Journey, Adversity and Transition - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Sixteen (1 Nephi 16)

After Lehi’s family has spent some time in an area still fairly close to Jerusalem that has allowed them to retrieve items and people as the Lord deemed needful, and to receive important preparatory guidance and revelation, they are now ready to begin the next steps of their journey. No turning back at this point. They are really severing the ties with their ancestral home.

And it begins with the formation of new families. Nephi, his three brothers, and Zoram (Laban’s servant who joined them in the wilderness) all marry various daughters of Lehi’s acquaintance Ishmael. Not long before, we are told that at Nephi’s urgings, his brothers had “humbled themselves before the Lord.” The humbling process and their marriages seem to place them in a favorable situation to meet the challenges that are sure to come their way as they continue on their journey.

There’s also a sense that as these new families form, with each son (and Zoram) taking responsibility as husbands and fathers, the days where Lehi is the clear leader over this group are numbered. This generational pattern of leadership transition in families is a familiar one down to our day. And, as in all times, it raises questions about whether the next generation is ready to take charge.

For the time being, though, Lehi still leads the expedition. He receives word from the Lord that the group is to leave their camp and journey on, and the next morning he finds something at the entrance to his tent. Nephi describes it as a “round brass ball of curious workmanship.” Later in the Book of Mormon (Alma 37:38), we learn that the people call this device “Liahona” (which, in their language, means “compass”). It has two spindles. One of these spindles apparently points them in the direction they are supposed to go. How? Nephi tells us that somehow the Liahona works not by magnetism or some other law of the physical world, but rather according to the family’s faith and diligence.

Early on, it seems like everything works pretty well. The family travels in a south-southeast direction, apparently going along the Arabian coast near the eastern shore of the Red Sea, with the Liahona leading them to the more fertile areas in that desert region where they can hunt for food with bow-and-arrow and sling-and-stone.

But when Nephi’s metal bow breaks, everything changes. Apparently, he is the champion hunter of the group. Around the same time his bow breaks, the others’ wooden bows begin to give out. Once you lose access to food, it doesn’t take much for life in the desert to get pretty dismal, and after that it’s not easy to break the cycle of discouragement that ensues.

This is where we see a significant transition. Previously, Lehi has been the “rock,” or core source of strength, for his family. Now here they are, tired, out of food, and much farther away from civilization (Jerusalem) than before. As Laman and Lemuel start complaining again, joined by Ishmael’s sons, for the first time we really see Lehi’s own human frailty. I expect that his own “murmuring” may be explained partly by his concern that he is responsible for leading everyone into this predicament (or at least most everyone else thinks he is responsible).

Out of the whole group, Nephi is the one who keeps a cool head. First of all, he knows that it is the Lord, and not Lehi, who is in charge of the situation. Second, regardless of what has already taken place, he is focusing on what to do about the present, not lamenting past choices or speculating about the traveling party’s long odds of future survival.

But instead of completely taking over leadership and saying, “Now I’m in charge,” Nephi looks to find a way to reestablish and reinforce his father’s authority and faithfulness. He makes a new bow and arrow from wood and asks Lehi to inquire of the Lord where to go find food. This is wise for two reasons. First, because it’s the right thing to do. The Ten Commandments tell us to honor thy mother and father, and Jesus showed us how to do this perfectly by doing His Father’s will. The scriptures teach this same pattern with Isaac and Abraham and many others. Even if Lehi is not perfect, it is Nephi’s duty to lift Lehi up in his time of difficulty. The second reason for the wisdom of Nephi deferring to his dad is that Lehi is the only figure whose leadership the others will accept. It’s already been made clear that Laman and Lemuel have a very hard time with the idea of their younger brother leading them.

We then see the sincerity of Lehi’s repentance. It is interesting to read that the Liahona also can convey written messages from the Lord. We find out that some words appeared on the device that really scare everyone (except Nephi, it seems). Is it a warning about what might happen if they (especially Lehi) complain about their circumstances again?

In any event, order is restored. Lehi is directed to tell Nephi where to hunt, and once the food comes in, everyone feels more joyful and a little humbler. The journey continues.

Then Ishmael dies. And this is where we really see a transition. The single family unit we had is now splitting into several different family groups because of the recent marriages. This makes unity more challenging. Especially when it’s the wives (the daughters of Ishmael) who are complaining about their circumstances: “We’re hungry, thirsty, tired, and otherwise afflicted without any clear hope of a good end to our journey, and on top of that, now our father is gone and we’re left with this other old man and his crazy son leading us. We want to go home!”

