Lehi is recounting his vision to his family. He saw a tree filled with marvelous fruit, and leading up to that tree was a rod of iron that led along a straight and narrow path. There were people who wandered up to the tree, but felt ashamed after partaking of the fruit.
26. And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
This building is on the other side of the water, as far removed from the tree as could be in the narrow scope of the dream.
27. And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
28. And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
What a marvelous allegory this is. These individuals had come through the mists of darkness and could now enjoy the blessings of the fruit of the tree, but they listened to the people who mocked them and thought they must look foolish. Not wanting to look silly, they backed away from the tree, and, no longer able to see where they were going, they became lost in the darkness.
29. And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
30. But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
They pressed forward, continually on. “Pressed” indicates that there was some effort involved. It wasn’t easy to come forward. They had to work at it. They had to have the desire. They had to want to keep moving and to be faithful. “Continually holding on” means that they didn’t give up. They kept working at it and striving for it with all their mights. They feasted on the word daily. They kept the commandments. They prayed often. They clung to that rod for all they were worth.
31. And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.
May I just say that while the path to the tree is rimmed with danger, I imagine that the path to the building is broad and might even be lit with those little hanging lanterns. It’s not a hard building to find.
32. And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.
33. And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
34. These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.
I love this verse. If you take no other thing from this blog, I wish to emphasize this: All the people who were striving to partake of the tree were mocked, but only those who listened fell away. And, every single person who listened, fell away. Do not listen to those who would tell you that being a believer is silly or that religion isn’t important. Pay no attention to those who do not have your spiritual best interests at heart. Once you start listening, you will fall away.
I will continue Lehi’s dream tomorrow. In the meantime:
Family Home Evening: Peer Pressure
Helping Our Kids Let Go of “The Crowd”