3 Come and Partake of the Fruit
Come and Partake of the Fruit
Book of Mormon Videos https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/videos-and-images/book-of-mormon-videos?lang=eng
1 Nephi 6-10
Lehi was invited, in his dream of the Tree of Life, to receive the blessings of Jesus’s love and atonement for him. In his dream, Lehi also invited his family to come and partake of the fruit that was sweeter than anything else that’s sweet and brighter than anything else that is bright.
1 Nephi 8:3–4 Lehi rejoiced that in his dream Nephi and Sam stayed on the covenant path and reached the fruit; but, he worried about and sorrowed over Laman and Lemuel, because they chose not to follow the path that leads to happiness and joy, the path that leads to Jesus and Eternal Life with our Father.
1 Nephi 8:37 Lehi pled with Laman and Lemuel to stay on the covenant path. Our desire, hope, and prayer should be the same for all of our children.
37 And he did exhort them then
with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words,
that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my
father did preach unto them.
How can I invite and exhort my own children to stay true to Jesus through all the mists of darkness that surround us all?
This vision has been share with us, so that we can find hope in Christ, and then extend the invitation to others to Come unto Him. Think of those you love, just as Lehi did, and pray about how to best help them reach for the rod and stay on the path.
As you read Lehi’s vision allow “the security of the iron rod, the dangers of the spacious building, and the sweetness of the fruit [to] take on new meaning [for you]. And you will understand more deeply ‘all the feeling of [the] tender parent’ who received this remarkable vision.”
I can forgive others. At
1 Nephi
7:6–21 Laman and Lemuel and some of Ishmael’s family rebelled
against Nephi. They wanted to return to Jerusalem. It was hard for them to
accept their father’s teachings and having their younger brother tell them what
to do. They were used to their old ways.
They tied Nephi up and would have left him to be devoured by wild beasts, but
Nephi prayed to God with great faith, and his bands were loosed.
They were still angry with Nephi
and would have sought his destruction again; but, some of the family pleaded
with them and brought them to their senses.
The brothers bowed down and begged Nephi to forgive them, and he frankly
forgave them.
I should learn from that! We all can learn from Nephi’s good example of
forgiveness. Let’s release each other from bondage.
Video: “The Lord Delivers Nephi from His Rebellious Brothers” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/1-nephi-7/2019-07-0320-the-lord-delivers-nephi-from-his-rebellious-brothers-1080p-eng?lang=eng
Holding fast to the word of God leads me to the Savior and helps
me feel His love.
Where are you in your personal journey? Are you holding on to the rod and keeping to the covenant path? Are you becoming like Jesus?
“You are in it; all of us are in it. Lehi’s dream
or vision of the iron rod has in it everything a … Latter-day Saint needs to
understand the test of life” (President Boyd K. Packer).
See chart in chapter 8 reading.
Who are the four groups Lehi saw?
1 Nephi
8:21–23, 24–28, 30, and 31–33.
What does Lehi’s Vision
of the Tree of Life teach us about missionary work?
Mist of darkness caused first group to lose their way and
wander off and become lost.
Some came and were clinging to the rod, until they came and partook of the fruit;
then they were ashamed.
Others pressed forward and humbly fell down at the Tree and partook of the
fruit.
Others were making their way towards the great and spacious building.
Interesting! Three-fourths of the people had good intent; and when invited, they
wanted to gain the fruit. (The other fourth might also be among those with good
intent, when invited in the Lord’s timing.)
The first group needed someone to help lead them. Many start on the covenant
path, but become lost because they do not have enough light around them. Can you
be that light for someone? Retention is salvation.
The second group approached the tree humbly and
even fell down in worship and gratitude as they partook of the fruit. But then
they noticed those who were laughing and pointing their fingers at them. Their
faith in the Lord and in themselves was not strong enough yet, and they fell
away. How many members are lost because old “friends” and
habits pull them away? Once again, retention is salvation.
The third group made it. They stayed the course on the covenant path and they
enjoyed the fruit of their labors and found rest in the Lord. They are the ones
that held fast to the rod. They trusted in the word of God.
The fourth group was enticed by the great and
spacious building and all the distractions that go with it.