It’s not absolutely clear, but unlike in 1 Nephi 7 where at least one of Ishmael’s daughters pleads with her brothers and with Laman and Lemuel to show mercy to Nephi, here there’s no mention that any of the daughters (not even the one Nephi married) show confidence in Lehi and Nephi. That doesn’t make them responsible for Laman trying to hatch a plot with Lemuel and Ishmael’s sons to kill and usurp authority from Lehi and Nephi, but it helps explain the situation a little better. Laman’s plot is quickly put down by the “chastening voice of the Lord,” which makes itself known to the plotters and leads them to repentance.

It appears from modern archeology that we have some idea of how far the group has traveled at this point. The chapter says that the place Ishmael died is called Nahom (meaning “consolation” in Hebrew). In February 2001, the Church magazine Ensign reported that some Latter-day Saint researchers located a stone altar dating to around 700 B.C. near the southwest corner of the Arabian peninsula (in present-day Yemen). According to this article and a later source, this altar and two others at the same site contain an inscription corresponding to the sound “NHM” in Sabean (a language related to Hebrew), appearing to confirm that Nahom is an actual place on what was known during that time as the Frankincense Trail (a very profitable route for traders in frankincense, which is found almost exclusively in that part of the world at that time).

There seems to be some speculation about whether Lehi’s family has followed the trail, and if they have, whether they have stayed on the well-traveled path or perhaps intentionally have stayed away from it and the various types of people it attracts.,

From this source and this source, there are some interesting maps. The first shows one possible version of the route Lehi’s family takes (with the site of the “Nahom” altars as place #5). Nahom is about 1,900 miles from Jerusalem, so the group is now many weeks’ (if not months’) distance from their starting point.

The next map is one of the Frankincense Trail and other trade routes with various historical places denoted (including some approximations for Book of Mormon places). The site Marib is where the Nahom altars are located, and is now an area near the crossroads of warring Sunnis and Shiites in modern-day Yemen.  

Which leads to our guest post. My good friend Todd Watkins sent me this perspective in response to the posting for "Nephi Catches the Vision," (1 Nephi 11) with particular emphasis on the meaning of the “great and spacious building.” I think his perspective offers a very interesting view into the possibilities that Lehi's vision may have had some very specific meanings for him and his family as they trekked through the Middle Eastern landscape of circa 600 B.C., especially when considering the other information above.

Here's what Todd said (and check out the picture he included too):

I wanted to share with you just one perspective as a long-time Middle East hand [Todd has spent many years living, studying, and working in the Middle East] that allows me to explain this dream and journey to myself in real world terms. 

In my opinion, Lehi's vision served two purposes.  The more spiritual one that you described in your post and a pragmatic/realistic one.

The building that Lehi describes appears to me to be similar to traditional Yemeni buildings that one would see in the old-walled city of Sana (see below).

In pre-Islamic times the buildings probably would not have had the Mashrabiya covers.

Lehi was probably aware of the cities in Yemen and as travelers in the desert, it would have been very tempting to go to the city for rest and supplies.

However, I think the dream communicated that if the group stopped there, Laman and Lemuel would not follow to the New World.

As such, I believe it was a very real warning to avoid the cities of Yemen and continue across the inhospitable desert to probably Salalah/Dhofar in Oman, where the annual Indian monsoon would have allowed for the growth of numerous and large trees to construct a boat.

Just food for thought.

In fact, identifying Salalah, Oman as the ultimate end to the journey on land and the departure point via sea (we’ll get to this in 1 Nephi 18) appears to track very closely with the theories in the maps above about Lehi’s route and the general trade routes of the time.

You can read the chapter at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/16?lang=eng

Have Ye Inquired of the Lord? - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Fifteen (1 Nephi 15)

Remembering how much God loves all his children, this chapter has a special poignancy. Once again, we find Nephi in dialogue with his brothers Laman and Lemuel (possibly Sam as well, because the generic word “brethren” is used). Once again the familiar pattern emerges. Nephi is perceptive and self-reliant in his knowledge of key aspects of the Lord’s plan, while his brothers find themselves behind the learning curve.

As time goes on, we’re seeing a gradual distancing between Nephi and his brothers. The things that Nephi has seen and heard because of his own willingness to go directly to the Lord and ask, and his further willingness to do those things that he realizes are necessary actions as a result of what he learns, are changing him into a more capable person. Someone who no longer depends on his parents for sustenance or his father for his spiritual well-being.

Sadly, we can’t say the same for Laman and Lemuel. The poignancy of the chapter comes from the fact that we and Nephi both see that there is still a part of them that really does want to know about God’s plan and their place in it. Despite their past mistakes, and the concerns forecast for them in the future, there is plenty of good in them.

