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CHAPTER 15Lehi's seed are to receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days—The gathering of Israel is likened unto an olive tree whose natural branches shall be grafted in again—Nephi interprets the vision of the tree of life and speaks of the justice of God in dividing the wicked from the righteous. [Between 600 and 592 B.C.] |
[Between 592 and 584 B.C.] | |
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1 AND it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away
in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent
of my father.
2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things my father had spoken unto them. 3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be aunderstood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.
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3a
1 Cor. 2:11 (10-12); TG Hardheartedness; TG Understanding
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4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their
hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and
knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great
wickedness of the children of men.
5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine aafflictions were great above all, because of the bdestruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall. 6 And it came to pass that after I had received astrength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.
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5a
Moses 7:44 (41-44) b Enos 1:13; Morm. 6:1 6a Moses 1:10); JS-H 1:20, 48
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7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which
our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the
a olive-treea, and
also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye ainquired of the Lord? 9 And they said unto me: aWe have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
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7a the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive-tree Nephi in his small plate abridged account had mentioned that a part of Lehi's preachings had been concerning Israel as an olive-tree, the branches being broken off and later being grafted back in (1 Nephi 10:12-14). Since Lehi had searched and studied the brass plates from beginning to end, he would have certainly been well aware of Zenos' allegory of the tame and wild olive trees as recorded from those brass plates by Jacob in Jacob chapter 5. As to the detail of Lehi's preachings we have but Nephi's abridged account. Lehi most certainly would have spoken at greater length than mentioned by Nephi in 1 Nephi 10:12-14. Yet Laman and Lemuel still did not understand the allegory and Nephi had to further explain it to them. Nephi's explanation is in fact a commentary on part of Zenos' allegory recorded in Jacob 5. And it would be well to apply Nephi's commentary given here to that allegory when it is studied in connection to Jacob chapter 5. |
7a
1 Ne. 10:14 (2-15) 8a 1 Ne. 1:25 (24-27); Mosiah 10:14; TG Problem-solving 9a D&C 58:33
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10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the
commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will aperish,
because of the hardness of your hearts?
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in bfaith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.
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10a
TG
Apostasy of Individuals 11a James 1:5-6; TG Prayer b 1 Ne. 2:19 (18-21); 1 Ne. 7:12 (9-13)
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12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto
an olive-tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our
fathera; and behold
are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a
abranch of the house of Israel?
13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have adwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the bMessiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the cgospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the dGentiles unto the remnant of our seed— 14 And at that day shall the remnant of our aseed bknow that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the ccovenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and dcome to the eknowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
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12a the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father It is one thing to have the Holy Spirit come upon a person and influence their lives with it powers and impressions. It is quite another to have that Spirit dwell within a person as a constant companion. The Prophet Lehi was in that condition in which the Holy Spirit did dwell within him, no longer being just that outside influence but that inner sanction of being an internal part of one's being. |
12a
Gen. 49:22-26;
1 Ne. 10:12-14; 1 Ne. 19:24 TG Israel, Joseph, People of 13a 1 Ne. 12:22-23; 2 Ne. 26:15 b TG Jesus Christ, Messiah c TG Gospel TG Mission of Latter-day Saints d 1 Ne. 13:42; 1 Ne. 22:9 (5-10) D&C 14:10; TG Gentiles 14a 2 Ne. 10:2; 3 Ne. 5:23 (21-26); 3 Ne. 21:7 (4-29) b 2 Ne. 3:12; 2 Ne. 30:5; Morm. 7:9 (1, 9-10) c TG Abrahamic Covenant BD Abraham, Covenant of d Jacob 3:6 e D&C 3:18 (16-20) Book of Mormon Title Page
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15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto
their everlasting God, their arock and their salvation?
Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the
true bvine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of
God?
16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be agrafted in, being a natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree. 17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be arejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israela.
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17a or of the house of Israel Frequently the Book of Mormon speaks of the people of the Book of Mormon being 'Jews'. In this sense they are as they did come out of the land of the Jews and from the kingdom of Judah and his companions. We of today have pointed the finger at the Jews as they who did reject, crucify and kill the Christ. But among the Jews was others of the house of Israel known as Jews but of other tribes. The Kingdom of Judah, though centered in Judah, as a mixed kingdom of Judah and the companions out of Israel of that Kingdom. Thus in a very real sense, it was not just the Jews, but all of Israel which did reside with the Jews and took part there in. In truth it is well said that Israel rejected the Lord. |
15a
TG
Rock b Gen. 49:11; John 15:1 16a Jacob 5:54 (1-77) 17a TG Jesus Christ, Betrayal of; TG Jesus Christ, Crucifixion of
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18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also
of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be
fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father
Abraham, saying: In thy aseed shall all the kindreds of the
earth be bblessed.
19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the arestoration of the Jews in the latter days. 20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of aIsaiah, who spake bconcerning the crestoration 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 dhumble themselves before the Lord.
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18a
Gen. 12:3 (1-3);
Abr. 2:11 (6-11); TG Seed of Abraham b TG Israel, Mission of 19a Isa. 42:22-23; 1 Ne. 19:15; b TG Israel, Gathering of; TG Israel, Judah, People of 20a 1 Ne. 19:23 b Isa. 40:9 c TG Israel, Restoration of d 1 Ne. 16:5 (5, 24, 39)
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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
atree which he saw?
