The Man in The White Robe

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AussieMac
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The Man in The White Robe

Post by AussieMac »

1 Nephi 8: 5 - 6
5 And it came to past that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
Who was the man in the white robe?
Why would this person lead Lehi to the darkness?
A deceiving angle of light maybe.

Thoughts

Thomas
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Thomas »

We must all descend into darkness before we can comprehend the light. Thus, the fallen nature of this world. The man in the robe was not a deceiving angel. He led Lehi to the tree of life. Lehi's vision is a great metaphor. We must all travel through the dangerous path to reach the tree of life. We must experience the darkness. Most think they are on the path when they are in the great and spacious building.

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InfoWarrior82
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

AussieMac wrote:
1 Nephi 8: 5 - 6
5 And it came to past that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
Who was the man in the white robe?
Why would this person lead Lehi to the darkness?
A deceiving angle of light maybe.

Thoughts

Ah, new member to the church. Welcome!

This was the Holy Ghost personified in a vision. The Holy Ghost was showing the vision of the tree of life. The dreary waste represents something that is explained later on. Keep reading! It gets good!

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AussieMac
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by AussieMac »

Thanks Thomas and infowarrior82. Im a life long member infowarrior :) . I was reading the passage today and was wondering.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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The man in the white robe did not lead Lehi to the tree of Life. Lehi followed the man into darkness. He was in darkness for "many hours" and was not able to leave until he asked the Lord to have mercy on him. Lehi listened to a false messenger. False messengers come in opposition to true ones.

If the man in the white robe had been one of God's angels, he would have not led Lehi into darkness, and he would have expounded, taught, ministered, instead of deserting Lehi as soon as he led Lehi into darkness.

God allowing it is not the same as God doing it.
5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
1 Nephi 8

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Daryl
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Daryl »

A Random Phrase wrote:The man in the white robe did not lead Lehi to the tree of Life. Lehi followed the man into darkness. He was in darkness for "many hours" and was not able to leave until he asked the Lord to have mercy on him. Lehi listened to a false messenger. False messengers come in opposition to true ones.

If the man in the white robe had been one of God's angels, he would have not led Lehi into darkness, and he would have expounded, taught, ministered, instead of deserting Lehi as soon as he led Lehi into darkness.

God allowing it is not the same as God doing it.
5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
1 Nephi 8
Agreed 100%!

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InfoWarrior82
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

AussieMac wrote:Thanks Thomas and infowarrior82. Im a life long member infowarrior :) . I was reading the passage today and was wondering.

Haha whoops. My bad.

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InfoWarrior82
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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A Random Phrase wrote:The man in the white robe did not lead Lehi to the tree of Life. Lehi followed the man into darkness. He was in darkness for "many hours" and was not able to leave until he asked the Lord to have mercy on him. Lehi listened to a false messenger. False messengers come in opposition to true ones.

If the man in the white robe had been one of God's angels, he would have not led Lehi into darkness, and he would have expounded, taught, ministered, instead of deserting Lehi as soon as he led Lehi into darkness.

God allowing it is not the same as God doing it.
5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
1 Nephi 8

Wasn't this the same man in white that continued on to expound to Lehi the rest of the vision? Saying "Look!" If it is a completely new messenger, where in the scriptures does it clarify this?

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Daryl
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Daryl »

InfoWarrior82 wrote:
A Random Phrase wrote:The man in the white robe did not lead Lehi to the tree of Life. Lehi followed the man into darkness. He was in darkness for "many hours" and was not able to leave until he asked the Lord to have mercy on him. Lehi listened to a false messenger. False messengers come in opposition to true ones.

If the man in the white robe had been one of God's angels, he would have not led Lehi into darkness, and he would have expounded, taught, ministered, instead of deserting Lehi as soon as he led Lehi into darkness.

God allowing it is not the same as God doing it.
5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
1 Nephi 8

Wasn't this the same man in white that continued on to expound to Lehi the rest of the vision? Saying "Look!" If it is a completely new messenger, where in the scriptures does it clarify this?
Therein lies the mystery. Scriptures are full of mysteries. One does not discover the mystery until it is needed. For some people the mystery of the man in the white robe is not needed - and that's ok.

Thomas
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Thomas »

I think it is a metaphor for the path we must take. We all must descend before we can dwell with God. I do not think the messenger was a false messenger. Did he delivery a false message to Lehi?
21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
The path is through the mists of darkness. It cannot be avoided. It is by clinging to the iron rod that the path is safely traversed. The place that looks safe is the great and spacious building.

The word of God can also be interpreted to mean Jesus Christ himself.
John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 ¶John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
It is by praying that Lehi is delivered from the darkness. He reaches out for the iron rod. That rod is God or God manifest in the flesh who is Jesus Christ. This story is key to our salvation. We all must pass through the mist of darkness, if we are to gain the tree of life.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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InfoWarrior82 wrote:Wasn't this the same man in white that continued on to expound to Lehi the rest of the vision? Saying "Look!" If it is a completely new messenger, where in the scriptures does it clarify this?
Where does it clarify that it was the same messenger? It doesn't even say the man was a messenger. It simply says he was a man, not even an angel or angelic messenger.

Thomas
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Thomas »

The man in the white robe took Lehi to the path that leads to the tree of life. He leads Lehi to all the knowledge that is gained by the vision. He did not deceive Lehi. We learn by Lehi's experience. We too must go down the path trough the mists of darkness or we can take the road to the great and spacious building.

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Dannyk
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Dannyk »

A Random Phrase wrote:
InfoWarrior82 wrote:Wasn't this the same man in white that continued on to expound to Lehi the rest of the vision? Saying "Look!" If it is a completely new messenger, where in the scriptures does it clarify this?
Where does it clarify that it was the same messenger? It doesn't even say the man was a messenger. It simply says he was a man, not even an angel or angelic messenger.
It seems to me InfoWarrior is mixing up the accounts of the vision (who's the one we should be confusing for a new member now? :D ).

Lehi's account doesn't have anyone telling him "Look". As shown, he does have someone lead him into a dark place, but after that he basically describes the things he sees in the rest of his vision, and no guide seems to be present.

Nephi, on the other hand, hoping to understand the vision, does have someone come to him and show him things saying "look". It would Lehi had a participatory vision where he was one of the key "actors", but Nephi had a movie kind of vision that he watched, with the directors commentary turned on by his heavenly guide. Nephi's guide was most certainly from God, but it would appear Lehi's may not have been.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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Thomas wrote:The man in the white robe took Lehi to the path that leads to the tree of life.
The scripture does not say that. Lehi says "I" traveled many hours in darkness, not "we". Lehi prayed to the Lord to get out of the darkness. He would not have needed to do that if an angel had been accompanying him. The record of the man in white disappears from the record when Lehi hits the "dark and dreary waste."

The man in white is not mentioned again in this particular narrative. Nephi stops quoting his father, gives a synopsis of his father's experiences (which does not mention an angel, nor the man in white), then goes into something else. To me, this record gives all the indications of the man not being an angel at all.

We suppose it was an angel because we suppose that any man dressed in white is a messenger from God. Apparently, Lehi supposed the same thing, which is why he followed him unquestioningly. We assume that the man led Lehi to the tree when the record does not state any such thing. We bring our preconceived notions to the Book of Mormon when we read it, instead of looking at what it is really saying. There is an incredible amount of knowledge in the book if we can cast off all that we think it says and look at what it really says.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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Yes, Dannyk, there does seem to be a bit of confusion there. Nephi desired to see what his father saw. That's what he told the angel. And the angel showed him, yet the scripture does not say that Lehi saw an angel. If he did, we are not told that. He may very well have seen one at some point, however, Nephi seemed to be more desirous of showing us his own experience in detail instead of his father's, in as great a detail as he was allowed.

Thomas
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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A Random Phrase wrote:
Thomas wrote:The man in the white robe took Lehi to the path that leads to the tree of life.
The scripture does not say that. Lehi says "I" traveled many hours in darkness, not "we". Lehi prayed to the Lord to get out of the darkness. He would not have needed to do that if an angel had been accompanying him. The record of the man in white disappears from the record when Lehi hits the "dark and dreary waste."

The man in white is not mentioned again in this particular narrative. Nephi stops quoting his father, gives a synopsis of his father's experiences (which does not mention an angel, nor the man in white), then goes into something else. To me, this record gives all the indications of the man not being an angel at all.

We suppose it was an angel because we suppose that any man dressed in white is a messenger from God. Apparently, Lehi supposed the same thing, which is why he followed him unquestioningly. We assume that the man led Lehi to the tree when the record does not state any such thing. We bring our preconceived notions to the Book of Mormon when we read it, instead of looking at what it is really saying. There is an incredible amount of knowledge in the book if we can cast off all that we think it says and look at what it really says.
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy

Lehi was on the path to the tree of life. When the mists of darkness lifted, he beheld the tree of life. Why would a deceiver lead Lehi to the tree of life? All others who made it to the tree of life had to navigate this darkness. Why would Lehi's experience be any different then the other's?

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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It does not say Lehi was led to the tree. Lehi's record says that after he prayed, he saw the field and the tree. He does not mention an angel. This is not to say there was not one, however, there is no mention of one. The man in the white robe disappears from the narrative after he is followed into a dark place. The record says that it was Lehi who saw the field and it was Lehi who saw the tree; it does not say that an angel showed it to him. It does not say that Lehi followed anyone to the tree.

