Lehi Sees Jerusalem’S Fate in Vision

Event 1

Reference: 1 Ne. 1:1-14

An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and his four sons,being called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam,and Nephi. The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land ofJerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the peopleconcerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life. Hetaketh three days’ journey into the wilderness with his family.Nephi taketh his brethren and returneth to the land ofJerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of theirsufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. Theytake their families and depart into the wilderness. Theirsufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course oftheir travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi’s brethrenrebel against him. He confoundeth them, and buildeth a ship.They call the name of the place Bountiful. They cross thelarge waters into the promised land, and so forth.This is according to the account of Nephi; or in otherwords, I, Nephi, wrote this record.NephiI, NEPHI, having been born of goodly parents, therefore Iwas taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; andhaving seen many afflictions in the course of my days,nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in allmy days; yea, having had a great knowledge of thegoodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make arecord of my proceedings in my days. 2 Yea, I make arecord in the language of my father, which consists of thelearning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. 3And I know that the record which I make is true; and Imake it with mine own hand; and I make it according to myknowledge.Jerusalem600 B.C.4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first yearof the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi,having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that sameyear there came many prophets, prophesying unto thepeople that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalemmust be destroyed.5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he wentforth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, inbehalf of his people. 6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, therecame a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; andhe saw and heard much; and because of the things which hesaw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.NephiJerusalem600 B.C.7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house atJerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, beingovercome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carriedaway in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and hethought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surroundedwith numberless concourses of angels in the attitude ofsinging and praising their God.Lehi’s house9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of themidst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was abovethat of the sun at noon-day. 10 And he also saw twelveothers following him, and their brightness did exceed thatof the stars in the firmament. 11 And they came down andwent forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came andstood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and badehim that he should read.12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with theSpirit of the Lord. 13 And he read, saying:Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations!LehiYea, and many things did my father read concerningJerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitantsthereof; many should perish by the sword, and many shouldbe carried away captive into Babylon.Nephi14 And it came to pass that when my father had read andseen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaimmany things unto the Lord; such as:Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thythrone is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, andmercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thouart merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee thatthey shall perish!Lehi