Lesson Table of Contents The Things Which I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit

The Things Which I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit  

 

If the large and spacious building is in the air how do people get in the door? They must first be lifted up by the pride in the hearts.

 


Purpose

To help class members understand Nephi’s vision of the future and how the warnings and promises in it apply to us today.

Chapters 12-14 of 1 Nephi

Setting

Chapter 12 really has its beginning in Chapter 11 and carrys over from there so while chapter 11 was part of last week lesson let's begin there.

How does Lehi experience the dream? Lehi is left to wander around - interactive; he is left for the space of some time to explore on his own.

1 Ne 8: 5-15

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 [Lehi actually has a different version of the vision. Lehi is invited in, he is a participant, while Nephi observes what is happening and the Angel is explaining what is happening to Nephi through a series of questions and answers.] I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste. [ he appears that he is all alone . In utter darkness you have no sense of direction as a matter of fact after about 30 minutes you can begin to looses sense of up and down, Experience in the caves on the way to Havasu falls. They have referred to the desert that they are in as the wilderness - which is not very hospitable and here they refer to this as the "dark and dreary waste" so it must be pretty bad.]
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, [the Lord let's us wander around in darkness sometimes to struggle on our own, that we might learn to come to him on our own. ] I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies. [2 Ne 2:11; 2 Ne 32:4; Mos 27:29; Enos 1-2; Gen 32:24; Matt 4:1-3; Mos 1:12,15,20,24; Jos Smith 2:13-17; Joseph Smith History Vol1pg 25-27]
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the afruit [gospel] 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.
12 And as I [Lehi] partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; [Lehi is first to accept and partake of the fruit] 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. [ The very next thing he does is invite his loved ones to partake as well - When you are converted strengthen your brethren. We all become missionaries of sort once we become converted, the greater the conversion the greater the zeal. Especially for our loved ones to enjoy what we have. ]
13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; [In Lehi's dream he is concentrating on the exactly where his family is, that is where his concern is - so that he does not even notice that the river is filthy - he is looking fo r Laman and Lemuel. see 1 Ne 15:27 ] and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
14 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; [ What do they all have in common? They were obedient to the prophet, to their father and husband.] and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
15 And it came to pass that 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.

Have you ever thought to compare the vision of Lehi with the vision that Nephi received?

How does that contrast with Nephi's experience? Nephi has a Q&A session with the spirit of the Lord

1 Ne 11: 1-11

1 FOR it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, [ Nephi asks for the knowledge or the meaning of the things which his Father saw. So he did not say can I see the same vision that my Father saw. His Father's vision was good enough; but he did want to know what did it all mean. ] and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, [He has no doubt - so he just asks for what he wants. How does one get that to that point? ] as I sat pondering in mine heart [ he is pondering the vision of his Father, searching in his heart and mind to understand, this after he has prayed and asked that it might be explained to him. How does this compare to others with like experiences? There are some powerful clues here as to how to receive revelation here. Note this is very similar to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 3 October 1918 See D&C 138:1-5; Joseph Smith] I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, [ What exactly does the "Spirit of the Lord" mean? Let's look at other uses for the Spirit Of The Lord 1 Ne 1:12 Lehi was filled with "filled with the Spirit of the Lord" and in 15:12 we have "the Spirit of the Lord which was in [Lehi]". Such activity is reversed for the Holy Spirit, and not the pre-mortal spirit personage of Jesus Christ. Also 1 Ne 13:15 Nephi says "I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles". Now, 3 Ne. 15:23 states: And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost. so we can conclude that the "Spirit of the Lord" must be the Holy Spirit as the Lord does not manifest Himself personally to the Gentiles except by the Holy Spirit. This same phrase is used repeatedly in the OT as is synonymous with the Holy Spirit. See Isa. 11:2 and Isa. 61:1 which state the Messiah will be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. And lastly; what does this spirit do in verse 6-7? He bears witness of the son of God. Once again the very kind of thing the Holy Spirit would say (cp. 3 Ne. 11:32), not the kind of thing the Lord himself would say (ct. Ether 3:11-16). ] yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.
2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou? [ What is the difference between the two dreams? Interactive dream for Lehi verses Q&A for Nephi ]
3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw. [ What is his first desire? At first he is just asking to see the dream or vision that his father saw.]
4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?
5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.
6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.
7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, [referencing 1 Ne. 12:6] and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the son of God. [He is not the son of Joseph. He is not the son of a man. This title the son Of God means that his Father is literally God our Father in Heaven ]
8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow. [ How would Nephi have known what snow was? The city that gets a major snowstorm on an average of once every 7 years.]
9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, [he has been shown what he had asked to see] I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.
10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou? [ then the angel asks "Will that be all?" And how does Nephi respond? ]
11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof— [Nephi responds to the angel no - now that you ask I want to know what it means as well. Remember in verse 1 that was his intent in the first place, but maybe not what was conveyed when he said "To know the things which my father saw".] for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; [Nephi is having a conversation with the angel just as he would with any other man. Revelation can be an exchange of ideas with the messenger. Note how the angel is asking questions and Nephi is answering. sometimes the the messenger does not get everyting across as he thinks he did. Note that Lehi does not even notice that the water is filthy, because Lehi during his vision was focused on Laman and Lemuel. See 1 Ne 15:26-27 and 1 Ne 8:13 ] for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.

