Tree of Life  

"¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:" ~ Old Testament | Joel 2:28 Joel's words may be taken to heart at any period when the workings of the revelations of the Holy Spirit are active and received by man. Applied to the latter-days, Joel's words also apply to Lehi and Nephi in their days of spiritual enlightenment.

17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God—and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come—I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men."
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 10:17)

It is hard to say who Lehi's dream was guided by, but Nephi specifies his was guided by the Spirit of the Lord himself at first. And further evidence supports that it was the Lord who at began to take Nephi through his vision. That evidence in when Nephi notes that the 'spirit body' of the Lord was in the image of a man even as Mahonri Moriancumr had also seen and even had the Lord God Jehovah tell him in Ether chapter 3.

5 "And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 "And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him."
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 8:3 - 6)

Certainly when man finds himself outside of the presence of God it is a very 'lone' place to be. And this telestial state is quite dreary in comparision with the Celestial heights of God or even such as the Garden of Eden of Adam and Eve. When born into this world our spirit soul, comprised of eternal intelligence of light and truth combined with our spirit as having been born of our Heavenly Father and Mother, is placed into our infant temporal mortal body of flesh and bones. And further our mental conscience memory of our preexistence has had a veil of forgetfulness drawn over it. As that infant child we are quite helpless and without tender, loving and caring parents to look after us, we would be quite distitute. Sadly, as we grow up and learn of the things of this world, if we have not be favored to have found our relationship to God and Jesus Christ, our inner spiritual self can still be quite alone and quite helpless and still in a very dark and dreary set of surroundings, even a 'wilderness of waste.'

In Lehi's dream/vision he finds himself in just such a dark and dreary wilderness, even a 'waste' as it were. Certainly this life without hope in Jesus Christ for a heavenly future after death can be very cold and meaningless without any ryhme or reason to it. At least Adam and Eve had some amount of understanding to have hanged onto given them, for they were commanded to offer sacrifice unto God though they knew not exactly why. At that point they were no better off that the children of Israel in their stupper of knowledge situation when they had lost their greater understanding that their sacrifices instituted by Moses were indeed connected to the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. And to Adam and Eve, without that further light and knowledge, they too found themselves in a dark, lone and dreary world until an angel appeared unto them and taught them the meaning of their sacrifice and the atoning mission of Jesus Christ, their Redeemer who would come and deliver them back into the presence of God if they would be faithful unto the living of the commandments of God. (The Ministry of Angels, by Elder Jeffery R. Holland & Moses 5:6-8, etc.)

As Lehi's dream/vision progressed, this would come to yield that same degree of understanding that Adam and Eve had once again achieved, that is of understanding the Love of God and the ultimate answers to life on earth that are to be found in the condescension of God, the Father and Son, in thus providing man with that path of the atonement unto salvation and eternal life. In contrast to lost loneness and darkness of forgetfulness of life without God's presence and love, and further being inflicted by that darkness of deception and lies placed upon man by Satan, the light of Christ is quite white and glorious, even as that of the tree of life that Lehi's dream does lead to.

At least after Lehi's pray of faith unto the Lord the dark and dreary wilderness has somewhat transformed into a large and spacious field representing the world (1 Nephi 8:9, 20). And just as the 'Tree of Life' was found in the midst of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9), so it would seem that if one will search it out on earth, it is still to be found in the 'midst' of the earth as well. And though men are only kept from it for they know not where it may be found, the steps of progression toward it are laid out in Lehi's dream, that being the prayers of faith and a life of living by the very Word of God on the path that leads thereto.

The Tree of Life: The fruit thereof filled my soul with exceedingly great joy. It was desirable above all other fruit. The fruit was most sweet above all that I ever before tasted, yea, I beheld that the fruit thereof was white to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. The beauty thereof was far beyond, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow. The Tree of Life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all gifts of God.

tree: beauty far beyond, exceeding all beauty, whitness exceeds that of driven snow

fruit: desirable to make one happy, most sweet above all ever tasted, white to exceed all whiteness, above driven snow, fills soul with exceedingly great joy, exceeding beauty most delicious, most precious, most desirable above all fruits, greatest of all gifts of God, Love and Gift of God.