All four groups are worthy of our efforts. Just like Lehi and Nephi, we need to
pray for our children and our brothers and sisters; and when called upon by the
Spirit, we need to exhort and invite, with tenderness, love, and meekness. Most
of all, we need to testify of the joy that is found in following Jesus Christ.
Video: Lehi Sees a Vision of the
Tree of Life:
For kids:
Holding fast to the word of God leads me to Him and helps me feel
His love.
1 Nephi 8
You can draw a picture of
Lehi’s vision. There are many interpretations that you can look at as well.
What
do the symbols represent?
1 Nephi
11:21–22; The Tree represents the Love of God.
12:16–18; The
fountain of filthy water and the river represent the depths of hell.
The mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil.
The large and spacious building represents the vain imaginations and pride of
the children of men. They are divided by a great and terrible gulf.
15:23–33, 36
The Rod of Iron represents the Word of God, or Jesus.
The water represents filthiness. The river represents an awful gulf that
separates the wicked from the righteous and from the Tree of Life. It also represents
an awful hell which is prepared for the wicked.
The fruit of the Tree of Life is most precious and desirable above all other
fruits, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. Eternal Life is His
greatest gift, and we can receive that by following Jesus Christ who prepared
the way for us to return to our Heavenly Father, and He invites us to Come,
Follow Him.
What do we learn from Lehi’s vision?
Have the family hold to a rod and be led to a
picture of the Savior.
1 Nephi
8:20, 24, 30 Why
is the Rod of Iron so important? How
can the Word of God help us stay on the path and keep our covenants?
1 Nephi
8:10–12 Describe what Lehi saw.
1 Nephi
11:20–23 Describe what Nephi saw.
Why did the angel show Nephi the baby Jesus to teach
him about the love of God?
When have you felt God’s love in your life? How have you felt the love of God?
Ancient prophets knew about Jesus Christ’s mission and testified
of Him.
1 Nephi 10:2–16 Why do this verses tell us about our Father’s Plan? Why are these scriptures important to you?
The Lord has watched over all of us from the very beginning. Even though Lehi’s
family had to flee and Israel would be scattered, some of them would return to
the land and be there at the time of the Messiah’s birth. And even though there
would be a falling away, after He had preached the gospel and atoned for all of
us, there would be a gathering again; and the gospel would be and is being
preached to all people. It is important for us to know that we have a Savior,
that we can repent, and that the hope of our salvation is found in the Father’s
Love for us and in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The
covenants that were available to ancient Israel are now available to all of us.
What can we do to invite the Savior more fully into our lives? What are you willing to sacrifice to have Him as you best Friend?
God will reveal truth to me by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Do you trust Heavenly enough to live a principle of the gospel without
understanding why or its purpose?
1 Nephi 10:17–19; 11:1 How does Nephi respond to Lehi’s vision?
Vs 17 “I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of
these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is
the gift of God unto all those who
diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time
that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.”
Nephi had faith and he asked of God.
1 Nephi
15:1–10 How do Laman and Lemuel respond?
Vs 3 Nephi explained that Lehi spoke many things that couldn’t be understood
unless you asked God for help to understand.
Laman and Lemuel wouldn’t do that. They didn’t believe
God would make anything known unto them. They didn’t have faith in their own
abilities or in God’s grace and mercy for them.
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And
they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh
no such thing known unto us.
Seeing and angel, hearing the voice of the Lord, being directed by the Liahona did not change them. Miracles do not convert. Laman and Lemuel needed to have a desire to repent and to change and to ask for Heavenly Father’s help. We all need to be humble.
If you want to gain understanding of a principle, what do you need to do to find answers?
Where will you look? Whom will you ask for help?
“Just as Nephi found out for himself that his
father’s words were true, we can do the same when we hear the words of modern
prophets and apostles. What did prophets and apostles teach us in the most
recent general conference? How have you gained a personal witness of what they
taught?”
1 Nephi 2:11–19 There are steps to finding answers. Be believing. Repent of wrong doing. Study inspired truth and seek understanding. Listen to the counsel of the prophet and other called leaders. Keep the commandments. Ponder. Pray, Ask in faith. Act upon impressions that you are given. Be grateful for knowledge that you gain. Stay on the covenant path. Invite others to Come to Christ and be believing. Endure to the end.
Doctrine and
Covenants 8:1–3 “1 Oliver
Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord
liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive
a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart,
believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning
the engravings of old records, which are
ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which has been
spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit.