Compare Lehis dream of the tree with Nephis for simularities/differences

1 Ne 8:27-30 - How Lehi sees the Tree

27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; [prosperity] and they were in the attitude of mocking [ better than thou, judging others, prideful ] and pointing their fingers [ ridicule those who were partaking of the fruit in order to shame them until they became like them. Why is it that those who choose evil are so intent to bring others down with them? We try to bring others to Christ because of Love, But what motives the sinner to bring others down? Pride? ] towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; [peer pressure] and they fell away into forbidden paths [forbidden because they did not lead to the Tree of life] and were lost.
29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he 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, [ it was a struggle for them, but they did it] until they came forth and fell down [ fell down from exhaustion? fell down in reverence of what glory awaited them? fell down to because they were in the presence of deity - the Savior? I choose the latter] and partook of the fruit of the tree. [ so what are some of the people doing? they are partaking of the fruit - received all of the blessings of the gospel. ]

 

1 Ne 15:36 How Nephi Sees the Tree under the direction of the angel

36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, [ Here Nephi paints a little different version of the tree as people are being openly rejected from partaking of the fruit. How is the tree that Nephi sees different from the tree that Lehi sees? Lehi sees a tree that some want to gravitate to and others don't. So one difference we have that Nephi is looking at the tree from an eternal perspective while Lehi is looking at the tree from a temporal perspective. So in an eternal setting the choosing is over and Judgement (v. 32, 33) dictates who has access to the Tree and who is tossed into "that awful hell" (v. 35).] whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; [ this fruit is precious and it cannot be had by everyone as there is a price associated with being able to partake. ] yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. [ What is the greatest gift of God? which is eternal life ] And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.

1 Ne. 15:26-27 What about the river of water any differences there between the two?

26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which our father saw?

27 And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; [Compare with Rev 8:10 where Satan was cast out of heaven in to the rivers close to the source of (fountain which means source) They are pure at the head see Rev 22:1. ] and so much was his mind [Lehi when he received the vision] swallowed up in other things [It appears that in revelations, just like in reading scriptures that at different times we see and grasp different things] that he beheld not [Lehi did not notice the water was filthy as Lehi's mind before was "swallowed up in other things" - in this case his family. What can we learn from revelation from this example? this tells us something of the revelation that Lehi saw. It was one in which Lehi was choosing which way to look and what to see. If you were receiving such a revelation what would you most likely be looking for? You want to know where your family was; so we can assume that at this point as a loving father he was looking for Laman and Lemuel because they had not heeded his previous requests to come to the tree. So he was intently looking to see what was happening to them maybe; either way he was not focused on what the angel wanted him to see which was - "the filthy water". We can learn something here about revelation - that it is a process that requires both the messenger and the receiver to be in tune with the message. It is not just a download of all of the critical information that is contained on the subject. Lehi's dream (1 Ne. 8:35-38) does not contain the filthy water in his dream he just did not see it, as Nephi does and explains here - ] the filthiness of the water.

so we continue the vision forward to chapter 12

1. Nephi sees the future of his descendants and his brothers’ descendants.

How did Nephi describe the conditions on the earth that would precede the Savior’s visit to America?

