"And my father dwelt in a tent" (1 Nephi 2:15)

Lehi's Tent

One of the truly remarkable and overlooked verses recorded by Nephi in the Book of Mormon is probably his shortest and most simple: "And my father dwelt in a tent" (1 Nephi 2:15). Some commentators suggest that this verse was a simple expression of Nephi's astonishment that his father, who used to be a man of material means, was now willing to live in a dwelling that offer much less comfort. The record states that Lehi "dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days" (1 Nephi 1:4). Thus, Lehi's living conditions undoubtedly changed as he adapted to the lifestyle of the nomad, but dwelling in a tent was not something completely foreign to him. This is suggested by an earlier notation made by Nephi that when his father departed into the wilderness, he "took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents. . ." (1 Nephi 2:4). Owing to the fact that he possessed tents, it reasonable to conclude that Lehi had more experience dwelling in them than what would have been discovered in this first epoch journey into the wilderness.

Nephi's record was written nearly 30 years after the actual events contained therein took place (see 2 Nephi 5:28-33). He further emphasized that upon "these plates" he recorded "the things of [his] soul" (2 Nephi 4:15) and did not "write anything upon plates save it be that [he thought] it be sacred" (1 Nephi 19:6) and "of worth unto the children of men" (1 Nephi 6:6). From a temporal perspective, Jacob noted that he could not "write but a little of [his] words, because of the difficulty of engraving [their] words upon plates" (Jacob 4:1). Nephi, his brothers, and Ishmael and his family all dwelt in tents as they traveled in the wilderness. So, why did Nephi make particular mention that his father dwelt in a tent when such a simple fact would have been more than obvious to any one reading the record? In light of all that is noted above, Nephi's mention of this rather ordinary fact must mean that he thought it was sacred and of worth to the children of men.

Although tents were the ordinary dwelling places of nomads, there were times when a tent represented much more. This was one of those times. The Hebrew for "tent" is o'-hel which means "a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance): covering, dwelling place, home, tabernacle, tent." In close connection herewith, the word "atonement" is derived from the Hebrew kaphar which means "to cover." Thus, the "covering of the tent" of the Tabernacle is symbolic of the covering provided by the Atonement for those who make the journey to come under its protection. Tent, therefore, is the name given to the dwelling places of many of the ancient patriarchs. Of particular interest is the description of the tent in which Abraham dwelt as he traveled from Ur, in Chaldea (i.e., Babylon):

Abraham's Tent

And I took Sarai, whom I took to wife when I was in Ur, in Chaldea, and Lot, my brother’s son, and all our substance that we had gathered, and the souls that we had won in Haran, and came forth in the way to the land of Canaan, and dwelt in tents as we came on our way;

Therefore, eternity was our covering and our rock and our salvation, as we journeyed from Haran by the way of Jershon, to come to the land of Canaan. (Abraham 2:15-16)

The conjunction "therefore" in verse 16 associates "tents" in verse 15 with "eternity as a covering, a rock, and salvation". In short, it places Abraham's tent in context of the "tent" of the Tabernacle, the name of the "covering" built by Moses and "every wisehearted man" in Israel (Exodus 35:10). To Moses, the Lord instructed:

And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.

And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins. (Exodus 26:7, 11-14; note that "badger's skins" is a mistranslation made by the King James translators. In each case, it should be translated as "dolphins' skins").

When King David afterwards became determined to build a house for the Lord, the Lord instructed Nathan, the prophet, to go to David and inform him that he was not to be the one who was to build a temple. He further informed Nathan that He had not dwelt in a house since the day when the children of Israel were brought up out of Egypt "but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle" (2 Samuel 7:4-7).

The tent in which Lehi dwelt was distinct from the tent in which Nephi and other members of the family dwelt. This is observed in the fact that Lehi's tent was the place where Nephi, his brothers, and Ishmael and his family congregated to offer sacrifice and burnt offerings:

And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him (1 Nephi 7:22).

The tent in which Lehi dwelt was a temple! Stating that his father, Lehi, dwelt in a tent was, therefore, "sacred" (1 Nephi 19:6), "of worth unto the children of men" (1 Nephi 6:6), and reflected "the things of [his] soul" (2 Nephi 4:15). Thus, despite "the difficulty of engraving [their] words upon plates" (Jacob 4:1), this simple sentence was certainly worth the effort and space.

