Mists of Darkness
Insights
Father Lehi’s vision of the tree of life provides us with a pattern
applicable to our own lives, as we seek to overcome worldly influences and
partake of the love of God. Lehi saw that as many were seeking to lay hold
upon the word of God that would led them to the tree, "there arose a
mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of
darkness, insomuch that those who had commenced in the path did lose their
way, that they wandered off and were lost" (1 Nephi 8:23). He also saw that
others took hold of the rod of iron and "did press forward through the mist
of darkness" until they were able to come forth and partake of the fruit of
the tree of life (1 Nephi 8:24).
Later, Lehi’s son Nephi had a
vision in which he saw the things his father saw and received an angelic
interpretation of the symbols in the dream. The angel taught that "the mists
of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which
blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of
the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads,
that they perish and are lost" (1 Nephi 12:17). After his vision, Nephi
taught his brothers that the rod of iron "was the word of God; and whoso
would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would
never perish; neither could the temptations and fiery darts of
the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to
lead them away to destruction" (1 Nephi 15:24).
In
Amulek’s teachings to the Zoramites, we see how he draws upon Nephi’s
description of the mists of darkness to highlight the importance of daily
prayer, so that the temptations of the adversary do not overpower us. Mormon
uses this same language to highlight the dangers of apostasy.
They began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their
minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—
Imagining
up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the
power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and
thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch
that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe
that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing …
And Satan did go about leading away the hearts of the
people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great
wickedness in the land
(3 Nephi 2:1-3).
Like the mists of darkness, the adversary’s temptations hardened the hearts, blinded the eyes, and led away the people of Nephi into wickedness. Mormon’s language, borrowed from Nephi, emphasizes how the mists of darkness worked at this point in Nephite history. Temptations of the devil, left unchecked, can lead us to forget and dismiss even the greatest signs and miracles that have previously occurred in our lives.
Mormon’s account underscores the need to hold fast to the word of God, making it a part of our daily life and behavior, even after we have experienced miraculous events and blessings in our lives. We must "watch," or always be alert for danger, and continue in sincere and daily prayer. We must never become careless in our faith and must strive to remember the Lord’s many mercies, lest we become as the Nephites of old.
Personal application
By adopting the words of Nephi earlier in his narrative, Mormon skillfully places the apostasy of the Nephites into the setting of Lehi’s dream and likens earlier scriptures to a new circumstance. As you read the Book of Mormon, take note of allusions to the tree of life and Lehi's vision. Mormon invites us to see ourselves in Lehi’s dream and apply the wisdom found in the Book of Mormon to pass through the mists of darkness. How can you pass through the mists, designed to blind you to the joys of God’s love and and come closer to God today?