And even now, if they were to act on those desires to know more, it is clear that they are in a place where they could be of great service as the Lord’s disciples. This strikes me as very similar to observing groups of young men and women from the ages of about 18 to 25. They often start out with much the same in terms of talents and opportunities, but as time wears on, you start to see the different trajectories of those who are committed to accomplishing important objectives (Nephi), and those who are struggling to find the animating purpose in their lives (Laman and Lemuel).

Ultimately, we are witnesses to the many chances Laman and Lemuel have to turn things around. Their father and now their brother are literally begging them to take some initiative and go straight to God for the knowledge that He is anxious to give them. Throughout the chapter, having been engaged in disputes about the meaning of their father’s different visions, the brothers ask Nephi about different aspects of the visions of the olive tree (the scattering and regathering of different “branches” of the house of Israel) and the tree of life.  

The following passage (verses 8-11) leaves Nephi dumbfounded at the opportunities he can sense Laman and Lemuel are throwing away:

8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.

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 perish, 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 ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Why did Nephi see this episode in his family’s history as especially important to share with us? I’m pretty sure it has less to do with setting the record straight between him and his brothers than it has to do with us. Nephi is trying to tell us that even if Laman and Lemuel missed their opportunities, we don’t have to miss ours. It’s a classic prophetic warning and invitation, radiating God’s love all around it. In essence, Nephi is saying:

“My friends, please, please heed this cautionary tale. Don’t become like my brothers. Ask and ye shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Seek and ye shall find. You might think, like they did, ‘Oh, we’re not spiritual like Nephi. That’s just not us. Plus, it’s too late for us.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone may have different spiritual gifts and starting points, but the Lord teaches that he is always seeking to communicate directly with us and can give us what we need to grow and face the challenges of our lives. It is a universal promise. Best to act now, but it’s never too late.”

At the end of the chapter, we find that Nephi’s visions have given him a pretty detailed understanding of how God’s justice works. He shares with Laman and Lemuel that because actions have consequences, one has to be clean (from sin) to dwell with God. Nephi also reveals that one can feel the pain of separation from God (often referred to as hell) both in this life and in the next. The idea of how our choices in this life affect our eternal destiny is central to religious belief. There are other scriptures where this is explained more fully, but for our purposes here, the important takeaway is that we need not be intimidated by what Nephi shares. A just and merciful God will make sure that nothing will rob us of the ability to repent and enjoy a happy existence if we act on the truth revealed to us.          

You can read the chapter at this link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/15?lang=eng

The Vision Culminates - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Fourteen (1 Nephi 14)

This is the fourth and final chapter containing Nephi’s great vision, which he received via an angel after asking the Lord if he could see and hear and know of things that had been revealed to his father Lehi.

• The first chapter (1 Nephi 11) helped us understand how the tree of life is a symbol of the love of our Savior.

• The second chapter (1 Nephi 12) tells in miniature the story of the Book of Mormon, with specific emphasis on the moral choices made by the members of Lehi’s family through the generations. Tragically, we learn that, eventually (over the period of 1,000 years) those who choose wickedness will far outnumber those who are righteous, and ultimately overpower them.

• The third chapter (1 Nephi 13) reveals the plan God has to bring light into a darkened world. After the apostasy (or general falling away from the truth) has taken place in both the Old and New Worlds, the Lord uses the records of past prophets in both the Bible and Book of Mormon to bring to pass the miracle of reestablishing the truth about our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. America becomes a central part of this “restoration” as a haven for freedom of conscience.

• The fourth chapter (this one) ties everything together. It tells us that ultimately, “a great and marvelous work” (verse 7) will give all people the opportunity to decide whether we are with or against the Lord. I think it’s important for us to know at some level it will be a simple, binary choice so that we don’t deceive ourselves into thinking we can have it both ways. True happiness comes from following the Lord, and although it may seem intimidating to some degree (following the commandments of God can feel challenging at times) there are two very comforting things to remember:

1.       We are in charge of what we choose. There are a lot of things that we can’t control, or at least not fully. Events that affect us and take place around us, the choices and ultimate fate of other people. But we are the captains of what we think, say, do, and ultimately, become in our personal qualities and attitudes.