1 Nephi 12:1–6

1 AND it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and behold thy seed, [Nephi is still in the old world, the Lord begins the preparation of Nephi for what he will endure over the next seven years as he listen's to and deals with the rebellion of Laman and Lemuel. As a result of this vision Nephi begins to understand the importance of what he is about to be tasked in doing.] and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea. [ direct reference to previous predictions found Gen 22:17 ]
2 And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
3 And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away, after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them. [ either he lost count or there were just so many that he could not keep track of them - he was overwhelmed. Compare to Lehis experience where he was overwhelmed by something else. 1 Ne 15:27]
4 And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness [ What is the difference between this mist of darkness and the one in Lehis dream? this time it is not figurative or symbolic but a real mist of darkness caused by the great destruction and all of the dust and ash in the air.] on the face of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof. [ What was the cause of such destruction that Nephi sees? caused by the crucifixion of the Savior]
5 And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and behold, I saw multitudes who had not [ "not" was added in the 1981 edition of the BofM as a result of the LDS Church obtaining access from the RLDS Church of the original printer's manuscript of the BofM. It was present in the manuscript but not in the 1st Ed. BofM. ] fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of the Lord. [ Those who have been passed over by the judgements of God, the righteous - those who would witness vs 6 ]
6 And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.

 

How do those conditions compare to the conditions that will precede the Savior’s Second Coming? See Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:27–37

You can just speed read thru a few of them in JS-Matt 1:27-37

26 For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the son of Man [title for Christ - The "son of God" and the "son of Man" are synonymous... In the pure Adamic language, the name Elohim means "the Gods" it is (plural) in hebrew, the Father, is "Man of Holiness" (signifying that God is a Holy Man), and the name of Christ, the son, is short for "son of Man of Holiness" (Mormon Doctine p671; Moses 6:57] be.
27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect [Mine elect, my people, my church are those that hear my voice and harden not their hearts D&C 29:7 that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. Moses 7:62 - among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name - 3 Nephi 18:16 it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel - 3 Nephi 27:8 for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do 3 Nephi 27:21] be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
28 And they [1] shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars.
29 Behold I speak for mine elect’s sake; for [2] nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be [3] famines, and [4] pestilences, and [5] earthquakes, in divers places.
30 And again, because [6] iniquity shall abound, [7] the love of men shall wax cold; [their love for God, their love for themselves as eternal children of God - so they choose the tempral over the eternal.] but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.
31 And again, this [8] Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;
32 And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled. [ Which was what exactly? Abomination of desolation. Daniel spoke prophetically of a day when there would be “the abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan. 11:31; 12:11), and the phrase was recoined in New Testament times to say “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matt. 24:15).Conditions of desolation, born of abomination and wickedness, were to occur twice in fulfillment of Daniel’s words. The first was to be when the Roman legions under Titus, in A.D. 70, laid siege to Jerusalem (Matt. 24:15; JS—M 1:12).Speaking of the last days, of the days following the restoration of the gospel and its declaration “for a witness unto all nations,” our Lord said: “And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled” (JS—M 1:31–32). That is, Jerusalem again will be under siege.In a general sense, abomination of desolation also describes the latter-day judgments to be poured out upon the wicked wherever they may be. And so that the honest in heart may escape these things, the Lord sends his servants forth to raise the warning voice, to declare the glad tidings of the restoration, lest “desolation and utter abolishment” come upon them. The elders are commanded to reprove “the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds, setting forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days” (D&C 84:114, 117; 88:84–85). Bible Dictionary ]
33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, [ like the mist of darkness in Nephis dream. The moon does not give light it only reflects the light of the sun - so it the sun is darkened then the moon would be also. ] and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
34 Verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.
35 Although, the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my words shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.
36 And, as I said before, after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the son of Man [title for Christ - The "son of God" and the "son of Man" are synonymous... In the pure Adamic language, the name Elohim means "the Gods" it is (plural) in hebrew, the Father, is "Man of Holiness" (signifying that God is a Holy Man), and the name of Christ, the son, is short for "son of Man of Holiness" (Mormon Doctine p671; Moses 6:57] in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;

 

How did Nephi describe the conditions that would follow the Savior’s visit? (See 1 Nephi 12:11–12; see also the fulfillment of this prophecy, which is recorded in 4 Nephi 1:2–4.)

1 Ne 12: 11

11 And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white [To have white garments symbolizes that a person is clothed in purity, or that purity is a characteristic of that individual. Such cleanliness is made possible only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in which His blood was shed for our sins.] even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, [See Lev 17:11 for the source of this statement. White is the symbol of righteousness, cleanliness and holiness. Being completely clean is necessary to be like the Savior. To have white garments symbolizes that a person is clothed in purity, or that purity is a characteristic of that individual. Such cleanliness is made possible only through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in which His blood was shed for our sins.] because of their faith in him.

