Fire and the Holy Ghost

In Helaman 5 we read of the incredible missionary labors of Nephi and Lehi who helped convert thousands of Lamanites.  After being rejected and put in prison by one particular group, "Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire" and "they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned" (v23).  We read that "when they saw that they were encircled about with a pillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did take courage" (v24).  The people were subsequently overshadowed by darkness and eventually the Lamanites pled for help wondering how they could get out of the "cloud of darkness" (v40).  Aminadab, the former Nephite, encouraged them to repent and have faith in Christ, and so they did "cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed" (v42).  Once this happened, they "saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire."  Nephi and Lehi were with them, and at this point the whole group was "as if in the midst of a flaming fire, yet it did harm them not."  After this "the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words" (v43-45).  What an incredible experience of receiving the Spirit of God this group of new converts had.  

            This was a very dramatic event, and it’s likely that our experience with repentance and receiving the Holy Ghost will not be so earth shattering, but I think that the story still holds important symbolism for us to learn from.  In particular, the word fire was repeated six times in the chapter by Mormon, and surely that wasn't by accident.  There was no real fire in the same form as we have in our fireplace, for it was "as if by fire" and "as if in the midst of a flaming fire."  But there appeared to be fire, and it represented the purifying and enlightening power of the Holy Ghost.  Fire is a symbol of the Spirit.  We see in this story that the fire protected Nephi and Lehi in that it caused their enemies to shrink from before them (for they did "fear lest they should be burned"), just as we would use a fire in the wilderness to keep away harmful animals who fear it (v23).  In that same manner the Holy Ghost is a protection for us as it guides and directs us away from evil.  The fire was also a light to the people when they were in darkness--when they were in total darkness it was the light around the faces of Nephi and Lehi that they saw and gave them hope, for "they did shine exceedingly, even as the face of angels" (v36).  The Holy Ghost is in the same way a light to lead us and illuminate the path that we should take in our lives.  Fire also gives out heat and keeps us warm, just as the Holy Ghost (the Comforter) likewise gives us inner warmth and comfort.  The heat of a fire can also purify substances such as metals, just as the Holy Ghost is a purifier and refiner of men.  We may not have the kind of extreme experience that these Lamanites had, but this chapter testifies that we can have the purifying, enlightening, protecting fire of the Holy Ghost if we too will “repent, and cry unto [the Lord], even until [we] shall have faith in Christ” (v41).