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.
1 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the
things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make
them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the
Spirit of the Lord, 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?
3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my
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, and him
shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it
is the Son of God.
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.
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