What is the signifigance of having their garment white? They were clothed in purity, they had applied the atonement

How did having their garments made white effect their way of living? (See 4 Nephi 1:15.)

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

 

Then what does Nephi see happening next? Nephi saw that after nearly four generations of righteousness, his seed and the seed of his brethren would again begin battling each other.

1 Nephi 12:12–15

12 And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who passed away in righteousness. [so in summary of verse 11 & 12 all of the third generation and many of the fourth generations would span approximately from 3 Ne 8 - the period that contained the great destruction all the way to 4 Ne 1:24 when things begin to go bad again.]

13 And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth gathered together.
14 And the angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren.
15 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.

 

What did Nephi see happening to his descendants in these battles?

1 Nephi 12:19–20

19 And while the angel spake these words, [while the angel presented Nephi with the symbolism outlined above; Nephi see the practical side or what they mean to his brethren] I beheld and saw that the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, [the practical application of his brethren being blinded and having hardened hearts leads to war against each other] according to the word of the angel; [and now he is specifically told the consequences by the angel] and because of the pride of my seed, and the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my brethren did overpower the people of my seed. [The Nephite nation is destroyed]
20 And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.

What do you suppose were Nephis thoughts as he saw the destruction of his descendants?

so why then were Nephi’s descendants overpowered and destroyed? (See 1 Nephi 12:19.)

How can pride and the temptations of the devil lead to destruction?

2. Nephi sees the formation of the great and abominable church, the colonization of the Americas, the Apostasy, and the Restoration of the gospel.


What did Nephi see formed “among the nations of the Gentiles”? The formation of the great and abominable church

READ 1 Nephi 13:4–9

4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles [used in this context means all those who are not of Israel] the formation of a great church. [ "a great church", a "church", from the Greek "ecclesia", or a synagogue, from the Greek "sunagoge", is a group of people and not an ecclesiastical organization. ]
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, [ Who is this church? The definition of who it is is found in 1 Ne 14:8-10. Chapters 13-14 identify the abominable church and it's practices. The behavior of those that belong is outlined in the following verses. So this church is based on behavior - not religion. "church" in our modern definition is usually equated with some sort of ecclesiastical edifice or religion as opposed to the people, here the reference to this "church" is a direct reference to "the kingdom of the devil". So in this case a church because it is the definition of the people who belong to it, their beliefs.] which bslayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.

Who is the founder of the great and abominable church?

6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.

so who or what then is this great and abominable church?

The great and abominable church is a symbol of apostasy in all its forms. It is a representation of all false doctrine, false worship, and irreligious attitudes. It does not represent any specific church in the world today.


Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature—whether political, philosophical, educational, economic, social, fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 137–38).

What are some of the characteristics of the “great and abominable church”? (See 1 Nephi 13:5–9. Answers may include that it weakens faith, desires worldly riches and sins, and seeks the praise of the world.)

1 Nephi 13:5–9

5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, [ Who is this church? The definition of who it is is found in 1 Ne 14:8-10. Chapters 13-14 identify the abominable church and it's practices. The behavior of those that belong is outlined in the following verses. So this church is based on behavior - not religion. "church" in our modern definition is usually equated with some sort of ecclesiastical edifice or religion as opposed to the people, here the reference to this "church" is a direct reference to "the kingdom of the devil". So in this case a church because it is the definition of the people who belong to it, their beliefs.] which [1] bslayeth the saints of God,
[ How and where did this abominable church slay the saints? ] yea, [2] and tortureth them and bindeth them down, [ How did the abominable church bind the saints? Passing laws on how and where and what they could worship. ] and [3] yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity. [ How did they make the saints captives? What were they captives to? The church tried to take away their agency - the yoke of captivity is that they become subjects to the church, they are not taught to get or seek revelation on their own, to develop a relationship with God but rather their only change of any relationship with God is by staying in good standing in the church, and whatever the church teaches they must do.]
6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; [focused on material or worldly things] and I saw many harlots. [Symbolic - those who have many lovers, and then the are the actual harlots who trade sex for money and power, to get their own gain. Immorality usually follows perversion, apostasy, power and wealth.]
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: [4] Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church. [ How does the desires of the church make it corrupt? First the desires are all world based, not eternal based. Hence they will do whatever is necessary to protect what they value, money and linen before right; it is all for the power, the prestige of the world. Knowing there inner thoughts and purpose help us understand the reason why they do what they do, and act as they act.]
9 [5] And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, [ What does it appear that this church looking for here? Power ! Prestiage! The same as those who are in the great and spacious building] and bring them down into captivity.

