The Vision of All
~ An Ensample ~
[The Seed of the Tree of Life]

prepared by Don R. Hender

Preface "There is a Vision of All authorized by God and variously written by men as assigned by God. That text has been read, translated and written by various men of God through time. Others have seen the vision as well, or at least particular portions of that very vision and they have written that which God has authorized them to have written. Many of those 'portions' are available today if one but recognizes them for what they are. As for the full authorized version, it will again in the due time of the Lord, be brought forth to man. As it is today, man is left to read, study, glean, and be inspired as to what it is and how it all fits together as variously assigned remnants may be gleaned and sectioned together. Much has been given to that end and this presentation sets forth a view on that matter. And why should God give us the whole of it when we fail to study and appreciate that which he has already given us to understand in his written Word?" - drh

~ PART I ~

"There is a Vision of 'Life' that is of 'All Things' to be received from the hand of God. God giveth it to man according to man's seeking, asking, obedience and readiness to receive. Often it is given line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little as accessed through God's Word, His Holy Scriptures, and as one is led by the Spirit through them. Also man may receive such through the workings of the process of revelation by the further powers of the Spirit of God. Some have so seen in vision such truths of God, even as it were as a 'Vision of All Things.' If Man doth not spew out and reject that which he receives from God by the lack of faith and man's lack of obedience to God's commandments and/or man's further failure to be willing to follow God in all things; man will be given to see and know 'eventually' all things even of the mysteries from and of God. Either one may advance upon such a path towards God or saddly one may retrogress and fall backwards and even lose that which he may have once received, believed, understood and even knew to be true." ~ drh

The 'Vision of All' is just that. It is the vision of all things from the beginning to the end. That visionary experience has been given to man, particulary to the prophets of God such as Mahonri Moriancumr, Ether, Isaiah, Moses, Zechariah, Lehi, Nephi, Mosiah II (who translated it from the Jaredite plates), Moroni, the Apostle John, Joseph Smith and others. Most are taken through the vision by an 'angel guide' who assures the seeing of various particular relevant things to the particular prophet or person receiving that vision. It may well be such as that visionary 'mechanism' (for the want of a better word) refered to as the 'sea of glass' by which God does see and preceive and know all things from the beginning to the end. Certainly what is seen and comprehended is dependent upon each person and what they are given and guided to see. Lehi's and Nephi's such vision is general referenced as the 'Tree of Life' dream or vision though certainly Nephi's 'guided tour' seems to be a bit more in depth as he over laps into that which the apostle John, the Revelator, did see. But Nephi was denied to report such in his further account as such parts of such were reserved unto John and John writing it. Today a good comprehensive study of the scriptures and the words of the prophets can given a person some perception as to the contents of such vision from before the foundation of the world to the end thereof. And such would include an understanding of the events of the preexistence, the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, the events of the Old Testament and New Testament, of the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenant and the History of the Church, etc. Though the brother of Jared's assigned written account of the whole of it all might be more concise, I would think that any actual unabridged account of it all would be voluminous and literally of a prohibitive nature by the very fact of what it must really be. But one might well conceptually build one's own understanding of it from what we have already been given to know by the hand of God.

Snippet of Eternity — The Ages of Time

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ | Pre-Mortality Adam & Eve Flood Jaredites—Book of Mormon—Nephites Burnings Second Coming Final Judgment |
| Alpha--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Omega |
| Local Creation Old Testament New Testament Early Church Apostasy Reformation Restoration Gathering Millennium |

~ O R ~

As Seen as a Singular Life Cycle Thread of One Person's Life.

" ... all things are present before mine eyes ... "
~ D&C 38:2 ~

"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."~ Old Testament | Isaiah 29:11 - 12
" ... in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof." ~ Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 27:7
[Nephi knew of the 'vision of all' long before the Jaredite record was found among them.]
" ... he [Jehovah Redeemer] showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even to the ends of the earth." ~ Book of Mormon | Ether 3:25 (25-28)
"Behold, I [Moroni] have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared [Mahonri Moriancumr]." ~ Book of Mormon | Ether 4:4 (1-6>
" ... I [Moroni] have told you the things which I have sealed up . . . " ~ Ether 5:1

As Alma's Test: The Seed unto a Tree, even a Tree of Life ~ Alma 32:16-43

There, that is here, is a prime example of faith and accepting and believing by faith rather than critically picking a thing apart and disguarding it, for by disbelief and disavowing the truth and as for what the result is in terms of gained intelligence or lost intelligence therefrom. The Dream of the Tree of Life of Lehi is a prime example. You take one road to disprove it and mock it and find all the fault with it that you can and you will end up where that road leads you. And you will never attain to the place where the other road does lead, because you at the beginning chose to follow the opposite road.

