Background on Isaiah
Who was Isaiah?
Most quoted prophet in the New
Testament and the Book of Mormon, included being quoted by Christ himself.
Lived in Jerusalem in the 700s.
Saw the destruction of the
Kingdom of Israel (North Kingdom) and the near destruction of the Kingdom of
Judah (South Kingdom).
How do we know that Isaiah’s prophesies apply
specifically to our day?
Because of their inclusion in
the Book of Mormon – the BoM is NOT history as much as it is a very tailored
prophesy and warning to the USA, the “Gentile Church”, and the Remnant of Lehi.
Because many of them were
known to be “Messianic” – either prophesying of His first coming or His second
coming.
Why did Nephi use Isaiah in his record?
After seeing a vision of the
history of the world from his own time to the end, Nephi was commanded not to
write any more after the latter day restoration of the gospel (see 1 Nephi
14:24-25).
But others, like Isaiah, had
also seen this same vision (see 1 Nephi 14:26) and had written it down.
Nephi is using Isaiah, and
then commenting on what he has written, to get around the Lord’s command – not
really get around it, because the Lord himself does the same thing in 3 Nephi;
but compared to Nephi’s “plain style”, Isaiah’s writing style is much more
difficult to discern specific events from, making it more serviceable to the
Lord’s purposes, as He does not want to be so plain in His prophecies that evil
people could easily thwart them, making Him a liar. It’s a question of honoring agency while also
informing those with ears to hear – and with the desire to seek out the Lord
for further light and knowledge.
Surviving what is coming is
dependent upon us coming unto Christ individually – Nephi felt Isaiah was a
great key to doing this (see 1 Nephi 19:23 and 2 Nephi 11:2).
Israel’s Last Days Hope
READ Isaiah 1:2-6
What is the Lord saying about His people?
Like Gomer, His children have
betrayed Him.
They are filled with sin from
the leaders to the least.
The sinfulness is obvious (to
the Lord at least) – they look just like the World.
READ Isaiah 1:11-13
Israel is continuing to “worship” Jehovah using all of
the rites that have been revealed, so what is wrong?
They are complete hypocrites –
the Lord HATES that.
They think they are fooling
God; or perhaps can be saved on a technicality, like God’s justice (and mercy)
was the US legal system.
READ Isaiah 1:16-20
Is there hope for Israel?
Yes – scarlet sins can be
white as snow IF THEY ARE WILLING AND OBEDIENT and RELIEVE THE OPPRESSED.
What happens if Israel does not hear Isaiah’s cry for
repentance?
The Lord Himself has decreed
that they will be destroyed if they refuse to repent and rebel against Isaiah’s
message.
This chapter sets the stage
for the next 66 chapters of this prophesy – God’s people can either come unto
Christ and be saved or refuse to repent and be destroyed. In this context, it is extremely sobering
that Mormon included Nephi’s record and extensive quoting from Isaiah in a book
EXCLUSIVELY meant as a prophesy and guide for us to survive the end of the
world. Does Isaiah have your attention yet?
READ Isaiah 2:2-3 and Isaiah
5:26
Where will the Temple of the Lord be established in the
Last Days?
In the top of the mountains –
above the hills; it is a “holy mountain”.
Not
in a lowland area like Jackson County, Missouri or Nauvoo, Illinois, or even
Salt Lake City, Utah, which is located in a mountain basin.
What nations will flow unto this Temple?
The nations of Israel (see Gen
17:4-5 and Gen 35:10-11).
Not the nations of the
Gentiles or Heathens but Israel who is scattered among them; so visitors coming
to Temple Square during the 2002 SLC Olympic Games doesn’t count as a
fulfillment of this prophesy.
What is being described in v.3?
The gathering of Israel to
Zion.
How is Israel gathered?
By remembering or discovering
who they are; the covenants that are theirs if they will enter into the Temple
and come unto Christ.
Who in the Temple will teach Israel the Lord’s ways and
how to walk in His paths?
The Lord Himself will teach
them.
What Temple is being referred to here?
A
temple in the tops of the mountains, in Zion.