If I said that there are members of the Church Of Jesus Christ that are also members of the great and abominable church how would you respond?

READ 1 Ne 14:8-10

What does the Lord teach us in these verses about the two churches?

8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? [ Abrahamic covenant so why does the angel start with this question? What is unique about the house of Israel? They have made covenants. Because it has a direct relation to who is in the church of the Lamb and who is not. It requires proper covenants to belong as we will see referenced in the next few verses. ] I said unto him, Yea.
9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, [Those of the house of Israel who have made covenants ] and the other is the church of the devil; [ those who have chosen not to make those covenants ] wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, [ What is the Lord implying here about belonging to one of the two churchs? It is really simple from the Lord's perspective; either you are willing to make covenants and do his will or you are not. It is your choice and your choice of accepting and fulfilling your covenants that you have made is the determining factor as to which church you belong.] which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

 

What symbol from the vision of the tree of life corresponds to the great and abominable church? (Compare 1 Nephi 13:5–9 with 1 Nephi 11:35–36.)

Look At ... 1 Ne 11:35-36

35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; [The "church" spoken of here is compared to the Great and Spacious Building which is in direct reference to the kind of people that are in the building. ] yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb. [Reason for having a years supply of food I Haven Barlow also see Isaiah 55:8-11. The majority of the people at Jerusalem during 30-70 AD were of Judah, there was certainly a liberal mix of Levites and Benjamites as well.]
36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. [Interesting to contrast this example with the tower of Babel. The wisdom of the world fails when it is brought to the judgements of God. Isa. 2:11-15] And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.


What evidences do we see of the great and abominable church working to destroy the Saints in the world today?



READ 1 Nephi 13:12–13 What doe Nephi see happening in verse 12-13? The discovery and colonization of the Americas

12 And I looked and beheld a man [ And who is the Man? How do we know that? President Ezra Taft Benson identified this man among the Gentiles as Christopher Columbus, symbolic of the early explorers and settlers as well. “God inspired ‘a man among the Gentiles’ (1 Nephi 13:12) who, by the Spirit of God was led to rediscover the land of America and bring this rich new land to the attention of the people in Europe. That man, of course, was Christopher Columbus, who testified that he was inspired in what he did. “‘Our Lord,’ said Columbus, ‘unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?’ ( Jacob Wasserman, Columbus, Don Quixote of the Seas, pp. 19–20.)” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 577). ] among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. [The Nephite land of promise is discovered by the Gentiles]
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, [ Captivity from What? See vs 5 Oppression from the abominable church, the torture, the killing of the saints, the yoke designed to bring them into captivity. The captivity of the Kings who ruled over them in France, England and Spain - Kings like James I of England - under which there was no semblance of freedom. ] upon the many waters.

 

What made these gentiles successful in their endeavors?

READ 1 Nephi 13:14–19

14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; [not just one group of Gentiles came but there were many that came to the Nephite land of promise] and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten. [there is little doubt that from Columbus in the North to the Spaniards in the south that after they had reached the new world the brethren of Nephi were scattered]
15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, [they were brought here because of the spirit that they had in them, their righteousness] that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; [so what was once the land for Nephi and his brethren is at least shared at this point. The Gentile are righteous enough that they receive this land as their inheritance. So two thing s have happened here 1) Lamanites are punished for their wickedness, 2) Lord establishes Gentiles in the New World for his righteous purposes.] and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them. [ The power that protected, sustained, and inspired the American Continental Army also prophesied of their delivery to freedom. In particular, certain events of nature helped fulfill Nephi’s prophecy that “the power of the Lord [would be] with them.” President Joseph F. Smith linked the establishment of the United States of America with the Restoration of the gospel: “This great American nation the Almighty raised up by the power of his omnipotent hand, that it might be possible in the latter days for the kingdom of God to be established in the earth. If the Lord had not prepared the way by laying the foundations of this glorious nation, it would have been impossible (under the stringent laws and bigotry of the monarchical governments of the world) to have laid the foundations for the coming of his great kingdom. The Lord has done this” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 409).]
17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles [ Who is? England, Britain... the places from which they came ] were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them. [ Which was? The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.]
18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, [ These early settlers had God on their side, he wanted them to establish the American continent with good and humble people] and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle. [Those who were part of the great and abominable church or kingdom]
19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations. [ Divine intervention was also significant in the American victory in the Revolutionary War. Just as the Lord protected and sustained Israel anciently, he also provided for those appointed to accomplish his purposes in the American struggle for independence. It had come time to establish a nation where the gospel could be restored, where the Church of Jesus Christ could flourish in a climate of religious freedom, and from where the gospel could be carried to all nations. Inspired and sacrificing leaders, 1 sustained by a power beyond themselves, would establish a remarkable new form of government. The time had come for the American colonists to gain their independence from England in order for Nephi’s prophecy of a people “delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations” to be fulfilled and for the gospel to be restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.]