There are those that begin to pick it a part by taking note that Joseph Smith Jr. 'must' of copied his father's dream into the Book of Mormon and therefore the whole of it is false and not true. You have just killed 'Mormonism', or so you think, which makes you feel prideful in you own ego feed position that you are just so smart and intelligent to see the flaw in the whole thing and you are able to ignore it and any and all truths that there just may have been in it if you just had not stumbled over this first beginning stumbling block.

The other road is to plant in you the idea that the Dream Vision of Lehi was true and from God. That would mean that Joseph Smith Sr. then had a similiar dream vision and that perhaps the Lord was begnning to prepare the Smith family for their eventual required acceptence and support of their prophet 'plow-boy' son Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So lets say that the second situation is the actual truth of the matter. You have just chosen one road or the other, haven't you? But, if you can just hope to believe that it might even just possibly be true, then you can plant that seed in you and see if it will develop and grow into a tree of eternal life in and of itself. Which ironically is exactly what the prophet Alma presented in his analogy in the Book of Alma of the Book of Mormon.

So let just say that you chose to persue Alma's test of planting that seed and trusting it to be true or even might be true and just see where that might take you/us in the Book of Mormon. Now I've been down this other road of it being true and I now know exactly where it does lead to. And for sure it leads to that growing tree of eternal life. But lets just back up and to where the seed is planted.

In the Book of Mormon you learn what Lehi's dream-vision was and some things about it. You learn that Nephi, Lehi's faithful son desires to see that same vision, asks the Lord to receive it and then Nephi is also given that same vision. In the process of receiving that same vision and being led through it by the angel guide, Nephi seems to learn more first hand than Lehi's initial report of the vision seems to disclose. You also find out through Nephi's extended telling of what his vision consisted of, what he learned from it and the understanding that he gained and you further are told that Nephi is told that he may not related all that he was given to see in the vision because the apostle John the revelator had also seen such a vision and that he had been assigned to tell his portion of gained information in the Book of Revelation. So now you have found out that not only Joseph Smith Sr. had a visionary experience, but that Lehi did as well and they were similiar. And then that Nephi had that visionary experience and that he learned much from it. But then you are also told that John the revelator's information he received was also out of and from this 'visionary' experience.

Now at this point you could rush to the Bible, read the book of Revelation and quickly determine that Lehi's vision and the apostle John's vision certainly does not seem to be of the same visionary experience at all. And then again you could just cast it out by your being once again in disbelief and go your merry way of following down that other broad way of living without the fulness of the gosepl of Jesus Christ and the strait and narrow way in your life. Oh, 'the strait and narrow way', what does that have to do with Lehi's vision? Well it does, don't you remember what Lehi perceived as an 'iron rod' being the word of God and that a straight and narrow path to the tree of life ran by it and if you held on to the word of God, then you would eventually reach that tree of life by having followed that strait and narrow path? Huh?

So then you decide to not throw the seed out, but allow it to grow, and see what happens. If you persue that seed by finishing reading the Book of Mormon you begin to learn a lot more relative to God's plan. And by the time you almost have reached the end of the book you suddenly are thrown into another extremely and highly abridged account of the Jaredites. Who are they? Will you decide to push on and you find out that in the beginning of the Jaredites, who lived in the time of the tower of Babel, the brother of Jared [Mahonri Moriancumr] also had a vision or visitation of God who turns out to be Jesus Christ that is Jehovah, the spirit God of the Old Testament. And that because of 'MM's' faith he could not be contained within the veil of forgetfulness and all things were revealed unto him in that which was refered to as 'The Vision of All' by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 29:11).

Now I've read and studied the scripture a bit and I'll fast forward you a bit. The prophet Isaiah does speak of a 'vision of all' in his book. Wonder why Nephi quotes directly from the writings of Isaiah so much from the stick or record of Joseph, the plates of brass, that Lehi had his sons return to Jerusalem to get so they would have the 'scriptures' among them? Will there is good reason for Nephi to do this. Nehpi relates quite well to Isaiah and states that he understands Isaiah, one of the hardest of the prophets and books of the Old Testament to comprehend, quite well. It fact it is plain unto Nephi. And there is good reason for that. It comes to be if you continue down this path to the tree of life, you to will find out that Isaiah had also received this same 'vision of all' and had written his assigned portions of it into his text of the book of Isaiah. So if Nephi, 'MM', John the Revelator, and Isaiah have all had this same 'visionary experience' of seeing 'it all', then no wonder that Nephi and Isaiah relate so well to each other and understand each other so well and that they plainly can see what the other is talking about. It's like a group of highly trained physicists getting together and all talking about the theory of relativity. They all seem to relate and know what each other is taling about.

