The Iron Rod 'Twill Safely Guide Us Through

Early this morning I looked up a book from one of my favorite authors (Dr. Seuss!) and couldn’t stop reading Oh the Places You’ll Go. As I was reading I was reminded of the Tree of Life vision and had some great insights. Cool things happen when you mix Dr. Seuss and the Scriptures! (and it’s not the first time it’s happened.)

I’ve studied before about the four different types of people mentioned in the vision (Look up this talk if you’re interested - https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/10/lehis-dream-holding-fast-to-the-rod?lang=eng), but this time I was reeled in by the four different paths mentioned in the story. I’ve never caught that before (it’s amazing how much are packed into those chapters! I learn new things every time I read it. There’s NO WAY Joseph Smith could have written it).

Four Paths

The Strait and Narrow Path

As Lehi speaks of the Tree of Life and the Rod Iron that leads to the tree, he mentions a path. “A strait and narrow path came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree; and it also led by the head of the fountain (or river)” (1 Nephi 8:20).

Every picture I have ever seen of the Tree of Life Vision has the path leading in a straight line right to the tree, but that is not necessarily the case. There are two spellings of “straight/strait” in the scriptures, and the one used in the vision is strait, which just means “narrow.” That means that the path leading to the tree does not always go in a straight line, which makes sense considering the path was next to the river all the way to the tree. Life constantly leads us in different directions, even when we are holding to the rod. Sometimes I even feel like my life goes in circles. How do we have any hope of ever finding the tree, then? We have to hold on to that rod. It will lead us through all of the twists and turns that life brings.

Broad Roads

From what the scriptures say about Satan, he will do anything to keep people from finding the iron rod, so it shouldn’t surprise us when it is not easy to find the Iron Rod. In the vision Lehi says that as he saw numberless concourses of people pressing forward, trying to find the path that led to the tree. However, when they found it there “arose a mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:21-23). When Nephi sees the same vision he adds 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).

Elder Oaks taught that “those who try to walk the straight and narrow path see inviting detours on every hand. We can be distracted, degraded, downhearted, or depressed” (“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament, Oct. 2008 Conference). It seems like we are tempted to let go of the iron rod dozens of times a day (maybe I should keep a tally one of these days!). Sometimes Most times I feel myself wandering off the path without even realizing it. No wonder Nephi calls the path people take during times of temptation “Broad Roads;” Lehi said the amount of people letting go of the rod were numberless.

Even the Savior knew that lots of people would walk away from the path, some without ever finding it in the first place. “Enter in at the strait gate (stay on that path and keep hold of the iron rod!), for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein” (3 Nephi 27:33; Matthew 7:13).

Strange Roads

Lehi then teaches us about some people who don’t even seem to try to get on the path. They “feel their way towards that great and spacious building. Many were drowned in the depths of the river, and many were wandering in strange roads. And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building” 1 Nephi 8:31-33).

The word “strange” in the Book of Mormon seems to mean “unknown,” as in “stranger.” I imagine that the people taking these roads to get to the great and spacious building (which Nephi also calls a “strange” building) don’t really care what is around them. They will take any road they can without even paying attention, just so they can get to the destination.

In our journey to the great and spacious building, we can find all kinds of unknown paths. Some are dark, some are fun, and some don’t seem so much different than the strait and narrow path, but many “eventually lead to destruction and ruin” (President Harold B Lee, “The Iron Rod,” Ensign, June 1971, 7). Strange roads are all around us. They tempt us to let go of the Iron Rod to get to a more visible or glamorous destination. But the Savior pleads with us not to go down those roads, but to come back to the path. We can do so by entering through the gate (which is baptism). Even those of us who are already baptized have a chance get back on the strait and narrow path every Sunday through the sacrament.

Forbidden Paths

Lehi also saw a fourth group of people “pressing forward, holding the iron rod. 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.” However, “after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost” (1 Nephi 8:24-28).

I imagine they are called “forbidden” because this group knows the strait and narrow from side roads. They walked it all the way to the tree. They even tasted of the fruit. They know which roads they should not take.

Elder Holland said this about people who know the correct path: “So we have a dilemma tonight, you and I. It is that there are thousands of Aaronic Priesthood–age young men already on the records of this Church.. . . We need [those] already on the team to stay on it and stop dribbling out of bounds just when we need you to get in the game and play your hearts out! No missionary (member) can be unrepentant of sexual transgression or profane language or pornographic indulgence and then expect to challenge others to repent of those very things! You can’t do that. The Spirit will not be with you, and the words will choke in your throat as you speak them. You cannot travel down what Lehi called “forbidden paths” and expect to guide others to the “strait and narrow” one—it can’t be done” (“We Are All Enlisted,” Oct 2011 Conference).

The Iron Rod

Although there are so many paths and obstacles tempting us to leave the strait and narrow, there is a key to getting to the tree. The Iron Rod leads the way. If we never let go of the rod, even if we have to take rests in our journey or even need to close our eyes at times, we will undoubtedly reach the tree.

1 Nephi 15:24 – “The Iron Rod was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the work of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.”

Helaman 3:29-30 – “Yea, whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—and land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to go no more out.”

p.s. Go read Oh, the Places You'll Go and make some cool insights to the Plan of Salvation!