16 "¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(New Testament | John 3:16)

More To Come on the Meaning of the Tree of Life

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A Virgin Fair and White Most Beautiful Above All

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Nephi's Question

The meaning of the 'tree' as the 'Love of God' is adequate but hardly complete.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ~ New Testament | John 3:16

Overlaid upon the Tree of Life dream platform as given to Nephi, comes a more complete understanding of the Tree of Life's interpretation and meaning. It is the Gift of Christ unto the world that will receive it. Nephi did not relate all that Lehi had spoken and written, so we do not know the full extent of what Lehi did and/or did not see in his dream/vision of the Tree of Life. Neither do you know all that Lehi did know and understand before, after and throughout. For example did Lehi already know or have a fuller answer to 'Knowest Thou the Condescension of God?' Lehi was a prophet, and he ought to be given full benefit of knowing all that his prophet son Nephi did know and understand. But for sure Nephi sees here a full meaning of the Tree of Life, that it is the Gift of the Son of God, that living water that is given unto man for the redemption of man that he might gain eternal life and immortality, which is the very work and glory of God (Moses 1:39).

And just perhaps, the manner of Lehi's Dream as told upon the small plates of Nephi is after the manner of the parables of Christ, which were given to be understood according to the spirits workings within the hearts and minds of men. That is they were not to be fully understood until one was so prepared to understand them as further given to a man to so understand by the whisperings of the Spirit of God.

All said here is incomplete. So stay tuned for a 'more complete' meaning of the 'Tree of Life' as the 'Condescension of God.'

"Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?" Nephi asked to know the meaning of the tree which his father saw. After seeming the birth of Christ as the Condescension of God, did Nephi grasp the meaning of the Tree of Life? Remember that when Nephi first asked to know the meaning of the tree, he was asked the 'leading informative question' if he knew the 'Condescension of God?' Did he now fully know that Jehovah's coming to earth and his related mission was the fuller meaning of the 'Tree of Life' that is the 'Condescension of God?'

Nephi's answer is expanded as he states, "Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men... ." This would do for a Christmas time answer and is such as Dicken's little book 'A Christmas Carol.' But it is yet an answer not complete in understanding. From what happens next and continues on in Nephi's vision, it ought to be understood that it is not yet a complete understood either by Nephi or by those who merely merrily have 'Merry Christmas' upon their lips at Christmas time, but fail upon the matter the rest of the year. Good will toward men is only a part of the story. So still stay tuned.

By doing this it seems to 'veil' the knowing and understanding that the 'Condescension of God' was that Jehovah, the Old Testament God, 'Concescended as God' being also Jesus Christ. This was so he could redeem his people. Yes, Jehovah, who is the same as Jesus Christ came to earth. That 'Spirit God' of the Old Testament, Jehovah, the God of Moses took upon himself a mortal tabernacle. There are a number who do not like that, including the Jews.

The gospel plan is for all righteous children of Elohim to take upon themselves a body of flesh. Jehovah's sacrifice was to take upon himself the sins of all, to suffer, bleed and die as Jesus Christ our Savior.

Lehi's concern is with partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Life, the Gospel of Christ, which is the Plan of Happiness. And Lehi's concerns are very envolved as to him it was a personal experience of life that he was a participant in. And he was further to be concerned with the welfare of his family who have his full attention. Thus Lehi does misses a couple of items of which Nephi as an observer does notice. Nephi explains that Lehi was 'swallowed up in other thing that he beheld not such other matters.'