Thomas
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by Thomas »

A Random Phrase wrote:It does not say Lehi was led to the tree. Lehi's record says that after he prayed, he saw the field and the tree. He does not mention an angel. This is not to say there was not one, however, there is no mention of one. The man in the white robe disappears from the narrative after he is followed into a dark place. The record says that it was Lehi who saw the field and it was Lehi who saw the tree; it does not say that an angel showed it to him. It does not say that Lehi followed anyone to the tree.
But why would Lehi be able to reach the tree without traveling through the darkness? All others had to traverse the darkness. There is a lesson being taught here.

Perhaps the man in the robe could not travel the darkness with Lehi but the path to the tree leads through the darkness. The man in the robe took Lehi to that path. He did not take him to a path that led to a bad place.

Like I said, a lesson is being taught here. Things are not always as they seem. The great and spacious building would look like a great place for an angel to lead us to. Plenty of light there and comfortable to.

BrentL
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by BrentL »

Thomas wrote: Things are not always as they seem.

1. Lehi sees a dark and dreary world
2. a man comes to him
3. the man bids him "follow" him (the man)
4. Lehi does follow him
5. as a RESULT of following him, he finds himself in a dark and dreary waste
6. where he traveled in "darkness"
7. he then prays for "mercy"
8 . as a RESULT of prayer and asking for "mercy", he finds himself in a field in view of the tree of life.
9. so then he "went forth" and "partook"
10 then was filled with joy.


very different results. temple imagery for those who know to look for it. especially those who went through prior to the removal of the preacher.

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marc
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by marc »

I vaguely remember the endowment prior to the preacher. Man that was a long time ago.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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Thomas wrote:But why would Lehi be able to reach the tree without traveling through the darkness? All others had to traverse the darkness. There is a lesson being taught here.

Perhaps the man in the robe could not travel the darkness with Lehi but the path to the tree leads through the darkness. The man in the robe took Lehi to that path. He did not take him to a path that led to a bad place.

Like I said, a lesson is being taught here. Things are not always as they seem. The great and spacious building would look like a great place for an angel to lead us to. Plenty of light there and comfortable to.
Absolutely. Excellent comments.

We do have to traverse the darkness to see the light. I hope I did not convey that the trip through darkness was without merit or use. Since there is opposition in all things, I am sure that there is darkness in opposition to Light. And we come into a world that is filled with darkness, with the task of finding the Light. Perhaps what I need to do is look for the lesson that is being taught. It may be deeper than what it appears on the surface.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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BrentL wrote: 1. Lehi sees a dark and dreary world
2. a man comes to him
3. the man bids him "follow" him (the man)
4. Lehi does follow him
5. as a RESULT of following him, he finds himself in a dark and dreary waste
6. where he traveled in "darkness"
7. he then prays for "mercy"
8 . as a RESULT of prayer and asking for "mercy", he finds himself in a field in view of the tree of life.
9. so then he "went forth" and "partook"
10 then was filled with joy.


very different results. temple imagery for those who know to look for it. especially those who went through prior to the removal of the preacher.
Good breakdown, Brent.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

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coachmarc wrote:I vaguely remember the endowment prior to the preacher. Man that was a long time ago.
It was. He had so much of value to offer to the experience, too.

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InfoWarrior82
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

Dannyk wrote:
A Random Phrase wrote:
InfoWarrior82 wrote:Wasn't this the same man in white that continued on to expound to Lehi the rest of the vision? Saying "Look!" If it is a completely new messenger, where in the scriptures does it clarify this?
Where does it clarify that it was the same messenger? It doesn't even say the man was a messenger. It simply says he was a man, not even an angel or angelic messenger.
It seems to me InfoWarrior is mixing up the accounts of the vision (who's the one we should be confusing for a new member now? :D ).

Lehi's account doesn't have anyone telling him "Look". As shown, he does have someone lead him into a dark place, but after that he basically describes the things he sees in the rest of his vision, and no guide seems to be present.

Nephi, on the other hand, hoping to understand the vision, does have someone come to him and show him things saying "look". It would Lehi had a participatory vision where he was one of the key "actors", but Nephi had a movie kind of vision that he watched, with the directors commentary turned on by his heavenly guide. Nephi's guide was most certainly from God, but it would appear Lehi's may not have been.

Good points! I guess I had just assumed this whole time that it was the same heavenly messenger that Nephi expounded on in his record. Of course, we'll probably never have the lost record of the book of Lehi to further explain what Lehi himself went through. Perhaps, maybe similar to what Joseph Smith's experience was in the grove when he attempted to kneel down and pray...

Well played.

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AussieMac
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Re: The Man in The White Robe

Post by AussieMac »

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have done a looking research into the man in the white robes and have found not much at all. In all the so called interpretations of Lehi's Dream the man in the white robes is not expounded on at all.

Could this part of Lehi's dream represent "The Fall". A&E were approached by Lucifer and in a way lead to the darkness. It wasnt until A&E prayed to the Lord that the way was set out for them.

A messenger of the Lord would not lead someone to darkness, even if it was meant to be.

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