The 2011 Sperry Symposium volume explores the rich symbolism of Lehi's dream and Nephi's vision, placing such symbols as the mists of darkness, the great and spacious building, and the church of the Lamb of God in the context of the last days.
Robert L. Millet explains the context and symbolism of Lehi's dream from the Book of Mormon, accompanied by new artwork commissioned for the book by James C. Christensen.
Imagine Jerusalem around 600 BC, the world of Lehi, Sariah, Laban, Zoram, Josiah, and Jeremiah. How did people live? What motivated them? And what eventually destroyed their city? The answers to such questions foster better understanding of the prophetic words of Lehi, Nephi, and Jacob in the Book of Mormon. Much of that era was lost forever when Jerusalem met its prophesied fate and was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Temple of Solomon and the city walls were torn down, buildings burned, treasuries looted, people killed or deported, records lost or destroyed, and certain religious beliefs changed or extinguished. Glimpses of Lehi's Jerusalem offers modern readers a vivid look at revealing events in a crucial quarter century in world history.
Of Isaiah' prophetic writings, the resurrected Lord taught, "Search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah" (3 Nephi 32:1). Yet no chapters in the Book of Mormon are more difficult to understand than the Isaiah passages quoted by Nephi, Jacob, Abinadi, and Christ himself. The 17 essays in Isaiah in the Book of Mormon take a variety of approaches in seeking to help readers make the most of Isaiah's teachings. The contributing scholars draw on the Book of Mormon prophets as knowledgeable guides, examining how and why those ancient writers used and interpreted Isaiah's prophetic teachings. They explain Nephi's keys for understanding the great prophet, use historical and linguistic information to clarify his meanings, examine recurring themes, and reflect on the influence of these texts on ancient and modern saints.