2 Yea,
behold, I will tell you in your mind and in
your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall
come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now,
behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which
Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on
dry ground.”
Revelation
“God speaks to His children individually with personal
revelation through the Holy Ghost. He has provided prophets and other people
and resources to guide us through the challenges and experiences of this life.
One of the most essential is the promised communication that can come to us
from God through the Holy Ghost.”
Read this section later.
For kids:
God will reveal truth to me by the power of the Holy Ghost.
1 Nephi
10:19 “For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the
power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as
in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore,
the course of the Lord is one eternal round.”
How can the
Holy Ghost help us open up to new understanding and knowledge? Have you ever unwrapped a wonderful
present? Did you know what it was
before you unwrapped it? The Holy Ghost can help us unwrap many gifts from our
loving Heavenly Father. We can understand His love and accept His will for us
when we feel the Spirit.
When has the Holy Ghost helped you discover truth?
How can we be like Nephi when we need answers?
1 Nephi
10:17–19; “I,
Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of
these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
We can
ask Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and we can receive a
confirmation to truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.
11:1 Do you believe that God can teach you by the Holy Ghost? Do you have a desire to know the truth of things you are taught? Nephi did.
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.
When has the
Holy Ghost witnessed truth to you?
How can we share with others the important way they can find
answers to truth for themselves?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/6?lang=eng
Nephi writes of the things of God—Nephi’s purpose is to persuade men to
come unto the God of Abraham and be saved. About 600–592 B.C.
Vs 4 When you teach or share is your intent to bring
people to Jesus Christ.
“For the
fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men
to come unto the God of Abraham,
and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.”
Vs 6 Do you teach
doctrine and correct principles, or do you impart trivia that doesn’t point
towards salvation?
Are you
recording important spiritual things in your journaling?
“Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/7?lang=eng
Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem and invite
Ishmael and his household to join them in their journey—Laman and others
rebel—Nephi exhorts his brethren to have faith in the Lord—They bind him with
cords and plan his destruction—He is freed by the power of faith—His brethren
ask forgiveness—Lehi and his company offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. About
600–592 B.C.
Vs 1 Whether there might have been some women in the
Americas or not, we really do not know; but, we do know that Lehi’s children
needed spouses, and also we know that the Lord had commanded them to marry in
the covenant and in their own tribes.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften
the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their
journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.
Vs 6-7 It is so unfortunate that a couple of people
can cause so many dissensions. What can I personally do to ensure that I am not
pulled away (or pull others away) from following the voice of the Lord?
Vs 8-12 Are
there things that you have forgotten? Are you remembering the Lord's hand in
your life daily and the past great things He has done for you? Are you lacking
in faith at times? Are you murmuring when things do go exactly as you think
they should?
Vs 13 Heidi, you don't need to see everything right now. You know God's
kept His promises all throughout your history, here and before you were born.
Sometime you will be able to see the full picuture; but for now, be content to
walk by faith.
Nephi spent some time chastising his older brothers, and
afterwards he bore testimony. They were very angry with him. How can we avoid
contention in family, or is it impossible sometimes?
Vs 17-18 Are you exercising your faith in prayer, so
that God can loose you from those things with which you are bound (either
through the actions of others or your own)? He will loose you.
Vs 21 What does the word frankly imply here? Nephi let it go and moved on. He
didn't hold it against them; yet, he did remember it and he recounted that
experience to share with us, so that we could learn from it.
Vs 22 Lehi and Sariah kept the Law of Moses with great thanksgiving.
When their sons returned home (to the wilderness) with Ishmael's family, they
again offered sacrifices to God.
Think about how you have rejoiced when your sons and your
daughters have returned safely from their missions and schooling.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/8?lang=eng
Lehi sees a vision of the tree of life—He
partakes of its fruit and desires his family to do likewise—He sees a rod of
iron, a strait and narrow path, and the mists of darkness that enshroud
men—Sariah, Nephi, and Sam partake of the fruit, but Laman and Lemuel refuse.
About 600–592 B.C.
Vs 8 Do we know that the Lord will help us through
all our times of darkness because of his love and tender mercy towards us? Are
we praying for His help?\
Vs 9-10 After Nephi prays to be
delivered from darkness, he is shown two options: a large and spacious field
and a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
It would seem that we ourselves need to choose to make an effort
to got towards the light!
