There is a lot in this section that is good and important. We're going to try to use as few words as possible but 1 Nephi 11-15 is incredibly dense with important messages. We could write about every verse but are going skip a lot and focus on the most impactful verses - to us anyway.
11:6
We think it's interesting that the Spirit cried with a loud voice. We were trying to think of another time that the happened. It's usually a still, small voice right? Is there a reason he's being loud? We think it's because he's wanting to celebrate and call attention to the importance of faith.
To believe is a gift. We should be proud that WE BELIEVE. Many are concerned that they don't 'know' that the church is true. But we believe that it is.
God loves those who believe. Belief is a strong concept. Each of our Articles of Faith begins with 'we believe.' Don't ever be ashamed that you say, 'I believe...'
11:18
We like how the angel makes the distinction that Mary is Christ's mother 'after the manner of the flesh.' Jesus has a spiritual mother in heaven!
11:21-22
Marci and I believe that the tree of life is Jesus Christ and the fruit is the atonement. I know we always hear that the tree is the 'love of God.' But I think we can correctly think of it specifically as Christ and his atonement.
There are a few reasons why we believe this that will come out in future verses. Obviously, we know that Jesus is God's love made manifest. We know that 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.' So, it's not a stretch to view the tree as Jesus and the atonement.
One clue in this verse is that Nephi answers the angel with 'Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.' It seems like the word 'sheddeth' usually relates to blood - which is an obvious connection to the atonement.
When we partake of the atonement, it is the sweetest thing we can experience.
11:25
In this verse, it says the 'fountain of living waters' and the tree of life are both the 'love of God.' We think they can be considered as something more specific and meaningful. As we know, the scriptures consider Christ the source of 'living water.' One instance we can think of is with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well - where explains that he can give 'living water.' In John we also read: 'Whosever drinketh of that water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.'
We think the fountain of water is the example of Jesus in word and in deed. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gospel and words of Christ as captured by prophets are the scriptures. Which is the rod of iron.
The word of God will lead you to the tree and fruit. Which, as we said in the last section, we believe is the atonement. In Lehi's dream, those who held fast to the rod and arrived at the tree fell down and partook of the fruit. We believe that they are falling down in the presence of Jesus.
11:28
Christ ministered unto the people in POWER and GREAT GLORY. When we minister, we are multiplying his effort. We are increasing the power of his words and works - to God's glory. We should feel this when we are ministering to those in need.
11:32
It's ironic that Christ was 'judged of the world.' He is truly the judge OF the world. The world was judging their judge.
11:35
The large and spacious building is the 'world and the wisdom thereof.' Until now, we've always just thought of the large and spacious building to be the pride of the world. But, we think it's separate from the actual prideful people.
It is everything worldly. It is worldly possessions, worldly distractions, worldly pleasures and worldly rewards. It is pride focused on worldly things that is built over time and people accept and internalize and surround themselves with it. It is the accumulated wisdom of many and that wisdom appears large and seemingly strong. It is built with the accretion of bits of manmade intelligence until it looks like it is stable.
It's spacious because it's mostly hollow. It's actually empty. There aren't any weight-bearing walls. It's made mostly of air. Of course, we also read that it is in the air. It is built on no actual truth. It's made up of thin air.
11:36
Of course, without being built on an actual foundation of truth - God's truth - the pride of the world will surely fall. It gets so big and massive that it implodes under its own weight. Pride in yourself and in the things of this world will always fail eventually. I understand that many of you are thinking, 'Eric is actually writing about pride??'
The things of this world are not enduring. What the world considers success is actually fake. Putting trust in the world's principles of what is success will eventually backfire. We see this with people who appear to be the most successful among us: famous actors, talented athletes and accomplished musicians. We often see their successful lives implode with a mental breakdown, drug overdose or personal scandal.
This is what happens when your life is built on worldly things. It eventually becomes clear that it's built on nothing at all - as if floating in the air.
12:16
The filthy water is the depths of hell. Being caught in a river is a great symbol of what it's like to be in hell. A deep, powerful river is impossible to escape. You are controlled by everything around you. You aren't progressing anywhere - you're just trying to keep your head above water. You can't get a foothold - you are out of control. The world is passing you by and all you can do is watch.
Think of people who seem to already be in the depths of hell on earth. People you see on the street who are no longer in control of their lives. They are in a deep, very powerful river. We look into their eyes and can almost feel the sense of desperation.
The way conditions change when you're caught up in the water is when someone helps you. That person can't be in the river with you. He or she must be on solid ground and can throw you a lifeline to help you out.
When we see someone who is in hell. We should realize that we can be that person on solid ground that can help. Of course, Jesus is the ultimate rescuer but he is working through us to save a soul. Jesus isn't present in that moment but we are.
12:18
We like the phrase 'vain imaginations.' Marci and I had differing opinions about what that meant.
She feels like it was that we perceive things that aren't really there. That we see a famous person and imagine that they are an amazing, strong soul and they are not - they just appear to be. Or we see a beautiful house and we imagine that it must be a perfect family inside and there isn't. She thinks of the buildings in the movie Inception that are large and appear fancy but are just fake and empty. It's about illusion.
I see vain imaginations as beliefs that we have created that aren't really based on God's truth but are invented from our own vanity. For example, the idea of 'live according to YOUR truth' is a vain imagination. Or, 'there is no such thing as gender.' Or, 'it is perfectly acceptable if you live together before you are married.' Or, 'there is no such thing as God - just evolution.' I think all of these things are vain imaginations in that we have just imagined them and are vain enough to believe that we can figure out Godly things.
12:19
Nephi's seed is defeated by 'pride of the people' and 'temptations of the devil.' It's interesting that they are phrased this way. Pride is 'of the people' and temptation is 'of the devil.' The language is mirrored so it's interesting to consider the differences.
