1 Nephi Chapter 8 - May 8, 2017

[pam]

Discuss

[person0]

It is interesting to note that in verse 1 they gathered only every kind of plant life known to them, unlike Noah, who gathered every kind of animal life, and possibly every kind of plant life as well, but with emphasis on the animals.  There may be no deep significance here, but it is a pattern that the Lord, on at least three known occasions of trans-continental journey (Noah, Lehi, Jared), has instructed his children to take with them food of every kind, whether of beasts or of seeds.  How might we apply that to our day and time?  Food storage!  

Quote

3. . . I have reason to rejoice in the Lord. . . I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.

Someone recently asked in the forum if Heavenly Father can truly always have joy when many of His children do not make it to the celestial kingdom.  Here we see that Lehi was able to rejoice just in the fact that many of his decedents would make it, even knowing that many would not due to their wickedness.

Quote

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

How long must those both with and without the gospel in their lives travel in darkness before they seek mercy and turn unto the Lord?  The answer is different for everyone, and sadly, some never do.  From the way the text reads, Lehi, if he was 'conscious' during his dream, may have traveled on his own expecting to find a way out, but finally turned to the Lord as it became clear that was the only way he could escape the darkness.  When he finally did pray, seeking the guidance and aid of the almighty, he was immediately shown the path to the tree of life!

Quote

14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.

The fact that in Lehi's dream, he found the tree of life alone, and his family was not already there, and that he then had to beckon them to come, showing them the way is enlightening evidence of the sacred patriarchal role of a father.  A righteous father is able to receive revelation for his family, and it is his responsibility to do so, and to keep the commandments so as to be able to do so.  This also underpins the responsibility of the spouse and children to hearken unto a righteous father, and heed his counsel and advice, as he heeds the council of our Father in Heaven.  The result of not doing so is clear by what happened to Laman and Lemuel in the dream.  Heavenly Father is brilliant; He finds a way to account for every needed thing, even often in our personal revelations!

Quote

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness. . .

I find it interesting that the word 'arose' was used.  This hints at the idea that the mist of darkness was not there on the path at first.  Perhaps many who started on the path to the tree of life could at first see the whole path.  This is similar to how we start a project for work, school, etc, and can easily see the end from the beginning.  Yet, as we continue on the project, complications, and a whole slew of unforeseen issues come up to burden the completion of the task.  Does Satan try very hard on those who are not seeking the path of righteousness?  It is doubtful that it is needed.  I think there is wisdom to be found in the idea that the mist of darkness arises only after we begin our course.

Quote

31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

Even those in darkness are often searching for something.  How sad it is when that something they find is complacency in wickedness, or what they interpret as 'fun'.  I think of gangs, the Gadianton Robbers, many (not all) sororities and fraternities engaging in sinful acts of every kind, etc, etc, etc.  While there are some who are genuinely evildoers, there are many more who have felt their way to such an end, who simply sought something they interpreted to be of substance and value.  This further indicates the importance of proclaiming the gospel to all the world, how many of those feeling their way, might we help to feel their way toward the path of the iron rod?

Quote

33 . . . that strange building.

Not only was it great and spacious, but it was also strange!  Makes me think about all of the strange acts of those who are led by the spirit of evil and of confusion.  I think about men seeking to become women and women seeking to become men and other seeking to support and promote this ideology.  There are so many other 'strange' acts and ideas that could be included, but suffice it to say that it is very noteworthy that the great and spacious building was strange!  I never noticed that before.

We see in verses 35-38 the pain of those who see and who know when attempting to guide those who do not.  Just as our Father in Heaven sees all, and counsels us based on His knowledge, we often receive counsel from others and give counsel to others based on a similar principle.  Sadly, so many times we end up learning things the hard way, thinking we have a better way.  I am grateful for our Savior's love; His version of I told you so is to just keep loving us and allowing us to repent, even when we thought we knew what we were doing.  Even so, eventually, only so much can be said and done, and the rest is up to us, just as Lehi 'did cease speaking to them,' so does the Lord to his continually unrepentant children.  Once all is said and done, what more can He say than to us what He has said?  Eventually the responsibility is 100% our own.

[pam]

When I took a Book of Mormon class a couple of semesters ago, we discussed Lehi's dream.  We were taught that the emphasis really should not be on holding onto the iron rod to make it to the tree, it's what we do when we make it to the tree.

Do we let the influences of the world or those in the large and spacious building pull us away from the tree?  Or do we let the gospel of Jesus Christ and the strength that He can provide to us keep us at the tree?  The emphasis should always be staying at the tree.  So we were asked all semester to contemplate what things did we do in our daily routine that would keep us at the tree.

So let me ask...what things did YOU do today that helps you stay at the tree?

 

 

 

[SilentOne]

On 5/8/2017 at 7:37 PM, person0 said:

Someone recently asked in the forum if Heavenly Father can truly always have joy when many of His children do not make it to the celestial kingdom.  Here we see that Lehi was able to rejoice just in the fact that many of his decedents would make it, even knowing that many would not due to their wickedness.

I had that sort of concern about how we and He could feel joy in such a situation. It was partially laid to rest by a quote from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.

Quote

"...What some people say on Earth is that the final loss of one soul gives the lie to all the joy of those who are saved."

"Ye see it does not."

"I feel in a way that it ought to."

"That sounds very merciful: but see what lurks behind it."

"What?"

"The demand of the loveless and the self-imprisoned that they should be allowed to blackmail the universe: that till they consent to be happy (on their own terms) no one else shall taste joy: that theirs should be the final power; that Hell should be able to veto Heaven....it must be one way or the other. Either the day must come when joy prevails and all the makers of misery are no longer able to infect it: or else for ever and ever the makers of misery can destroy in others the happiness they reject for themselves."

But I don't think we really believe that He doesn't mourn for his children who don't make it. I can't remember what my references for that impression are, though I suppose it likely I could find some if I weren't too lazy to get up and look for my copy of The God Who Weeps. And was willing to wait to post this until I had a chance to look through there. Question: Are sadness/heartache and joy always mutually exclusive?

On 6/4/2017 at 11:00 PM, pam said:

When I took a Book of Mormon class a couple of semesters ago, we discussed Lehi's dream.  We were taught that the emphasis really should not be on holding onto the iron rod to make it to the tree, it's what we do when we make it to the tree.

That makes sense, considering Lehi, who had the dream, and Nephi, who saw it later, didn't have to follow the rod to get to the tree.