As an aside, I think it is interesting to note that implicit in the concept of tent was the idea that it was "clearly conspicuous from a distance." Most temples today are built on high places and are such large edifices as to be "clearly conspicuous from a distance." In this regard, the Hebrew for "tent" is derived from from the primitive root word aw-hal' which means "to be clear: shine." In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland temple, the prophet Joseph Smith made this important connection:

Remember all thy church, O Lord, with all their families, and all their immediate connections, with all their sick and afflicted ones, with all the poor and meek of the earth; that the kingdom, which thou hast set up without hands, may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth;

That thy church may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners;

And be adorned as a bride for that day when thou shalt unveil the heavens, and cause the mountains to flow down at thy presence, and the valleys to be exalted, the rough places made smooth; that thy glory may fill the earth (D&C 109:72-74).

Referring to this bride, John, the Revelator recorded: "And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the likeness of things on the earth; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars" (JST Revelation 12). When Joseph Smith built the Nauvoo temple, it was built with moonstones at its base. Above the moonstones were sunstones that circumferenced the temple round about. Around the top of the temple and under its eaves, were five and six-pointed stars, respectively. Wandle Mace—the foreman for all of the framework done on the Nauvoo Temple—left behind a statement that makes a clear connection between the visions of John the Revelator and the design of the Nauvoo temple. He said,

The order of architecture [on the Nauvoo Temple] was unlike anything in existence; it was purely original; being a representation of the Church, the Bride, the Lamb's wife. John the Revelator, in the 12[th] chapter [and] first verse of [the book of Revelation] says, 'And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.' This is portrayed in the beautifully cut stone of this grand temple (Wandle Mace, autobiography, 207, L. Tom Perry Special Collections Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah).

This woman, according to JST Revelation 12:7, is the Church of God. On earth, it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its temples on earth represent the bride being adorned for the coming of the bridegroom. They are clearly conspicuous from a distance and are the means by which the "church comes forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shines forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun". Upon the east wall of each bride is the name of her husband, "The house of the LORD", symbolizing the fact that she has taken upon herself His name in solemn marriage. Another name for "house" is "tabernacle" and another name for "tabernacle" is "the body". Thus, she, the Church, is also referred to in scriptures as the "body of Christ" (see 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12). In her, the new birth occurs and the children of Christ are brought forth. Such children are "pure in heart" (D&C 97:21), or Zion (see JST Revelation 12:2-3, 7 and D&C 105:32).

What Nephi wrote concerning his father's tent places him squarely in an Old Testament setting. Maintaining this verse in the translation of the Book of Mormon is a confirmation that the Book of Mormon begins as an Old Testament book. If also confirms the truthfulness of its translation and witnesses that its translator, Joseph Smith, was a prophet, seer, and revelator. Of this I bear witness.

The Sealed Book Unfolded to View

Of the four Standard Works we have been invited to read and study the most, I believe all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will agree that the Book of Mormon comes in first place. But does that mean that the other Standard Works are of lesser value?

Although I love the Book of Mormon and, in fact, teach a Book of Mormon course at Brigham Young University - Idaho every semester, I must admit that I have learned most from the Old Testament. It is the baseline for all of the Standard Works. In reality, the Book of Mormon begins in an Old Testament context and dramatically moves to a New Testament context with the appearance of God's Son to the saints in ancient America. Many of the most relevant Old Testament prophecies concerning the latter days is included in the Book of Mormon by Nephi and Christ. It is the book to which one must refer to understand all of the symbolism used throughout the other works. And, it is the book from which the temple of God is best learned.

In support of this emphasis, Elder Richard G. Scott asked a question and provide an insight concerning the resources from which we learn:

Do you use all of the standard works, including the Old Testament? I have found precious truths in the pages of the Old Testament that are key ingredients to the platform of truth that guides my life and acts as a resource when I try to share a gospel message with others. For that reason, I love the Old Testament. (Scott, Richard G., The Power of Scripture, October 2011 General Conference)

Both Isaiah and John foretell of a book to come forth in the last days, a book that is sealed. The book to which they both refer is what is commonly referred to as the "sealed portion of the Book of Mormon."

