The Tree of life vision runs through out the history of the Book of Mormon. It is a central theme established in the first fourteen chapters of the Book of Mormon. There is a first and last pattern embedded in the rhetoric dialogue between divine messengers and Nephi, an unlocking of symbolisms with another vision: one vision describing the symbolism and a second vision providing interpretation and meaning. The unfolding of the vision parallels Nebuchadnezzer’s dream, in the sense, that a prophet was required to decode the message. The prophet Nephi received revelation through the Holy Ghost and an angel, as to the meaning of his father’s dream. “And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of God”, 1 neph 11:25 “Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from righteous, and also from the 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 Nep 15:36

“Look and Behold the Condescension of God” - Christ’s mother was a virgin and Heavenly Father, Elohim; Christ was baptized by John the Baptist and the Holy Ghost descend upon in the form of dove; Christ minister to his people with power and authority teaching and revealing true doctrine; Christ healed the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and raised the dead and demonstrated many miracles prophesied concerning his Messiahship; Christ power was like unto Mose, as he feed the 5,000; Christ was like Elijah, as he raise the dead daughter of the Centurian; Christ cast out devils but did not want the devils to declare his identity; Christ atoned for all sin and died upon Calvary’s cross. Christ was slain having willfully given up his life and was the first fruits of those that slept having broken the bands of death and making possible the resurrection, he liberated the souls of those who saw the separation from their bodies as bondage.

The “large and spacious building” the pride of the world, the wisdom of the world, “fought against the apostles of the lamb” – this concept surprises me, a resistance to the divine, a rebellion against heavenly government, and the best and greatest - self empowering system. We look to God and his character to understand ourselves; however, pride associates with self-aggrandization, scorn of others, keeping up appearances, and the prestige of man - Arrogance too believe the spark of the divine is for the taking. The apostasy leads to the fall of civilization, whereas, the restoration leads too a great awakening of ideas and spiritual gifts poured out over the world. The Justice of God is a gulf separating those who do not live by God’s law, “a great and terrible gulf”.

The midst of darkness seems too be the secret combinations. The gadianton become especially power right before the visit of Christ to the Americas. The midst of darkness helps kings gain power through assassination and increased bondage among the free people and the midst of darkness lead to confederacies that pushed for war. “And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise” 1 Neph 12:4. At the time of Christ crucifixion great destruction occurred “I saw mountains tumbling into pieces”, “I aw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up”, “I saw many cities that they were sunk”, “I saw many that they were burned with fire”, and “I saw many that they did tumble to the earth”. Then Nephi says, “after I saw these things” – implying that the midst of darkness is different from the vapor of darkness, “that it passed from off the face of the earth”. “and the midst of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.” 1 Nep 12:17

Prophecies: a. The Lord planned to bring the families of Lehi and Ishamel to the promise land, a land of inheritance for God’s people. Lehi was a descendant of Ephraim and Ishaemel a descent of Mannesa. The seed of Joseph traveling over the ocean to the promise land. b. An angel revealed to Nephi that Columbus was lead by the Holy Ghost to the America and the land was preserved for their inheritance. Other nations had visited the America before Columbus, however, Columbus voyage started the mass exodus to the promise land. Religion and freedom of worship reasons provided incentives to come to the America’s. Stories of riches compelled others; many of the American Land lords had larger tracks of land than their European counterparts. America looked rich. c. The Bible publication and distribution through means of the print press allowed the masses to study the word of God. The Bible usage was wide spread in education and literacy tightly associated with Bible usage. The bible providing language, geography, war, strategy, drama, tragedy, history, politics, philosophy, and moral information. The Bible influence in Western lifestyle and culture could be heard in thousands of small communities throughout the republic. The bible included 1,500 years of history of the Jews; additionally: prophecies, covenants, and commandments. d. The Americans won revolutionary War because the wrath of God was against all nations that fought against his people. King George III sovereign claim of America was superseded by God and the divine right of Kings was a made up myth.

Trials: a. Zarahemla – a city of four people - the gadianton robbers had been trying to force believers in Christ to abandon their religious positions, prior to Christ visit to the Americas. b. Land of Bountiful – a place for a temple – a place of glory, the location where Christ descended – a place of refuge after the destructions.

Angels Prophecy: a. Great destructions b. Christ descends from the clouds c. Twelve apostles selected d. Four generations of peace e. The descendants of Laman and Lemuel would destroy Nephi’s descendants f. The Lamanites would become a filthy, dark, and loathsome people. The white man would scatter the Lamanite and smite him. g. The Gentiles would scatter the Lamanites, destroy their food sources, conscript their land to replenish a bankrupt treasury, and force them onto reservations. A remnant would be preserved and the Book of Mormon would be preached to these descendants. “And I believe the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.” 1 Nep 13:15 h. The Great an abominable church would remove many of the covenants and plain and precious things from the Bible. i. The prophet Joseph Smith restored the missing plain and precious truths. The plain and precious truths include ordinances and covenants of god. These ordinance and covenants could only be exercised through proper priesthood authority. The restoration of the Gospel truths would commence a marvelous work and wonder, establish peace taught by Christ, and bring spiritual feast to a spiritually starved world. “I will work a great and marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other-either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought own into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken. 1 Neph 14:7 Christ’s crucifixion and atonement

The destruction of Jerusalem: a. Nephi was shown in a dream that Jerusalem has been destroyed as his father prophesied.

Mourning of the fair ones: Mormon and Moroni watched the destruction of their people after the wars and mourned the fair ones that fell in battle. The Devil had a strong hold on the hearts the warlords and they contended unto death against each other. Mormon gave Moroni his son the plates and Moroni fled before his enemies, wandering until he buried the Gold plates in the Hill Cumorah.

Apostasy pushed men into the dark ages. Man used religion to create governments to control power and define warfare ideology. The word of God was not available for the average person to read and interpretation of the word of God was a priestly privilege. K

Prophecies of John the Revelator include judgments, wrath of God, wars and rumors of war – the filthy water that brings men to hell.

Why was Christ visit so important? Christ is the second comforter and he is the love of God. Christ is love. Christ teaches the doctrines of peace.