What role did these early explorers and settlers play in the Restoration of the gospel? (They prepared the way for the founding of the United States of America. The Constitution of the United States established freedoms regarding religion that were necessary for the Book of Mormon to be brought forth and the gospel to be restored. See D&C 101:77–80.)
The Apostasy and the loss of many plain and precious parts of the Bible

D&C 101:77–80

77 According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;
78 That [ Why the Lord has put in place the constitution that guarentees just and holy principles ] every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. [ Why is this principle so important to the Lord? Unless there is the element of agency we are not accountable - just as Satans plan was to take away the agency of man - So it is with governement. How important then is agency? How about in governing our own homes? ]


What was the book Nephi saw the Gentiles carrying? The Bible

READ 1 Nephi 13:20–23

20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; [ On account of their righteousness, so many more did follow. Prosper means to have God's presence with them. ] and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.
21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book? [Angel trying to make sure the message that he is delivering is complete and understood by Nephi. So here we have the Angel putting the vision on pause so to speak; and the angel explaining to Nephi more detail about the book - it's purpose...]
22 And I said unto him: I know not. [ Why might Nephi have not recognized the need for the book? Remember Nephi went back to get the record from Laban see 1 Ne 3:20 So the Book must have been a little strangle to Nephi because he did not understand what it was or it's purpose. So the Angel recognizes this and goes on to explain so that he does comprehend. At this point Nephi knows only of his records the ones they got from Laban which contain the 5 books of Moses, the prophecies from the beginning to Zedekiah and the record of the Jews see 1 Ne 5 11-14 Moses was a Levite not a Jew]
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. [Note the use of words here "Mouth of a Jew" this is repeated 4 times by the Angel - Mouth of a Jew. What does this mean? It means as it was spoken by the Jew, the quotation of the Jew - Logia - or mouth-utterances. The first volumes where really nothing more than the quotations of the apostles and Jesus, know as the mouth -utterances. We know this from modern day findings. see Nibly Since Cummorrah pg 24. From lectures On Faith we learn that the first prophets actually knew Adam and Eve and heard from them first hand, and then wrote from what they had heard first hand. Lamech (the father of Noah), Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Cainan, Enos, Seth, and Adam, were all living at the same time, and beyond all controversy were all preachers of righteousness - Lectures On Faith Lecture 2 The Bible come to us from who? The Jews] And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, [so we are speaking of the old testament here - since the new testament did not exist in the brass plates] save there are not so many; [so the brass plates contained more information than the bible as per the angel. The Book of Mormon references other prophets that are not spoken of in the bible, so one can conclude that their writings were also contained in the plates of brass.] nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles. [so these gentiles that are coming to the new land believe in and value the bible]

 

What did the great and abominable church do to this book?

READ 1 Nephi 13:24–26

24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
25 Wherefore, these things [ the old testament and the new testament? ] go forth from the Jews in purity [so they were still pure when they left the hands of the Jews, the apostles. Whatever the Jews may have done wrong the did try their best to make record of the laws of God and their dealings with him - they were a chosen people.] unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, [ the new testament was written by the hand of members of the twelve apostles of Christ. In essence the change seems to occur right after or very quickly after the New Testament leaves the hands of the Apostles. ] from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; [ “Actually, no single known historical church, denomination, or set of believers meets all the requirements for the great and abominable church: it must have formed among the Gentiles; it must have edited and controlled the distribution of the scriptures; it must have slain the Saints of God, including the Apostles and prophets; it must be in league with civil governments and use their police power to enforce its religious views; it must have dominion over all the earth; it must pursue great wealth and sexual immorality; and it must last until close to the end of the world. No single denomination or system of beliefs fits the entire description. Rather, the role of Babylon has been played by many different agencies, ideologies, and churches in many different times. . . . “Can we, then, identify the historical agency that acted as the great and abominable church in earliest Christianity? Such an agent would have had its origins in the second half of the first century and would have done much of its work by the middle of the second century. “This period might be called the blind spot in Christian history, for it is here that the fewest primary historical sources have been preserved. We have good sources for New Testament Christianity; then the lights go out, so to speak, and we hear the muffled sounds of a great struggle. When the lights come on again a hundred or so years later, we find that someone has rearranged all the furniture and Christianity has become something very different from what it was in the beginning” (Stephen E. Robinson, “Warring against the Saints of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1988, 38–39).] for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; [ Let's look at the task that St, Augustine and other had as they brought the bible forward. They believed that all revelation had ceased, so the Bible needed to have all uncertainties removed. This is according to what they deemed as infalliabilities or uncertainties, and many time they did not agree. But none the less this is how they pick and choose what to include and what to leave out , like the apocrypha. So they proceed to decide what is good and bad on their own - not realizing what they really needed to accomplish the task was revelation from God but since that did not exist in their minds it was not available to be asked for.

