Beckoning and Decisions

1 Nephi 8:12 - 18, NC 1 Nephi 2 par. 9


And as I partook of the fruit thereof, it filled my soul with exceeding great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also, for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. And as I cast my eyes around about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, and I beheld a river of water and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit. And I looked to behold from whence it came, and I saw the head thereof a little way off. And at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi, and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go. 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. And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also. And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river that perhaps I might see them. And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

Do we see in Lehi's dream a representation of the journey of Lehi's family both to truth and light and away from truth and light?

In real life just as in his vision of the tree Lehi is the first to fully partake.

Remember Lehi's exclamation when he fully partook?

And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!  And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen , yea, which the Lord had shown unto him. (1 Nephi 1:14 - 15, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 3)

What was Lehi's reaction towards his family after he had fully partaken?

And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account. (1 Nephi 1:16, NC 1 Nephi 1 par. 4)

In the vision Sariah, Sam and Nephi are not quite as far up the path as Lehi. They are a little way off at the head of the river.

Does that make Lehi any better than the others because he happens to be farther up the path at the moment?

Once Sariah, Sam and Nephi reach the tree and fully partake of the fruit is not their reward just as great as Lehi's?

I understand that this may look like something trivial to consider and maybe it is but in my own life I have struggled with judging others and my own arrogance towards others who happened to "arrive" at a place that I feel is important after I have already "arrived".

I have never until just recently considered that if I am to "partake" of the fruit of the tree that Lehi saw I must repent and cast out these feelings in me.

A parable that has been very instructive for me was given by the Lord concerning this principle that I have struggled with.

For the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man, a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and found others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said unto them, Why stand you here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man has hired us. He said unto them, Go also into the vineyard, and whatever is right, you shall receive.  So when evening came, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that began about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more. And they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received a penny, they murmured against the master of the house, saying, These last have wrought one hour only, and you have made them equal unto us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do you no wrong. Did not you agree with me for a penny? Take yours and go your way. I will give unto this last even as unto you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first, last. And many are called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20:1 - 16: NC Matthew 9 pars. 25 -26)

Is it possible that those who partake fully of the fruit of the tree that Lehi saw fall into this following category?

Man must hope, or he cannot receive (Ether 12:32; see also Ether 5:6 RE). That phrase is filled with a great deal of significance.  The term “hope,” particularly as it’s used here, is not that well understood. We sometimes view it as a weak virtue—something of a wisp, a phantom; something that we emote that we would like or desire. But in this context, the word “hope” is much more. It’s a concrete assurance based upon a promise or a covenant . Hope comes from knowing the Lord has
promised a person something. As the Lord has assured us, He does not make (and then break) promises. When He promises something, He will deliver it. He does not excuse Himself; even though the heavens and the earth [may] pass away, [His word] shall not pass away but shall [all] be fulfilled (T&C 43:3). Anyone who receives a promise from Him has an absolute certainty... There’s a direct relationship between faith, hope, and charity. Faith comes from obedience and sacrifice. Hope comes from the promise given to a person, by God, which their faith has secured for them. And charity comes as those holding faith and receiving hope, seek to have all others share in the same promises. The greatest gift you can give to another is eternal life. All those who have such a promise from God want everyone else to have a similar promise for themselves. They teach, preach, exhort, and write to share with everyone that same opportunity to gain hope in God. They understand how rare a thing it is to bring a soul to salvation. But they’re not interested in merely making a bad-person good or a
good-person better, nor are they content to move souls from a Telestial destiny to a
Terrestrial destiny. Those who have such promises for themselves long, hope, pray, and
preach to bring every other soul back to God to dwell with Him in Celestial glory. They seek
the eternal life of all mankind. They participate with God in His great work. They join Christ
in His declaration:
For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore, he suffered
the pain of all men that all men might repent and come unto him. And he ha[th] risen
again from the dead that he might bring all men unto him on conditions of repentance.
And how great is his joy in the soul that repent[eth]. Wherefore, you are called to cry
repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in
crying repentance unto this people and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great
shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father? And now if your joy will be
great with one soul that you have brought unto me in the kingdom of my Father, how
great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me? (JSH 15:31 RE) ("Hope, Part 3, Denver Snuffer Podcast, Aug. 18, 2019)

Is Lehi working from a space such as the one described above where he now has a hope in Christ or promises made to him by God and now he desires that all others, starting with his family, would receive the same promises?

The Prophet Joseph described it this way.

Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who
aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his
family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pg. 174)

From what we studied earlier concerning Lehi and his ascension to the throne of God in the post "The Family of God", could we say that Lehi has become a son of God?

Did Lehi manifest in Jerusalem a desire to bless the whole human race of his world (Jerusalem)?

Did Lehi manifest a desire to bless his family?

Does Lehi in any way possess a feeling of being "better" or more "authoritative" or in a position of "power" over anyone he beckons to in order to invite them to come to the tree and partake as well?

Is Lehi willing to sacrifice in order to beckon others to come to the tree?

After having partaken fully of the fruit of the tree, which tree represents the love of God, is Lehi filled with the love of God?

If I am ever going to be able to beckon to others as Lehi did do I first need to partake fully of the fruit of the tree that Lehi saw?

Can I ever beckon to others if I am filled with pride concerning any supposed truth and light I may possess?

Can I ever pick fruit from the tree to give to others or is it the responsibility of everyone to come to the tree and partake?