Which
is the gateway to the literal portal or pathway which leads to the heavenly
temple on the sides of the north where God Himself dwells with His heavenly
hosts.
What does it mean to walk in the Lord’s paths?
There
is a path or “stairway” between earth and heaven – a connection between the two
on which one can travel quickly between them.
Those
that come to Zion will learn God’s ways so they can walk these paths back to
heaven, passing the angels that stand as sentinels (John the Beloved on this
end and Elijah on the other) to the gatekeeper, who is the Lord Himself.
This
reconnection of heaven and earth will happen in Zion, in temple located in the
tops of the mountains, and will be why Zion is “terrible” because the glory of
God, through that portal, will be visible enough to scare the nations (see
D&C 97:15-21; D&C 45:70-75).
What is the “ensign to the nations” which will be
“lifted up” above them and will enable them to come quickly to the Lord?
It
is a zodiacal map found in the constellations overhead.
It
is a depiction of the heavens themselves.
It
will tell those in Zion how to walk in the paths of God, through the heavens,
back into God’s presence.
READ Isaiah 2:10-12
When the Lord comes, who will not abide the day?
ALL the proud and wicked will
be destroyed.
Anyone who is not quickened
with light to a point that they resonate at a similar level of glory as
Christ’s angels.
Why does it say that the Lord ALONE shall be exalted in
that day?
Christ will enter into the
Kingdom as the only perfect man.
And only those who are like
Christ – one with Him through covenant, will be able to accompany Him, although
still through His mercy – not their own merits; this means that even the best
person with the most light would not be able to withstand the full might of
Christ’s second coming glory without the mercy and grace of a quickening or
transformation.
“It was the custom for one
fleeing for his life in the desert to seek protection in the tent of a great
sheik, crying out, “I am thy suppliant,” whereupon the host would place the hem
of his robe over the guest’s shoulder and declare him under his protection. In
one instance in the Book of Mormon we see Nephi fleeing from an evil enemy that
is pursuing him. In great danger, he prays the Lord to give him an open road in
the low way, to block his pursuers, and to make them stumble. He comes to the
Lord as a suppliant: “O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy
righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine
enemies!” (2 Ne. 4:33.)
In reply, according to the ancient custom, the Master would then place the hem
of his robe protectively over the kneeling man’s shoulder (kafata). This puts
him under the Lord’s protection from all enemies. They embrace in a close hug,
as Arab chiefs still do; the Lord makes a place for him (see Alma 5:24) and
invites him to sit down beside him—they are at-one. This is the imagery of the
Atonement—the embrace: “The Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld
his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” (2 Ne. 1:15.)
“Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are
extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.” (Alma 5:33.)
This is the “hpt”—the ritual embrace that consummates the final escape from
death in the Egyptian funerary texts and reliefs, where the son Horus is
received into the arms of his father Osiris.” (Hugh Nibley, The Atonement of
Jesus Christ, Part 1 – July 1990 Ensign).
The Lord alone will be exalted
in that day, but if you are one with Him, He will exalt you, too. The Lord alone is Israel’s hope in the last
days.
Israel’s Last Days Sins
Getting back to the sins of
Israel that will cause them to be destroyed when the Lord comes…
READ Isaiah 3:14-15
What does “grind the faces of the poor” mean?
To take as much as possible
from those that have the least.
Who does this to the poor?
The rich and those in power.
The rich become richer at the
expense of the poor, who then become poorer in the process.
READ Isaiah 5:1-4
What are the grapes?
The fruit of the vineyard – us.
What is the vineyard?
Israel.
The Church.
A producer of good or bad
fruit.
What should the Lord do with His vineyard?
There is nothing more that He
could have done.
It is time to abandon it and
let nature take its course.
READ Isaiah 5:13-14
Who might take them captive because they have no
knowledge?
Satan and his angels.
What knowledge can keep His people from captivity?
Knowledge of the Lord – their
standing before Him – i.e. is the path they are pursuing according to His
will? (LoF 6:3-7).
“Knowledge saves a man, and in
the world of spirits, no man can be exalted but by knowledge. So long as a man will not give heed to the
commandments, he must abide without salvation.
