1 Nephi 15:26-30

Nephi's brothers ask him about a river that Lehi saw in his dream. To remember, this is what Lehi said, in 1 Nephi 8:13, " 13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit."

Nephi actually spent several verses describing the meaning of the river. Nephi first says that the river was filthiness. He also states that Lehi had so many other things on his mind that he did not behold the filthiness of the river that went by the tree. We can see that in verse 13 of chapter 8 that he was very concerned about his family at the time and seeing them in the vision, hopefully next to the tree of life.

Next, Nephi states that the angel tells him that the river represents a hell that is prepared for the wicked. Additionally, it represented the justice of God, separating the wicked from the righteous, and that it was bright which brightness ascended up forever.

It seems that there is a lot here that this river represents. There is much more here, but we will take the next part, next time. : )

1 Nephi 15:25

Verse 25 shows that Nephi noticed his brothers humility and sincerity in asking questions. He realized that his brothers were in a mindset to listen to counsel. So, he took advantage of it and exhorted them to give heed to the word of God. He did so with every ounce of energy he possessed, using every faculty or capability that he had. In other words, it was a really strong invitation.

I am reminded of the Savior. Later in Nephi's life he talks about how the Savior does His work and invites all to follow him. In 2 Nephi 26, we read:

" 23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

" 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

" 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

" 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

" 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

" 28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden."

This is such a great opportunity to find happiness. I think that if we come to Jesus and follow his example, part of which is shown here, we will be happy.

1 Nephi 15:23-24

Nephi's brothers now ask about the meaning of the rod of iron that extended from the tree. Nephi explains that it is the word of God. Nephi mentions a great and important thing about the rod of iron that I like to share with members in instructional settings. He testifies that if you hearken to the word of God and hold fast to it, two things will happen: (1) you will never perish, (2) and the fiery darts of the adversary will never overpower you unto blindness and lead you away to destruction. Remember that there were those people on the path that did not hold to the rod and when the mists of darkness came the did lose their way into forbidden paths and were lost. I know that hearkening and holding fast to the word of God will protect you and keep you spiritually seeing things as they really are, with no confusion.

1 Nephi 15:21-22

A quick note about verse 20. We first see one of Nephi's many references to Isaiah. Isaiah is one of the books in the brass plates. Nephi loves the words of Isaiah. He will say so here sometime soon in a few chapters. We also see something that many might not have believed possible. The very end of verse 20 says that Nephi's brothers began to humble themselves before the Lord. This is great! We will definitely keep tabs on Nephi's comments on his brothers' spirituality.

In today's section, we get to hear some questions Nephi's brothers ask because they are humble and ready to receive answers. Nephi is excited and patient to explain these things to them even though they didn't ask of the Lord. In verse 21, they ask about the meaning of the tree that their father saw. Nephi answers and says that it is a representation of the tree of life.

I did a quick search on the tree of life and found that the tree of life was in the Garden of Eden. Apparently if one partakes of the fruit of the tree of life, they will live forever. In 2 Nephi 2:15, it says that the tree of life was an opposition to the tree with the forbidden fruit, which would cause spiritual death, the one being sweet and the other bitter. This is a great insight. One truth made explicit by the Book of Mormon. After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, a cherubim and a flaming sword were sent to keep “the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24).

1 Nephi 15:19-20

Nephi states that he spoke to his brothers more about the last days, especially that the Jews would be restored to the knowledge of the truth. He even told them about the words of Isaiah, and that he prophesied of the restoration of the Jews as well. I looked up the cross-reference hoping to see if the passage from Isaiah would be there. They referenced Isaiah 40:9, which says, "9 ¶ O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!" This passage was taken out of a time when Isaiah was prophesying of Jesus's second coming. There would be great changes in the earth and many shall proclaim His divinity. The Jews shall be told to behold their God, the one they crucified. Then they shall believe and know as Jesus shows them the nail prints in his hands and feet, and the spear wound in his side.

1 Nephi 15:17-18

In verse 17, Nephi is explaining to his brothers that their seed will not be grafted back into the olive tree until after they had been scattered by the Gentiles. We have seen that this is true. The Gentiles have scattered the seed of Nephi and his brothers. We have seen this with the settling of the New World by European countries. The natives were conquered. However, we now see that they are receiving the gospel. They are a believing people and the Church is thriving among them. This flourishment is a manifestation of the power of God. Verse 17 also says that this same success will happen when Jesus is on the earth and that it is this success that shall be the very cause he will be rejected of the Jews, I think, but I'm not sure.

In the next verse, Nephi adds that it will not only be their seed that will be converted, but all of the house of Israel. He testifies that that this is due to the Lord's promise to Abraham saying that through him all the kindreds of the earth shall be blessed.