Filthy Fountain/River of Water: filthiness, (gulf and river thereof representation of awful hell prepared for the wicked)

Mists of Darkness: temptation of the devil which blindeth the eyes and hardeneth the hearts of men

Broad Roads: that the devil lead men away into that they perish and are lost

Large and Spacious Building: Vain imaginantions, pride of the children of men,

Great and Terrible Gulf: Justice of God divides man from God - separated the wicked from the tree of life (must come unto Christ and repent to bridge the 'Gulf' between heaven and earth - the spacious building) the gulf and its river combine to represent hell

Fountain of Living Water or Tree of Life: representation of the Love of God - Condescension of God - Gospel Plan of God

Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto Lehi and come and partake of the fruit.

The 'Iron Rod' is the Word of God and whoso would hearken unto the word of God and hold fast to it would never perish, neither could the temptations and fiery darts of the adversary overpower them to blind and lead them away. The Rod of Iron extended along the bank of the river. It was so positioned to be both a gaurd rail and a rescue rail; in both cases always present and ready to grasp onto and to guide man to the Tree of Life. If man will learn to humble himself and come unto the Lord and live by his Word, his commandments, then that man may have claim upon the atonement made for the remission of his sins and the acceptance of God unto Eternal Life.

After Giving Nephi the first ensight into the Condescension of God, that is Jehovah as Jesus Christ coming dowm form his throne on high to redeem his people. The now angel guide continues to further Nephi's understanding that it envolved the entire ministry of Jesus Christ of the taking the gospel to the people and further installing his early church among them then. And given to Nephi's understanding was further that the early church would fall into corrupted belief as it leaders fell into the entrapings of the Devil.

It is the pride and the erogants of the innovative know it all without God world that will divide man from God. Satan will use the self conciet of man to think himself the better.

18 And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever."
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 12:18)

   As per Nephi's presentation of Lehi's Dream/Vision, and then Nephi's later vision interpretaion of such, that is the presented in Lehi's vision and the interpretation of such as given above, is centered upon the central theme of Jesus' Life in the Meridian of time. That correlation is drawn considering 1 Nephi 11 and a bit from 1 Nephi 12, that does parallel with the vision of Lehi as presented in 1 Nephi 8.

Chapter 11 and part of 12 of Nephi's related vision speaks to Nephi's receiving explanations of Lehi's dream. And they are very much Christ centered as Nephi is shown in the first part of that which he presents as 'Nephi saw the things that Lehi saw' (1 Nephi 14:29). From that centering of the vision in the meridian involvement of Christ's mission to perform the atonement sacrifice, which is a centrally essential event of the 'Condescension of God, Nephi is from thence in later chapters (12-14), taken into the furture of the Lord's dealings with Israel and that of the bring forth of the seed of Joseph in 'Ephraim' to the fulfilling of the covenant promise to Abraham.

And that Covenant promise to Abraham [of the fathers to the earth] is the taking the gospel to the nations of the earth. And though Nephi is mindset upon his descendants and brothren, the vision does continue on into that of John the Revelator and into that which Nephi is forbidden to write because John is assigned to write it, etc.

The scope of that continuation is but into the future of the world in relation to the administration of Jesus Christ unto the fulfilling of the Covenant of God with man on earth. And in that respect Nephi is seeing the continued dealings of Jesus Christ/Jehovah with mankind to the bring about the immortality and eternal life of man through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is that part of the Vision of All Things, which Nephi also alludes to.

Nephi had stated that, "... also others who have been, to them hath he [the Lord] shown all things, ... " (1 Nephi 14:26). In context, 'others', which is plural, must imply and allude back to Nephi himself, John the revelator just previously mentioned, and also very possibly Lehi as well, as is was Lehi's vision which Nephi was seeing. That is they being those who just had been recorded as seeing such from which 'also others' may stem from. And then to those others, they are said to 'have been' in the past who have written. Who these others could have been to Nephi are those prophets of the brass plates and also the brother of Jared, but only if Nephi had been show to see him. Nephi certainly has a great affinity for and with the prophet Isaiah, as he writes many chapters of Isaiah right into the Book of Mormon from the plates of brass. Thus Isaiah, and his 63 chapter vision, would be one prime canidate for being a member of those others. And if Isaiah as a prophet from the brass plates, then others of such might qualify as well.

