Summary: Lehi has a pretty wild dream. He finds himself in a “dark and dreary wilderness,” and “dark and dreary waste.” A white robed man comes to him and tells Lehi to follow him. Lehi follows, gets lost. Prays for deliverance. Sees the tree, the path, the rod. Goes to tree and eats fruit which is “most sweet” and fills him with joy. Immediately desires his family to eat it (beckons to them with a loud voice). Sariah, Sam, Nephi all come to tree and eat up, but Laman and Lemuel don’t. Lehi sees other groups of people milling around.
V.2 "I have seen a vision."
I've always been confused by labeling Joseph Smith's experience (his "first" vision) as The First Vision. Was it really a vision? Didn't he just see God the Father and Christ? Weren't they just there with him? Wouldn't that make it not a vision? I always think of visions as the way Lehi has them, which always appear to be dreams. Sorry, no spiritual insight with this verse, just something I've wondered.
V.8 "I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies."
Tender mercies appear to be a common theme with Lehi. Nephi learns this from Lehi in the first chapter, stating 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." As soon as Lehi prays in this dream, he is delivered. The dark and dreary wilderness ends, and he finds the path and iron rod which lead to the tree.
V.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..."
Lehi tastes the fruit and immediately desires the same joy for his family. This reminded me, somewhat, of the experience of Enos. Once he feels his sins "swept away," he desires, immediately it seems, to have his brethren (the Nephites) taste of the same joy that he does, and pours out his heart for them to the Lord. Another example is the experience of Alma the Younger. In Alma 36, he describes to his son his conversion experience, and then states, "Yea, even from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy which I did taste..." (emphasis added). True conversion is always followed by the desire to teach others.
V. 33 "We heeded them not."
I feel like this is the most important line in the chapter. Some people got on the path, then got driven off by the mist of darkness. Others got on the path, grabbed the iron rod, made it to the tree through the mist of darkness, and even ate the fruit, before succumbing to the mocking of those in the Great Spacious Building of Doom and leaving, ashamed. Of course, there were others who weren't even on the path (people in the building, people wandering in "strange roads," people drowning in the river). The ones that endured were the ones who heeded not the scorning of the Great Spacious Building occupants. What does that really mean?
Something we learn from this chapter (and throughout all scripture) is that opposition to the church is inevitable. Why should we be surprised, ever, to stumble across a comment thread online where people mock our beliefs? Why do we ever feel the need to engage people in arguments about our beliefs? Be comforted, knowing that Christ's church will triumph in the end. Heed them not.
1 Nephi 14:14 "... I Nephi beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord. . . and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory."
Of course, when I speak of arguing with people, I mean, people that are so maliciously hell-bent on crushing your faith that no amount of reasoning with them will change their minds. There are those who have sincere questions about points of doctrine, and to these you should absolutely teach with love and understanding.
V.2 "I have seen a vision."
I've always been confused by labeling Joseph Smith's experience (his "first" vision) as The First Vision. Was it really a vision? Didn't he just see God the Father and Christ? Weren't they just there with him? Wouldn't that make it not a vision? I always think of visions as the way Lehi has them, which always appear to be dreams. Sorry, no spiritual insight with this verse, just something I've wondered.
V.8 "I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies."
Tender mercies appear to be a common theme with Lehi. Nephi learns this from Lehi in the first chapter, stating 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." As soon as Lehi prays in this dream, he is delivered. The dark and dreary wilderness ends, and he finds the path and iron rod which lead to the tree.
V.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..."
Lehi tastes the fruit and immediately desires the same joy for his family. This reminded me, somewhat, of the experience of Enos. Once he feels his sins "swept away," he desires, immediately it seems, to have his brethren (the Nephites) taste of the same joy that he does, and pours out his heart for them to the Lord. Another example is the experience of Alma the Younger. In Alma 36, he describes to his son his conversion experience, and then states, "Yea, even from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy which I did taste..." (emphasis added). True conversion is always followed by the desire to teach others.
V. 33 "We heeded them not."
I feel like this is the most important line in the chapter. Some people got on the path, then got driven off by the mist of darkness. Others got on the path, grabbed the iron rod, made it to the tree through the mist of darkness, and even ate the fruit, before succumbing to the mocking of those in the Great Spacious Building of Doom and leaving, ashamed. Of course, there were others who weren't even on the path (people in the building, people wandering in "strange roads," people drowning in the river). The ones that endured were the ones who heeded not the scorning of the Great Spacious Building occupants. What does that really mean?
Something we learn from this chapter (and throughout all scripture) is that opposition to the church is inevitable. Why should we be surprised, ever, to stumble across a comment thread online where people mock our beliefs? Why do we ever feel the need to engage people in arguments about our beliefs? Be comforted, knowing that Christ's church will triumph in the end. Heed them not.
1 Nephi 14:14 "... I Nephi beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord. . . and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory."
Of course, when I speak of arguing with people, I mean, people that are so maliciously hell-bent on crushing your faith that no amount of reasoning with them will change their minds. There are those who have sincere questions about points of doctrine, and to these you should absolutely teach with love and understanding.
Comments
Post a Comment