Well, I've jump the gun a bit to make my point, so I'll back up a bit. So now you've read and finished the Book of Mormon once. And you've given it a 'test'. In effect you've had a quick layman's read through of E=mc². So now you know everything. Right? Not so fast Tonto. Perhaps you know something about one thing, but certainly if you had been paying attention to what you were reading, instead of having a complete knowledge 'all about it', you now have more questions than answers. And this is what Alma relates. That is, you have only 'tested' one 'lil'l thin' as Desi Arnz or Ricky would have said. So perhaps you study it a bit more. And heaven forbid, you read the Book of Mormon again. And this time you happen to notice something else about the ole boring book that Mark Twain commented, that 'Ether' was an appropriate name for.

What is that additional little thing? This 'vision of all' is woven throughout the book. Oh, you didn't notice that? Well back with Nephi in the beginning of the book, when he receives his vision of the tree of life, he mentions such a vision of all as well. So now you begin to tie the threads together and weave them together into a more detailed tapestry, and you begin to take note that this is what, not only Lehi, Nephi, Alma, Mahoni Moriancumr, John the revelator, Isaiah and you could absolutely throw in others, such as Daniel, Zechariah etc. of the Bible as well are relating to in their visionary experiences of the prophecies of these prophets of God.

Time for another short cut. In the Doctrine and Covenants— OH! What is a Doctrine and Covenants? Will as the gospel was restored a number of revelations were received by the prophet Joseph Smith and some others, and they have been combiled into the D&C. So, in the Doctrine and Covenants you learn that God sees all things from beginning to end as one eternal round on that which is called the 'sea of glass'. What is the 'sea of glass'? Well I've never seen it (yet), but as far as I can tell it makes 3D extra high difinition TV and such things as virtual reality seem like but kiddy cars in comparision as to a means of communicating complete knowledge and understanding in a single unit. Or in other words, it could very well be that which God uses when he gives a person a 'visionary experience'.

Now lets rewind a bit and just consider the simplicity of Lehi's dream, which is actually the basic format or pattern upon which the 'vision of all' may be laid. In the beginning God Created the earth—oh, that's Lehi's vast field representing the world. And God planted in the center of that realm a tree of life in the very center of the Garden of Eden. That story is in Gensis of the Bible, the book of Moses, the book of Abraham and also referenced to in the Book of Mormon and very much all of the scriptures of God. Wow! Lehi had a visionary dream about the 'Tree of Life'. Man's purpose for coming to this earth is to be tested to see if we will obey that which God teaches us. If you are successful, then we can gain eternal life in and through the atonement of Jesus Christ, Right? Maybe you are not enough a Christian to understand that? Well, Lehi's dream is all about that. Ever wish that earth came with a road map or a master guide plan so that you could understand what's going on here? —Lehi's Dream— or the vision of all folks.

And as simply put in the dream, you hold on to the 'iron rod' (which Joseph Smith Sr. but perceived as being a long stretched out point to point 'rope'.), and if your hold on to that word of God and follow it, that is God's commandments and gospel, then it will lead you to Eternal life and God's kingdom. Simple huh? From the simplest understanding to a vehicle so flexible to enable all of the complexities of the God's master Eternal Plan of Progression to be laid upon it, that is the Vision of the Tree of life. 'You get out of it what you put into it', is one way of looking at it. Another is that what every principle of intelligence that you attain to here in this life the greater the advantage you will have in obtaining God's truth and eternal life. That is if you are already highly prepared and knowledgable, filled with God's wisdom, then the more capacity you have to receive what is to be given and gotten out of the vision of the Tree of Life.

