Sunday, January 27, 2008

Lehi provides additional prophecies (1 Nephi 10)

Listen now!Once Lehi had finished telling of his dream of the tree of life, the great and spacious building, the rod of iron, and the river of filthy water, he further expounds on what he has seen regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of Israel.

Lehi also recounts having seen in a vision the Savior of the world coming to earth and being baptized by John. He also foretells the death and subsequent resurrection of the Messiah.

Remember that Lehi is speaking these prophecies between 600 B.C. and 592 B.C.

Because of his concern for his family to understand what happens to Israel after its captivity, Lehi prophesies what would eventually happen to all Israel by likening the tribes to the branches of an olive tree. They will be pruned from and grafted to the olive tree--or scattered and gathered again (see also Jacob 5).

Finally, Nephi desires to see the things his father saw and hear the things he heard. He has confidence that his desire will be granted because God continually manifests, or shows, Himself to us. God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever".

Nephi adds that men need to seek knowledge of these things by the power of the Holy Ghost and that "he that diligently seeketh shall find" the mysteries of God. Men need to be righteous and obedient or they will be cut off from the Lord because "no unclean thing can dwell with God."