What is here to be said before continuing on into the 'rest' of Nephi's vision, is that it is a continuation into the 'Ministrations of the Lord' unto his people in the purposes of the fulfilling the Covenant promises of God unto his children. Essentially it is that part of the Vision of All that continues on from the life of Jesus in the meridian of time on to the very endings of time in that which John the Beloved, the Revelator, had been also shown in vision.

Lord's Mercy to bring forth plain and precious Gospel unto Gentiles.

Some seem to imply or even suggest or even state that Lehi's 'Little' Dream/Vision is that of but 'short' symbolic tour in and of it self and apart from Nephi's lengthier experienced vision. It is made out to be Lehi's short dream-vision, which Nephi's longer 'set of visions' take off from. And Nephi's later vision and gospel understanding are some how surpassing those of Lehi and and they are advanced forward beyond his father Lehi's understanding, Nephi having jumped above and beyond his father's level, by so leaping up upon that merely symbolic base that Lehi laid. I can hardly agree with that. Nephi clearly states that Lehi did teach and preach much which Nephi never did write into his small plates of Nephi record (1 Nephi 8:29-30, 36-38). And even when Nephi does record such, a part more of them are usually on his large plates record, which we do not have. And there is still a complete record written by Lehi himself that is referenced that one must consider. Nephi's account of Lehi's dream/vision of the Tree of Life may have or may not have been exactly that, no more or no less, than as Lehi saw or presented it to his sons in its degree of completeness, Nephi even has stated as much in the above verses cited. Nephi would have more of a propensity to record that which he himself did see first hand than that which Lehi related to him as then being second hand information.

When Laman and Lemuel asks of Nephi (1 Nephi 15L) what their father meant by this or that, it seems to be more of willing to ask a sibling over asking the father, whose answer would not be lacking but rather to be even much more than what Laman and Lemuel would have liked to hear or would want to let on to their father that they did not understand. Certainly Lehi knew exactly what he was inviting Laman and Lemuel to partake of, and it was not really a piece of fruit off a tree. Lehi knew that he was offering the gospel of Jesus Christ to his sons. Lehi had seen the coming down of the coming Lord in vision back in Jerusalem even from what Nephi has written in his small plates record. And there is really nothing that presents that Lehi did see and understand anything less than his son Nephi had received. That Lehi's dream was an incentive to Nephi to want to see and understand that which his father had already seen and understood is good and well. But there is nothing in that which sets out that Lehi had any less of an understanding of the word of God or in prophecy than Nephi.

When Nephi ends his 'shared portion' of his vision with his readers of the small plates, by the very nature of the small plates and what they state we are given to know that there is much that Nephi has not shared there on and not only that which he was told not to share. One statement Nephi makes is quite telling in this respect. Consider this verse from Nephi's record:

"And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel."
~ Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:26

This verse is telling in many ways. Nephi is speaking of the Lord revealing unto others 'all things' and it must be presumed that 'all things' means 'all things'. When the brother of Jared was shown the vision of all, it was never stipulated that 'others' would not also be shown that vision whether in parts or as a whole. It was just that Mahonri Moriancumr was given that he was to write a record of the whole of the vision. That was later translated by such as Mosiah II and eventually released to the righteous after the time of the Lord. Yet it was sealed back up.

Also, Ether would most likely have had access to such in his preserving the Jaredite records. And if you take Moroni at his word, he prepared his small abridgment of the Jaredite record from Ether's record, though some suggest without proof or authority otherwise. And since Nephi made the statement in a manner that alludes to himself and also likely his father Lehi, that others beside himself, his father, and even John the Apostle are 'also' to be included in those others who have seen 'all things.'

