1 Nephi 8:1 - 10, NC 1 Nephi 2 pars. 7 - 8
And it came to pass that while 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. And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they and also many of their seed will be saved. But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you. For behold, methought I saw in my dream a dark and dreary wilderness. 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. And it came to pass that he spake unto me and bade me follow him. And it came to pass that 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. And it came to pass, after I had prayed unto the Lord, I beheld a large and spacious field. And it came to pass that I beheld a tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof, and 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.
I have read this part of the Book of Mormon more times than I can count but never, until as a small study group studying this part together, did I come to an understanding of something that is happening here.
I look back at this part of the Book of Mormon and confess that my personal preconceived notions and my traditions that I read into the Book of Mormon obscured a principle that upon fresh reconsideration screamed out at me.
Consider the first part of Lehi's vision.
For behold, methought I saw in my dream a dark and dreary wilderness. 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. And it came to pass that he spake unto me and bade me follow him. And it came to pass that as I followed him, I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
What is going on right here in Lehi's vision?
Why is there particular mention made concerning this part of the vision?
Lehi sees, as the first thing in his vision, a dark and dreary wilderness.
What does this represent?
When we consider the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai do we conjure up images of fountains and rivers of water, cool temperatures, lush greenery and gardens and plentiful food or do we see in our mind's eyes desolation, dryness, heat, lack of food and water and tribulation?
During their sojourn in the wilderness were the children of Israel able to maintain themselves?
How about Adam and Eve?
They were in paradise, the Garden of Eden.
They were in a place with rivers of water where the earth sent forth fruits and flowers spontaneously. There was no lack for those things which were good and delightsome and wholesome.
They were in a place of light because they were in the presence of God.
When they were cast out they were cast out into the dark and dreary world.
In both examples does darkness and a wilderness represent light and all things good or does it represent hardship and trial and a lacking in the things necessary for life and an absence of light?
Let's consider the symbolism of a dark and dreary wilderness compared to the statements of Christ concerning Himself.
His followers were not with him, but had left to buy food in the city and therefore he was alone. The Samaritan woman replied to him, I do not understand why a Jew would ask me as a Samaritan to give you a drink. Jews look down on us as unclean, so why would you ask me such a thing? Jesus replied, I have been sent by God, and if you recognized who now asks you to give a drink of water, you would gladly do so and ask me in turn for the gift of living water. The woman responded to him, Sir, you have nothing to reach the water, and the well is deep, so how can you suggest you could offer living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, to whom God gave this well, who drank here with his children, and he watered his cattle from this source? Jesus answered her, Whoever drinks water from this well will thirst again, but whoever drinks from the living water which I shall give him shall live from eternity to eternity, for the Source in me will be the power to rise upward forever, worlds without end. (Teachings and Commandments section 171, Testimony of St. John 4 pars. 2 - 3)
Then they asked him, What do we need to do to enter God’s pathway of endless progress? Jesus answered and said, The pathway is before you in me, I teach and display what the Father wants you to witness and believe. They said in response, What sign will you give to us to confirm this pathway, so we can trust your message? What will you give to us? Our fathers were fed with manna in the desert for forty years. As the scripture states, He gave them bread from Heaven to eat. Feed us likewise. Then Jesus said to them, In the name of Father Ahman I tell you the truth, Moses was not the one who gave bread, it was my Father who did that. But now my Father is offering true life-giving bread from Heaven, which is light and truth. For the Bread of God is sent from the Heavenly Council to give light and truth to the world. They responded, Master, feed us with this bread forever. Jesus said bluntly to them, I am the bread that gives life; he that follows the path with me will never hunger for light; and any who believe on me shall never thirst for truth. Unfortunately, as I have already told you, even though you have seen me, you do not believe me. But my Father has provided some who will heed my words, and those who follow me I will safely keep. I am descended from above as a Messenger sent to follow Father Ahman’s plan. Father’s plan is that by completing my ascent I will have the power to rescue creation, losing nothing. Moreover, those who are here on this journey with me will be added upon for evermore if they have faith in me. They will rise up to likewise generate endless lives, worlds without end. (Teachings and Commandments section 171, Testimony of St. John 5 pars 14 - 16)
And consider John the Beloved's testimony concerning Christ.
In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made which was made. In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the world, and the world perceives it not. (Teachings and Commandments section 171, Testimony of St. John. 1 par. 1)
Christ is living water. He is the bread of life. He is the light of men.
Do these attributes of Christ counteract the conditions of a dark and dreary wilderness?
Then does the dark and dreary wilderness signify a lack of association with Christ?
In the vision Lehi finds himself beginning in this very condition.
What happens next?
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. And it came to pass that he spake unto me and bade me follow him.
What is the significance of a man dressed in a white robe?
Is there something that parallels our modern day in the symbol of a man dressed in a white robe bidding people to follow him?
We'll come back to all this but let's go on for the moment.
What happens when Lehi follows this man in a white robe?
And it came to pass that 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.
As Lehi follows this man, even though the man is dressed in white, he now finds himself in a dark and dreary waste.