Each of the various prophets who have had this vision of all revealed unto them have receive of it that which pertained unto them and their needs. Mahonri is the one who did see it all from the beginning to the end and was commanded to write the whole of it. Others have had such guide tours of it as needed. The vision of all is the vision of Life or the Tree of Life and all that so pertains to this life. One example of a directly fitted use of revealing just such particular as was needed for a certain prophet to see, was the case of Ether. Now Ether may have seen it all and for sure he had the words of Mahonri to draw upon as well. But in the particular case of needing to see that which was occuring daily upon the battle fields of the Jaredites, which were scatter far and about, Ether was but held up in a cave. And he would 'view' the events that did happen at night in this 'night dream or vision' as provided from the vision of all. He would see exactly what was or had taken place each night and he was able to scripturally report on such in that which he wrote. He did not have to trail after the waring Jaredite troops across the country side. He had what was for sure the truth of the events provided by this visionary format of the vision of all concerning the tree of life of the whole of it and particularly to Ether at that juncture, he would see the events of the great Jaredite wars of extinction.

Have I surpassed your ability to recieve? Is your capcity over flowing yet? Swish, did it just go over you head? Or do you seem to understand what I am saying? Or are you again just ready to jump ship and throw in the towel and call it all a fraud. It is a book of 'Ether' to the great story teller Mark Twain. But the Book of Mormon is not just a 'great story', nor does it suppose to be such a light level of reading in depth as a fictional novel. A 'snow job'? I know it is not. I know it is for real. There is so much there to be had and gotten and received and understood. Yes, I've read it a number of times. Yes, I've studied it quite a little bit.

And yet, I know that I am just still at the surface level of scratching at it even now. And a 'plow-boy', farm-boy, a common laborer for hire, is suppose to have written it? I think not. I know that not to be the case. There is no way such could be written by the hand of man, even one of the highest scholars of the ivory tower world could not have written it. Only God could have been its master planner and architech. Only God could have enter woven the fulness of the truth that is in that book. Only God knows so well his Eternal Plan. And only God's truth could have put it there in the Book of Mormon as it may be found to be by anyone who will plant and norish its seed. Cast it out because Joseph Smith sr. was given a brief glimpse of the vision of it? Not on your life! And for real, it is your life that may hang in the balance upon it.

We have learned from the Book of Mormon that the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon plates contained Mahonri Moriancumr's unabriged record of that complete 'vision of all'. One day that will be given to man by the hand of the Lord to read and understand. I hope and pray I haven't spoiled it for you by trying to give you a 'brief glimpse' of it here relative to its basic platform of communicating it in the 'vision of the tree of life'. Do not ignore it. Do not cast it out by your disbelief. Don't let my weakness in human communication skills deter you from it. I've ran on long enough about it. I'll leave you to it. In the name of Jesus Christ—Amen.

A Brief Listing of Prophets - What's Recorded
~ Candidates to Have Seen 'The Vision' ~

Enoch - Given to see many things - Moses 6:42; Moses7:23-49; etc.

Moses - Visions and understandings of Creation and much else. Moses-Genesis

Mahonri Moriancumr - Vision of All. Ether 3 & 4 Etc.

Ether - Jaredite Prohet compiler of Jaredite scriptures.

Isaiah - Prophecies and Visions as written touching all things in Isaiah.

Zenos - Particularly the Olive Tree (Jacob 5) etc. as recited in B of M.

Daniel - Visions and Prophecies as written in the text of Daniel.

Ezekiel - Number of teleportation/visionary experiences of his own day - Ezekiel.

Lehi/Nephi - Visions and Prophecies as written in the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8-15, etc.

Mosiah II - He translates the 'Vision of All' written by Brother of Jared.

Zechariah - His visions including Zechariah 3 of preexistence 'hearing' (Zech 1-4) Etc.

Moroni - Translates 'Vision of All' and he also 'sees much' the future of his people, etc.

Jesus Christ - Jesus was born a baby and did grow and develop - visionary experiences* for sure.

John the Revelator - Revelation and lives much of ministry of Jesus Christ - John.

Joseph Smith - Participant in Restoration manifestations - D&C 76 relates Plan of Salvation. D&C 76:13-14 From the beginning - to the various Kingdoms of Glory etc. Section 76.
[Note: My 2nd Great Grandfather was present for parts of the vision that Joseph Smith and Sydney Rigdon did behold and he relates some on the manner in which it was received.]

