Commentary For Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 8-10

Chapter 8

This chapter describes Lehi’s dream. Instead, however, of reviewing the things that Lehi saw, I’d like to take a different approach and look at two elements of the dream that are often overlooked. These elements are the man in white that Lehi follows and the different groups of people.

The Man In White

Lehi starts off explaining to this sons that he had a vision. He begins,

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.7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.8 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.9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

The relevant question is who is the man in white? At first blush, we may assume that he is a heavenly messenger. After all, he is dressed in white robe (symbol of righteousness) and directed Lehi to follow him. But notice what happens to Lehi after he follows him. He is led further and further into darkness. Lehi explains that he followed the man in the white rob, he was led into a dark and dreary waste. Further note in verse 8 that he journeyed into the dark and dreary waste lasted for the space “many hours.” And the only thing that ended it was him praying to the Lord.

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… [and] after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

Praying to the Lord appears to have ended Lehi’s walking in darkness. Did Lehi make a mistake following the man in the white robe? Was the man in the white robe a false messenger? Why would Lehi have prayed to the Lord to have mercy on him? If he was following a true messenger, it wouldn’t have to do this. The fact Lehi asked for mercy suggests that he made a mistake. Could his mistake be that of following the man in the white robe? (For further comparison, see Moses' response to Satan in Moses 1.)

To explore this concept further, consider the following teachings:

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 

A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! (Doctrine and Covenants 128:20).

Following a false messenger however doesn’t have to be through an angelic or spiritual visitation; it could also be from relying upon men. Consider the following:

President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel–said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church–that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls–applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall–that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves, envious towards the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 237)

5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. (Jeremiah 17)

12 And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths. (2 Nephi)

The Lord is clear that leaders can leads us astray. Do we allow what men, by what they say, to dictate the extent of what we’ll believe? Is it possible, no matter how inspired a man is, that he could be wrong in certain areas? Is there anything in the scriptures that shows a prophet is infallible? That leaders of religious institutions are free from error?

9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (Jeremiah 8)

11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. (Isaiah 11)

What does it mean to walk in the light of your fire? Was it the result? How do we walk in our own light? How do we avoid this?

2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors (religious authorities, teachers) that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23)

Of course we may counter that God won’t allow leaders to lead us astray. Things are different.

82 And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood (Doctrine and Covenants 107)

If our leaders can’t lead us astray,  then why does the Lord provide a mechanism for dealing with the President of the High Priesthood (The President of the Church) if he transgresses?

For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him… Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall. (Doctrine and Covenants 3:4, 9)

If Joseph Smith could fall, what makes our current leaders any different? History furthermore shows that the LDS Church has made mistakes. Is there any reason to suggest things would be different?

Different Groups of People

In Lehi’s dream, we learn of three different people who commence walking on the straight and narrow

1. Numberless Concourses of People
2. Those Who Were Clinging to the Rod
3. Those Who Partook and Ignored The People In the Great and Spacious Building ("Those Who Ignored")

Numberless Concourses of People

In verse 21, we read the Lehi say numberless concourses of people who commenced on the path. Later in verse 23 we read

… They who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

They refers to the numberless concourses of people. They started on the path, but the mist of darkness caused them to lose their way. The fact that numberless concourses of people we lost is telling as it reveals how unique of a path it is to follow the Lord.

Clinging To The Rod

The next group is the one clinging to the rod. This group is noted for their clinging to the rod in order to reach the tree of life. Yet, we later read that after they partook of the fruit from the tree they fell away due to embarrassment.

What does this mean for us as members? May some of be more life this group, clinging but heeding the world?

Those Who Ignored

The last group is the one who succeeded. Notable description of this group is that instead of being characterized as clinging, they are described as

… Press[ing] 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. (verse 29)

Is there a difference between clinging and continually holding fast? What would be different between the two?

Chapter 9 -- Two Different Plates

Two Plates

In this chapter, we learn about two different plates. 1) Plates of ministry (referred to as these plates); 2) Secular plates (other plates). Confusingly enough however is that Nephi also refers to both of these plates as the “plates of Nephi.”


Seeing this, let’s see how this plays out by tracking these terms throughout the chapter.

2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates (plates of ministry), behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates (plates of ministry), for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

4 Upon the other plates (secular plates) should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.

Following the Lord

Nephi doesn’t know the purpose for keeping a separate record. He writes,

5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

What the Lord commands us is unique to our ability and circumstance.

As a reminder, the Lord commanded Lehi and his family to flee Jerusalem, but did not issue the same command to Jeremiah.