Is a dark and dreary waste even worse than a dark and dreary wilderness?
Why is Lehi specific to use the word waste instead of wilderness?
One of the uses of the word waste as a noun listed in the Websters 1828 dictionary is "region ruined and deserted."
Lehi starts in a dark wilderness but by following this man in white he ends up in an even worse predicament being in a region that is dark, ruined and deserted.
It is only after Lehi repents of following this man for hours, by turning directly to God and pleading for His tender mercies, that Lehi is delivered from the dark and dreary waste.
Is it significant that Lehi, following his petitions to God, is not only delivered from the dark and dreary waste but also from the dark and dreary wilderness?
Where does Lehi immediately find himself by God's deliverance?
This is powerful symbolism that we ought to urgently consider in our day and age.
Let's go back to the man dressed in a white robe.
What do we usually associate the color white with?
Is it possible in this world to feign purity?
Is it possible for those things that come from the adversary to appear as though they are pure?
Does tradition have a role in confusing and making that which is from the adversary have the appearance of purity?
What did the Prophet Joseph have to say concerning false spirits and men?
If Satan should appear as one in glory, who can tell his color, his signs, his appearance, his glory, or what is the manner of his manifestation? Who can detect the spirit of the French prophets with their revelations and their visions, and power of manifestations? Or who can point out the spirit of the Irvingites, with their apostles and prophets, and visions and tongues, and interpretations, etc. Or who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries of the false spirits that so frequently are made manifest among the Latter-day Saints? We answer that no man can do this without the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of the laws by which spirits are governed; for as no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God, so no man knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifested by him for the glory of God, together with the prophetic spirit, the gracious influence, the godly appearance, and the holy garb, which are so characteristic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pgs. 204 - 205)
The Prophet Joseph taught that priesthood is required in order to detect the spirit of the devil who can appear as an angel of light and appear to have a sanctified look and gesture and who can profess a Godly zeal and a godly appearance.
Remember that we have talked many times concerning priesthood; that true priesthood is a face to face association with Christ and God the Father.
Only by having an association with them can one detect the spirit of the devil and cast it out because God the Father and Christ can reveal the nature of the spirits that people encounter to individuals who have communion with God and Christ.I
Women and children as well as men can have this association with Christ and the Father. 3rd Nephi when the Lord appeared to the Nephites is just one example of this association and all the men women and children were present together.
Therefore all men women and children can posses priesthood.
The prophet Joseph declared that these false spirits and influences are even among the Latter-day Saints.
The prophet further declared,
A man must have the discerning of spirits before he can drag into daylight this hellish influence
and unfold it unto the world in all its soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors; for nothing is
a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think
they have the Spirit of God. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 205)
Can an individual who follows a man, even if the man appears to be pure, find themselves under a soul-destroying hellish influence?
Is it possible for a man to be under a soul-destroying hellish influence and think he has the Spirit of God so he bids others to follow him?
What about that popular childrens' song taught in the primaries of the LDS Church; Follow the Prophet?
Is any prophet, even a true one, more than a man?
What happens if a prophet puts himself up for a light to be followed instead of Christ?
What about a statement "follow us for we cannot lead you astray?"
He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world, but they seek not the welfare of Zion. Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity, they were nothing; wherefore, if they should have charity, they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion, for if they labor for money, they shall perish. (2 Nephi, NC 2 Nephi 11 par. 17)
Would setting oneself up as a light and receiving gain or money for their ministry to receive wild acclaim be considered as being under the influence of a false spirit?
Nephi declared that it was because of priestcraft that the Lord was crucified among the Jews.
The Jews felt that they had justly killed Christ to stop Him from blaspheming God.
Were they under the influence of a false spirit because of priestcraft?
Are there any parallels between what Lehi saw here and the spirit that may influence us today?
If we follow a man, any man, will we find ourself anywhere but in a dark and dreary waste?
Is there or has there been any man who has possessed or does possess the attributes of Christ that counteract the conditions of the dark and dreary wilderness we all find ourselves in at the beginning in this life as the veil is placed upon us?
What did the prophet Joseph say concerning those who were following him?
...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, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 238)
By following the man in a white robe was Lehi's experience a good symbol of departing from the Lord by depending on a Prophet?
Is the dark and dreary waste a good symbol of being darkened in our minds?
What are the duties devolving upon ourselves?
If we are presently following a man what can we do?
Can we repent like Lehi did in his dream?
What will happen if we turn to God like Lehi and pray for His mercy?
Will the God of Lehi love us the same as He loved Lehi and deliver us from our dark and dreary waste?
Do we each have a personal responsibility (a duty devolving upon us) to turn to Christ and follow Him and no one else?
Will God not only deliver us from the waste as we turn to Him, will He also deliver us from the wilderness as well like He did with Lehi?
Does this part of Lehi's dream give more meaning to what Nephi declared?
O Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee for ever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh, for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee. Yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the Rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall for ever ascend up unto thee, my Rock and mine everlasting God. Amen. (2 Nephi 4:34 - 35, NC 2 Nephi 3 par. 8)
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