The third lesson in our Gospel Doctrine course of study for the Book of Mormon is called “The Vision of the Tree of Life.”
Our recommended reading for this lesson is:
Tree of Life (1 Nephi 8:10, 11:8-25)
Fruit of the Tree of Life (1 Nephi 8:10-18, 30; 15:36; Doctrine and Covenants 14:7)
Rod of Iron (1 Nephi 8:19-24, 30; 11:25; 15:23-24)
Mist of Darkness (1 Nephi 8:23-24; 12:17)
River of filthy water (1 Nephi 8:13, 26, 32; 15:26-29)
Great and spacious building (1 Nephi 8:26-28, 31, 33; 12:18)
Lehi had a vision in which he saw a tree covered in beautiful fruit. A path led up to the tree, with a rod of iron stretching along it. A river ran next to the path, and a mist of darkness came up and swept people from the path and into the river. Those who held onto the rod were safe and made it to the tree, while those who did not hold on were led off and lost.
Nephi asks for an interpretation of his father’s dream and is shown the meaning. He sees the symbolism behind each of the items in the dream and comes to an understanding of the love God has for us.
As we study this lesson, we are asked to think about the people mentioned in the vision as “numberless concourses.” By reading 1 Nephi 8:21-33, we are shown four categories that these people belong to—what are those categories, and where would we fall?
It is by holding on to the word of God (the iron rod) that we can escape the traps of the devil (water) and confusions and temptations (mists of darkness) to come to the tree of life. The tree is the love of Christ, eternal life, salvation—a fruit so precious, we should all be striving to obtain it.
In the vision, Lehi also saw a great and spacious building filled with people who were mocking those on the path. These people represent the pride of the world, and those who are striving to follow the Lord’s plan need to ignore those who would mock them, for every one that listened to the mocking turned away and was lost.
Related Blogs:
All Things Remind Us of Christ