What one person is commanded to do may be, and often is, different from another person. This mean that are focus should be on knowing the will of the Lord and following it. It also means that we should be wary of judging people when we think they are not being obedient to God. As Lehi’s example shows, obedience comes in different ways.

Up to this point, one theme is following the Lord. Yet this following isn’t an abstract one, but involves a person directly communicating with the Lord. Like Nephi, our interactions with God should be personal and intimate. Nephi didn’t rely on his father Lehi, a prophet, for direction about writing the plates or to receive promises about his posterity; he revived those things from the Lord.

Applied to us, how do we compare?

• Do we wait for what our leaders tell us before acting?
• Do we have a relationship with the Lord to such a degree that we are certain of his will for us.
• Have we received promises directly related to us?
• Is our obedience to the Lord reduced only to the general commandments to the church, or do we also follow personal commands?
• What is Nephi’s obedience like? Is it limited to static commandments or open to a fluid and progressive one?

Chapter 10 -- The Gathering

Notable Features

• Lehi prophecies of a future Messiah.
• He also prophecies of John the Baptist -- a forerunner to Jesus Christ.
• We learn about the gathering
• And we receive instructions how to receive answers from God

Here, I’d like to focus on the last two: The Gathering and Receiving Answers from God.


The Gathering

14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

We learn here that the House of Israel won’t be gathered (at least fully) until the Gentiles receive the fulness of the Gospel. Joseph Smith's ministry was to bring forth the fulness of the gospel?


The Lord speaking in Doctrine and Covenants 1 in explaining his purpose for calling Joseph Smith explains:

20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;
21 That faith also might increase in the earth;
22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;
23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.

The Book of Mormon is one way the Lord is proclaiming his everlasting gospel.

8 And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9 Which (referring to the Book of Mormon) contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them (Doctrine and Covenants 20)

Thus by reading the Book of Mormon, we're able to learn about the fulness of the Gospel. And what does the fulness mean?

Let’s first define the gospel:

6...This is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (Doctrine and Covenants 39)

Not only is it baptism by water and fire, but to be taught the Holy Ghost. Thus connected to the gospel is receiving knowledge. This knowledge is given to exalt us.

4 But to as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons; and even so will I give unto as many as will receive me, power to become my sons. (Id.)

We receive Christ through his gospel. Having received him, we then become sons of God (for we are not his sons until we fully come unto him) This is what the Restoration restored. This is what Christ wants us to know.


Receiving Answers from God

Nephi desires more than just knowing the things that Lehi saw; he desires to see and hear them as well.

17 … I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost… (1 Nephi 10)

His desires are specific; it entails wanting to three things when in relation to Lewi’s dream—1) seeing what Lehi saw; 2) hearing what Lehi saw; 3) knowing what Lehi saw.

If we feel we don’t receive answers to our prayers, perhaps we should look at incorporating Nephi’s approach. It is very possible that if Nephi asked to see, or even understand the things, the Lord would have helped him to understand, but that wouldn’t necessitate a vision like he had. He received the vision because he was specific in his desires. We should do the same.

Nephi then leaves us with a promise

19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round. (1 Nephi 10).

This is promise to all. Nephi states that "for he that diligently seeketh." He is used to refer to both man and women. Another way of phrasing this is saying, "whatever person diligently seeks will find."

I wrote an essay a while back about the real meaning of faith. For those of you who are interested, I invite you to read it. You can find it here on my blog, under essays. The essay is titled "Oh Say, What Is Faith: A Commentary About Faith, Hope, and Promises.

 But I'm also aware that meaning don't have the time (or patience). In sum, I argue that faith is about trusting in God's promises. We exercise faith by relying on those promises, observing when they are fulfilled.

In verse 19, Nephi provides us a promise (from the Lord) that if we diligently seek after something we will find. He also promises us that based on our diligent searching, the mysteries of God will be revealed to us.

Seeing how great of a promise this is, do we take his promise seriously? What do we spend our time and attention on? How much of the day do we allocate to the Lord and diligently seeking after Him?


Additional Resources


There are two great podcasts I listened to last week that some of you might find helpful.

https://overcast.fm/+InpKJDEo0 -- Bible Project Podcast on the Tree of Life in the Bible and Ancient Near East

https://overcast.fm/+FtEF2y8s4 -- Q &A on 1 Nephi 1-7. This podcast is done through the Book of Mormon Central. A lot of the question address topics I didn't discuss but are worthwhile to consider.