Actual Scriptures
CHAPTER 15
Lehi’s seed are to receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days—The gathering of Israel is likened unto an olive tree whose natural branches will be grafted in again—Nephi interprets the vision of the tree of life and speaks of the justice of God in dividing the wicked from the righteous. About 600–592 B.C.
1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.
2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.
3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be aunderstood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.
4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men.
5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine aafflictions were great above all, because of the bdestruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall.
6 And it came to pass that after I had received astrength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the aolive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye ainquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: aWe have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will aperish, because of the hardness of your hearts?
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in bfaith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.
12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a abranch of the house of Israel?
13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have adwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the bMessiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the cgospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the dGentiles unto the remnant of our seed—
14 And at that day shall the remnant of our aseed bknow that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the ccovenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and dcome to the eknowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their arock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true bvine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God?
16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be agrafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree.
17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be arejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.
18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy aseed shall all the kindreds of the earth be bblessed.
19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the arestoration of the Jews in the latter days.
20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of aIsaiah, who spake bconcerning the crestoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did dhumble themselves before the Lord.
21 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the atree which he saw?
22 And I said unto them: It was a representation of the atree of life.
23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the arod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24 And I said unto them that it was the aword of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ctemptations and the fiery ddarts of the eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give aheed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the bfaculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.
26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the ariver of water which our father saw?
27 And I said unto them that the awater which my father saw was bfilthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.
28 And I said unto them that it was an awful agulf, which separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God.
29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful ahell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked.
30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the ajustice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming bfire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end.
31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of aprobation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the bdeath of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal?
32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their aworks, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of bprobation.
33 Wherefore, if they should adie in their wickedness they must be bcast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be cjudged of their dworks; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be efilthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot fdwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of afilthiness prepared for that which is filthy.
35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that aawful bhell of which I have spoken, and the cdevil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that djustice of which I have spoken.
36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that atree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most bdesirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the cgreatest of all the dgifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.
Come Follow Me Manual
The Lord will answer me if I ask in faith with a soft heart.
Have you ever felt like you weren’t receiving personal revelation—that God wasn’t talking to you? What counsel did Nephi give his brothers when they felt this way? How can you apply Nephi’s counsel in your life, and how can you use his counsel to help others?
For Further Study:
Seminary Manual
Introduction
In 1 Nephi 15 you will see the contrast between Nephi’s diligent efforts to receive personal revelation and the faithless efforts of his brothers. As you study this chapter, ponder the effort you are making to receive answers and guidance from the Lord.
1 Nephi 15:1–11
Nephi’s brothers complain that they cannot understand Lehi’s vision
Many activities require effort on our part before we are able to enjoy the results. Think of an activity that you participate in—such as schoolwork, playing a musical instrument, or athletics—and ponder the relationship between the effort you put into the activity and the results that follow. Look for a similar pattern as you study 1 Nephi 15. Notice how putting forth effort relates to learning spiritual truths and receiving revelation from the Lord.
After diligently seeking to understand his father’s vision and teachings and then receiving his own revelation, Nephi returned to his father’s tent. There he found his brothers disputing with each other. Search 1 Nephi 15:1–3, and identify what they were discussing.
In 1 Nephi 15:6–7, underline what troubled Nephi’s brothers and caused the dispute. According to 1 Nephi 15:3, why was it difficult for them to understand Lehi’s teachings?
Read 1 Nephi 15:8, and underline the question Nephi asked his brothers. Why is this a logical question for Nephi to ask after what he had just experienced?
Underline the brothers’ response in 1 Nephi 15:9. The word for in this verse means because. In other words, Nephi’s brothers explained, “We haven’t asked the Lord because He doesn’t speak to us.”
- Imagine you have a friend who doesn’t ask the Lord for guidance because he or she doesn’t believe He will answer. Study 1 Nephi 15:11, and ponder the counsel Nephi gave his brothers about obtaining answers from the Lord. Then, in your scripture study journal, write a letter encouraging your friend to ask God in faith. Share Nephi’s counsel and your own feelings about prayer in the letter.
One gospel principle we can learn from Nephi’s and his brothers’ actions and experiences is that if we inquire of the Lord in faith and obey His commandments, then we will be prepared to receive greater revelation and guidance from Him.
- Select one of the questions below, and answer it in your scripture study journal:
- What would you say to help a new member of the Church understand what is required of us in order to be taught and guided by the Lord?
- How have your efforts to learn spiritual truths and seek the Lord’s guidance affected your ability to feel the Spirit and understand the gospel?
Sometime within the next day, share your answer to the above assignment with a parent, other family member, Church leader, or teacher. As you do, invite the person to share experiences with you about when he or she put forth effort and faith in seeking Heavenly Father’s help and guidance.
1 Nephi 15:12–20
Nephi explains the scattering and gathering of Israel
Nephi’s brothers were confused about Lehi’s prophecy and teachings of the olive tree and the Gentiles (see 1 Nephi 15:7; see also 1 Nephi 10:12–15). Nephi explained that the scattering of the natural branches of the olive tree symbolized the physical and spiritual scattering of the house of Israel (God’s covenant people) because of their disobedience. In their scattered state they lost the knowledge of the gospel, as well as their identity as members of the house of Israel. As part of the gathering of the house of Israel in the latter days, people all over the earth will accept the restored gospel and realize that they are the covenant people of the Lord (see 1 Nephi 15:14–15).
Read 1 Nephi 15:14, and mark what scattered Israel will understand in the latter days.
Nephi taught that those who join the Church are as if they were grafted “into the true olive-tree” (1 Nephi 15:16). He also said that, like the scattering of the house of Israel, this grafting or gathering would happen “by way of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 15:17). It may be helpful to understand that “in the scriptures, Gentiles has several meanings. Sometimes it designates people of non-Israelite lineage, sometimes people of non-Jewish lineage, and sometimes nations that are without the gospel, even though there may be some Israelite blood among the people. This latter usage is especially characteristic of the word as used in the Book of Mormon” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Gentiles,” scriptures.lds.org).
The Lord keeps His promises and remembers His covenants with His children. He desires all of His children to receive the blessings of the everlasting gospel (see 1 Nephi 15:18). Your efforts to share the gospel with friends and family and your commitment to serve an honorable mission help fulfill Lehi’s prophecy.
1 Nephi 15:21–36
Nephi answers his brother’s questions about Lehi’s vision from his own experience
The remainder of 1 Nephi 15 covers questions Nephi’s brothers asked him about Lehi’s dream. They asked, “What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?” (1 Nephi 15:23.) Read Nephi’s answer in 1 Nephi 15:24–25, and identify the blessings promised those who hearken diligently to the word of God. In the following statements from President Ezra Taft Benson about the power of the word of God, underline phrases that are similar to what Nephi taught:
- “Not only will the word of God lead us to the fruit which is desirable above all others, but in the word of God and through it we can find the power to resist temptation, the power to thwart the work of Satan and his emissaries.”
- “The word of God … has the power to fortify the Saints and arm them with the Spirit so they can resist evil, hold fast to the good, and find joy in this life.”
- “Success in righteousness, the power to avoid deception and resist temptation, guidance in our daily lives, healing of the soul—these are but a few of the promises the Lord has given to those who will come to His word. … However diligent we may be in other areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it as we make our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 80, 82).
It is vital that we hold to the word of God through scripture study, prayer, and listening to inspired leaders.
- In your scripture study journal, design a flyer promoting the word of God. Be sure to include the blessings Nephi promised to those who hold fast to the word of God. You may also want to list sources for finding the word of God.
Consider writing the following principle in your scriptures near 1 Nephi 15:24–25: Studying and following the word of God daily strengthens us against Satan’s temptations.
- To help strengthen your testimony of this principle, answer one or both of the following questions in your scripture study journal:
- What experience related to your personal scripture study has helped you to know that this principle is true?
- How can you find out if this principle is true?
In Lehi’s dream, those who held fast to the iron rod were led safely through the mist of darkness to the tree of life. In 1 Nephi 15:26, Nephi’s brothers asked him to explain the meaning of the river that was near the tree of life. Look in 1 Nephi 15:27–29, and identify what the river represented.
Read 1 Nephi 15:32–36. Why would Nephi’s brothers have been troubled by these teachings?
- Answer the following questions in your scripture study journal:
- What parts of Lehi’s dream and Nephi’s interpretation of the dream show God’s love and concern for Nephi’s brothers?
- How do you see God’s love and concern for you in 1 Nephi 15?
Institute Manual
1 Nephi 15:2–11. “Hard in Their Hearts”
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed how a hard heart limits our spirituality:“Nephi attempted to teach his brothers that they could know the meaning of their father’s prophetic utterances, ‘which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord’ (1 Ne. 15:3). Nephi told them if they did not harden their hearts and would keep the commandments and inquire of the Lord in faith, ‘surely these things shall be made known unto you’ (1 Ne. 15:11).“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).
- The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that not only could Laman and Lemuel know 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, sel. 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).
1 Nephi 15:12–13. Jews and Gentiles
- We frequently read about the Jews and Gentiles in the Book of Mormon. Sometimes it is difficult to understand whom the text is speaking to. Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided help with this challenge: “Both Lehi and Nephi divide all men into two camps, Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were either the nationals of the kingdom of Judah or their descendants; all others were considered to be Gentiles. Thus, we are the Gentiles of whom this scripture speaks; we are the ones who have received the fulness of the gospel; and we shall take it to the Lamanites, who are Jews, because their fathers came from Jerusalem and from the kingdom of Judah” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 556).Elder McConkie also identified one gentile who would greatly assist in the Restoration: “Joseph Smith … was the Gentile by whose hand the Book of Mormon came forth, and the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints … are the Gentiles who carry salvation to the Lamanites and to the Jews” (The Millennial Messiah [1982], 233).
1 Nephi 15:13–16. Latter-day Restoration of the Gospel
- President Gordon B. Hinckley declared the impact of the Restoration in history: “My brethren and sisters, do you realize what we have? Do you recognize our place in the great drama of human history? This is the focal point of all that has gone before. This is the season of restitution. These are the days of restoration. This is the time when men from over the earth come to the mountain of the Lord’s house to seek and learn of His ways and to walk in His paths. This is the summation of all of the centuries of time since the birth of Christ to this present and wonderful day” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1999, 94; or Ensign, Nov. 1999, 74).
1 Nephi 15:12–20. The Gathering of Israel
- For more information on the gathering of Israel, refer to “The Gathering of Israel” in the appendix (page 416).
1 Nephi 15:24. The Word of God and Fiery Darts
- President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of the blessing of having the word of God in our possession. It will not only lead us to great blessings, but gives us the strength to stand firm in the face of temptation: “In his dream, Lehi saw an iron rod which led through the mists of darkness. He saw that if people would hold fast to that rod, they could avoid the rivers of filthiness, stay away from the forbidden paths, stop from wandering in the strange roads that lead to destruction. Later his son Nephi clearly explained the symbolism of the iron rod. When Laman and Lemuel asked, ‘What meaneth the rod of iron?’ Nephi answered, ‘It was the word of God; and [note this promise] whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.’ (1 Ne. 15:23–24; italics added.) Not only will the word of God lead us to the fruit which is desirable above all others, but in the word of God and through it we can find the power to resist temptation, the power to thwart the work of Satan and his emissaries” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 80).
1 Nephi 15:32–35. “Judged of Their Works”
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke of how our works define who we are. What we become through our works constitutes the judgment we will receive:“Many Bible and modern scriptures speak of a final judgment at which all persons will be rewarded according to their deeds or works or the desires of their hearts. But other scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged by the condition we have achieved.“The prophet Nephi describes the Final Judgment in terms of what we have become: ‘And if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God’ (1 Nephi 15:33; italics added). Moroni declares, ‘He that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still’ (Mormon 9:14; italics added; see also Revelation 22:11–12; 2 Nephi 9:16; D&C 88:35). The same would be true of ‘selfish’ or ‘disobedient’ or any other personal attribute inconsistent with the requirements of God. Referring to the ‘state’ of the wicked in the Final Judgment, Alma explains that if we are condemned by our words, our works, and our thoughts, ‘we shall not be found spotless; … and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God’ (Alma 12:14).“From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2000, 41; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 32).
1 Nephi 15:34–35. The Final State of Souls
- A clear distinction exists between good and evil, light and darkness, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. Hell is the place prepared for the filthy who follow Satan, while the righteous who have followed God enjoy the peace and glory of His kingdom. But how can the final state of all people be divided into just two groups—those who “dwell in the kingdom of God” or those who will be “cast out”? (1 Nephi 15:35).
The key to answering this question is found in Doctrine and Covenants 76:43, which summarizes the work of Jesus Christ as follows: “[He] glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.” Thus, the final state will include the grouping of saved individuals and unsaved individuals, or sons of perdition. Saved individuals will include those who are allowed to enter a degree of glory. Doctrine and Covenants 76 names three degrees of glory—celestial, terrestrial, and telestial—with information about the individuals who are worthy of each place in God’s kingdom. Thus, salvation within the kingdom of God occurs in all three degrees of glory, while those who do not qualify are sons of perdition.
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