2.       There’s a way to change teams. Even though we might find ourselves right now on one of two sides (Church of Jesus Christ or church of the devil), the greatest gift we have available to us in our mortal lives is that once we realize how important our choice of team is, the opportunity is open for us to leave the wrong side (and losing side, I might add) behind and join the right (and winning) side. There’s no penalty for “jumping on the bandwagon” in the fourth quarter, down by 50 points, if we truly commit to Christ’s team (though intentionally delaying this commitment will increase its difficulty for us). Much of it has to do with having the courage to see the world as it is, and examining ourselves and our most important desires with honesty and clarity. Christ’s grace (through his atoning sacrifice) is always sufficient, opening up the miracle of repentance and forgiveness to us. The “covenant people of the Lord” are known as the “house of Israel,” but it is our choices, not our blood lineage, which determine this identity, or this relationship we can have with God.

Two additional key points. First, note the absolute futility of those in the “great and abominable” church. They dig a pit to ensnare others, because they don’t want to be alone in their unhappiness and misery. All it gets them is deeper and deeper into their own pit. Second, there will be great, climactic conflict in the world as the time draws near for the “end of the world,” but at the same time we are reassured that the “covenant people of the Lord” will be in place throughout the earth as a light to others in a darkening world (verse 12), even if their numbers may be relatively small.

What is the “end of the world”? Well, we have heard about it before from Jesus himself (in Matthew’s Gospel) in the parable of the wheat and the tares. In the parable, the end of the world does not appear to be the literal destruction of the earth. Instead, it represents the time of harvest where “angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just” (Matt. 13:49).

This brings to mind the Book of Revelation. In this chapter, Nephi tells us that in his vision, the angel shows Nephi the apostle John (Revelation’s author) and the same things John would see in his vision more than 600 years later. But Nephi is commanded to leave to John the task of recording these specifics. We learn also that the Lord has shown similar visions to others as well, and that their writings will come forth at some future date to reinforce what we know from Nephi and John.

You can read the chapter at this link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/14?lang=eng

The Vast Vision Comes to America - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Thirteen (1 Nephi 13)

Nephi’s expansive vision does not end with the events documented in the Book of Mormon. After he learns of the tragic fate of his descendants (killed or made to depart from their true beliefs by the “Lamanites”—the descendants of his brothers) in the previous chapter, the vision becomes even grander. Nephi still has the angel with him to help explain the meaning of what he sees.

Before launching into a description of what follows, I think it’s important to take a moment to say that Nephi is not being shown this vision just to satisfy idle curiosity. There are specific purposes for what he sees. I don’t claim to know all of these purposes, but I perceive two key purposes that jump out at me and I’d like to share:

1. Importance of the Record (Book of Mormon). Making clear to Nephi that the writings that he and his descendants will leave behind will contain plain and precious teachings about Jesus Christ and His plan of salvation that will come forth to the Gentiles (European settlers in America and their descendants) at a critical moment in history when the Gentiles, along with the “remnant” of Nephi’s “seed” and the Lamanites (who make up at least some of the Native Americans) desperately need access to a greater degree of truth and spiritual guidance. As Nephi learns how directly the fate of civilizations depend on him, it must be a powerful motivator to keep him on the right path and concentrate his mind on the important tasks at hand.
2. A Second Witness to His Family. Many times in the scriptures the Lord speaks of the importance of having at least two or three witnesses to establish the truth (for example, Deut. 19:15 and 2 Cor. 13:1). Lehi has functioned as the family leader to this point, and based on what he has seen, has tried to communicate the importance of life decisions to the family, especially Laman and Lemuel. We get even more detail from Nephi’s vision than from Lehi’s previous ones. Even though prophecy indicates that Laman and Lemuel will fall away, and lead their descendants into spiritual blindness, it is important for Lehi and Nephi to present them with a clear choice between good and evil so that the choices they make are with full knowledge of the consequences. Perhaps just as important is for Lehi to recognize that he does not shoulder the burden alone—that Nephi is backing him up. And of course, Nephi then continues to grow into the role of becoming the family leader as Lehi's youth and strength fade.

As for the actual events the angel guides Nephi through in the vision, let’s hit some of the highlights:

• They see the many nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles after the initial spread of Christ’s church in the area of the Roman Empire.

• At the same time, a “great and abominable” church is established. To my understanding, this does not specifically refer to any one earthly organization, but represents anything that pulls people away from the precious truths Jesus taught. Something of great significance this abominable church does is to take away these precious truths from the Biblical records of the Jewish prophets and early Christian apostles. We don’t necessarily know exactly how this happened (mistranslation, intentional changing of manuscripts, etc.). The important thing to note is that the Bible is left in such a state that it becomes necessary for the Book of Mormon to come forth so that the Bible and uncorrupted Book of Mormon can reinforce and clarify the truth that each holds.