22 And I said unto them: It was a representation of the atree of life.
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21a
1 Ne. 8:10-12 22a 1 Ne. 11:4; Moses 3:9
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23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the arod of
iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24 And I said unto them that it was the aword of God, and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ctemptations and the fiery ddarts of the eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction. 25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give aheed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the bfaculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all thingsa.
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25a keep his commandments always in all things It is simple enough to say and it was that requisite laid down from the very foundation of the earth, that 'we would be proved herewith, to see if we would do all things whatsoever the Lord our God should command us' (Abraham 3:25). And if we would so 'keep our second estate, we should have glory added upon our heads for ever and ever' (Abraham 3:26). |
23a
1 Ne. 8:19-24 24a 1 Ne. 8:19; TG Gospel b Prov. 4:13 c 1 Ne. 8:23; TG Temptation d Eph. 6:16; D&C 3:8; D&C 27:17 e TG Devil 25a D&C 11:2; D&C 32:4; D&C 84:43-44; TG Scriptures, Study of b W of M 1:18
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26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the ariver
of water which our father saw?
27 And I said unto them that the awater which my father saw was bfilthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water. 28 And I said unto them that it was an awful agulf, which separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God. 29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful ahell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked.
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26a
1 Ne. 8:13 27a 1 Ne. 12:16-18 b TG Faithfulness 28a Luke 16:26; 1 Ne. 12:18; 2 Ne. 1:13 29a 1 Ne. 8:32 (13-14, 32); TG Hell
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30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the
ajustice of God did also divide the wicked from the
righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a
flaming bfire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and
ever, and hath no end.
31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of aprobation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the bdeath of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal? 32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their aworksa, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of bprobation.
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32a the day should come that they must be judged of their works The vision of all which Nephi, as well as many others, did see clearly depicted the final judgement of man as recorded by John the Revelator. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Revelation 20:12). And though Nephi was commanded not to write the vision of John, Nephi does preach the doctrine so plainly documented by that vision, that men would stand before God and be judged according to their works, even 'the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of this 'life' of this probation'. This doctrinal theme is repeated throughout the Book of Mormon from that very perspective as seen by Nephi, Lehi, John the Revelator and many of the other prophets of God who had seen the vision also, that the works of men would be judged of God. |
30a
TG
God, Justice of;
TG
Justice b Num. 11:1, 10; 2 Ne. 26:6 31a TG Probation b Alma 40:11 (6-26) 32a TG Good Works b TG Probation
Then what logically follow with, becoming a further extension of that exercise of Works in Faith is for man to receive of those required saving ordainances and principles of the gospel such as repentance of sin and forgiveness, being born again in a newness of righteous life both of the water and of the spirit. And it this particular set of works which is refered to as the 'Doctrine of Christ', it being the 'Gate' by which all men MUST enter to be upon that strait and narrow way, that path which will eventually led to eternal life, the tree of life, the love of God. And only those who continue in that path enduring to the end in the proper works of having a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit, showing forth that continued humility and meekness were by they are taught and learn of the further things of God required of them according to the mind and will of God, subjecting themselves unto him in all things whatsoever he doth command them to do; only those who so endure will obtain the Kingdom of God. Now the greatest works of all are those selfless good works of service to God and man. And one of the utmost works within this scope are those which spread forth the way of God unto eternal life. That is the service of bring souls unto God. And these good works of service to God and man are those which must be based in the Pure Love of Christ, of that pure intent which is written in the fleshy tables of the heart, the Love of God and man unto salvation and exaltation which is known as Charity. And now, that standard by which we will be measured, that example which is given for us to immulate, is that of the life of Jesus Christ. We are to be even as he is, and here in lies the whole of the matter, that we are to become even as Christ. We are to put upon us the image and countenance of Jesus. We are to be his disciples and followers, doing all things which his life example teaches us to do. And by so doing we may become Even As He Is. And He has become Even As God Is. And in this we may become one even as He and the Father are one. And in this, by these works which lead man to become AS GOD IS, is to be found those works which bring the reward of Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom of God. These are the works of this life by which we are to be judged. |
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33 Wherefore, if they should adie in their
wickedness they must be bcast off also, as to the things
which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they
must be brought to stand before God, to be cjudged of their
dworks; and if their works have been filthiness they must
needs be efilthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be
that they cannot fdwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the
kingdom of God must be filthy also.
34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of afilthiness prepared for that which is filthy.
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33a
Ezek. 18:26;
Mosiah 15:26; Moro. 10:26 b Alma 12:16; Alma 40:26 c TG Jesus Christ, Judge; TG Judgment, The Last d Ps. 33:15 (13-15); 3 Ne. 27:25 (23-27) e 2 Ne. 9:16; D&C 88:35 f Ps. 15:1-5; Ps. 43:3-4; Mosiah 15:23; Alma 11:37; D&C 76:62 (50-70); Moses 6:57 (55-59) 34a TG Filthiness
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35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that
aawful bhell of which I have spoken, and
the cdevil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final
state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast
out because of that djustice of which I have spoken.
36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that atree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most bdesirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the cgreatest of all the dgifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.
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35a
2 Ne. 9:19;
Mosiah 26:27 b TG Hell c 1 Ne. 14:9; D&C 1:35 b TG Justice 36a Gen. 2:9; 1 Ne. 8:11; 2 Ne. 2:15 b 1 Ne. 8:12 c Hel. 5:8 d D&C 14:7; TG God, Gifts of
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