Comparing the current Old Testament with the Dead Sea scroll text Professor Albright said "Our Hebrew text has suffered much more from losses than from glosses" se Since Cummorah Nibly pg 23 . The finding of the Dead sea scroll brings this point to light. considerable amount of material is missing from the new testament. Note what is not being said - that what we have is corrupt, no it is just that much is missing. ] and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. [Covenant making process is also missing Why would Satan want to make sure that the covenant making parts were left out? ]

 

Why did they seek to remove the plain and precious truths? See 1 Nephi 13:27

27 [Now the why] And all this have they done that [1] they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, [make the ways of the Lord conform to the plans of men. So these here are planned. ] that they [2] might blind the eyes [ the farther we are removed from the trueth the less we see the power and influence of God in our lives.so the less we see of God's influence the blinder we become. See 2 Peter 1:9 the opposite of blindness is the ability to see; as we acquire the attributes of God we see things, spiritual things And the less blindness exists in their lives. ] and [3] harden the hearts of the children of men. [the heart is where conversion takes place, if our heart can be influenced to want the things of the things of this world only then there will be no room in the in so to speak for conversion to Christ- a hard heart will not let the spirit influence it]

[Look at the pattern here it is an exact replica of the mist of darkness which satan cause to come on the perople trying to make it to the tree as seen in 1 Ne 12:17 he blinds the eyes, then he can harden their hearts and then lead them along his path and away from the Lord's path to return to him.]

How does that compare what was done with the bible to 1 Ne 12 :27 that Nephi saw in his vision?

1 Ne 12:27

17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, [ Not only is Satan the source of the river, but he also trys to deceive using the following means 1) Blind eyes; 2) Hardened hearts; 3) Broad roads] which blindeth the eyes, [ How does Satan blind our eyes?, It is ok once, no one will know, helps us justify whatever we want to do. The more we do it the less we see, the farther we move from the truth the less we see See 2 Peter 1:9 the opposite of blindness is the ability to see; as we acquire the attributes of God we see things, spiritual things And the less blindness exists in their lives. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that not only could Laman and Lemuel have known and seen the things Nephi and his father knew, but that this principle applies to us as well: “Could we all come together with one heart and one mind in perfect faith the veil might as well be rent today as next week, or any other time” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, see. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 9). “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them” (History of the Church, 3:380). so what is the consequence of blind eyes in relation to God? We cannot have the revelations that God would entrust to use.] and hardeneth the hearts [ The heart Symbolic representation? typifying our conduct, our desires, emotions, spiritual capacity - the place were real conversion takes place. “If we harden our hearts, reject continuing revelation, and limit our learning to what we can obtain by study and reason on the precise language of the present canon of scriptures, our understanding will be limited to what Alma called ‘the lesser portion of the word’ (Alma 12:11). If we seek and accept revelation and inspiration to enlarge our understanding of the scriptures, we will realize a fulfillment of Nephi’s inspired promise that those who diligently seek will have ‘the mysteries of God . . . unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost’ (1 Ne. 10:19)” (“Scripture Reading and Revelation,” Ensign, Jan. 1995, 7). ] of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, [wide, denotes the ability to stay on the road but wander from side to side, room to experiment, you can do whatever you want, you are your own judge, eat drink and be marry, as opposed to the straight and narrow road that leads back to the Father] that they perish and are lost.

 


What consequences have resulted from the loss of “many plain and precious things” from the Bible?

