1 Nephi 15

Jehovah

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you. 1 Nephi 15:11

Nephi quotes the Lord speaking in first person, promising revelation to those who ask in faith. In the Book of Mormon, 'the Lord' who speaks to His prophets is Jehovah, the premortal Jesus Christ.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• alludes to 3 Nephi 18:20 — The risen Christ repeats the promise: ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive.
• alludes to Matthew 7:7 — Jesus' 'Ask, and it shall be given you.'

Messiah

Messiah — the Anointed One (Hebrew; Greek 'Christ')

And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed— 1 Nephi 15:13

Nephi names the Messiah and foretells that He will come in a real body, and that His gospel will later go to the Gentiles and then back to Lehi's descendants. This is Nephi's inspired key to Lehi's olive-tree prophecy.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• interprets 1 Nephi 10:12-14 — Nephi explains Lehi's olive-tree prophecy of grafting in the natural branches after the Messiah comes.
• alludes to 1 Nephi 10:4 — Lehi's prophecy that the Messiah would be raised up six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem.
• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 16:7 — The risen Christ says the fulness of His gospel will come to the Gentiles in the latter day.

Redeemer

Redeemer — one who buys back or ransoms from bondage

And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. 1 Nephi 15:14

Christ is called the Redeemer, and Nephi foresees that He will personally minister His gospel to Lehi's descendants (fulfilled at Bountiful in 3 Nephi). In the last days their descendants will learn His doctrine and come unto Him to be saved.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 11:8-10 — Christ descends and ministers personally to the Nephites.
• alluded to by 2 Nephi 30:5 — Nephi later repeats that the Lamanites will be restored to the knowledge of Jesus Christ which was had among their fathers.

Rock

Rock — the sure, unmovable foundation and refuge

And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? 1 Nephi 15:15

Continuing from 'their Redeemer' in verse 14, Nephi calls Him their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation. Christ is the sure foundation the restored remnant will build on.

How we know: a footnote points to Him

• the same title in Helaman 5:12 — 'The rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God.'
• alludes to Psalm 18:2 — 'The LORD is my rock... my salvation.'

True Vine

True Vine — the living source from whom the branches draw life

And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? 1 Nephi 15:15

Nephi uses the same title Jesus later uses of Himself in John 15. The grafted-in branches of Israel draw strength and nourishment from Christ.

How we know: a footnote points to Him

• the same title in John 15:1-5 — 'I am the true vine... ye are the branches.'

Good Shepherd

And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? 1 Nephi 15:15

The 'true fold' is the flock gathered by the Good Shepherd. Christ taught that His other sheep would hear His voice and be one fold with one shepherd.

How we know: a footnote points to Him

• alludes to John 10:16 — 'There shall be one fold, and one shepherd.'
• alludes to 3 Nephi 15:21 — Christ identifies the Nephites as the other sheep of that fold.

Messiah

And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel. 1 Nephi 15:17

'He' is the Lord, the Messiah of verse 13, who would be rejected by His own people. Because of that rejection His gospel would go first to the Gentiles.

How we know: a footnote points to Him

• fulfilled by John 1:11 — 'He came unto his own, and his own received him not.'
• alludes to Isaiah 53:3 — 'He is despised and rejected of men.'
• alludes to 1 Nephi 10:11 — Lehi: after the Jews slay Him, He would make Himself manifest by the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles.

Seed of Abraham

Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 1 Nephi 15:18

The Abrahamic promise that all nations would be blessed through Abraham's seed is fulfilled above all in Jesus Christ, Abraham's descendant, and in the covenant people who carry His gospel.

• quotes Genesis 22:18 — The original promise to Abraham.
• interpreted by Acts 3:25-26 — Peter quotes the same words and applies them to God raising up His Son Jesus.
• interpreted by Galatians 3:16 — Paul: the seed 'which is Christ.'
• interpreted by 3 Nephi 20:25-27 — The risen Christ quotes the promise and says the Father raised Him up unto them first.

Tree of Life

And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the tree which he saw? 1 Nephi 15:21–22

Nephi identifies the tree in Lehi's dream as the tree of life. His own vision interpreted the tree as the love of God, shown in the condescension of God and the gift of His Son, the Lamb of God.

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:21-25 — The angel shows the Lamb of God as the meaning of the tree, the love of God.
• interprets 1 Nephi 8:10-12 — Lehi's original description of the tree and its fruit.

Rod of Iron

And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree? 1 Nephi 15:23–24

The rod of iron is the word of God that leads to the tree of life, which is Christ and the love of God. Holding fast to His word keeps disciples safe from the adversary's fiery darts.

How we know: a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in 1 Nephi 11:25 — The angel's interpretation: the rod of iron is the word of God leading to the tree of life.
• alludes to John 1:1 — Christ Himself is 'the Word'; the word of God leads to Him.

Final Judgment

Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also. 1 Nephi 15:33–34

Nephi teaches that all will stand before God to be judged by their works. Other scripture teaches that this judgment is before the judgment-seat of Christ, and Christ Himself says no unclean thing can enter His kingdom.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• alluded to by 3 Nephi 27:19 — The risen Christ: 'no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom.'
• alluded to by Mormon 3:20 — All must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged of their works.

Tree of Life

Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen. 1 Nephi 15:36

The fruit of the tree of life is the greatest of all God's gifts: eternal life made possible through the gift of His Son. The wicked shut themselves out from it.

• alluded to by D&C 14:7 — 'Eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.'
• interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:22 — The love of God is 'the most desirable above all things.'