Upon returning from the mountain where he met with the angel of the Lord and saw a vision concerning the future of his seed and that of his brothers, Nephi was met by those brothers who were full of questions about the prophecies of their father, Lehi. Nephi is consumed with the Spirit and wants his brothers to understand the importance of the things they have been taught, and so he speaks to them further about the things of eternity.
20. And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.
Nephi is witnessing a rare moment in the lives of his brothers. They not only sought him out, wanting more information about the gospel, but they actually listened to his answer and then asked him for even more. I imagine that Nephi is feeling some hope for his brothers at this point. However, he saw their destruction in his vision, and so I wonder what his thoughts and feelings are about that – does he imagine that they might repent after all and thereby change their own fate, or is he wondering just how long this is going to last?
21. And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the tree which he saw?
22. And I said unto them: It was a representation of the tree of life.
23. And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24. And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
I consider the tree of life vision to be one of the most instructive and beautiful allegories we’ve been given. We can plainly see how we must hold on to the iron rod in order to be led to safety. This vision is very pointed in its message.
25. Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.
Can you just feel Nephi’s anxiety in this verse? He says “with all the energies of my soul” and with “all the faculty which I possessed.” He’s not just encouraging them to repent, he’s begging them to do it. He’s seen what will happen if they don’t turn from their ways. He’s seen the bloodshed that will result. He knows what faces them, and doesn’t want them to be destroyed. They may spend a lot of time making his life miserable, but they’re his brothers and he loves them.
Related Blogs:
The Vision of the Tree of Life
The Things I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit