Chapter 11
Nephi sees the Spirit
of the Lord and is shown in vision the tree of life—He sees the mother of the
Son of God and learns of the condescension of God—He sees the baptism,
ministry, and crucifixion of the Lamb of God—He sees also the call and ministry
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. About 600–592 B.C.
Nephi had been pondering his father’s words. Pondering is an important part of understanding
the word of the Lord. Later, Nephi would
write, “And upon these I write the things
of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of
brass. For my soul delighteth in the
scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and
the profit of my children” (2 Nephi 4:15).
After Nephi3 told the people to go to the assassinated
chief judge’s brother, and he would confess, he returned home. “that
Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the
Lord had shown unto him” (Helaman 10:2).
Prior to His departure after His first appearance to the
Nephites, Christ commanded them to “go ye
unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the
Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow,
and I come unto you again” (3 Nephi 17:3).
President Joseph F. Smith wrote, “On the third of October,
in the year nineteen hundred and eighteen, I sat in my room pondering over the
scriptures; And reflecting upon the great atoning sacrifice that was made by
the Son of God, for the redemption of the world; And the great and wonderful love
made manifest by the Father and the Son in the coming of the Redeemer into the
world” (D&C 138:1 - 3). His
pondering over the scriptures would lead to his vision “concerning the Savior's visit to the spirits of the dead while his body
was in the tomb” (D&C 138:Heading).
While pondering Lehi’s words, he was “caught away in the spirit of the Lord” to “an exceedingly high mountain” (1 Nephi 11:1). Mountains play a role in receiving the word
of God. For example, “the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me
into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law [OR
instruction], and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach
them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount
of God” (Exodus 24:12 - 13).
As a part of his great revelation, John wrote the Spirit “carried me away in the spirit to a great
and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10).
Writing about what was about to occurring Jeanette W. Miller
explains,
In 1 Nephi 11:1–25, we find that
Nephi desired to see the vision that his father Lehi had previously received of
the tree of life. Nephi said that "as I sat pondering in mine heart I was
caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high
mountain" (1 Nephi 11:1). The following verses include an interview with
the Spirit, who asks certain questions to ascertain Nephi's intent and
worthiness to receive the interpretation of the vision.[1]
He met the Spirit on the mountain, and the Spirit began to
question him. He was asked what he
desired. Nephi explained, “I desire to behold the things which my
father saw” (1 Nephi 11:3). The
Spirit asked if he believed his father saw the tree about which Lehi told his
family. Nephi replied with full
faith. “Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father” (1
Nephi 11:5).
The Spirit praised God with a loud voice, praising God, after
Nephi declared his faith. “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” (1 Nephi 11:6).
Nephi was given a sign and a command, “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, and him shall ye witness; and after ye
have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God” (1 Nephi
11:7).
[1] The
Tree of Life, a Personification of Christ, Jeanette W. Miller, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 6, 2013.
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