Great Are the Words of Isaiah Part 2

Ok, I confess...It's been over a month since my last post (not that I'm anything more than an amateur blogger). Anyway, it's taken me some time to post a follow up to my previous post about Isaiah. I'm no expert on the scriptures and especially Isaiah. I didn't mean to infer that I was some sort of expert on Isaiah because I am clearly no expert and still have much to learn, especially when it comes to understanding that marvelous book of scripture. I ended part one with the following paragraph...

"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."

So as promised, below are a few of the resources available to us to aid in our study of Isaiah as well as explanations we have as to why his prophecies are so important to us in our day.

The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi
With the help of his brother Jacob, 16 of the 33 chapters in Nephi's 2nd book are dedicated to quoting Isaiah (2 of the 22 books in 1 Nephi also quote Isaiah). Let's look at where Nephi first brings up Isaiah and the context in which he does. This will help explain why the prophecies of Isaiah are so vital. The first mention of Isaiah is in 1st Nephi chapter 15 (verse 20). It's helpful to understand the context in which he introduces us to the Prophet Isaiah. 1 Nephi 15:1 states

 "And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father." 

So Nephi begins chapter 15 after having this miraculous spiritual experience. Nephi wanted to find out for himself, if the prophecies of his father Lehi were true. In an answer to his prayers he had a vision and saw many wonderful things (see chapters 11 through 14). This is the vision where he sees the Tree of Life, learns its meanings, sees the birth of Christ, His baptism, ministry and crucifixion. He is also shown many things pertaining the House of Israel, the gentiles, and the gathering and restoration of the tribes of Israel. In the verses that follow in chapter 15 he has a dialogue with his brothers who are having a "hard" time understanding the prophecies of their father Lehi. Nephi quickly gets to the root of the problem by identifying that they had not inquired of the Lord and they have hardened their hearts (verses 2 - 11). Nephi then attempts to explain exactly what the prophecies that troubled Laman and Lemuel meant...in verse 12-17 he says

 "the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel? And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed— And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved. And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God? Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree. And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel."

Notice that after many years after the seed of Nephi and Lehi have dwindled in unbelief that the gospel will be brought forth to and by the gentiles (read part one for who the gentiles are). At some point, the gentiles would be charged with bringing the gospel unto the remnant of the seed of Nephi and his brothers (vs. 13). The results of this missionary work would be a realization on the part of the remnant of Nephi's seed that they are of the house of Israel (verse 14). Has this happened yet? Do the remnants know and understand this yet today in January of 2016? I would venture to say maybe some but I don't think evidence currently exists that this prophecy has been completely fulfilled. My interpretation of this scripture is that this realization (at least the complete realization of this prophecy) is still a yet, future event. Nephi then ties this yet future event to the words and prophecies of his father Lehi. In verse 18 Nephi comes full circle by explaining that this is what Lehi meant...

"Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed." 

Lehi's prophecies extend beyond the narrow scope of his descendants but unto all the descendants of the House of Israel. Verse 19, which is just an explanatory verse where Nephi explains to the readers of the Book of Mormon that he "spake many things to them (his brothers) concerning all of these things. Now this brings us to verse 20 where we can better understand the context of why for the first time in the Book of Mormon, we hear of Isaiah and his prophecies. Verse 20 states...

"And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord." 

So why does Nephi introduce Isaiah? He does this in order to help explain to his brothers exactly what Lehi meant by this covenant the Lord would fulfill in the latter days. I can tell you that we are living in the latter days. If God was going to work a work that would be fulfilled in the latter days wouldn't it be important for us to become acquainted and familiar with exactly what this work would entail? How else to better understand this work that God may be working (or beginning to work) than by familiarizing ourselves with the prophecies of Isaiah?

The first chapter in the Book of Mormon that actually quotes Isaiah is 1 Nephi 20. Just before this chapter Nephi explains in 1 Nephi 19:23-24...

"And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning. Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written."

A couple of other purposes Nephi had in relying so heavily on the prophecies of Isaiah was to A) persuade his people to believe in Christ and B) to understand the workings of God among the House of Israel. The chapters in the first two books of Nephi that are dedicated to quoting Isaiah are as follows:

• 1 Nephi 20 - quotes Isaiah 48
• 1 Nephi 21 - quotes Isaiah 49
• 2 Nephi 7 - quotes Isaiah 50
• 2 Nephi 8 - quotes Isaiah 51 and 52:1-2
• 2 Nephi 12 - quotes Isaiah 2
• 2 Nephi 13 - quotes Isaiah 3
• 2 Nephi 14 - quotes Isaiah 4
• 2 Nephi 15 - quotes Isaiah 5
• 2 Nephi 16 - quotes Isaiah 6
• 2 Nephi 17 - quotes Isaiah 7
• 2 Nephi 18 - quotes Isaiah 8
• 2 Nephi 19 - quotes Isaiah 9
• 2 Nephi 20 - quotes Isaiah 10
• 2 Nephi 21 - quotes Isaiah 11
• 2 Nephi 22 - quotes Isaiah 12
• 2 Nephi 23 - quotes Isaiah 13
• 2 Nephi 24 - quotes Isaiah 14
• 2 Nephi 27 - quotes Isaiah 29

I encourage you to study these chapters. Not just the chapters but the context surrounding these chapters. You will find that Nephi was forbidden to say certain things. Perhaps, he quoted Isaiah in lieu of saying what he wanted to say but was forbidden to say.

The Book of Mormon account by Christ
I think it's worth briefly noting that during Christ's post-resurrection ministry to the Nephites, he talks about the last days and what would transpire. You should read very carefully 3 Nephi 16. After speaking of these latter-day events he says in verse 17

"And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled..."

 Also in 3 Nephi 23:1 Jesus says 

"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."

Is not an admonition from the Lord Himself where he stresses on the importance of the words of Isaiah enough to wake us up and realize we had some studying and learning we had better do NOW? I love verse 2 where the Lord 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." 

Not only does Isaiah speak unto the House of Israel but also to the Gentiles. Is it any wonder that Nephi would include so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon ( a book written that would come forth by the Gentiles according to its title page) to the to the House of Israel? If you are involved in any way or connected in any way to the Book of Mormon, this book was written for YOU. Since it was written for you, you have a responsibility to search the prophecies of Isaiah. If there are some things in Isaiah that are "hard to understand" then like Nephi's brothers, you have  a responsibility to soften your heart and inquire of the Lord as to what exactly they mean. You may even find that the meaning is quite different than what you thought or what others have taught you.  

Isaiah Institute by former BYU professor Avraham Gilliadi
I would like to refer to you this resource if you are considering to devote a significant amount of time to studying Isaiah. His website can be found here http://www.isaiahinstitute.com/ . There are many helpful things on that website, all free, including vignettes and verse by verse commentary on each of the 66 chapters of Isaiah. I encourage you to visit and browse Professor Gilliadi's website to see if you find anything insightful or useful.


In the future, I will most likely share verses here in there in Isaiah that have significant meaning to me in my life. But for now, I confess that I have much more to learn about the prophecies of Isaiah than what I presently know. I also know that it's important that we all come to know the prophecies of Isaiah much better than we all do now, myself included.