Rethinking the Rod of Iron

Authors

T. J. Uriona

Keywords

Book of Mormon studies, Lehi's dream, tree of life, rod of iron, scriptures, Latter-day Saint culture

Abstract

Near its beginning, the Book of Mormon relates the dream of an Israelite father and visionary prophet named Lehi. About 600 BCE, Lehi and his family “tarried in the wilderness,” having fled Jerusalem for a promised land, guided by the Lord (1 Ne. 8:2). In this dream, Lehi saw a symbolic scene with multiple elements, including a tree with desirable fruit and a river running near the tree. “And,” he said, “I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree” (1 Ne. 8:19). Lehi observed how people made their way through darkness to the tree by grabbing the end of the rod and “holding fast” to it (1 Ne. 8:30). Later, in his own apocalyptic vision, Lehi’s son Nephi discerned the meaning of the iron rod: “I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life.” Nephi learned that the fountain and the tree typified the love of God (1 Ne. 11:25).

Recommended Citation

Uriona, T. J. (2022) "Rethinking the Rod of Iron," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 61: Iss. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol61/iss3/7