I thought that this thought from the Book of Mormon Institute Manual was helpful for these verses:

"The Book of Mormon writers often used the term Jew in a broader sense than we use it today. By Lehi’s time the Ten Tribes had been lost and the kingdom of Judah was the only known group of Israelites, so the term Jew sometimes meant more than just a member of the tribe of Judah. Throughout the Book of Mormon we find this broad usage where often the world is divided into Jews and Gentiles (see 1 Nephi 13:42, 2 Nephi 27:1, Mormon 7:8). In these verses Nephi clearly foresees the mission, trials, scatterings, and destiny of the tribes of Israel."

Inquiring of the Lord

Earlier in chapter 15, Nephi asks his brothers if they've inquired of the Lord to gain an understanding of the words of their father. Nephi testifies to them that if you ask in faith, truly believing that you will receive, and if you are keeping the commandments, He will answer you (see verse 8). I know that this is true. Here is a quote from President Packer on the subject from the Book of Mormon Institute Manual:

Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that everyone may receive spiritual guidance in the same way as an Apostle if they will diligently seek the Lord, ask with faith, and obey his commandments:
“You can learn now, in your youth, to be led by the Holy Ghost.
“As an Apostle I listen now to the same inspiration, coming from the same source, in the same way, that I listened to as a boy. The signal is much clearer now. . . .
“No message is repeated more times in scripture than the simple thought: ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’ (D&C 4:7).
“I often ask the Lord for direction from Him. I will not, however, willingly accept promptings from any unworthy source. I refuse them. I do not want them, and I say so.
“Young people, carry a prayer in your heart always. Let sleep come every night with your mind centered in prayer.
“Keep the Word of Wisdom.
“Read the scriptures.
“Listen to your parents and to the leaders of the Church.
“Stay away from places and things that common sense tells you will interfere with inspiration.
“Develop your spiritual capacities.
“Learn to tune out the static and the interference.
“Avoid the substitutes and the counterfeits!
“Learn to be inspired and directed by the Holy Ghost” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 30; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 21).

1 Nephi 15:15-16

In verse 15, Nephi is stating that when their seed, his and his brothers', receive the gospel again, would they rejoice? Yes! They will be nourished from the true vine. They will be a part of the true fold of God. Because of their conversions, they will be remembered again of God and become a natural branch of the olive tree and be grafted into the true olive tree again. Nephi says that Lehi said that this would not happen until after their seed is scattered by the Gentiles. Then it will be the Gentiles that will bring the gospel to the remnant of the seed of Nephi and his brothers.

Here is what the Book of Mormon Institute Manual says about the "true vine" and the work:

Of the great latter-day work among the Lamanites, President Spencer W. Kimball stated:
“Of immense importance to this work of gathering the scattered branches of the house of Israel is the work of carrying the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to the Lamanites, for the Lord’s work in these latter days can in no wise be complete until these children of great promise are brought back into the fold. The Lord said through his prophet Lehi, ‘Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree.’ (1 Ne. 15:16.) We are witnesses to these events. . . .
“. . . For a thousand years after the closing of the Book of Mormon record, these people wandered in spiritual darkness and were scattered upon the American continents and the isles of the sea. They lost their written language, their high culture, and, worst of all, their knowledge of the living God and his work. Faith was replaced by fear, rich language by crippled dialects, and an understanding of God and his ways by idolatry. . . . Only the most brazen soul could fail to weep when contemplating the fall of this people, and yet it was the decree of the Lord that the Lamanites should be preserved in the land, that this remnant of Joseph should again come into their promised inheritance. . . .
“. . . The Lord’s promises with regard to the Lamanites began to be fulfilled with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon in this dispensation (see Eth. 4:17). . . .
“Truly our paths have met once more—we a mixed remnant of Israel, principally Ephraim, even referred to as gentiles, now come forth out of captivity (see, e.g., 1 Ne. 13:19, 39), . . . now only through the grace of Almighty God restored to the blessings of the gospel, that we in turn might be a blessing to the nations of the earth; and the Lamanites, also a people of disobedience now returned to the fold. . . .
“The Lamanites must rise again in dignity and strength to fully join their brethren and sisters of the household of God in carrying forth his work in preparation for that day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to lead his people” (“Our Paths Have Met Again,” Ensign, Dec. 1975, pp. 4–5, 7).

1 Nephi 15:14

Nephi testifies that the remnant of their seed in the last days will be taught the gospel. It is an amazing thing what they will learn. Before, he said that the Gentiles will bring it to them. The knowledge is incredible. Here is what he said that they will be taught and know:

1. They shall know that they are of the house of Israel.
2. They shall know that they are the covenant people of the Lord.
3. They shall know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers.
4. They shall also come to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him.
5. They shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer.
6. They shall come to the knowledge of the very points of His doctrine, that they may know how to come unto Him and be saved.

What an amazing thing to know that one is of the house of Israel, and we are! We are a covenant people of the Lord and have blessings and responsibilities because so. Hopefully we can come to a knowledge of our forefathers. Those who came before spiritually and physically. We need to learn as much as we can about the gospel of our Redeemer. The good news that He came, lived, and died for us. He left an example for how we should live and provided a way that our death would not be the end thereof. He provided a way for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father. This ties into coming to a knowledge of our Redeemer and the very points of His doctrine (faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, to name a few). The great thing about it all, too, is that we can be a part of fulfilling this prophecy. We can go out and help all the others come to this knowledge. We are required to do so and the missionaries are there to help us. So, let us pray for missionary experiences.