If a man has knowledge, he can be saved” (TPJS 400:2).
Isaiah’s Redemption and
Prophetic Call
READ Isaiah 6:1-5
What is a seraph?
A “fiery one”.
An individual who can reside
in everlasting burnings or in the presence of God.
What do the wings represent?
Power in the presence of God.
Why do the posts of the door move?
The door posts are symbolic of
the main structural elements of the heavenly temple; if they move, the temple
will fall.
Their shaking and yet not
crumbling reminds Isaiah whose house the temple is and who has the power in
that house and why that house is holy in the first place – it is because of God
– He sanctifies the temple through His presence, not the other way around.
God’s glory and might are
greater than the Temple.
What does “woe is me, I am undone” mean?
He doesn’t feel worthy to be
in the Lord presence.
“A man is his own tormentor
and his own condemner” (TPJS 401:1).
He would rather dwell with the
damned than God (see Mormon 9:3-5).
Why is this his reaction? He is a “prophet” so isn’t he worthy enough
to see God, by definition?
He’s not just being
humble…this is as honest a reaction to being in the presence of God, as we are all
going to find.
NO ONE is worthy enough to
enter into the presence of God on their own merits.
God can’t look upon sin AT ALL
(see D&C 1:31).
We must be perfect – precisely
like Christ or we cannot be saved (LoF 7:9).
And it’s not that Isaiah is a
lot closer than the rest of us… being a mile farther down the road, or even a
hundred miles, when the road is light-years long really doesn’t matter to God
or to eternal law.
READ Isaiah 6:6-7
How does God make it possible for any one of us to
exist in His presence without being physically incinerated and mentally
anguished beyond measure?
He reconciles us to Himself by
forgiving us.
He makes us “perfect in
Christ” through His sacrifice (see Moroni 10:32-33).
Is this fair?
No – it is grace (giving us a
blessing we don’t deserve).
No – it is mercy (sparing us a
cursing we do deserve).
Grace and mercy cannot be
earned and are not fair, by definition.
What does the altar of incense represent?
The prayers of the saints.
What is the symbolism of the seraphim taking a coal off
the altar of incense and touching Isaiah’s lips, making them clean?
It is a ceremonial cleansing
which represents a real cleansing.
The words of Isaiah’s mouth
(which was “unclean”) are tied to the altar of incense or his prayers to God.
Prayer or crying unto God, in
an act of sacrifice or submission before an “altar”, is a key way to gain
forgiveness from God – in fact, it is the only way – we must commune with Him
and put our whole soul on His altar in sacrifice through prayer and He, in
turn, will “touch our lips” or forgive us and cleanse or sanctify or quicken or
change us through the use or vehicle of His Spirit (see Alma 22:15-18); He will
make of us a different person – actually changing our spiritual and even
physical elements to be purified as He is pure or to resonate at a much higher
frequency, having removed the dross and replaced it with His glory or light or
intelligence or “spirit.”
READ Isaiah 6:8
How does Isaiah go from “woe is me” to “here am I, send
me” in a few minutes?
The Lord’s grace and mercy.
Isaiah now knows his standing
before the Lord.
Isaiah has confidence before
the Lord because he has been forgiven and sanctified by God.
Why is Isaiah so quick to volunteer when the Lord needs
a messenger?
All he wants to do is to serve
that Lord who has forgiven and sealed him up.
Like Lehi, he wants to help
others to experience the same relationship with God that he now does.
READ Isaiah 6:9-10
What is the Lord’s message
through Isaiah?
He gives them a message to
repent – through Isaiah’s words and deeds.
That they might also be
converted and healed.
What is the problem?
The Lord is being a little sarcastic
here.
He knows the people will not
listen and see and understand.
He is sending Isaiah to
deliver a message that will damn most of the people.
But it will only damn them
because they choose to be damned by not listening to it and changing; it is not
a “gotcha” or a set up where God is damning people He knows can’t change – but
as some point our chances to repent are exhausted and justice must be
served. But since God knows the end from
the beginning, He knows that so many of us will not heed His counsel.
