Background
Isaiah 36 & 37 and Isaiah 38 & 39 are bridges between the two Isaiah collections. Isaiah 1-35 are prophecies to Israel during the Assyrian period. Isaiah 40-66 are prophecies to Israel during the Babylonian period. Isaiah 36 & 37 dealt with the Assyrian attack on Israel, while Isaiah 38 & 39 deal with the healing of Hezekiah and the Babylonian delegation and the prophecy of Israel's captivity by Babylon.
Repentance
In Isaiah 38, Hezekiah is sick and prays to the Lord for healing. In this prayer, he touches on repentance. There are four verses that I particularly like.
In Isaiah 38:14 Hezekiah pleads, "mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me." To me this sounds like Hezekiah is having a hard time looking to the Lord … as if he is in sin (I am having a hard time praying or being faithful … looking toward heaven) He pleads to the Lord to "undertake" him. Ludlow's translation for "undertake" is "stand surety for me" while the footnote in the JST says "be my security." In both cases, it seems that Hezekiah is pleading for strength from the Lord.
In Isaiah 38:17 Hezekiah is forgiven his sins; "for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." This reminds me of Alma the younger where he describes how he was "snatched" out of hell by the Lord (see Mosiah 27:28-29 and Alma 26:17 … also read footnote d for Mosiah 27:29 where is says HEB natzal, to snatch away from danger, to save.)
I've often wondered at what point are our sins forgiven. Is it at baptism if we are not baptized at age 8? Is it at the point where we feel Godly sorrow? I don't know why I wonder this. The point is that I can be forgiven of my sins … that Christ has provided a way. The only concern I should have is that Christ accepts my broken heart and contrite spirit. I guess when we have that "great bitterness" replaced with "peace" we know we are forgiven. When our hearts turn from stones to clay, we know we have changed to the right direction. We choose to call upon the Lord and the Lord grabs us from a course to Hell and he frankly tosses our sins behind his back. To me, that is a miracle and I stand all amazed. I wish my resolve were more sure like His.
Isaiah 38:18-19 teach us that now … today … this life is the time to repent. The grave and death cannot easily call for forgiveness. Only the living can call upon the quick and sure grasp from Hell. The Book of Mormon teaches us that we should not "procrastinate the day of [our] repentance." (Alma 34:33-35)
Hezekiah's Near-Sightedness
In Isaiah 39, the king of Babylon sends a delegation to Hezekiah congratulating him on his recovery from sickness. Hezekiah then shows this delegation all of Israel's wealth. When Isaiah hears this, he prophesies that all of these riches will be carried off and Hezekiah's posterity will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon (Isaiah 39:7). To this prophesy Hezekiah responds, "Good is the word of the Lord … there shall be peace and truth in my days" (Isaiah 38:8) as if to say, "boy that sounds bad for my kids and grandkids … I'm glad it's not going to happen while I'm alive."
Although each of us is responsible for our own actions, we still will be held accountable for our children. If we don't do our part to help the next generation, the natural consequences are easily seen. Each generation builds on the previous generation. If we don't establish a base upon which the next generation can build, then what good are we doing? Each of us must be a strong link in the eternal chain of families.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Isaiah 36 & 37
Without Ludlow, I would not have gotten much out of these two chapters. He does a wonderful job of summarizing and explaining everything. As these two chapters are heavy in history and light in doctrine and application, I will rely mostly on Ludlow's words.
Background
"In 701 BC, Sennacherib, King of Assyria, launched the third military campaign of his reign, directing his armies toward the Mediterranean. His first objective was to reestablish the taxing of his rebellious tributaries, but he also hoped to bring them completely within the Assyrian Empire and to invade and subdue Egypt." (p. 316)
Sennacherib conquered many important cities along his way to Egypt. "Assyrian records and carvings portrayed with pride their techniques of conquest: hands and heads cut off, rebels impaled upon stakes, soldiers flung off walls, generals skinned alive, and multitudes led away as captives. Such a fate threatened the Jews in Jerusalem." (p. 317-318)
King Hezekiah prepared well years before the attack. He built a special tunnel to bring water from the spring of Gihon to within the city walls. He built and fortified the city and prepared the people. Ludlow cites 2 Chr. 32:1-8, 30.
