Lehi's Vision and the Book of Revelation

I believe there is a significant connection between Lehi’s vision of the tree of life and the visions of the book of Revelation.  Perhaps the most obvious similarity is the mention of the rod of iron in both.  Lehi’s vision speaks of the “rod of iron” that led to the tree that contained fruit which was “desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:10). The book of Revelation refers to “a rod of iron” in several verses, referring to how God will rule.  In one place the KJV refers to how the Savior will “rule the with a rod of iron” but the JST changes that to “rule them with the word of his mouth” (Revelation 19:15).  But in another verse the JST adds this verse: “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God and his throne” (JST Revelation 12:3).  I believe this is suggesting that the rod of iron and the word of God by which the Savior will rule are really the same thing.  This s of course similar to how Nephi described the meaning of the rod of iron in his father’s vision to his brothers: “I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish” (1 Nephi 15:24).  Of course the rod of iron in Lehi’s vision was a type of railing that extended along the path to the tree of life, whereas the rod of iron in Revelation probably was a stick-shaped item that could be held by one person, but both represented the word of God.  

               A second symbol that is in both of these visions is that of the tree of life.  While Lehi didn’t mention that specifically, Nephi later identified the tree of his father’s vision as “a representation of the tree of life” (1 Nephi 15:22).  The focus of Lehi’s vision was this tree and the need to “partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit” (1 Nephi 8:15).  To the church of Ephesus the book of Revelation declares, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).  Later in the vision John wrote of “the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”  He also stated, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:2,14).  Clearly in both visions the tree of life and its fruit were representations of the greatest eternal blessings the Lord bestows on His children.

               Another symbol that is in both of the visions is that of fountains and rivers of water.  Lehi mentioned a fountain of water and the fact that “many were drowned in the depths of the fountain” (1 Nephi 8:32).  Nephi learned more about this fountain from the angel who told him, “Behold the fountain of filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell” (1 Nephi 12:16).  In the book of Revelation a “fountain of the water of life” is used in the positive sense, but there is also this image: “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” (Revelation 16:4).  Clearly these waters were similarly filthy and, like in Lehi’s vision, places where the wicked perished. 

               I don’t think these connections between the two visions are by chance, but it is likely that Lehi saw much of what John saw.  We know that Nephi was shown the things that John would be required to write in the book of Revelation, and Nephi also told us, “And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw” (1 Nephi 14:29).  This may have meant much more than the vision of the tree of life, suggesting that Lehi was shown more than just what we have in 1 Nephi 8.  In fact, Nephi wrote that “my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many,” again suggesting that Lehi revealed much  more than what we currently have in the Book of Mormon.  What Nephi saw relating to the end times then, which John also saw, undoubtedly was also seen by Lehi.  And so it is no surprise that we see some of these same images between John’s vision and Lehi’s.  Ultimately the similarities between the two highlight both of the visions’ importance for us today.