1 Nephi 8

Jehovah

And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies. 1 Nephi 8:8

Lost in darkness, Lehi prays for the Lord's mercy, and right after, the tree appears. Only the Lord's mercy brings a person out of darkness to the love of God.

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

• alludes to 1 Nephi 1:20 — The tender mercies of the Lord over the faithful.

Tree of Life

And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. 1 Nephi 8:10–12

The tree is the love of God, and Nephi learns what that love is by seeing the birth and ministry of the Son of God. Partaking of the fruit is receiving the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which fills the soul with joy.

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:7 — After seeing the tree, Nephi is promised a view of a man descending out of heaven and must bear record that it is the Son of God.
• interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:21-22 — Shown the Lamb of God, the Son of the Eternal Father, Nephi says the tree is the love of God.
• alluded to by Alma 32:41-42 — Alma's nourished seed grows into a tree springing up unto everlasting life, with fruit that is most precious, sweet, and white.
• alludes to Genesis 2:9 — The tree of life in the midst of the garden.

Tree of Life

And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. 1 Nephi 8:15

Lehi calls his family to come and partake, which echoes Christ's own invitation to come unto Him and partake of the fruit of the tree of life.

• alluded to by Alma 5:34 — The Lord's invitation: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life.

Rod of Iron

And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood. 1 Nephi 8:19–20

The rod of iron is the word of God, and the strait and narrow path is the covenant path. Both lead to the tree, the love of God shown in Christ. Christ is Himself the Word, and the path is entered by the word of Christ and faith in Him.

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 11:25 — The rod of iron was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life.
• interpreted by 2 Nephi 31:18-19 — The strait and narrow path leads to eternal life, reached by the word of Christ with unwavering faith in Him.
• a type of what is in John 1:14 — The Word was made flesh; Christ is the living Word the rod represents.

Rod of Iron

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. 1 Nephi 8:30

Unlike those in verse 24 who reach the fruit and then fall away, these hold fast continually. They arrive, fall down in worship, and partake of the love of God in Christ, and they do not fall away.

• interpreted by 1 Nephi 15:24 — Whoso would hearken unto the word of God and hold fast unto it would never perish.