1 Nephi 13:29

29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away [ “Apparently the original manuscripts of the Bible disappeared very early. This seems particularly true of the New Testament. Sir Frederic Kenyon, one of the greatest textual scholars of the early twentieth century commented thus: ‘The originals of the several books have long ago disappeared. They must have perished in the very infancy of the Church; for no allusion is ever made to them by any Christian writer.’ Kenyon’s statement is particularly important to us because it means that for centuries there has not been an original Bible manuscript to guide the reader. Even in the early decades of the original Christian church, the original texts seem to have been absent. . . .] it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them. [“The angel [in 1 Nephi 13:21–29] makes it clear that he is not talking about subtle accidents of hand and eye, resulting in a few misplaced letters or words—the unplanned errors of copyists. He pointedly ascribes these changes to the planned editorial work of designing men [see 1 Nephi 13:27–28]. . . . “As we read the words of the angel, we discover that the world never has had a complete Bible, for it was massively—even cataclysmically—corrupted before it was distributed. Of course, in addition to the major willful corruption of the Bible in the early Christian era, the manuscripts have also continued to suffer the gradual and relatively mild changes, due to errors of hand and eye, that the scholars talk about. Thus there have been two processes at work: (1) a major, sudden, and deliberate editorial corruption of the text and (2) a gradual promulgation of variants that has occurred as a natural consequence of copying and translation” (Robert J. Matthews, A Bible! A Bible! [1990], 74–75). I suppose that there is a great deal of content speaking just as it does here about satans plan and what he is trying to do that was taken out of the bible. ]

 

The Lord knew that the great and abominable church would try to destroy the word of God in the Bible. How did He ensure that His words would be preserved to come forth in the latter days?

1 Nephi 13:35–36

35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, [ What does the Lord do to complete this task? both thru his prophets and with a personal visitation some six hundred years after they leave Jerusalem, and finally through the translation of this record for them in the latter days] that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, [The Nephite record will be preserved until a later time , then come forth. Buried by Moroni and preserved some 14 centuries. ] by the gift and power of the Lamb. [The whole translation process was one that involved many a miracle, from the Urimm and Thummin to the process itself, coming forth from an unlearned boy. The lost pages the list goes on]

36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.

What is this record that was kept by Nephi’s seed? (The Book of Mormon.)


What are the purposes of the Book of Mormon? (See 1 Nephi 13:40–41; see also Mormon 7:8–9; D&C 20:8–12. You may want to list class members’ responses on the chalkboard.)

40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, [Book Of Mormon, D&C, Pearl of Great Price and Joseph Smiths translation of parts of the bible] shall establish the truth of the first, [ What are the purposes of the Book of Mormon? That God is consistent, that God has a plan, the Bible. So by having additional sources of truth we have corroborating witnesses so to speak. see also Mormon 7:8–9; D&C 20:8–12. What are some doctrines that are difficult to understand in the Bible but plain and precious in the Book of Mormon? the Atonement, resurrection, and baptism. These doctrines are taught clearly in the Book of Mormon. For example, Alma 11:42–45, which teaches plain and precious truths about the Atonement and resurrection, or 3 Nephi 11:21–26 and Moroni 8:11–12, which teach plain and precious truths about baptism.) How does the Book of Mormon help make the Bible more understandable to us and how does it increase our testimony of the Bible? ] which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall [1] make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall [2] make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they [3] both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, [speaking primarily here of his manifestation thru the scriptures as that is the train of context at this point in the vision and the purpose of the Books.] both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, [the last = the Gentiles; shall be given the restored Gospel will be given first] and the first shall be last. [the first = chosen Israel; shall be the last to receive the gospel. So the Lord is dealing at the present time with the Gentiles first and Israel second that will change in the second coming.]

 

How have we seen these purposes fulfilled?

 

How has the Book of Mormon helped make the Bible more understandable to you or increased your testimony of the Bible?


3. Nephi sees the blessings promised to the faithful; he also sees the destruction of the great and abominable church.

1 Nephi 14.
What must we do to keep our hearts softened so that we can receive these blessings?

What will eventually happen to the great and abominable church? (See 1 Nephi 14:3–4, 15–17; 22:23.)

Nephi saw that even though the members of the Lord’s Church in the last days would be comparatively few, they would be able to overcome the persecution of the great and abominable church. What did Nephi see the Saints of God armed with? (See 1 Nephi 14:14.) How can we be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God”?

 

 

 


Conclusion
Explain that Nephi’s vision provides an overview of much that has occurred and will yet occur in the history of the earth. It also shows us that we must choose between only two options: following Jesus Christ or working against Him and thus following Satan. Remind class members that the blessings promised in 1 Nephi 14 are available to all of us if we choose to follow Jesus Christ.