Great Are the Words of Isaiah Part 1

How well do you understand the words of Isaiah? If you are like me and what I've been most of my life you say to yourself..."I can't understand this stuff, it doesn't make any sense." How important is it that we do understand this stuff anyway? During the Savior's visit to the Nephites , He said: 

"And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah (3 Nephi 23:1)."

The Lord goes on to explain why the words of Isaiah are so great. In verses 2 through 4 he says: 

"For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake. Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles."

I find the Lord's explanation quite interesting. He first explains that Isaiah prophesied all things concerning the house of Israel but this isn't His focus. The Lord says the reason why that's important is because he is speaking TO the Gentiles. The Lord again reiterates in verse 4 that His words will go forth UNTO the Gentiles. Isaiah's prophetic ministry was so important because he spent a lot of his efforts prophesying of and TO the gentiles.

So who are the gentiles? The answer to this question is spelled out rather clearly in the Book of Mormon, D&C, and teachings of Joseph Smith. In part one of this post, I would like to define who the gentiles are according to these prophetic sources. In future parts, I would like to offer some tips on how we can better understand Isaiah and share some powerful resources that are available that can complement our study of this fascinating prophet. 

We don't need to look far to find some clarification. The first instance is actually in the first paragraph of the title page (just before the table of contents). Explaining what the Book of Mormon is it says: 

"Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites—Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile—Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation—Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed—To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof—Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile—The interpretation thereof by the gift of God."

Notice this paragraph identifies 3 distinct groups of people...the Lamanites, the Jews, and the Gentiles. Isn't it interesting that it doesn't identify the whole house of Israel, just the Lamanites who are a remnant (a remainder or residual) of the house of Israel? Implicit in this statement, the Book of Mormon isn't for the entire house of Israel but just for the Lamanites (who are of the house of Israel), to the Jews and to the Gentiles. If you feel the Book of Mormon has been a significant influence in your life and that you are one of the groups of people it was meant for, which category do you think you fall into? Are you a Lamanite, Jew or Gentile?

A second clue in this paragraph as to who the gentiles are is that it specifically states that the Book of Mormon would come forth by the Gentiles. It would be the gentiles responsibility to bring this sacred text forth. Since the restoration in 1830, it has been the gentiles who have been bringing the Book of Mormon forth. So, according to this responsibility, who are included in as part of the gentiles? Just look to see who has been bringing forth the Book of Mormon. 1 Nephi 13:35 also backs up this assertion given in the title page:

"For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb."

In 2nd Nephi chapter 10, Nephi's brother Jacob explains that the land he is living in (modern day America) would be a choice land to the gentiles:

"But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. And I will fortify this land against all other nations. (verse 9-12)."

So, if you have been one who has been blessed to live in America and have been part of a group that has been charged to bring forth the Book of Mormon, chance are you are a gentile. The Lord states in D&C 14:10 that he will use the gentiles to bring the fullness of His gospel to the house of Israel. Some well meaning members of the LDS church assume that because they have been baptized and received a Patriarchal blessing, they are no longer a gentile. This simply is not the case. The Holy Ghost does however have the power to purge out one's gentile blood and make him or her literally a part of the house of Israel (see TPJS pg. 149-150) but this isn't automatic based on one's membership in the LDS Church.

We know this is the case by looking at the Prophet Joseph Smith's 1836 dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland temple in D&C 109. He was very clear about which group the Latter-Day Saints belonged to. Joseph prays in verse 60:

"Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles."

In the verses that follow, the prophet goes on to pray for the remnants of the house of Israel (who the saints aren't identified with). 

Just as a side note, the first Patriarch, Joseph Smith Sr. was ordained in December of 1833 and had been giving Patriarchal Blessings for around two years before the temple dedication. In fact, Joseph Smith Jr. received his patriarchal blessing from his father on December 9, 1834 (http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/blessing-from-joseph-smith-sr-9-december-1834). 

 If by virtue of becoming a member of the LDS church through baptism, conformation or receiving a patriarchal blessing, the Prophet Joseph Smith would not have identified the members of the church at the time of the dedication of the Kirtland temple as Gentiles. 

Odds are that if you are reading this blog, you are a gentile. I'm a gentile. Isaiah is important to us gentiles because, as the Savior said, Isaiah spoke to us, the gentiles. In the next post, I will discuss some tools and resources that we the gentiles have been given to help us better understand Isaiah's prophecies.