Is this principle related to the parable of the ten virgins the Savior taught?

Lehi never picks the fruit for anyone else.  He beckons to them to come and even cries out to them in a loud voice to invite them.

If I happen to be somewhere up the path the Savior trod, beyond others, does that make me any more important than them?

If I make it up the path further does that impose upon me an obligation to sacrifice and serve to assist all to move farther up the path?

Where was the Savior on the path when He sacrificed everything infinitely in order to assist all others to move along the path?

It seems to me that this all applies to what Lehi is doing at the tree beckoning to others to come and partake.

Sariah, Sam and Nephi start at the head of the river not knowing where to go.

Is that how we all start in this life as the veil of mortality is placed on us?

Does this have anything to do with what Alma taught?

And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children. And I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests after his Holy Order, which was after the Order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people. And those priests were ordained after the Order of his Son in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption. And this is the manner after which they were ordained: being called and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works in the first place, being left to choose good or evil; therefore they, having chosen good, and exercising exceeding great faith, are called with a holy calling — yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such. And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds (while, if it had not been for this, they might had as great privilege as their brethren — or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren — thus, this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son who was prepared), and thus, being called by this holy calling and ordained unto the High Priesthood of the Holy Order of God to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest — this High Priesthood being after the Order of his Son, which Order was from the foundation of the world, or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity according to his foreknowledge of all things. Now they were ordained after this manner, being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the High Priesthood of the Holy Order — which calling, and ordinance, and High Priesthood is without beginning or end; thus, they become high priests for ever after the Order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen. (Alma 13:1 - 9, NC Alma 9 par. 10)

Are we all on the same standing as we begin mortality?

Are we all left to choose good and evil?

At the beginning of the record could we see that even Sariah, Sam and Nephi were somewhat skeptical of Lehi's words?

Did they make a conscious decision to respond to Lehi's beckoning and crying and leave the head of the river of water to come and partake of the fruit?

Nephi declared this concerning the river of water from his father's vision.

What meaneth the river of water which our father saw? And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water. And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf which separateth the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God. And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful hell which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked. And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous, and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire which ascendeth up unto God for ever and ever and hath no end. (1 Nephi 15:26 - 30, NC 1 Nephi 4 par. 5)

What do we know of Laman and Lemuel's response to Lehi's beckoning?

When Nephi asked them,

Have ye inquired of the Lord? (1 Nephi 15:8, NC 1 Nephi 4 par. 2)

concerning things Laman and Lemuel were asking of Nephi
Laman and Lemuel's answer was

"We have not, for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us." (1 Nephi 15:9, NC 1 Nephi 4 par. 2)

Without a belief that God would answer them is it possible for Laman and Lemuel to plant the seed of belief in the Lord in their hearts so that it may swell and with nourishment grow up to produce fruit?

Is it a hell to not communicate with God?

If we are unable to receive commandments from God for our own personal individually unique situations in life does that mean that we have chosen to become wicked and need to repent?

What does it mean to be wicked?  What is the definition?

And the whole world lies in sin and groans under darkness and under the bondage of sin, and by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me, for whoever comes not unto me is under the bondage of sin. And whoever receives not my voice is not acquainted with my voice and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groans under sin and darkness, even now. (D&C 84:49 - 53) ,Teachings and Commandments 82 par. 19)

Is it possible to receive the God's voice if we do not inquire of Him?

If we are not personally acquainted with His voice it says that we are not of Him.

God states that the righteous are distinguished from the wicked because the righteous receive His voice and the wicked do not.

The Book of Mormon seems to contrast very clearly through the recorded actions of the family and now through Lehi's vision just how important the decision to believe in Christ and to act upon that belief by crying to God is versus believing that He will make no such things known unto us.

Does all this give new meaning to what Nephi declared to Laman and Lemuel about not keeping the commandments of God because they would not inquire of Him?

How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord?  How is it that ye will perish because of the hardness of your hearts?  Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said, If ye will not harden your hearts and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you?" (1 Nephi 15:10 - 11, NC 1 Nephi 4 par. 2)

That seems pretty harsh doesn't it?

How am I doing at keeping the commandments of God?

If  I died today would I perish because of my hardness of heart?

Do I personally receive God's voice am I acquainted with it?

What are the responsibilities devolving upon me to receive and be acquainted with God's voice?

Am I willing to make a decision to respond to someone who is at the tree Lehi saw who is beckoning to me to come and partake?

Is it my responsibility to respond to the invitation?

Is this part of Lehi's vision a good representation of what Alma taught as quoted above?

Is there someone (Lehi) who is a priest of the Holy Order, a son of God, who is preaching righteousness (inviting others to come and partake of the very same thing he is a part of; to enter into the rest or glory of God)?

Are Sariah, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi all beginning on equal standing?

Are there decisions made that go one way or another and would Laman and Lemuel have had as great a privilege as their mother and their brothers if they had responded to Lehi's beckoning?

How should I be responding to a priest of the holy Order, a son of God, who is beckoning to all and even crying with a loud voice to invite all to come to the tree and partake of the fruit which is white above all that is white and sweet above all things and delicious to the soul?

Where can I find such a priest who would beckon?

Who is there on there earth now that possesses a hope in Christ, who has obtained promises from God Himself, and desires that all around him receive the same promises (the same wages for working in the vineyard at this late hour)?