A Spiritual Perspective for the Book of Mormon ~ The Tree of Life Dream

I have saved this story for the end of Lehi's Arabian sojourn because of it's spiritual power. It involves a dream Lehi had early in their travels. It caused him to rejoice for his wife and sons, Nephi and Sam, but to worry about his oldest boys, Laman and Lemuel. Nephi describes the dream in the following words from the Book of First Nephi in the Book of Mormon.  I have edited out the phrase "and it came to pass" in order to make the reading more concise. [1] 

[W]hile my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision [2] . . . Behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness. And . . .I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me. And . . . he spake unto me, and bade me follow him. And . . . as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste. And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.. . .

 

After I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field. . . .I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. . . I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. As I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. . . .

As I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit. And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go. . . . I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. And . . . they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also. . . .

I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them. . . . I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit. . . .

 

I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood. . . . I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world . . . I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood. And . . . they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

 

And . . .there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.  And . . . I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.. . .

 

I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth. And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit. And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

And . . .my father . . . saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building. And . . . many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

 

And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not . . . For as many as heeded them, had fallen away. And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father. (1 Nephi 8: 2, 4-35)

 

Tomorrow, I will talk about the meaning of the symbols in the dream.  If you'd like to take the challenge, write down what you think the symbols mean, then check out 1 Nephi, chapters 11-15, for Nephi's understanding of his father's dream.

 

[1]  "And it came to pass" is an ancient Hebraic phrase that is represented by one tiny symbol.  It indicates the beginning of a new sentence in the same way a period indicates the end of a sentence.  More on this and other Hebraisms later on the Couch.

[2] "Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision."  This is one of many Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon.  It is a common Hebrew grammatical form to state something in one way and then restate it using synonymous terms.  In this example in Hebrew it literally says "I have dreamed a dream or seen a seeing."  The root of the word translated as vision is seeing and it is from the same root as the word Seer or one who sees things beyond the moral world.

Text from the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi, chapter 8

 

Pictures from www.lds.org with the following exceptions:

Lehi and heavenly messenger from www.deseretbook.com

Tree with light fruit from www.eldertomaser.blogspot.com

River and building from www.sundayschoolapologetic.blogspot.com