• The story of the discovery of America through Columbus and the American Revolution is unfolded before Nephi’s eyes (remember, this is around 600 B.C., about 2,100 years before Columbus). It also enriches our appreciation of these events and those who took part in them not as accidents of history, but as inspired parts of a loving God’s plan to establish a haven of freedom on Earth.

• It took the climate of religious freedom that America afforded for Joseph Smith to translate this record (including this very chapter) and for the message of the Book of Mormon to go forward. In the discussion above, key purpose #1 gets into the “why” of this point. Nephi refers to the Book of Mormon in verse 39 when he speaks of “other books” coming forth from the Gentiles to the Lamanites. Because of the use of the plural “books,” one wonders if there might be records in addition to the Book of Mormon that might be found someday to reinforce the truths it and the Bible present.
  
  
• Finally, Nephi learns of a great truth that Jesus himself will later share (in Luke 13:30) about how God works through different groups of his children to give everyone an opportunity to know of his truth and its saving power. The last (the Gentiles) shall be first, and the first (the Jews) shall be last. It doesn’t mean that either is naturally superior or inferior to the other, but that each will have its turn at coming up with profound messages from God that are valuable to the other. And, maybe most importantly, the relationship between the two groups is necessary for the ultimate salvation of both. Bottom line: We are all God’s children, and we need one another.

There's a lot going on here! Please let me know if you have any questions.

You can read the chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/13?lang=eng

The Vision Gets Personal - First Book of Nephi, Chapter Twelve (1 Nephi 12)

To this point, Nephi’s vision of the tree of life and the coming of Jesus Christ has included elements that have a pretty general applicability to all people—the basic symbolism of the tree, the rod of iron, the large and spacious building, and the story of Jesus’ birth and sacrificial death.

Now it gets much more sensitive for Nephi, because he sees how the story of his family will play out, with great tragedy on display. Lehi’s earlier account foreshadows what Nephi sees, because of Laman’s and Lemuel’s unwillingness to join the rest of the family in coming to the tree of life and partaking of its fruit.

SPOILER ALERT: What Nephi sees in the rest of this chapter is a Cliffs Notes version of what is to come in the Book of Mormon.

Nephi is shown the land of promise—the very place he and his family hope to get to in their present circumstances. And yet, instead of an encouraging scene, as Nephi beholds the multitude of people, what does he see? Multitudes arrayed against each other in battle. Natural disasters and darkness plaguing the land—clear signs that over generations, much of Lehi’s family would not live up to the standards the Lord expects of those for whom he makes special provision.

There is a silver lining. After the vapor of darkness Nephi initially sees subsides, there are a number of people who have survived the “great and terrible judgments of the Lord.” More importantly, he sees the resurrected Jesus appear among these survivors and designate twelve men as spiritual leaders, leading to more than three generations of righteousness among Nephi’s family in the promised land.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Similar to the vision from the previous chapter that occurs in parallel with imagery from the tree of life and its surroundings, Nephi communicates the ominous fate of his people in tandem with things of particular importance from that baseline vision.

As Nephi’s descendants contend with the descendants of Laman and Lemuel, he communicates his understanding of many of the dangerous and undesirable elements around the tree of life—a fountain of filthy water representing the depths of hell, mists of darkness representing devilish temptations, and the large and spacious building as the embodiment of “vain imaginations and pride.”

The great tragedy Nephi discerns is how those in the building are divided from those who have successfully made their way to the tree by a “great and terrible gulf.” The most tragic part of this circumstance is that the people in the building (clearly being equated to the warring multitudes among his family in future generations) have brought about their own miserable fate through the choices they have made. 

There is no way simply to jump over a narrow crevice from the large and spacious building to the tree. It seems as though the only possible chance of salvation is the hard road back to where the pathway begins (i.e. through repentance), and doing the work necessary to grab hold of God’s word and make one’s way to the tree.

It doesn’t seem as though many among this later generation are willing to do what it takes to get themselves right with the Lord. Instead, we find that Laman’s and Lemuel’s descendants overcome Nephi’s in armed struggle, and spread themselves throughout the land of promise, dwindling in unbelief and becoming a dark and “loathsome” people, full of idleness and abomination. Thus, the chapter ends on a pretty grim note, with we as readers saying to ourselves, “Gee, I really hope there’s a ray of light on the way.”

Since we know that Jesus heralds the great gospel of redemption and second chances, thankfully there is some better news to come. This larger vision of the future will also help Nephi feel as though all the challenges he is about to face to bring his family to the promised land will not be in vain. Otherwise, it would seem pretty pointless.

You can read the chapter here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng