1 Nephi 20

November 13, 2006 - Original Post

For the next few chapters, Nephi records the words of Isaiah. The “Isaiah chapters” are difficult mostly because of the language … it is so different. It’s a rarity that I get much out of these chapters … but sometimes I do.

In verse 10, the Lord tells Jacob and his people that he has refined them and has chosen them in the furnace of affliction. What this means to me is that “God’s people” were chosen because their faith was put to a test and they were proven to be faithful. All sorts of trails and persecutions were thrown at them, yet they did no curse God, but endured and were even strengthened. Because they were strengthened, they were able to accomplish much for the Lord.

I guess I’m a sports nut because I always think of sports analogies when it comes to the scriptures. My uncle ran a marathon while I was on my mission. We also had a couple of friends recently run a marathon. Anyway, I’ve heard that running a long distance race and successfully enduring it is a spiritual experience. It’s a spiritual experience because you go through a type of refiner’s fire … you think that you cannot succeed … you see this almost impossible goal, yet step by step, day by day you work towards that goal. You endure heat, pain, cold, rain, fatigue and other ailments. But when you cross that finish line, you feel a wonderful sensation. I’ve never done it so I don’t know what it feels like. But I’ve done other things in my life that have been a sort of a refiner’s fire.

The MTC is one. Going on a mission is another. Any type of training regimen is a type of a refiner’s fire. But real refiners' fires are those trials that people go through. The early Saints and the persecution is another type. In summary … anything that stretches and strengthens you is a refiner’s fire … it makes you more pure at whatever you are doing. Fasting is another example.

I liked verses 12 and 13. The Lord is the first and the last. He created the earth and his hand spans the universe. He is Lord of the Universe and all that is in it. When I read this today, I felt this sense of greatness in the person I worship. I have reservations in worshiping anything … we’ve been trained our whole lives to not worship idols and riches and things or even people. But the one person and thing we can worship is God. We can give ourselves to him … wholly. If I am going to do that … give that much commitment, then that person had better be all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving. That person is God. And these two verses tell us the type of person we worship.

Verse 17 & 18 were also really good. God loves us and wants us to prosper. He wants to teach us all that he knows. But we have to be willing to accept him and his teachings. If we are obedient to him, then we will have true, lasting peace. Verse 18 says that our peace would be as the river and waves of the sea. I didn’t think a river or sea was too peaceful when I read this. So I got out the NIV translation of the bible and the footnote said that the peace would be abundant and overflowing like water is to a river and the waves of the sea. That makes complete sense. Another blessing of obedience is that our posterity will last forever.

And the last note of interest in this chapter is verse 22. The Lord simply states that there is no peace for the wicked. I am listening to some relaxing music while I type this and I feel peaceful. I don’t feel too stressed right now. I’ve enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon for a few minutes this morning. It would be nice if I had a chance to do this every day. It is peaceful. I can barely imagine what the peace the Lord can give us.

January 4, 2012 - Addition

On Suffering and Purifying

There is a mash-up quote from James Allen that I think of several times a day.  It goes like this: "The man who shrinks from self-crucifixion can never accomplish the object upon which his heart is set.  The sole and supreme use of suffering is to purify; to burn out all that is useless and impure."

There is so much stuff to think about, to do, to be entertained by, to read, to study, to watch, to listen to ... it is endless.  It is easy to be overloaded with things today.  As such, I try to constantly evaluate if what I'm doing is worthwhile or if it is useless.  Also, for those things I truly desire, I try to ask myself what I would be willing to do to accomplish it?  If it really is worthwhile, am I willing to suffer for it?

Link to Isaiah Blog

1 Nephi 20 is also Isaiah 48.  See my commentary on Isaiah 48 here.

3 Nephi 23

Study Isaiah and the Scriptures

We are commanded by the Lord to “search these things diligently.” He refers to the writings of Isaiah, but this can be applied to all the scriptures.

The Bible dictionary notes (under Isaiah), "Isaiah is the most quoted of all the prophets, being more frequently quoted by Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John (in his Revelation) than any other O.T. prophet. Likewise the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants quote from Isaiah more than from any other prophet. The Lord told the Nephites that “great are the words of Isaiah,” and that all things Isaiah spoke of the house of Israel and of the gentiles would be fulfilled."

It goes on to say, "The reader today has no greater written commentary and guide to understanding Isaiah than the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. As one understands these works better he will understand Isaiah better, and as one understands Isaiah better, he more fully comprehends the mission of the Savior, and the meaning of the covenant that was placed upon Abraham and his seed by which all the families of the earth would be blessed."

Perhaps when I have completed my "inspection" of the Book of Mormon, I will take the time to study Isaiah … maybe even enroll in the BYU Independent study course (Teachings of Isaiah) offered there.

Another option is to use the (Old Testament) Institute manual as a guide to studying Isaiah.

Search the Prophets

Jesus also commanded the Nephites (and commands us) to “search the prophets.” To me, this means that we are to search the teachings of the prophets. Every month the Ensign is published and contains the words of the prophets. Every six months, the members of the Church virtually gather to listen to the prophets. LDS.org is a rich repository of many of the prophets' writings. There is so much to read, learn and study.

Secure Sources

There are so many sources of information and disinformation. Not only must we search and gain knowledge, but we must be careful where we obtain our knowledge and information. The beauty of the organization of the Church is that the prophet have a "direct line" of communication with the Savior. In turn, we have a "direct line" from the prophets. The Savior laid organized this line of communication as described in 3 Nephi 23:14. Jesus taught his apostles and then the apostles are commanded to teach the people.

2 Nephi 27

Drunken with Iniquity

To me, this image of drunken with iniquity evokes a scene of people not able to control their desires. I think of a person who takes a drink of alcohol and then another and another and he has no control and he cannot stop. The world will be similar to this drunken man. The world will delve further and further into iniquity that people will not have any control over their actions.

Is there any question that the world is becoming drunk with iniquity today? All that we have to do to gauge this is to turn on the TV or read the daily headlines in the news. Sadly, in this Information Age, every act of sin gets broadcast over the Internet and unlike the daily newspaper that used to be trashed and sometimes forgotten, today's barrage of news is ever available and can be easily summoned by any search engine. Thus today's outrageous acts of sin are multiplied by tomorrow's media shocks.

Paul sums up today's list of sins:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

His Soul is Empty

I really like the analogy that Nephi borrows from Isaiah in verse 3. He is referring to the enemies of Zion in that all those who fight against Zion will think that they are victorious, but when reality hits them, they will realize that it was all a dream to them.

I think this analogy can also be applied to the world being drunk with iniquity. When we sin, we think we are seeking what will make us happy, but in reality when we "wake up," we realize that we are not truly happy and we find our "soul is empty."

It is very frustrating to see people seek happiness in sin. It is equally frustrating when people attack Christianity claiming that religion seeks to force people to live a certain way. In reality, all that Christianity seeks is true, lasting happiness for everyone. The Father of Lies is the one who deceives us into thinking we can find joy in sin. But instead of finding joy, we find nothing but emptiness when we sin.

The Sealed Book

Verses 9 and 10 concern the prophecy of Moroni giving the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. Some parts of the gold plates were sealed. What we have today is the unsealed portion of the Book of Mormon. Some day the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon will be revealed and "shall be read upon the house tops and they shall be read by the power of Christ" (v. 11).

The sealed portion of the book contains "all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof" (v. 10). We know that Nephi saw things in his vision that he was not permitted to write about. We also know that the brother of Jared saw the same vision and was commanded to write it and seal it up (Ether 3:25-27).

Show Them unto the Learned

In verse 15 we read, "Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he ma show them unto the learned." This is in reference to Martin Harris taking a copy of some of the characters of the gold plates and showing them to Charles Anthon.

“I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyric, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.

“He then said to me, ‘Let me see that certificate.’ I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying, that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him, he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a sealed book.’ I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.” (History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 20)

Removed Their Hearts Far From Me

In verse 25, the Lord says, “this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men.” We need to be weary of paying lip service to God and not serving him. In other words, the Lord is saying to not be hypocritical. We sometimes get caught up in repeating the Sunday school answers at church, but fail to truly understand what we are saying. If we understood what we were saying or paid attention to what we were saying, we would act the part of a good Christian rather than just paying lip service. As Elder Maxwell put in one time, "So it is that discipleship requires all of us to translate doctrines, covenants, ordinances, and teachings into improved personal behavior. Otherwise we may be doctrinally rich but end up developmentally poor" ("Becoming a Disciple," Ensign, June 1996, 12).

A good example of this principle is the Zoramites in Alma 31. Alma and his brethren witnessed the Zoramites praying in their synagogues only once a week. And when they went to their synagogues to pray, they stood on the Rameumptom and prayed out loud so everyone could hear. The Zoramites were paying lip service to God, but their hearts were far from Him. They did not truly pray to God; they did not serve others or have charity and neither did they keep the statutes and commandments of God. They were wicked, self-righteous, and hypocritical.

We need to be careful that we do not inherit a treasure trove of rich Gospel doctrine but then fail to use what we have learned. The most important lessons we will learn will be the relevant experiences as we live our lives. However, we must always read the scriptures. I am not saying that life’s experiences replace studying the scriptures. What we need to do is study the doctrine and the prophets, pray and then do. The scriptures are our textbooks for life’s class. The prophets are our teachers. Life’s experiences are our tests. We learn from the textbooks and teachers and then we are tested to see if we truly learn the lessons.

2 Nephi 24

Thankfully the death and destruction described in the previous chapter is not the end … better things are to come. Israel will be restored and Satan will be bound for a thousand years and the Earth will have peace.

Strangers

In the first verse of chapter 24, Isaiah refers to strangers who will be "joined with them" meaning the House of Jacob (Israel). We learn from the Bible (dictionary and scripture references) that a stranger is a "man of non-Israelite birth" who is a resident in the promised land and who has permission to live there. In this context, it is understood to be the Gentiles living in modern-day America. We've learned previously from the other Isaiah chapters in 2nd Nephi that America will be the location of Zion from where the law will go forth and Jerusalem will be the place where the word will go forth. Therefore some alliance will be formed between the (American) Gentiles and the House of Jacob. Already today, Israel is one of America's strongest allies.

The Fall of Satan

Isaiah compares the fall of the King of Babylon to the fall of Satan. Just as the King of Babylon "ruled the nations in anger" (v. 6) and is later "persecuted", so shall Satan be mocked.

Verses 6 through 11 are so poetic and bring welcome relief (at least to me as the reader). Here was the King of Babylon who tormented the neighboring nations, his people and even the fir-trees all for the sake of his glory. When he is finally defeated and thrust to Hell, he becomes the persecuted and he must endure the torments of a racked soul.

Then in verses 12 through 20, we read of Satan's demise and how he'll be cast into his own prison and the people of the Earth will say, "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake the kingdoms?" (v. 16).

The Shepard vs. The Prison Keeper

All through these Isaiah chapters, we've read how merciful and patient the Lord has been with the House of Israel. He extends his hand time and time again and is ever-patient with us. Even after scattering His people, the Lord promises to gather them again and restore them to their promised lands (v. 1).

Satan, on the other hand, shows no mercy. He destroyed the world and captured not only a third of the hosts of heaven, but all those who died in their sins. He kept them in his prison and never opened the doors (v. 17).

Alma 30:60 best describes the "mercy" of Satan. " … the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell."

In contrast, read the words of Christ who spoke to the Nephites and Lamanites after the great destruction in the Promised Land. He said, "Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me" (3 Nephi 9:14).

Epilogue For Commentary on Isaiah Chapters

I've read the Book of Mormon many, many times, but I've never really taken the time to study the Isaiah chapters. Mostly I've simply read through them and endured them. I am so thankful that I stopped and "inspected" these chapters this time through. I know I would have not learned much of anything new if I did not use some help. I am grateful to Bryan Richards and Nathan Boone who run GospelDoctrine.com. They have done a marvelous job in gathering quotes from General Authorities and other reference material, thus saving their readers hours of research time.

The general feeling I have after reading the Isaiah Chapters this time is that I marvel at how much these chapters dealt with the 2nd Coming and the Last Days. I've learned new things about Zion and Jerusalem and the Millennium that I've never considered before. If Mormon's intention was to prepare us for the Last Days, it is no wonder then that he included Nephi's and Jacob's commentaries on Isaiah. Before the Lord comes again, there will be much death and destruction and wickedness. There will also be much righteousness. And since the Book of Mormon is a parallel to our day, it too documents the wickedness and wars and destructions and righteousness of the Nephites and Lamanites. Just as the Book of Momon ended with the coming of Christ, so too will our "day" end with the 2nd Coming of Christ.

We now know what will happen. All that remains to be seen is what we choose to do. Will we repent and turn to God or will we suffer the consequences of unrepented sin? Nephi reminds us that we are free to choose liberty or death (2 Nephi 2:27). All that we have to do is choose the right.

2 Nephi 21 & 22

A Rod, a Stem, a Branch and Roots

Verses 1 and 10 are very interesting verses. We learn from D&C 113:2 that the stem of Jesse is Christ. The rod is a servant of Christ who is a descendent of both Ephraim and Jesse "on whom there is laid much power" (D&C 113:4). We also learn from section 113 verse 6 that the "root of Jesse" is a descendent of Jesse as well as Joseph (Ephraim) who rightly possess the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom to be an ensign and gatherer of God's people in the last days. The branch is not specifically mentioned in section 113, but the author at gospeldoctrine.com, through some deductive reasoning, postulates that the branch is Christ.

As to the rod and root of Jesse, the same author thinks that both of these represent Joseph Smith. I did a search on the lds.org gospel library and found only three results for "root of Jesse." One result agrees that the rod and root represent Joseph Smith. The other search result returns an article whose author is a Jew who converted to the Church. In that article, he alludes that the root of Jesse is person who is yet to come. He learned this from "various Latter-day prophets." Every time I read this chapter, I've always assumed that the root is not Joseph Smith, but another prophet who is yet to come.

The Knowledge of the Lord

In verses 6-9, we read that the Earth will be "safe" so that the hunter and the hunted will lay down side by side without bloodshed. "They shall not hurt or destroy … for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord" (v. 9).

Joseph Smith once admonished his fellow saints when some attempted to kill rattlesnakes.

"In pitching my tent we found three massasaguas, or prairie rattlesnakes, which the brethren were about to kill, but I said, 'Let them alone, don't hurt them! How will the serpent ever lose his venom, while the servants of God possess the same disposition, and continue to make war upon it? Men must become harmless, before the brute creation; and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and the lamb can dwell together, and the suckling child can play with the serpent in safety.' The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill a serpent, bird or an animal of any kind during my journey unless it became necessary in order to preserve ourselves from hunger. (History of the Church, vol. 2, pp. 71-2)"

The Gathering of Israel

As prophesied so many times before, Isaiah yet again prophesies that the lost tribes will return in the Last Days. In D&C 133 we learn more of this "highway for the remnant of his people" (v. 16). D&C 133:26-32 says,

"And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.
And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.
Their enemies shall become a prey unto them,
And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land.
And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants.
And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.
And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim."

God is my Salvation

In chapter 22, we read that we will rejoice that Christ will reign on the earth.

Verse 2 is my favorite verse in this chapter.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."

In verse 6, we are reminded that Christ will personally reign on the earth as he will be "in the midst" of Israel.

2 Nephi 20

For a historical background to this chapter, read 2 Kings 18 & 19. Basically, the king of Assyria was given a command by the Lord to "take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets" (2 Nephi 20:6), meaning to be the nation that attacks Israel. But the king of Assyria (Sennacherib) thinks he can defeat all the neighboring countries … he exceeds his mandate from the Lord because of his pride. So the Lord prevents him from taking Jerusalem and his armies are destroyed like the "slaughter of Midian" and when the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea (2 Nephi 20:26). The destruction of the armies of Assyria is a type of the destruction of the armies that fight Israel at the 2nd Coming of Christ.

The Needy, the Poor, the Widows and the Fatherless

The Lord warns those who do not help the needy, poor and the widows and fatherless. In our day, we must be mindful of those who are vulnerable to economically challenging times. One of the main reasons for the home-teaching program in the Church is to help the needy. As we perform our home-teaching duties, we must care for the spiritual and temporal welfare of those over whom we have a responsibility.

The Tool that Rebels Against the Maker

The king of Assyria was given a commandment to attack Israel, but he did not obey. He thought to conquer other countries too. In verse 13 he boasts of his efforts and entirely forgets the Lord. As we learn in the D&C, "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments" (D&C 59:21). Sennacherib's sin was his ingratitude.

Chiasmus

Chapter 20 is a chiasmus as explained below.
“After his fourfold warning to Israel, Isaiah continues his discourse in the form of a poetic prophecy. He gives warning to both Assyria and Israel in a poem structured in introverted parallelism (chiasmus). The poem encompasses the entire chapter and can be outlined as follows:

A. The wicked will bow down (vs. 1-4)
B. Assyria raised by the Lord (5)
C. The Assyrian king speaks against Jerusalem (6-11)
D. The Lord will punish proud Assyria (12-14)
E. An ax is used as a tool (15)
F. The Lord is a burning fire in the land (16-17)
G. Out of all the shrubs—only a remnant remains (18-19)
H. A remnant of Israel shall return to the Lord (20-21)
G.’ Out of the “sands of the sea”—only a remnant returns (22)
F.’ A divine consumption is in the land (23)
E.’ A rod is used as an instrument (24-26)
D.’ Assyria’s yoke will be lifted (27)
C.’ Assyrian army approaches Jerusalem (28-32)
B.’ Assyria humbled by the Lord (33)
A.’ The haughty will be cut down (34)”
(Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet, by Victor L. Ludlow, p. 161)

“If chiasmus can be convincingly identified in the Book of Mormon, it will testify of the book’s ancient origin. No one in America, let alone in western New York, fully understood chiasmus in 1830. Joseph Smith had been dead ten full years before John Forbes’s book was published in Scotland…If the Book of Mormon is found to contain true chiastic forms in an ancient style, then is not the book’s own repeated claim to be the product or an ancient culture veritably substantiated?” (John W. Welch, Book of Mormon Authorship, 41-42 as taken from Commentaries on Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, ed. by K. Douglas Bassett, [American Fork, UT: Covenant Publishing Co., 2003], 154)

2 Nephi 19

A Great Light

Isaiah prophesies the location of Christ's ministry. After this prophesy, he says, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" (v. 2). Christ is that great light. Without Christ, the world would be in complete darkness with no hope of having light. But Christ is our light and our hope. If we believe him, then we will never have to walk in darkness.

Unto us a child is born

Later on, Isaiah writes of the birth of Christ and some of the titles he will take upon himself.

The government shall be upon his shoulder - when Christ comes to reign upon the earth, he will be the government.

Wonderful - is not the Savior of all mankind wonderful?

Counselor - his whole life is dedicated to counseling us and showing us the way of happiness.

The Mighty God - self-explanatory

The Everlasting Father - he is the father of the Earth, the universe and our spiritual rebirth.

The Prince of Peace - if we all truly lived Christ's teachings, then Satan would have significantly less power and the world would be at peace. Indeed, when Christ reigns on the earth, we will have peace for a thousand years.

2 Nephi 18

Waters of Shiloah

The metaphor used here (v. 6-8) contrasts the peaceful waters of Shiloah (Christ) to that of the destructive Euphrates (Assyrians). Instead of choosing Christ and having peace, Israel will be destroyed for choosing evil.

“Isaiah describes and then contrasts two forms of waters—the soft, rolling waters of Shiloah, located near the temple mount of Jerusalem, and the waters of the Euphrates, a great river that often floods out of control. The waters of Shiloah are controlled and inviting, whereas the Euphrates is dangerous and destructive. The waters of Shiloah bring life to those who drink them; the Euphrates brings death to those who are swept up in its flood. Isaiah's images of the two waters are symbolic: the former represents Jesus, the King of Heaven, who is likened to the waters of life; the latter is the king of Assyria, who leads his great, destructive armies and ‘cover the earth [like a flood . . . and] destroy the inhabitants thereof’ (Jer. 46:8). Inasmuch as the inhabitants of Judah had rejected Jesus, or the waters of Shiloah, the Lord set
upon them the king of Assyria, or the strong and mighty waters of the river that would overflow their banks and cover the entire land with its destruction.” (Donald W. Parry, Jay A. Parry, and Tina M. Peterson, Understanding Isaiah [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 83 as taken from Commentaries on Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, ed. by K. Douglas Bassett, [American Fork, UT: Covenant Publishing Co., 2003], 137)

The message we are to receive from these verses is that if we choose Christ, we will be protected and blessed. We will be happy and content with the manageable and predictable waters of Shiloah. But if we choose to go down forbidden paths, then our agency is taken away and we cannot control the destructive forces that rage in our lives.

Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid

The Lord promised Israel that he would fight their battles for them (as demonstrated in Joshua 10:10-11, 25) and that they should not form alliances with other countries … they should form an everlasting alliance with God. But they grew wicked and formed alliances with neighboring countries and were cursed.

In verse 9, the Lord warns them that if they associate themselves with these countries, they will be “broken in pieces.” He also tells Israel in verse 12, “neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” What I find interesting about this statement is that the Lord doesn’t say, “fear not,” he says fear not their fear. Sometimes I get caught up in the worries of the world. I worry about finances; I worry about work; I worry about other things. In other words, I worry about things that a person who is not spiritually inclined worries about. Instead, what I ought to worry about is if I am doing what is right; am I keeping the commandments. If I obey the Lord, then all these other worries will take care of themselves (or the Lord will help me take care of them … he will fight my battles). I need not form an alliance with worldly ideas. The only alliance I need to make is with the Lord.

The reason this is significant to me is because as I lay in my bed this morning, I began to think of all the things I needed to do. I have some real concerns with regards to buying our new home and how will be able to meet the new financial demands. We’ve felt that buying this new home is the right thing to do. My wife has not really had any concerns, while I, on the other hand, have been worried about it. I also was thinking about my job at work and some concerns in that area. While I was worrying about these things, I was about to begin a prayer in my mind asking Heavenly Father for help with all these worries. Then these words came to my mind, “count your blessings.” I stopped and began to count my blessings. Then I knew that everything would be fine. After all that, I got up and began to read the scriptures and this chapter when I came across these verses (v. 9-13). It was so clear now … I simply need to trust in the Lord. That calm reassurance that the Lord had given me before (D&C 6:22-24) came to me again. I need not fear their fear (or the world’s fear). I simply need to trust in the Lord.

A Stone of Stumbling

I had never really thought of what a stumbling block or stone is before. This morning, after reading from gospeldoctrine.com, I had a much better understanding. This is what I read:

A man who stumbles on a rock falls on his face. He may get up again, curse, and kick the offending stone, but in doing so he only further bruises himself. The rock is never injured; the man has neither the power nor the strength to destroy the rock. His misfortune has come by looking beyond the mark, whereby he misses the rock completely, stumbles clumsily, and falls spiritually. For the Israelites, the path of righteousness was obstructed by just such a ‘stone of stumbling’ and ‘rock of offense.’

The Lord of Hosts became a stumbling block for the Jews both in the days of Isaiah and in the days of his mortal ministry. They were offended with by the wisdom, power, and authority of Jesus of Nazareth. This stumbling came because they did not understand the reason the Law of Moses was given. As Paul explained ‘Because they (the Jews) sought it (the law of righteousness) not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed’ (Rom 9:32-3).

‘But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may
stumble.’ (Jacob 4:14)

Neal A. Maxwell

“A stumbling block is defined as involving ‘something repugnant to one's prejudices’ (The Oxford English Dictionary)…A stumbling block of the Jews of Jesus' day, for instance, was their expectations about what the Messiah would do, such as emancipating them politically. To them, Jesus was not an emancipator, and his death was an unfulfilling stumbling block. This irony had been prophesied. The Greeks, on the other hand, regarded the whole idea of a resurrecting messiah as foolishness. (See Isaiah 8:14; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Peter 2:8; 2 Nephi 18:14.)” (A Wonderful Flood of Light [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], 71.)

I will wait upon the Lord

Going back to the commentary on forming an alliance with the Lord, we learn that when we form that alliance, we must “wait upon the Lord” and the Lord will protect us. Elder Hales referred to this verse in his October 1998 General Conference talk when he said, “The Lord is the ultimate caregiver. We must surrender ourselves to the Lord. In doing so, we give up whatever is causing our pain and turn everything over to Him…When pain, tests, and trials come in life, draw near to the Savior. ‘Wait upon the Lord,…look for him’ (Isa. 8:17; 2 Ne. 18:17). ‘They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint’ (Isa. 40:31). Healing comes in the Lord’s time and the Lord’s way; be patient.

“Our Savior waits for us to come to Him through our scripture study, pondering, and prayer to our Heavenly Father….As we are strengthened and healed, we can then lift and strengthen others with our faith.” (Ensign, November, 1998).

Seek unto their God

The last part of this chapter warns Israel against seeking after “wizards that peep and mutter” (v. 19). Just as we should not seek alliances with the world to solve our troubles, neither should we seek spiritual counsel from other sources other than the Lord.

2 Nephi 16 & 17

There are two points I wish to discuss in this chapter. First, we cannot take our own sins away. Second, are we prepared to accept a call when we are called?

Thy Sin Purged

In verse 5, Isaiah laments that his lips are not clean and that his sins prevent him from being worthy to be in the presence of God. Therefore, in verses 6 & 7, a seraph takes a hot coal and places it on Isaiah's lips thus cleansing him from his sins. The seraph says, "thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." Similarly, Enos begged for forgiveness and received this reply from God, "thy sins are forgiven thee" (Enos 1:5).

The lesson learned here is that we cannot take away our own sins. No matter what we do and how much we serve, we will still remain sinners. It is only through the Atonement that we can obtain a forgiveness of our sins.

Whom Shall I Send?

In verse 8, Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah responds, just as the Messiah did, "Here I am; send me." In Abraham 3:27, the same question is posed and the Lord responds in like manner.

What can we learn from it? We can ask ourselves if we are willing to respond in the affirmative when we are asked to serve. If we are worthy, the we will be able to say yes. If we are not worthy, then we must change those things in our lives that will enable us to serve worthily.

We ought to always be prepared to serve when called upon.

A Virgin Shall Conceive

Chapter 17 is very difficult to understand if you do not know the history behind it. I recommend reading an Institute of Religion study manual or a site like gospeldoctrine.com to gain some understanding of the history behind King Ahaz. The gospeldoctrine.com entry for this chapter can be found here.

The most important part of this chapter is when Isaiah prophesies to Ahaz the coming of Christ. He prophesies that Christ will be born of a virgin.

2 Nephi 13

The Lord Doth Take Away

D&C 82:3 says, "For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation." Such is the case with the Jews. They have been given much and much is expected. If they fail, then great shall be their condemnation. Such can be said of anyone who has been given knowledge.

The rest of the chapter deals with the dire circumstances the Jews and the daughters of Zion will find themselves in because of their wickedness. All that they hold dear will be hewn down and they will be humbled.

So it is with individuals. If we keep the commandments, the Lord will bless us and we will prosper by his hand. But if we are prideful and keep not the commandments, all that we hold dear will be taken from us … if not in this life, then in the life to come.

The Show of Their Countenance

In verse 9, it reads, "The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves!"

A countenance is one's facial expression … but it is more than a fleeting smile or frown. It is more of a permanent expression that is more like a person's aura.

Many times I personally have been able to tell how a person is feeling or what a person's attitude is like just by reading their facial expressions and how I feel around them.

In Genesis 4:5-6 (and Moses 5:21-22), Cain's countenance fell because the Lord did not approve of his offering. Later he would murder his brother.

In contrast, the Savior's countenance "did shine" on the Nephites as he ministered to them (3 Nephi 19:25).

If we love the Lord with all our heart, mind and strength, then we can be "spiritually born of God" and have the "image of God engraven upon [our] countenances" (Alma 5:14, 19).

But if our lives are filled with wickedness "even as Sodom" then our fallen countenance cannot be hidden from the Lord and we will fall under condemnation.

You Reap What You Sow

Verses 10 and 11 are beautiful, simple and instructive. If you keep the commandments, you will be blessed. If you fail to keep the commandments, you will suffer. That is what the Gospel is all about.

2 Nephi 12

For these Isaiah chapters, I am drawing a lot of my ideas from a site named gospeldoctrine.com. The author has a lot of quotes from modern-day prophets as well as religious commentators that shed a lot of light on the topics of the chapter.

Prophetic Dualism

Simply put, prophetic dualism means a prophecy is fulfilled in more than one event or manner. The term "mountain of the Lord's house" is one of these phrases that is fulfilled in more than one way.

It is a common belief that the mountain of the Lord's house is the Salt Lake Temple. The Salt Lake Temple stands in the valley of the Rocky Mountains and many people from all over the world have gathered to Salt Lake during General Conference and have been taught.

The prophecy also deals with the fact that sacred places were on tops of mountains. Eventually, the temples in the New Jerusalem and the Old Jerusalem will be built on tops of mountains and people from all over the world will attend those temples to learn of God.

Temples

The principal is there … we are to regularly attend the temple and learn from God. One of our goals, as a couple, this year is to attend the temple once a month. We have set up a time every month with a friend of ours so that one of us tends to the other's children while the other couple goes to the temple.

I will never forget one day during finals week my freshman year at college. I had just gone through the temple in March (along with my cousin and roommate). Finals week was at the end of April. We lived in a dorm that housed returned missionaries. One day in the middle of finals, one of the RM's came over to our room and asked us if we wanted to go do a session that day. My cousin and I looked at each other … we were put in a tough spot. If we said no, it made it look like our faith was lacking. If we said yes, then our study time for finals would be cut short by a few hours. We decided to go. Nothing really special happened at the temple, but to me it left a lasting impression of the importance of attending the temple.

Majesty and Glory

The rest of the chapter deals with the pride of the world and the warning the Lord gives. The pride of the world will be humbled. The one thing that struck me was that not only would the Lord tear down the world's pride, but that his majesty and glory would far outshine any pride the world has to offer. In verse 19 it says, "for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the glory of his majesty shall smite them." In my mind's eye, the coming of the Lord will be glorious beyond description. Any attempt by the world or man to look glorious and powerful will be far overshadowed by the Lord's glory and majesty.

Lastly in verse 22 it says, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils." I found this a rather odd verse, so I looked it up in the NIV to see if it would shed any light and it reads, "Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils." After reading this, the KJV/BOM version made much more sense. We ought not to trust in man or the flesh. Rather we must trust in the Lord and obey his words. Man will die and his knowledge is limited. God is immortal and his knowledge is unlimited.

2 Nephi 7

Like many of the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi, I struggle a bit to find ways to apply the scripture to my life. Most of the verses seem to deal with prophesies regarding Christ. This chapter deals with a few prophecies.

Bill of Divorcement & Shortened Hand

For some understanding of verses 1-3, I suggest reading the explanation found here. It seems to give an adequate explanation of what Isaiah is talking about.

The Tongue of the Learned

Verse 4 refers to Christ's knowledge of the scriptures. John 7:15 talks about how people "marvelled" at how much Jesus knew. Another good cross reference to this is Luke 2:46-47 in which we read how Jesus as a child listened to and asked questions of "doctors" in the temple. Verse 47 says, "And all that heard him were astonished at his understandings and answers."

I Was Not Rebellious

Once Christ's ears and understanding were opened to the Spirit, he knew his calling and chose not to rebel. Contrast this to Jonah, who when the Lord called him, he sought to hide from the Lord (Jonah chapters 1-3).

Do we prayerfully accept callings within the Church or do we seek excuses to avoid callings? Do we live as we ought to so that we are worthy to accept callings or do our un-repented sins keep us from serving? We must check ourselves for rebellion if we are called.

Face Like a Flint

Christ did not shrink before the trials that were placed upon him. He was smitten on the back and spat upon, but he did not flinch.

How do we face our trials? Do we have faith that we will be delivered or do we whine and complain about how hard life is? Do we simply try to get through the trial or do we seek the Lord's will in knowing what he would have us learn?

Sparks in Darkness

I really like the last two verse of this chapter. Verse 10 and 11 say, "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?

"Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow."

Verse 10 seems to refer to trusting in the Lord. The Lord asks us to believe in him, to trust in him and to take those steps in the darkness.

But there are some of us who cannot accept this and think that we must have some light so that we see where we are going. And so we try to light our own fire and our own fire is small and cannot show us the complete path. If we decide to tread the path on our own with our own fire, then the Lord warns us that we will suffer.

And so the point of verses 10-11 is that we must trust in the Lord to show us the way if we are to avoid spiritual injury.

2 Nephi 6

As I read through the Book of Mormon, my main purpose is to find ways in which I can apply the teachings in each chapter to my life. I try to ask myself what it is the writer is trying to tell me the reader and why is he telling me these things. Most of the time, the intent of the writer and the personal application are obvious. Other times, it is not so obvious.

This chapter probably falls in between. There are no obvious commandments found in this chapter. There are, however, a few warnings to the Jews and Gentiles which could be considered commandments. But for the most part, this chapter discusses the history and future of the Jews. It talks about certain signs that will take place before the 2nd Coming of Christ.

No Hidden Agenda

I really like the way Jacob begins his discourse to the people. In verse 3 he says, I am desirous for the welfare of your souls.” He goes on in verse 4, “And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.” He also tells them that he has always sought to teach them everything (regarding the Gospel) since the creation. And then he continues to teach them “concerning the things which are to come” (v. 4).

I personally believe that all the prophets from Nephi to Jacob, to Joseph Smith to President Hinckley, that they have no other agenda other than welfare of our souls. They have tried to teach us and show us the true meaning and purpose of the Gospel and then exhort us to do what is right so that we may be happy. Unlike so many voices in today’s world who try to sway us to be miserable, the prophets have been a light showing us the way of happiness.

The Messiah, the Jews and the Gentiles

Jacob continues his sermon by reading the words of Isaiah to the people. He tells them that those at Jerusalem have been slain and carried captive into Babylon. The main reason Lehi and his family fled was because of the Lord’s warning to them about Babylon’s eminent invasion. Now Jacob tells them that it has happened. We later learn in Omni 1:15 that the people of Mulek confirm this fulfilled prophecy.

After the Jews are scattered, they are again gathered and Christ manifests himself to them in the flesh, but they crucify him. Then they are “smitten and afflicted” (v. 10) again. But the Lord is merciful to them still and they are gathered again.

Next the Gentiles are warned to “repent and fight not against Zion” (v. 12).

Lastly the Messiah manifests himself a 2nd time to the Jews and again saves them from destruction.

Warnings

There are a couple of warnings in this chapter. They are pretty generic, but they should not be disregarded. In verse 12 the Gentiles are warned to repent, to not fight against Zion and to not unite themselves with the great and abominable church.

In verse 15 we read that “they that believe not in him (Christ) shall be destroyed” by fire, tempest, earthquakes, bloodsheds, pestilence and famine.

So What Does It Mean for Me?

Obviously the warnings are important. If we don’t repent, we’ll be destroyed (physically and spiritually).

What else is important is the history and the prophecies surrounding the Messiah and the Jews. If we learn about the signs that will take place before the 2nd Coming, then we will be better prepared spiritually. We will know what to look for and as the signs are fulfilled, our faith will increase.

Already the gathering of the Jews has begun and continues to progress. Today we see wars and rumors of wars and all sorts of discord in the world. It will get far worse before Christ comes again.

But if we look for the signs and know what they mean, then we will (hopefully) feel the need to repent and live closely to the Holy Ghost and we will be prepared for His coming.