Now why does Nephi have such an affinity for Isaiah's writings to the extent that so much of the book of Isaiah is just 'copied' over into the Book of Mormon from the plates of brass? I have to suppose that if you have seen the vision, certainly even such as a book as that of Isaiah has become plain and easy to understand.

Lehi can hardly be held to being the least wit behind his son Nephi in vision and understanding. And it is well that Nephi had seen 'all things in vision' himself and gotten that understanding first hand rather than to have had to wait for even the first edition of it in his father's book.

Lehi's Dream a 'springboard to prophecy?' No, at least not concering 1 Nephi 11-14. That would be more to having seen it in the same vision which his father Lehi had also seen, and just a matter of setting it out as it was in that vision so seen and experienced. But what is prophecy more than this? Will Lehi spoke much by the spirit and power of the Holy Ghost, but here in the account Nephi gives in 1 Nephi 11-14, the angel guide is giving Nephi the answers, the instructions, and the commands to 'Look' here and 'Look' there within the continuing vision of all, in order for Nephi to look and see it. And Nephi is seeing but what he saw and was told of by the angel and by the Lord in these chapters.

Prophecy? Yes, being that it is and was of the Lord, but that it was that of sight unseen in this case for those chapters specific to Lehi's dream? Likely not. And what we do have of Lehi's teachings and knowledge per what little we have in Nephi's writings, does speak to the fact that Lehi knew well all these things of God himself and did not rely on Nephi to prophesy them to him.

That Nephi's presentation of Lehi's dream in 1 Nephi 8 is a 'milk-toast' rendition is likely. That even Lehi did give it as such to the general audience of the encampment is further likely. That Lehi did see more and/or understood far more than he presents in even further likely. That Nephi is motivated by his father's initial presentation is for sure. Nephi wants to see it too and to understand it as well. Lehi has been seing visionary portion ever since at least Jerusalem in 600 B.C. That Lehi would not have need as much 'look-see' tour guiding is also to be understood, as Lehi has been the 'seeing' prophet for much longer than Nephi. But that Lehi has had any less of a visionary experience that Lehi is not at all to be derived. That Lehi saw Jesus and the twelve descending out of heaven in Jerusalem already is true. That Nephi sees it as part of the 'look-see' tour of 1 Nephi 11-14 is true. Does Nephi at this point 'presume' that he is some who such has seen all? 1 Nephi 14:26 states it that way. Does Nephi put forth that he has seen more than Lehi? Not at all. In fact Nephi's statement seems to include his father as well as such as John the Apostle and Mohonri Moriancumr and even others such as Isaiah. Is Nephi's vision a basis for any different understanding than was already had by Lehi? No. Is there evidence that Lehi has seen other things that Nephi does not tell about himself knowing? It could. (Lehi's understanding about the prophecies of Joseph and the future of his, Lehi's seed. Are all of Lehi's understandings presented? No. Is Nephi's vision of 1 Nephi 11-14 unrelated to Lehi's vision. No not at all. In fact Nephi is finding out what his father's dream/vision means and there is good reason to suppose that Lehi already knows what it means. Whoever has not seen the direct relationship between Lehi's and Nephi's visions are still having some catching up to do. Such as the fact that the large and spacious building is directly related to who and what the church of the devil is in all of its facets and aspects, that is everything that distracts from full and proper participation in the Chruch of God is of the Chruch of the Devil as will as now, then and in the future. To not conclude so is to fail to see the full spectum of just what the Chruch of God is and does. And what it does and does not included and/or exclude and the priorities attached there to. For example is football of the church of God or of the church of the devil? Obvious that becomes an issue of priorites and time management. Football if worshipped as to out of proper priority time endulgence with relation to the things of the kingdom of God is of the Devil. Football as a means to proper priority life goals is not. That's for example. Is dedication to attendance at the temple to the exclusion of providing a living for one's family of the Church of God? Not likely. The providing for one's family is an escential part of God's Chruch and Kingdom and there are proper priorites in that in the kingdom of God.