From these "twenty and four plates," the ancient prophet, Moroni, transcribed "an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the face of [North America]." It is a comprehensive historical record containing an account of "the creation of the world, and also of Adam, and an account from that time even to the great tower, and whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that time . . .." (Ether 1:1-3). Importantly, it contained "a revelation from God" (2 Nephi 27:7) concerning "all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be"(Ether 3:25), even "from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof" (2 Nephi 27:7). The individual who received and recorded this revelation has the unique distinction of being named by reference to his brother, Jared. He was given precise instructions concerning the record's future disposition:

And it came to pass that the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt not suffer these things which ye have seen and heard to go forth unto the world, until the time cometh that I shall glorify my name in the flesh; wherefore, ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard, and show it to no man.

And behold, when ye shall come unto me, ye shall write them and shall seal them up, that no one can interpret them; for ye shall write them in a language that they cannot be read. 

And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye shall seal them up also with the things which ye shall write.

For behold, the language which ye shall write I have confounded; wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write. (Ether 3:21-24)

Due to the sacred nature of the information contained in this record, Nephi noted that "the things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people." (2 Nephi 27:8). "For the book," Nephi continued, "shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof" (2 Nephi 27:10). Evenso, Nephi saw that "the day cometh that the words of the book . . . shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth" (2 Nephi 27:11).

Containing events similar to those unfolded within the brother of Jared's record, John the Revelator saw "in the right hand of him that sat on the throne" a book "sealed with seven seals" (Revelation 5:1). Although John's record contains the revealed will, mysteries, the works of God, and the hidden things of His economy during the 7,000 years of this earth's temporal existence (see D&C 77:6), his revelation primarily concerns "things which must shortly come to pass" (JST Revelation 1:1) and "things which must be hereafter" (Revelation 4:1). And even though most commentators have depicted John's revelation as sensational, apocaplyptic, and shrouded in abstract imagery, I have come to know the style and content of John's record to be uniquely OLD TESTAMENT. It was undoubtedly one of the few records he had with him while spending his final years of mortality in seclusion on the Isle of Patmos; it formed the backdrop for what he wrote. Hence, when attempting to understand what John has written, I now refer exclusively to the prophecies and symbols of Old Testament prophets.

Nephi likewise saw what John and the brother of Jared witnessed. But he, whose natural disposition it was to "glory in plainness" (2 Nephi 33:6), was instructed by the angel of the Lord to holster his pen. Naming John as the apostle who was authorized to write of such events, the angel said:

John, the Revelator

Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been. 

And he shall also write concerning the end of the world. 

Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men. 

And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see. 

But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them. (1 Nephi 14:21-25)

Afterwards correlating what Nephi saw with those things seen by the brother of Jared and what would be later seen by John, the angel said:

And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.

As a participant in a symposium on the New Testament in 1984, Elder Bruce R. McConkie emphasized this correlation between the visions seen by these three ancient prophets. As he began speaking, he introduced his topic as "the sealed book, which contains many of the mysteries of the kingdom." Although his audience may have thought he was going to address the writings of the brother of Jared contained in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, this was not the "sealed book" to which Elder McConkie referred. "My specific subject," he noted, "is the Bible, a sealed book...." Elder McConkie thereafter introduced John's vision called Revelation and noted that "this same knowledge is contained in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. For aught we know the two sealed books are one and the same." (Teaching Seminary Preservice Readings Religion 370, 471, and 475, (2004), 123–32)

Indeed, the vision of the brother of Jared and the revelation of John are one and the same; of this I am quite certain. Many centuries before he was born, the Lord chose John to write the vision. Why? Because of his writing style? Maybe. But beyond this, I believe the greater reason why John was selected was because John was going to be given the privilege "to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things [would] be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when [Christ would] come in [his] glory with the powers of heaven" (3 Nephi 28:7). Hence, when the writings of John are unfolded to you, "the revelation which was sealed . . . . until the own due time of the Lord" will likewise come forth and be made manifest unto you. Concerning this, the prophet Moroni wrote:

Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. 

Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief. 

Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel. 

And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed. (Ether 4:13-16)

The vision that the brother of Jared, Nephi, and John experienced has been written for us to read. However, understanding comes by ears that hear Old Testament language, eyes that see Old Testament symbols, and hearts that feel Old Testament prophets. It is all too unfortunate that few come to understand the hidden treasures of the Old Testament; it is viewed as too verbose, too archaic, too dry, and too . . . well, too OLD! If there was ever a book that stands above all others as being sealed to the latter-day saints, it is the OLD TESTAMENT.

But it does not need to remain forever sealed to you and me!