~ Mahonri Moriancumr, Nephi, Isaiah, John the Revelator Sees Vision ~

It would seem what I will call the 'vistas' of the vision of all may be openned to various extents. Some may see much through time, parts of time particular to them and their needs, and even very singular and selective snippets from the full context of the vision as selected to be shown, tour guided and so forth and so on. A vision segment of seeing say the birth of Christ or the glories of the 'rapture' of the translations of the passage 'twinkling' from life into the millennium wihtout tasting of death, are but moments from the vision of all. Zechariah's chapter 3 reports one snippet from the preexistence of the 'determination' of God proceedings concerning the matter betwix Jehovah-Jehoshua and Lucifer-Satan just prior to when Lucifer was cast out of heaven. And even though Zechariah speaks in separate 'visions' in his first chapters, he also testifies of seeing the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jeruselam as a prophecy Zech. 9:9 to when the Restored Church is the flock of his people of Zech. 9:16.

* The most rapid transference of information and understanding likely is the visionary transference. Consider that Jesus by age 12 was teaching in the temple and the scholars there were being amazed by the degree of his knowledge and understanding. And even through his further final preparations during the 40 days in the wilderness being ministered to by the angels. Certainly the Holy Spirit did rest upon him and abode with him, giving him a ready source of instant understanding when needful as well. Over his short life he amassed much in terms of his eternal understanding and knowledge as the God of Creation and of the Old Testament as well. The visionary experience seems to have a direct access to the intelligence and mind of man. It even seems that a 'vision' may remain mentally imbued and infused upon the brain and one can reflect upon it and further gain information and insight from that visionary experience at later times after the actual time of the vision itself.

Nephi Speaks of What He Saw - All Things Etc.

18 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
19 And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe.
20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been.
22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.
23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men.
24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see.
25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them.
26 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.
27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.
28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but a small part of the things which I saw.
29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
30 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen. (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 14:18 - 30)

Nephi points out that 'others' who had been before him, had also been shown all things. Nephi knew not about Mahonri Moriancumr except he had seen him in vision. So one who Nephi would have spoken about would have been such as Isaiah the prophet who has written much in prophecy himself. And all thouogh Nephi states that he has written but a small part of the things that he saw. Have you ever wondered why Nephi has quoted so many chapters from the plates of brass of the words of Isaiah? Nephi has an affinity for Isaiah. The reason being the he understands Isaiah's writings. And why shouldn't Nephi understand Isaiah's writing? If Nephi and Isaiah are speaking from the same vision of all things which each has had, then certainly Nephi can related and understand Isaiah. Isaiah has had that vision of all and is speaking from it, just as John the Revelator would eventually do and write his commanded part of it. Yes, our Lord and God is just that organized that there is one great visionary format of the vision of 'Life', that is the 'vision of all' and a number of the prophets have seen it and have been 'angel tour quided' through it. And these prophets have spoken and written variously from it as directed by God. What an understanding there is here to gain from the Book of Mormon? To come to that realization that God has spoken to his prophets in such unity of vision and that we can absolutely look to the whole of the written scriptures as 'one eternal round' or one 'eternal now' of information and from these scriptures begin to form just what is all a part of the Vision of All and gain some idea of what God doth see sitting upon his through viewing the sea of glass, all things present at once as though one vast vision, the past, the present and the future together as one. God sees all things. And if one does not cast out the simple idea that there is common elements of it, such as 'The Tree of Life', and can build upon that fact; man can come to know and progress to know all all things and the mysteries of God as well. But if one spews the dream/vision of the 'Tree of Life' out of their mouth, and but scoffs and scorns and mocks the truth of it, then where are they but lost on that wider broad path of denial upon which they are daily denying the things of God and daily are coming to know and understand less and less. And for some they have let such an opportunity go from their mocking the Joseph Smith Sr. had seen a portion of it in his dream of the Tree of Life. Yes, exercise the test of faith as explained by Alma. Plant the seed of the dream vision of the 'Tree of Life' in your heart and desire to know that it is true and it can literally grow and swell within your breast and become to you a 'Tree of Life' unto eternal life in coming to know God. Who ever considered this to we the capability of a poorly schooled young plow boy for hire to have made up? They just have not read, understood and given the Book of Mormon a chance to grow within their heart. It is absolutely from God. It is absolutely true. And all the critisisms and faults man can find in it according to the the small prideful minds of men, will all be proven wrong and a bucket of lies and fabrications in the minds of those men. And they will have lost the great understanding that they might have had of the things and ways of God and become lost wandering in the darkness of the ways and paths of the sinful world.