As for Christ's birth, baptism, ministry, and atonement, it is all a part of the condescension of God and of God's Love, for God so loved the world to provide for the salvation of his children. And it all fits into that consideration of 'all things'. That Lehi's vision of the tree of life is as much as a vision of all things as is Nephi seeing the 'future' is as much the same thing as is the need for the love of God, his atonement throughout all things. To cut that back is to deny that the tree of life which is Christ's work does not apply to all things from beginning to end. All things are set out before God, past, present and future and seen as one whole. So is Lehi's vision of the tree of life. So is Nephi's vision which is the same thing. Christ is the tree of life from beginning to end. He is all in all. And all things in him are. Nephi's vision was as much of the tree of life vision as anything is. All of what Nephi was shown, saw, and was told about fit as part of the vision of the tree of life, the gospel of Christ, that all encompassing work of God of bringing to pass the immortallity and eternal life of man. And it cannot be sectioned out as being a 'different interpretation' as it is all the same in one thing.

The birth of Jesus IS NOT 'an interpretation' of the tree of life symbol. It is a part of what that symbol entails. Just as the condescension of God is a part of God's love and God's love is the same as the tree of life symbol. God's love includes the whole of the life and mision of Jehovah who is the same as Jesus christ who is the alpha and omega, and the tree prepresents the whole of it. It cannot be reverse interpreted back out of it for then God's love, the tree the whole of the fruit is NOT complete. As a symbol we are not seeing a 'tree' as such, only what that tree in whole and complete does symbolize. To see anything less that from beginning to end, is to see less that what the symbol is symbolizing. And you don't work with half a tree symbol.

YES, the whole of the 'condescension of God is of the meaning of the Tree of Life. Lehi knew that and that is what he in truth was offering Laman and Lemuel, the gospel and its fulness. Not just Mary's birthing a child, not just Jehovah creating the earth under the direction of Father, not just the Final Judgment, not just Second Coming. Not just this or that. The Tree, that symbol represents it all. This is no new interpretation of the tree to God. To Laman and Lemuel maybe. But not to God and not to God's Prophets. Nephi would not think of it as anything other than to be exactly what the tree represented all the time along and no new 'future' prophecy of it. It was what it was on the table in the preexistence. It is that of what it has been all along in the final bar of judgment. It is not an expanded new interpretation not known. It is, was and will ever be all of what it all has ever been. When Lehi spoke it to Laman and Lemuel it was what it was, the whole of it, whether Laman and Lemuel comprehended then or not or even whether Nephi comprehended then or not. The only one that this could have been 'news' to at the point of presentation to Nephi, was to Nephi. And it was not some add on, new facet, or not previously meant or intended part or partial of it. It was what it was.

Perhaps it is but the wording that is poor. Nothing has 'sprung' from it. It was always what it was from the beginning. Perhaps a person's understanding of it has become more complete. But it was always everything, every element and every part of what it was. To spring from something implies added to or added upon. Nothing was added upon it. Nothing was added to it. Nothing was increase or decrease from what the full interpretation of it always was, is, and ever will be.

No intrepretaion did derive from it that was not already of it. It did not evolve. It did not proceed. It did not stem or grow out of it. It was alway right there. It was it all the time. It did not originate from it. It was it. It did not arise from it. It was already there. It did not emanate from it. It was there long before. It was there just the same as it was. It will ever be just what it was. It did not leap, jump, bound, vault, hop. It didn't even 'pop up'. It always just was right there, ever was, still is and ever will be just what is always has been. At best what Nephi received in 1 Nephi 11-14 was further enlightenment as to just exactly as to what it always was and that likley Lehi already knew about it. It didn't even emanate out of it. It was alway right there all the time. There was no new creation about it. All that was advanced was further understanding of what it already was.