difficulty. Great rivers, narrow paths, mists, persecution. Why couldn't/can't the journey be easy?
The obvious question is which group of people are you? Have you tasted the fruit & will you too listen to the scoffing and feel ashamed? What would be a good alternative attitude to take? What was Lehi's attitude. Sorrow for those that were not willing to try the fruit. Sorrow for those that decided other things were more important?
Four groups of people in Lehi’s dream. Who are they and can we relate to any of their behaviour? I suppose we like to think that we are the righteous group. But I suspect there is a bit of each group in each of us.
v34. As many as heeded them, did fall away. If you listen to those mocking, you will fall away. How do we hake sure we don't listen/heed?
Group 1 - People who pressed fwd but were lost in the dark mist.
“In 1 Nephi 8:21–23 we learn about the first group of people who pressed forward and commenced in the path that led to the tree of life. However, as the people encountered the mist of darkness, which represents ‘the temptations of the devil’ (1 Nephi 12:17), they lost their way, wandered off, and were lost. Notice that no mention is made in these verses of the rod of iron. Those who ignore or treat lightly the word of God do not have access to that divine compass which points the way to the Savior.”
Group 2 - People who pressed fwd through the mist of darkness clinging to the rod of iron and partook of the fruit. But felt mocked & ashamed and fell away.
“In 1 Nephi 8:24–28 we read about a second group of people who obtained the strait and narrow path that led to the tree of life. This group ‘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’ (verse 24). However, as the finely dressed occupants of the great and spacious building mocked this second group of people, ‘they were ashamed’ and ‘fell away into forbidden paths and were lost’ (verse 28). … Even with faith, commitment, and the word of God, this group eventually was lost—perhaps because they only periodically read or studied or searched the scriptures.”
Group 3 - Also pressed fwd through and partook of the fruit. No mention of falling away.
“In verse 30 we read about a third group of people who pressed forward ‘continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.’ The key phrase in this verse is continually holding fast to the rod of iron. The third group also pressed forward with faith and conviction; however, there is no indication that they wandered off, fell into forbidden paths, or were lost. Perhaps this third group of people consistently read and studied and searched the scriptures. … This is the group you and I should strive to join.”
Group 4 - Those who were well dressed in the building, having not sought the fruit at all.
“A fourth group did not seek after the tree, desiring instead the great and spacious building as their ultimate destination (see 1 Nephi 8:31–33).”
1 Nephi 9
Nephi creates two sets of plates. Jacob 4:1 talks about the difficulty of writing these things down. Maintaining two sets of plates would have been hard work. It's not like Nephi could just pop down to the shops to get some new gold leafs. Last weeks video had a short clip of Moroni (maybe) forging and forming some new plates. Gold isn't exactly east to come by either. So these plates will have been extremely precious in more ways than 1.
Nephi knew not the purpose the lord asked him to maintain two sets. This is now the second example of Nephi acting with great faith to do something without knowing what God had planned. The 1st being heading into Jerusalem after two failed (and almost deadly) attempts to obtain the plates. This the 2nd it is speculated, that the content of the smaller plates were the pages Martin Harris Lost. (Side note, I work with a guy called Martin Harris).
1 Nephi 10
The 1st chapter in the Book of Mormon to go into detail about Jesus Christ. What names are given to Him in this chapter? Prophet, Lord, Messiah, Saviour, Redeemer, Lamb of God, Son of God.
In summary, it goes into detail about where & when he lives, his predecessor John the Baptist & his role.
Nephi finishes with his pattern to know the truth.
More to follow
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