1 Nephi 15:12-13

Nephi now turns to explaining what the "branches of the olive tree" meant in Lehi's words to his brothers and him.

In verse 12 he says that the house of Israel was compared to an olive tree. The house of Israel is the twelve tribes if Israel or the descendants of Israel. Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh are three big ones. Judah being the Jews and Christ was one. Ephraim is the tribe that has many church members or the Gentiles referred to in the Book of Mormon. We have a responsibility to bear the priesthood, proclaim the gospel, and the raise the ensign for the gathering of Israel. Lehi was a descendant of Manasseh and so many of the native American tribes are his descendants. They are charged with assisting the tribe of Ephraim in the gathering of Israel.

This is what Nephi is saying. Aren't we a branch of the olive tree or a part of the house of Israel that is broken off because we are going to a promised land in the Americas? Then our father talked about grafting in the natural branches of the olive tree through the fullness of the Gentiles. This means that in the latter days when only the seed of the Lamanites remains and has dwindled into unbelief (many years after Christ came), shall the fullness of the gospel be taught to them. This is happening in our day. We are called to be missionaries and invite people to church. We are in charge of gathering them into the fold. We need do what we can to fulfill this scripture, and we will.

1 Nephi 15:7-11

In 1 Nephi 8, Lehi describes a dream that he had with his family. Nephi did not understand everything from the dream and wanted to. He asked the Lord personally and received an understanding of many, if not all, things. Now, in verse 7 of chapter 15, Nephi is talking with his brothers about understanding the things from Lehi's dream.

There were two specific points that his brothers asked about: (1) the natural branches of the olive tree and (2) the Gentiles. We have discussed the Gentiles in previous posts. However, we have not discussed branches of the olive tree. Nephi said that there were many more things that he and his father taught that are not in this record. I'm thinking that up to this point the natural branches of the olive tree are one of those things. Let's see what Nephi says.

He asks, in verse 8, his brothers if they've inquired of the Lord. They respond that they didn't and that the Lord maketh no such thing know to them. When I read this verse, I thought about saying straight out that their attitude did not reflect one of faith. Nephi handles it a little better.

Nephi begins by asking them how come they have not kept the commandments of the Lord. He also asks, how come they will perish because of the hardness of their hearts (remembering the vision). He brings to their memory that if one does not harden their heart, and asks in faith, truly believing that they shall receive, surely they will be made known. The key that Nephi is stressing here is that you have to keep the commandments. President Packer said once that sometimes the Lord will wait in fulfilling this promise. Sometimes He wants to test you and see if you will lived the commandments a little longer before He reveals what you desire. So, remember that petitions to Him are dependent on His timetable, but He listens and will direct you to what is best for you. The hard part is to listen to Him and obey. I hope that we all can.

1 Nephi 15:4-6

Because Nephi's brothers did ask the Lord to help them with their misunderstandings, or anything else for that matter, he was grieved. This also made him remember that because of the hardness of their hearts, their posterity would dwell in wickedness for hundreds of years.

Then Nephi becomes even more grieved because eventually he knows that his people will become wicked and fall. He says that his afflictions were great above all.

In verse 6, it says that after Nephi received strength, he asked his brothers about the cause of their disputations. I thought that the phrase "received strength" was interesting. I first thought that it was because he was so sad and the Lord strengthened him to keep going even though the eventual future was bleak. This may still be true. The word "strength" had a footnote and I clicked on it. The two scriptures were Moses 1:10, and Joseph Smith-History 1:20, 48, both out of the Pearl of Great Price.

Moses 1:8-10 said:

" 8 And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.

" 9 And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth.

" 10 And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."

Moses has a vision like Nephi and because the Holy Ghost was upon him which allowed him to be in the presence of God, his natural mortal body just collapses. He receives his natural strength after many hours and has his epiphany. Something that we will discuss at a later time.

In Joseph Smith-History 1:20, 48, we read:

In this section, Joseph Smith is receiving a visitation from God, the Father, and Jesus Christ. What a remarkable thing! He prayed to them asking them which church to join in 1820. This is what was said and what happened afterward (like the Moses story):

" 20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?

Verse 48 is about a time when Joseph Smith was about 18 and had prayed to God asking Him for forgiveness and asked Him about his place in life and the grand scheme of things. The Lord gave him a work to do. An angel came to his room at night three times to instruct Joseph, and as a consequence, Joseph did not sleep much at all that night. Here is what happened next:

" 48 I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my strength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything."

Then, he sees the angel a fourth time, receives a vision of a hill nearby where ancient records were buried, records engraven on plates of gold. He was to translate them and they came forth as the Book of Mormon, the text that we are studying right now.