Speaking of the Brother of Jared - Mahonri Moriancumr
And of Jesus Christ Seen in Visitation

5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.
6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?
8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood.
9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?
10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.
11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?
12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.
13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.
16 Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
17 And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account of these things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto the Nephites.
18 And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.
19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.
20 Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him.
21 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt not suffer these things which ye have seen and heard to go forth unto the world, until the time cometh that I shall glorify my name in the flesh; wherefore, ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard, and show it to no man.
22 And behold, when ye shall come unto me, ye shall write them and shall seal them up, that no one can interpret them; for ye shall write them in a language that they cannot be read.
23 And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye shall seal them up also with the things which ye shall write.
24 For behold, the language which ye shall write I have confounded; wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write.
25 And when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth.
26 For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things�it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things.
27 And the Lord said unto him: Write these things and seal them up; and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children of men.
28 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that he should seal up the two stones which he had received, and show them not, until the Lord should show them unto the children of men. (Book of Mormon | Ether 3:5 - 28)

Moroni Speaks to That Which Mohonri Saw

1 AND the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen; and they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people.
2 And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he commanded that they should be made manifest.
3 And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up again in the earth.
4 Behold, I [Moroni] have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
5 Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.
7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.
8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.
9 And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire.
10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.
11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.
12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me�that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.
13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.
14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.
15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you�yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.
16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.
17 Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land.
18 Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.
19 And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen. (Book of Mormon | Ether 4:1 - 19)

Jesus Speaks as to Isaiah's Visionary Text

"AND now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.
"For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.
"And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake."
Jesus Christ ~ 3 Nephi 23:1-3

Nephi Speaks of His Affinity for the Words of Isaiah

" And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him." ~ 2 Nephi 11:2

Concerning the Sea of Glass
~ Make of This What You Will ~

6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 130:6 - 9)

What Is the Sea of Glass?

1 Q. What is the asea of glass spoken of by John, 4th chapter, and 6th verse of the Revelation?
A. It is the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 77:1)

More on the Sea of Glass

2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (New Testament | Revelation 15:2 - 3)

Sea of Glass of God
~ As Seen by John in Vision ~

2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (New Testament | Revelation 4:2-6)

Alma's Grand Experiment

So what is Alma's grand experiemnt? Here it is from the Book of Mormon:

17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.
24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that which is true—
25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might.
26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.
32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that [one] thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect [in all things]?
36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed [in this one thing] that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you. (Book of Mormon | Alma 32:17 - 43)

Now I have put forth the challenge to use the very dream/vision of the 'Tree of Life' to be but the seed which you may plant to ascertain much in respect to it. And I have detail much of what there is to be gained in understanding and knowledge in respect to so planting and nourishing that seed. But that is but respective unto that 'thing'. Many such 'seeds' of truth may be so planted into this experiment of Alma's. Amulek speaks after after teaches of the experiment and because those to whom he speaks question the very existance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer, Amulek puts forth the challege to plant Jesus as the seed into your heart.

Of Interest in Parallel

Now of some interest in parallel, one ought to review and consider the parable of the sower who doth cast the seeds to grow. Some have suggested that Joseph Smith was so smart to have interwoven that parable into Alma's seed experiment. Not at all. It is just an out growth of the similiarity and nature of the thing. And the parable as taught by Jesus may just as well been an adaptation of the seed experiment He drew upon to for His parable from.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (New Testament | Matthew 13:3 - 12)

Now the parable of the sower does point to four separate scenarios relative to ones own heart and the circumstance surrounding.

There is that where the seeds fall on the way side and those dirty birds come and snatch them away before they can ever reach the heart to become so implanted there. These dirty birds are they that stand in waiting to devour any such thing that may enter into the hearts of man least they should forgo a meal of there own at the expense of others.

Then there is the case of the heart or soil which is not prepared to receive the seed. Their hearts are as of stone and their adaptability to receive things of faith and of the spirit but fall on baren ground and the seed is dried up and whithered away by the sun or events of life before even such is taken into the heart of man.

Then there is the case of where the seed does find space in the heart, but because of the tars, the peers of unbelief who enter in, the seedling is crowded out by shame and being overgrown by the others round about totally entent but upon their own purposes at others expense.

Only in the last scenario is the seed sucessfully taken into the heart of man and nourhished and care for until it springs forth into a 'tree of life'. But even then from day to day there are dangers of the seedling or even the plant being up rooted and torn out of its place and cast aside by various desasterous causes and failed faith and disbeleif.

~ INDEX ~ ~ PART II ~

ver 5 August 2016

The Vision of All ~ An Ensample ~ [The Seed of the Tree of Life]