1 Nephi 11

1 Nephi 11

This chapter has far many more questions for me than it does answers. The questions I will ask in this blog are questions I have asked myself for several years. They are frequently foremost in my mind as I attend the temple. I have not yet received the answer.

Vs. 2
In what form did the Spirit manifest itself? Was this the Spirit of the Lord, meaning the spirit body of Jesus Christ, the great Jehovah? Or was it simply the promptings of the Holy Spirit, meaning the Holy Ghost whispering to him as it has many times to me, whispering promptings into my ear. It appears it was more than a feeling.

Vs. 3
I have this same desire. How do I develop the faith to receive such a blessing?

Vs. 4
What is this tree? Is it really a tree or does it represent something else? Is it the same tree found in the Garden of Eden? In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were only forbidden to eat from one tree, so did they eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life? Is this fruit what kept them immortal or perhaps better named not mortal? Is that why they were told that they would “surly die” if they partook of the forbidden fruit? If this tree does represent something, what is it? It seems to be more than simply “the love of God.” It may be the love of God in a general sense but I am looking for something more specific.

Vs. 5
Does the Spirit know that I believe all the words of my Father?

Vs. 6
Does the Spirit shout “Hosanna to the Lord” at my proclamation of faith?

Vs. 7
Why is Nephi told all the things ahead of time that he is soon to see? Then he is told “and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.” Is he being called as a prophet at this point? Is the Spirit prophesying something that will soon come to pass, or is it a command “you will bear record?”

Vs. 8-9
“and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.” Is the tree the Savior? It is white above all and precious above all. Is it the righteous branch growing out of the stem of Jesse: Jesus Christ?

Vs. 10-11
Nephi desires to know the interpretation. This is my desire as well. In verse 11 my question is clarified; It is indeed the Spirit of the Lord. I believe this to be the same that Moses saw, the great Jehovah.

Vs. 12-14
This vision of the Pre-mortal Messiah appears to come to a close and another vision is open: This one being hosted by an angel.

Vs. 15
Nephi sees Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Vs. 16-17
Nephi is asked if he knows the condescension of God. He replies “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”

I searched several online dictionaries and found condescend [ˌkɒndɪˈsɛnd]
vb (intr)
1. to act graciously towards another or others regarded as being on a lower level;
2. to do something that one regards as below one's dignity
[from Church Latin condēscendere to stoop, condescend, from Latin dēscendere to DESCEND]

I particularly like the Latin root that means to stoop or descend. It means he humbled himself down to our level.

Vs. 18-24
He sees the birth and the ministry of the Savior. He is taught that the definition of the Tree is the love of God, but what exactly does this mean? Is it truly the love that God has for us as His children, or is it the love of God in a general sense “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” John 3:16? I ask again, is the tree the Savior? If so, why were Adam and Eve blocked by an angel from partaking of it?

Vs. 25
This verse is another one that can be an entire sermon. I need to credit Brother John Pontius, author of “Following the Light of Christ into His Presence” for first enlightening my mind with the ideas expressed here.

Nephi is taught that the Rod of Iron is the word of God. His vision seems to imply that everyone that hold tight to the rod (the word of God), and doesn’t stray when difficulties come, will make it to the tree and partake of Eternal Life. In the church we have come to know that the word of God spoken of is the Scriptures. If we follow this line of thinking, we would then conclude that everyone who hold fast to the Bible or the Book of Mormon will make it to the tree. We know from history that this simply isn’t the case.

History is full of stories of people who believed the Bible but acted in barbarous ways. The Crusades are simply one example of this. Additionally there are many apostates of the LDS faith that profess to believe the Book of Mormon, but are far from the truth. We can conclude then that the Word of God isn’t only the Standard Works. It must be more.

My belief is that the Word of God spoken of here is the word of God spoken to each one of us directly in the form of personal revelation. It is our testimony; our testimony of the Standard works and the living Prophet; our testimony of the Son of God and the restoration of the gospel. When we hold fast to the Iron Rod that is our personal witness… I believe that we will indeed make it to the Tree of Life.

Vs. 26-34
Nephi is then shown what the condescension of God is. He sees a detailed vision of the life of the Savior. He sees his many miracles. He sees his love toward the people. He sees his trial and judgment, and ultimately his crucifixion. He then sees the persecution of the Church by the wicked of the world.

Vs. 35-36
Nephi then sees the people of the world, “the multitudes of the earth” in a large and spacious building. He specifically calls out that the building houses the wisdom of the world. The wisdom of the world fights with the people of the church. He describes the building as the pride of the world. The pride of the world causes building to fall… and great is the fall thereof. “FOR, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi 4:1