Lehi’s Dream
& the Effect of the Heart
The Tree of Life- mixed media by Nikki
In this essay, I want to explore the 3 different groups that Lehi saw in his dream found in 1st Nephi of the Book of Mormon.
As I started the Prophets’ Book of Mormon challenge, I
began with the intent to not just read, but to really internalize what I was
reading that time. When I got to Chapter 8, I noticed things I hadn’t before
and so I decided to do a deep dive to answer some questions that were persisting
in my mind.
In this dream, the prophet Lehi sees 3 different
groups of people who set out toward the Tree of Life, but as we know, only one
of those groups is successful in not only making it to the tree, but in staying
with the tree. It’s interesting that, despite
these different conclusions, all 3 groups are described with the action verb of
“pressing forward”. This implies
that all have an innate desire to reach the tree, so it’s very curious to me that
they each came to such different ends.
The first group Lehi sees is pressing
forward that they might obtain the path” but then a mist of darkness comes
and they wander off and are lost. There
is no mention of the Iron Rod. And, knowing that the rod is The Word of God, it
is easy to understand why they failed to make it safely through the darkness.
This, I’m sure, reaffirmed to Lehi the importance of
obtaining the Brass Plates. 1 Ne.
5:21-22 “And we had obtained the records
which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were
desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve
the commandments of the Lord unto our children.
22- Wherefore, it was wisdom
in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the
wilderness towards the land of promise.”
This is no different for us…
without “The Word” in our lives we likewise have no hope of safely navigating
the darkness that permeates our world. So,
what does “the Word” really constitute? The scriptures are an obvious answer,
and we have the words of the Prophets, but that is not all… an important
component is Personal Revelation. All three are needed to safely navigate the
darkness of this life.
The second group he mentions, “pressed forward,
and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did
press forward through the mists of darkness, clingling to the rod of
iron even UNTIL they did come forth and partake of the fruit…” but AFTER they partook, they cast their eyes
about, and were ashamed.
Lehi now sees the 3rd group: “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.”
This on the surface looks like the same scenario as the second group, including even the word “until”, meaning they also let go of the rod when they got to the tree, (which shoots down the theory that maybe the 2nd group became ashamed because they let go of the rod). But with completely different outcomes, it warrants a good look into what made the difference.
We see that both groups
were “pressing forward” and both went forth and “partook”, and both let go at
the tree, but when it came to HOW they were holding to the rod, this is where
the difference lies. The 2nd
group was “clinging” and the 3rd group was continually
holding fast… The latter feels more
confident, sure, deliberate and with purpose, with no connotation of fear.
On the surface, “Clinging to the rod” might seem like a good thing, but in comparing the outcomes, it was obviously not. When contemplating the word “Clinging”, it felt to me like more of an emotion-based word with a connotation of fear or desperation- Like how teenagers cling together in a haunted house. It’s not a word that denotes peace.
Was this group just clinging out of fear? Or maybe
more like a panicked desperation like a grasping of information while cramming
for a test we’re unprepared for?
I have to ask myself…what does clinging look like for
me? Do I sometimes do what I am asked to
out of fear (of consequences, or of judgement), or maybe just out of duty, or even
just to check it off my list? Or maybe even
just half-heartedly or at the very last moment-realizing I have procrastinated,
or, if we’re being truly introspective, maybe even to appear or to be
considered “wise” or obedient.
If I answer honestly, I often find myself in this
second group -going through the motions or for the wrong intent. It reminds me of 2 Ne. 28:21 “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal
security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is
well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully
down to hell”.
We think all is well because we are “doing”, but in
reality all is NOT well unless we are “becoming”. I used to think I had to
“earn” my way to Heaven through service and just being a good person, and doing
“all the things”, but that is “doing”, not “becoming.” Becoming, is learning & growing from
Grace to Grace, abiding in the Lord along the way. Don’t get me wrong, “doing” is an important
part of it, but becoming is the greater part.
This is a Mary and Martha kind of thing.
A friend of mine offered another idea of what
‘clinging’ could mean- Clinging to someone else’s testimony. We must have OUR
OWN oil in our lamps and that oil is acquired drop by drop, (or line upon line)
and in no other way. It is not something we can procrastinate to the last
minute.
Whatever “clinging” might mean for us individually, these
motives do not have the power to CHANGE us.
“and likewise also is it counted
evil unto man, if he shall pray (or I might add, study, etc.) and not with real intent of heart; yea,
and it profiteth him nothing for God receiveth none such.”-Moroni 7:9
In this state,
when we finally make it through the “darkness” and into the Light to partake of
the fruit, that fruit can’t change us either. IF, at this point, we have failed to internalize
His Word, it remains only knowledge, never wisdom, leaving us susceptible to
the taunting of the “world”. The
scripture: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”
-2 Tim 3:7, comes to mind.
The character Socrates’ from the book Peaceful Warrior
taught “Knowledge is not the same as wisdom. Wisdom is acting on it”- True
wisdom is ACTING on our knowledge, line upon line, to the point where it changes
our very nature and we “have no more
disposition to do evil…” -Mosiah 5:2
This is essentially the factor that separates the 2nd and 3rd
groups.
But when “The Word”
becomes embedded “in the fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3) and “become
an integral part of our Nature”- Pres. Russell M. Nelson, we can know that we
are drawing Heaven’s protection continually through sincere prayer, that our
study of scripture (both ancient and modern) is with purpose and with the
intent to become truly acquainted with God and that we are seeking to be led by
the Holy Ghost, submitting our will to the Father.
I think this lesson is to
give us this wisdom and the confidence to face the darkness without fear or dread and is how we can
have “joy” despite anything going on in our lives. I love this quote by Pres.
Nelson from his talk “Joy and Spiritual Survival”.
“Just as the Savior offers peace that
“passeth all understanding”, He
also offers an intensity,
depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. For
example, it doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an
incurable illness or when you lose your job or when your spouse betrays you. Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior
offers. His joy is constant, assuring us
that our “afflictions shall be but a small moment” and will be consecrated to
our gain.”
What amazing benefits come as we seek
His Word and will in our lives!!
Another distinction, is that this 3rd group
“fell down” and then partook. Falling
down, can have a lot of different meanings but, obviously, in this case it is
an act of worship. I believe that because this group internalized “the Word”
they recognized the Savior in the “Tree”
(He being the fruit), because they knew Him and had “become” His children, and they
couldn’t help but fall down and worship in gratitude and awe.
I see the difference in these two groups as an effect
of the devotion, (or lack thereof) in their holding to the Iron Rod. Are my daily devotions creating a deep connection with Christ, such that
I will immediately recognize and fall down and worship Him? If so, I will not heed the “world” because I
will not even hear the “world”. I will be consumed in His Love!
This reminds me of the incident in Mark 5 of the
“woman who had an issue of blood”.
People were “thronging” Jesus, being shoulder to shoulder with Him, yet
after he felt “Virtue (power) go out of Him”, he asked, “who touched me?” If you think about it, this is very telling…
here are multitudes of people thronging Jesus, literally rubbing shoulders with
Him, yet they did not pull from Him power to be healed, yet she did, just by
touching the hem of his clothes.
Why? I believe she was the only
one with the INTENT TO BE CHANGED by Him.
How often have
I been “around” Him (in study, in prayer, in my Temple attendance) yet remain
UNCHANGED? It really all depends as much
on the INTENT behind those actions, as it does on my level of faith.
Blessings on your day!
~Nikki
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