In verse five, we read that Lehi did pray with all his heart on behalf of his people. Today as we move into verse six, we’ll see the result of that most fervent prayer.
“And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.”
Because of his focused, sincere prayer, Lehi was given a vision of such magnitude that the fire which symbolized it had to rest upon a rock. I conjecture –to keep the surrounding area from going up in flame also? I don’t know, but to carry on with the symbolism of fire, it seems to make sense. Moving on to verse seven:
“And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.”
I find it interesting that when he sought to pray this earnest prayer, he went out from his house to find solitude. We are often counseled to go someplace where we can truly be alone when we want to pray – Lehi did just that.
He returned exhausted and overcome. The things of the Spirit are far too great for our mortal frames to endure – hence why Moses was transfigured on the Mount, because he ordinarily could not have withstood the presence of God – and Lehi was understandably shaken up. Verse eight:
“And thus being overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.”
Just as Moses was transfigured, I wonder if the experience with the pillar of fire was to prepare Lehi for the greater spiritual strain of actually beholding God upon His throne. It’s certain that some preparatory event had to have taken place, as we again see from the example of Moses. I also find it interesting that this vision took place within Lehi’s own room, instead of the lonely spot where he first saw the pillar. Perhaps this was to ensure that Lehi would be able to make it back home safely in such a weakened condition. Again, I conjecture. Verse nine:
“And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.”
What a beautiful way to describe the radiance of the Savior. “Luster” is such a rich word – it brings to mind the soft glow of a pearl. I picture a soft white of such brilliance, it overtakes the sun without being painful to behold.
From today’s examples, how can we prepare ourselves to pray in addition to finding a secluded place, be it alone in our rooms, out in the woods, or some other quiet place? What preparation of the heart can we undertake? And when the Spirit does come upon us and prepare us to receive the answer we seek, what can we do to willingly receive that spirit and the accompanying answer?
Related Blogs:
Likening the Scriptures to Ourselves
Because of the Simpleness of the Way