The Tree of Life (detail) by Avon Oakeson
Lehi and his family were camped in the wilderness beside a river when he experienced his dream. They had left their comfortable home in Jerusalem where he had been mocked, and he had sent his sons back to obtain the writings of prophets engraved on metal plates. God had promised to lead him and his family to a land of promise. The imagery of his dream, including “a dark and dreary wilderness” (1 Nephi 8:4), a river of water with his family beside it (1 Nephi 8:13-14), an iron rod representing the word of God (1 Nephi 8:19-20, 1 Nephi 11:25), and a building in which people in fine clothing mocked him (1 Nephi 8:26-27), must have all been incredibly relatable to him.
The central symbol in the dream is “a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:10). Lehi found great joy in partaking of the fruit and sharing it with his family. He felt great sorrow when two of his sons refused to join them, and after describing the dream, “he did exhort them with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words” (1 Nephi 8:37).
Lehi also taught his family about several future events: the return of their people from captivity in Babylon, the baptism and resurrection of the Savior, and the scattering and gathering of Israel. He wanted them to understand that, no matter how “lost or fallen” we may be, we can “come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, [our] Savior and Redeemer” (1 Nephi 10:2-14).
Note: This week for the first time, I’m introducing chapter overviews. Click on the links in the Outline section below to see a brief summary and recommended blog posts for each chapter.
Outline
- 1 Nephi 6 – Editorial Note #1 – Nephi explains how he prioritizes what he writes.
- 1 Nephi 7 – Ishmael – Ishmael’s family joins Lehi’s family on their journey. Nephi is miraculously freed after his brothers bind him with cords, and he forgives them
- 1 Nephi 8 – Lehi’s Dream of the Tree of Life
- 1 Nephi 9 – Editorial Note #2 – Nephi explains that he has two sets of plates, (1) a history and (2) a record of his ministry.
- 1 Nephi 10 – Lehi Teaches about the Messiah and about the gathering of Israel. Nephi deeply desires to understand for himself what his father has taught
Key Themes
- Empowering grace: Sometimes, instead of delivering us from our challenges, God empowers us to overcome them, strengthening us so that we can burst our bands.
- Frank forgiveness: Grudges and resentments are like dead weight which drag us down. Forgiveness is like dropping ballast from a balloon, allowing us to soar to new heights.
- Holding fast to the Iron Rod: Consistent, ongoing immersion in the word of God will lead us to the Savior.
- We need a Savior: Lehi taught that we are “in a lost and in a fallen state” until we learn to rely on the “Redeemer of the world.”
Connections
- The central symbol in Lehi’s dream was the Tree of Life. According to the book of Genesis, there was a tree in the Garden of Eden called the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). John the Revelator also says that those who “overcome” will have the privilege to “eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).
- Nephi didn’t know why God had commanded him to make two records, but when the first 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon were lost, Joseph Smith was grateful to learn that Nephi had written a set of pages to replace it.
- Lehi called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” a title which John the Baptist also used. This is particularly significant because Lehi used this title in the context of a prophecy about John.
Applications
- Choose not to occupy your time with things of lesser value, just as Nephi was careful not to occupy the plates with less important content.
- Stay by the tree. Take time each day to disconnect from the world and connect with heaven. Don’t heed those who mock you for doing what you know is right.
- Seek for personal revelation in order to acquire firsthand spiritual knowledge, just as Nephi wanted to “see, and hear, and know” for himself the things which his father had taught.
Recommended Posts
Blog Posts – January 16-21
Stay by the Tree
When Lehi tasted the fruit of the tree in his dream, he invited his family to come taste it too. We can’t force anyone to feel the love of God, but we can show them how that love brings us joy and invite them to feel it too.
Frankly…
The word “frankly” means “freely.” When we forgive “frankly,” like Nephi, it is without conditions. It is a gift; it doesn’t have to be earned. We give it freely, and in the process, we free ourselves of a burden we would otherwise carry.
Seed
After studying the brass plates, Lehi’s thoughts turned to his “seed.” His invitation to Ishmael and his tree of life dream were both related to this focus. Like Lehi, we can think about the impact of our current decisions on future generations.
Jesus Christ Is the Tree
Nephi tells us that the tree in his father’s dream represents “the love of God.” He learns this by watching scenes from the life of Jesus. Elder Bednar that the tree represents Jesus Christ Himself, the ultimate manifestation of God’s love for us.
The Own Due Time
Lehi told his family that their people would return to Jerusalem “in the own due time of the Lord.” We are often in a hurry. When we know something needs to happen, we want it to happen now. God knows not only what needs to happen but also when. We can trust His timing.
A Tender Parent
After sharing his dream with his family, Lehi spoke to his sons “with all the feeling of a tender parent.” We can likewise uplift and support those we love by encouraging, sharing, teaching, and inviting.
I love how you point out the key themes and connections and include an outline and links to other posts you have written ! Nicely crafted ! ❤️
Thank youi! This format for my Monday posts is new this year. I’m glad to hear that you like it!