Trees and Dreams
Comparing Daniel 4 and 1 Nephi 8
My wife has planted several trees in every house we have ever lived in. She has planned the type of tree and its placement. She enjoys the unique beauty of each tree and the purpose it can uniquely provide. She is not alone in loving trees, of course, as can be seen with many photos online of just trees on scenic cliff lines or walking paths. This is a fascination that is not unique to modern people.
Trees in the Scriptures
It only takes a read of the topic tree in the topical guide to see that trees are not an uncommon symbol used in the scriptures. Think of the trees in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 1-3) and the burning bush. Think of the tree Moses throws into the waters of Marah purifying it or making it drinkable (Ex. 15). Proverbs and Isaiah use trees as a symbol of wisdom on righteousness in several verses (Prov. 1:3, 11:30, Isa. 61:3). The new testament continues this trend with the parable of good fruit coming from good trees (Matt. 7:17) and finally of Jesus being hanged on a tree (Acts 5:30, 1 Peter 2:24, tree here I think being symbolic of capital punishment). What are other references of trees in the scriptures? Why are trees used so often in the scriptures? However, the references I want to highlight here come from Daniel 4 and 1 Nephi 8.
Daniel 4 and 1 Nephi 8
Daniel 4 and 1 Nephi 8 speak of a person's dream about a tree. Both dreams are interpreted by someone else. Both dreams help explain their present and future situations. Both of these dreams happen near the same time and explain the same situation perhaps but from different perspectives. Remember Nebuchadnezzar who has the dream in Daniel 4 is the same one that Lehi’s family is fleeing. His armies are the ones that destroy Jerusalem. Both of these dreams are similar.
Similarities
Conclusions
Given the similarities of the dreams in both content and timing perhaps it is valid to replace the great and spacious building Lehi sees with the Nebuchadnezzar tree. Lehi’s dream would then be a vision of dueling trees. One is the Tree of Life, a symbol of Jesus Christ, and the other is its opposition. Like the two trees of the Garden of Eden the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Perhaps Lehi’s dream is explaining our journey back to the Garden, or God, from being cast out.
Do you think these dreams have any relation to each other? What are other connections these dreams could have? What are more symbols in each dream?