Vs 11-12 Nephi made the right choice and
went to the tree and partook of the fruit. Then he wanted to share it.
How eager are we to share the fruit with our family, extended
family, departed family, and friends? How eager are we to share the fruit with
strangers? How much does the fruit mean to us? Is it the most delicious?
Chapter 8
As you study, consider
filling out a chart like this one.
|
Symbol from Lehi’s vision |
Meanings |
Questions to ponder |
|
Tree
and its fruit (1 Nephi 8:10–12) |
A tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy! |
What am I doing to invite others to partake of the love of God? |
|
River (1 Nephi 8:13) |
Ran along and was near the tree with the good fruit. |
Does the river of water provide nourishment for the tree? Is it
a good fountain? Love of God? |
|
Rod of
iron (1 Nephi 8:19–20, 30 |
Rod of iron, word of God, led to the tree. Another fountain leads to great and spacious field |
How can I hold to the rod? How can I stay on the right path and not join the world? |
|
Mist of
darkness (1 Nephi 8:23) |
Confusion, distractions, and cares of the world |
How can I make sure that I stay on the covenant path? See vs.
24. |
|
Great
and spacious building (1 Nephi 8:26–27, 33) |
People who mock, and point and make fun of the followers of
righteousness. |
Why are there those who seek to destroy the things of God? |
Vs 24 “And it came to
pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold
of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of
darkness, clinging to
the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of
the tree.”
Keep focus on
the Lord. Don’t look back. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It
is good news and salvation is through Him.
Vs 30 “But,
to be short in writing, behold, he
saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end
of the rod of iron;
and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod
of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the
tree.”
How determined
are you to hold to the rod throughout your entire life? What benefits do you
receive day by day from holding on to the rod?
Vs 33 Satan is gathering forces to mock at sacred things and
belittle those who hold onto the word of God. May it also be said of us,
"But we heeded them not."
Vs 37-38 Lehi
exhoted and pled with his sons to hearken to his words and be obedient so the
Lord would be merciful to them.
As a parent, what can I do to encourage my children to follow the word of God, seek the Spirit in the lives, remember Jesus daily, and follow the prophet?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/9?lang=eng
Nephi
makes two sets of records—Each is called the plates of Nephi—The larger plates
contain a secular history; the smaller ones deal primarily with sacred things.
About 600–592 B.C.
Vs 3-5 The plates of Nephi,
from which Mormon compiled the record were made by Nephi as commanded by the
Lord for a special purpose in Him; and they contain the things of the ministry
of the Nephites.
Vs 6 The Lord knows His purposes and all things from the beginning to the end. And He will fulfill all His designs.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/10?lang=eng
Lehi predicts that the Jews will be taken captive by the Babylonians—He tells of the coming among the Jews of a Messiah, a Savior, a Redeemer—Lehi tells also of the coming of the one who should baptize the Lamb of God—Lehi tells of the death and resurrection of the Messiah—He compares the scattering and gathering of Israel to an olive tree—Nephi speaks of the Son of God, of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and of the need for righteousness. About 600–592 B.C.
Vs 3-4 After
Jerusalm was destroyed and the people scattered, they were brought back again.
Jesus was born 600 years after Lehi left Jerusalem.
Vs 6-8 So many
prophets prophesied of Christ's coming. If Christ had not been born, we would
have remained in a lost and fallen state. We needed the Redeemer. John the
Baptized was sent to prepare His way.
Vs 9-10 John
baptized Jesus with water, and he testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God who
would take away the sins of the world.
Vs 11 The Jews
dwindled in unbelief and rejected Jesus, whom they had slain. But he rose from
the dead and has made Himself manifest by the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles.
Vs 14 Though
the House of Israel was scattered, it is being gathered again today. The gospel
of Jesus Christ is being carried to all the world, and those who come to the
knowledge of the true Messiah, Lord and Savior, and join the Church through the
covenant of baptism are grafted in and become Israel too.
Vs 17 “I,
Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men."
VS 17-19 God is the same
today, yesterday and forever. And He will always acknowledge His children,
especially when the approach Him in faith and sincerity asking for help and
knowledge from God. E
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