When Nephi returns to camp after seeing a vision, he finds his brothers arguing about the meaning of their father’s words. Nephi shares some of the knowledge he gained from the vision to help them understand.
Chapter Outline
- Nephi is grieved to find his brothers arguing (v. 1-5).
- Question #1: The meaning of the branches of the olive tree (v. 7-20).
- Questions #2-4: The meanings of various symbols in the dream (the tree, the iron rod, and the river) (v. 21-30).
- Question #5: Is this about temporal or spiritual things?
My Takeaways
- Take your questions to God in prayer. He will answer if you believe and are willing to follow Him.
- The gospel teaches us how to come to our Redeemer and be saved.
- The choices we make today will determine our future state, because they determine what we are becoming.
Featured Blog Posts
Why Is It Important to Ask Questions?
During 2019, I’m going to organize my study around questions. Each day, I’m going to ask a question and see what I can learn from the Book of Mormon about that question. I have received a number of questions from readers, and I would love to have you submit more questions (anonymously) on my Questions submission…
❖ Nephi Finds His Brothers Arguing – 1 NEPHI 15:1-5
After I Had Received Strength – 1 Nephi 15:4-6
4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men. 5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my…
❖ Nephi Teaches His Brothers to Pray for Understanding – 1 NEPHI 15:8-11
Surely These Things Shall Be Made Known Unto You – 1 Nephi 15:11
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?–If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you. (1 Nephi 15:11) How do we know when we are asking spiritual…
They Did Not Look unto the Lord – 1 Nephi 15:2-3
2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them. 3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being…
❖ The Meaning of the Olive Tree – 1 Nephi 15:14
That They May Know – 1 Nephi 15:14
14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which…
❖ The Meaning of the River – 1 Nephi 15:33-34
If They Be Filthy – 1 Nephi 15:33-34
33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and…
Old Testament Foundations
Ages
Based on: Psalm 90 Core message: We have to expand our perspective, even beyond our own lifetime, if we want to understand God better. Related Book of Mormon passage: Moroni 10:3
Father of Many
Why did God change Abram’s name? The name Abram (a variant of Abiram) consists of two parts: ab (אָב), meaning “father,” and rum (רוּם), meaning “exalted” or “lifted up.” You could translate the name as “exalted father,” or “father who is respected and admired.” When Abram was 90 years old, God appeared to him and…
Harden Not Your Hearts – 1 Nephi 15:11
The 95th psalm tells us not to harden our hearts if we want to hear God’s voice (Psalm 95:7-8). Nephi tells his brothers the same thing when he hears them arguing about the meaning of their father’s words. “Have ye inquired of the Lord?” he asks. “We have not,” they reply, “for the Lord maketh…
New Testament Parallels
Vain Jangling – Part 2
One reason to avoid speculative topics is because they often lead to conflict. Sincere questions are good, but controversial questions can provoke unnecessary and unproductive disputes. Stay on solid ground by avoiding frivolous topics.
Insiders Beware!
There is comfort in being included and valued, but there are dangers in feeling that we are uniquely chosen. God loves all of His children and blesses them in different ways at different times. Wd should celebrate all of those blessings.
Church History Connections
“The Greatest of All the Gifts of God” – 1 Nephi 15:36
The central symbol in Lehi’s dream was “a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:10) After eating some of the fruit, his greatest desire after that was to help others experience that same joy, beginning with his own family. When one of Lehi’s sons, Nephi, prayed to understand his father’s dream, he experienced a…
The Shield of Faith
Like a shield deflecting fiery darts, faith protects and empowers us to press forward. Elder Boyd K. Packer and Sister Joy D. Jones have emphasized building faith at home. Parents can help children prepare spiritually, so they face life’s challenges with confidence, armed with their own handcrafted shields of faith.
All Posts Referencing 1 Nephi 15
- “What Are We to Understand?” – How Doctrine and Covenants 77 Helps Us Ask Better Questions (7/15/2025)
- The Shield of Faith (3/25/2025)
- “The Rod of My Mouth” (3/6/2025)
- Preface to Four Revelations, April-May 1829 (2/19/2025)
- “My Mind Caught Hold” (8/1/2024)
- Q&A with Nephi (1/28/2024)
- The Title Page and Nephi (1/4/2024)
- Vain Jangling – Part 2 (10/28/2023)
- Insiders Beware! (8/17/2023)
- Rivers of Living Water (4/28/2023)
- Investing for the Future in Troubled Times (10/23/2022)
- A Tree of Life (9/4/2022)
- Ages (8/17/2022)
- Hardened Hearts (3/30/2022)
- Father of Many (2/9/2022)
- Rolling Waters (10/23/2021)
- “Temporal and Spiritual” – Mosiah 2:41 (2/20/2021)
- “The Greatest of All the Gifts of God” – 1 Nephi 15:36 (2/16/2021)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- Harden Not Your Hearts – 1 Nephi 15:11 (1/24/2020)
- Learning How to Learn – Nephi’s Vision (1/21/2020)
- Who Is the House of Israel? (8/14/2019)
- Why Were the Children of Israel Scattered? (8/12/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham? (7/20/2019)
- Why Is Isaiah Quoted So Much in the Book of Mormon? (5/27/2019)
- How Can I Be More Humble? (5/13/2019)
- How Can I Be a Better Listener? (5/12/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Harden Your Heart? (5/1/2019)
- Why Is Firsthand Spiritual Knowledge Important? (4/14/2019)
- What Can We Learn About Prayer From Nephi? (3/26/2019)
- What Do Book of Mormon Prophets Teach Us About Coming Unto the Savior? (2/13/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Come Unto Christ?” (2/11/2019)
- What Is the Tree of Life? (2/7/2019)
- What Is the Fulness of the Gospel? (1/27/2019)
- Why Is It Important to Ask Questions? (1/2/2019)
- Surely These Things Shall Be Made Known Unto You – 1 Nephi 15:11 (8/7/2018)
- If They Be Filthy – 1 Nephi 15:33-34 (7/22/2017)
- After I Had Received Strength – 1 Nephi 15:4-6 (7/21/2017)
- That They May Know – 1 Nephi 15:14 (7/20/2017)
- They Did Not Look unto the Lord – 1 Nephi 15:2-3 (7/19/2017)
- Hold Fast unto It – 1 Nephi 15:24 (9/8/2016)
- Have Ye Inquired of the Lord? – 1 Nephi 15:2, 8-9 (4/25/2016)
- 1 Nephi 15:8-11 Have Ye Inquired of the Lord? (1/20/2015)