This morning was just a little crazy trying to listen to this chapter while feeding Ben.  He is getting two new teeth so with every bite his face would agonize and he would cry.  He is hanging in there.  So I tried listening twice and I think between the two I heard everything.

Lehi sees a vision known as the vision of the tree of life.  He sees a rod of iron that people cling to to get to the tree which bears fruit that is most desirable above all other fruit.  There is also a mist of darkness and a great and spacious building.   This vision is symbolic.  Each thing in the vision represents other things.  The tree of life is representative of the love of God and the iron rod you hold to to get to the tree is the word of God.  The mist of darkness is the adversary tempting you away from the word of God and the great and spacious building is the pride of the world.

Those revelations are found in chapter 11 when Nephi sees the same vision his father did.  In Lehi’s vision Sariah, Nephi and Sam all partake of the fruit of the tree of life.  But Laman and Lemuel do not.  This vision is a prophecy of the things to come.

I love the symbolism of the rod of iron.  People are clinging to the iron rod.  If they wonder just a bit they get lost.  If they are not actively holding fast to it, they fall from it.  Just with the word of God.  When we hold tight to the word of God, we will not falter.  When we neglect it and are not actively pursuing it, we lose the spirit and fall far from our God.

Well, that is all for now.  I have to go take care of my little teether.