It's almost as if pride is something that originates inside of us. We build pride within ourselves. It's like it's just part of the natural man to have pride. This pride can make us more susceptible to temptations of the devil by:
Making us feel less reliant on God. We don't need God and our left to ourselves. We think that we are smarter than God. We even make ourselves even with God.
We focus on worldly possessions and will do anything to get them.
We are not teachable and humble.
We can see why pride makes us much more likely to be tempted.
12:22-23
Nephi knew that his brother's seed would dwindle in unbelief. We looked up what dwindle means: to diminish gradually in strength. Why do people dwindle when they don't believe?
We think that, when they lose belief in a higher power, they don't have an example to pattern their lives after. They aren't humbled by a superior person being present (it's perhaps why children are so humble, they always have the physical presence of an adult to compare themselves to...).
This dwindling happens slowly, almost imperceptibly. After time, you are dark, and loathsome and filthy - full of idleness and all manner of abominations. These are pretty bad things.
It's interesting that 'idleness' is included in this list. Why is idleness so bad? It may not be that idleness is inherently wrong - it's just where it leads. If you're not anxiously engaged in working or serving or learning - your mind tends to drift to other things. These other things are what leads us to trouble.
13:24-26
When the Bible was originally written, it contained the fulness of the gospel. When it came from the apostles and prophets, it was pure.
The abominable church removed many parts of the Bible which were plain and precious. They also removed many covenants of the Lord. They did this so they could pervert the right ways of the Lord - that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
13:40
The Book of Mormon will establish the truth of the Bible. The Book of Mormon will make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away or kept back from the Bible. This will make it known to all people that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and Savior or the world. All men must come unto Him, or they cannot be saved.
14:7
Jesus will do a marvelous work that will be everlasting in one direction and the other. Either convincing people unto PEACE and LIFE ETERNAL. Or, because of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of minds unto CAPTIVITY and DESTRUCTION (both temporally and spiritually).
15:4-6
We are sure that Nephi was very grieved. He was grieved because of the hardness of his brother's hearts. He was grieved because of the scenes of destruction of his descendants which he had just seen. He knew that what he had seen was unavoidable because of the wickedness of the children of men.
He was so grieved that he thought his afflictions were great above all because of the destruction of his people.
In verse six, he talks about how 'after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren.' Think about it, Nephi had just witnessed the destruction of his people mainly because of the descendants of his two brothers. How would you not have animosity for them?
He had just killed Laban. Did it cross his mind the the should do the same to them to prevent what was going to happen to future generations?
It's no wonder he had to wait to 'receive strength' before talking to them. He was interested in strengthening their testimonies. Nephi was a good man.
15:8-9
Nephi asks them if they have inquired of the Lord. Their answer was that 'the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.' The Lord rarely makes the first step. We must come to him. We must turn to him. We must ask him. If we wait for the Lord to knock on our door, we will be waiting a long time. We know that we must ASK!
15:20
It's interesting to us that Nephi's speaking to them pacified them. We have to think that the Spirit was what pacified them - not Nephi's words specifically. We think a good conversation can bring the Spirit and make someone feel humble.
But, it can't make us humble. For that, it takes effort on the our part. Lasting humility can't come from an external source. It can't come from a good conversation. It comes with a lot of effort for many of us. Yes, I'm talking about me.
15:25
This verse is very telling of Nephi's character. He has just seen a vision of the destruction of his seed at the hands of his brothers' seed. He knew, no matter what he did, it wasn't going to change the inevitable. Yet, he exhorted them with all the energies of his soul! And with all the faculties he possessed!
Even though he thought it was a lost cause. He knew what he was doing was futile. He knew it and he did it anyway. What causes people to give that much effort, knowing it would be in vain? It's not strategic. It doesn't make sense.
Unless you consider that Nephi had charity for his brothers. In Corinthians, we learn that 'Charity sufferers long and is kind...beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.' Nephi has this for his brothers and it drives his actions.
This is a good lesson for us. When we are helping people we love, we do everything we can - even when we know it may be a lost cause. Even if we're certain it's a lost cause. If we have charity for a person, we will help them with all the energy and faculty we have.
15:32-34
Of course Nephi's brothers are interested in the specifics of God's punishment. With their consciences warning them of the path they are choosing, they are curious about the negative side of God's justice.
They want to know if this flaming fire represents:
The torment of the body in the days of probation?
The final state of the soul after the death of the temporal body?
Things which are simply temporal.
Nephi answers that it's both temporal and spiritual. Which they probably didn't want to hear. He informs them that they will be judged of their works done by the temporal body in the days of their probation.
Nephi explains that they will retain their character in the next life that they have built here. We won't suddenly change as we enter the spirit world. Our trajectory that we establish in this life continues. If our works have been filthy, we will continue to be filthy. If we are filthy, we can't exist with God.
There is a place for things which are filthy and it's a place that was prepared by the Devil.
One of the key messages is that this is all happening RIGHT NOW. We don't need to wait for the judgment or our death to understand what the verdict will be. We are in the process of judging ourselves every day. If we choose to be valiant, we will continue to be valiant and that valiancy will continue into eternity.
The goal is to practice following God's will. We think those who continue to progress and develop in this life and the next are those who say 'Thy will be done.' If we are continually humble and teachable, there's no limit to our growth. God can work with that.
Instead, if we say 'Our will be done,' God can't do a lot with that. We make choices that aren't aligned with our eternal progress and we damn ourselves!
We hope you enjoyed these insights! It's helpful for us to go through the scriptures in this way. We hope there's one person out there that this helps. :)
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