Hezekiah also sent a monetary tribute to Sennacherib in hopes of staving off the attack (see 2 Kings 18:13-16). "But Sennacherib wanted more; he demanded absolute submission, and he knew that Hezekiah was one of the leaders in the revolt against Assyrian authority. He wanted nothing less than the unconditional surrender of Jerusalem, and he wanted her king still alive, so that he could humiliate, torture, and finally slowly impale King Hezekiah upon a pointed stake, just as he had done to the rebel kings of the Philistines." (p. 319)
Chronology
• Isaiah 36:3 … a delegation is sent to meet Sennacherib's personal representative The Rabshakeh.
• Isaiah 36:4-7 … The Rabshakeh insults Jerusalem and scoffs at her allegiance with Egypt and with the Lord.
• Isaiah 36:8-10 … The Rabshakeh bets with them that they don't even have 2000 men to ride horses.
• Isaiah 36:11 … the delegation requests that the Rabshakeh talks to them in Aramaic as is the custom. Also, they don't want the people on the wall to listen.
• Isaiah 36:12-20 … The Rabshakeh denies the request and says he wants everyone to hear what he has to say. He shouts to the citizens on the wall and tries to bribe them to surrender the city by offering them farms. He tries to drive a wedge between them and their king. He mocks them by asking them if any of the other countries Sennacherib has conquered had their god save them. He tells them that their God will be no different.
• Isaiah 36:21-22 … The people on the wall don't respond and the delegation retreats to the city and rip their clothes to shreds as a sign of desperation.
• Isaiah 37:1-5 … Hezekiah also tears his robes and dresses in sackcloth as a sign of humility and mourning. He sends a message and a delegation to Isaiah. He requests Isaiah's prayers.
• Isaiah 37:6-7 … Isaiah replies to Hezekiah that a report will reach Sennacherib that he is needed at home and he will return home. There he will be killed.
• Isaiah 37:8-13 … Sennacherib is indeed distracted by the approaching Egyptian army. He continues to press Jerusalem to surrender by threatening annihilation of the city. Jerusalem will suffer the same fate as the other cities he has conquered.
• Isaiah 37:14-20 … Hezekiah takes the letter from Sennacherib to the Temple and prays to God. He tells God that the other cities' gods did not save them because they were false and that He, God, is indeed a living god. He pleads with God to save Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 37:21-29 … Isaiah speaks for the Lord and has a message sent to Sennacherib for Hezekiah. The Lord chides Sennacherib for being prideful and mocking the Lord. The Lord knows all and decided Sennacherib's fate long ago. The Lord is displeased with Sennacherib.
• Isaiah 37:30-32 … the Lord provides proof that He is delivering Jerusalem from Assyria. He gives a prophesy.
• Isaiah 37:33-38 … He prophesies that Sennacherib's army will depart and will be decimated by losing 185,000 soldiers. He also predicts that his sons will kill him.
Commentary
The rest of the story is not found in the bible. But from other historical sources we learn that field mice overran Sennacherib's army and ate their bowstrings. Consequently they fled before the Egyptians. Ludlow also suggest that the mice may have carried the plague and the plague caused the 185,000 soldiers to die. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled.
The single most important lesson learned from these two chapters is that "the Lord defended the Jews and defeated the Assyrians." (Ludlow, 327) As an extension to our personal lives, how often do we trust in the Lord to deliver us from our problems and/or enemies? I am reminded what Christ taught, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you." (3 Nephi 13:33) If we focus on the Lord first and foremost, then everything else will be taken care of.
Background
"In 701 BC, Sennacherib, King of Assyria, launched the third military campaign of his reign, directing his armies toward the Mediterranean. His first objective was to reestablish the taxing of his rebellious tributaries, but he also hoped to bring them completely within the Assyrian Empire and to invade and subdue Egypt." (p. 316)
Sennacherib conquered many important cities along his way to Egypt. "Assyrian records and carvings portrayed with pride their techniques of conquest: hands and heads cut off, rebels impaled upon stakes, soldiers flung off walls, generals skinned alive, and multitudes led away as captives. Such a fate threatened the Jews in Jerusalem." (p. 317-318)
King Hezekiah prepared well years before the attack. He built a special tunnel to bring water from the spring of Gihon to within the city walls. He built and fortified the city and prepared the people. Ludlow cites 2 Chr. 32:1-8, 30.
Hezekiah also sent a monetary tribute to Sennacherib in hopes of staving off the attack (see 2 Kings 18:13-16). "But Sennacherib wanted more; he demanded absolute submission, and he knew that Hezekiah was one of the leaders in the revolt against Assyrian authority. He wanted nothing less than the unconditional surrender of Jerusalem, and he wanted her king still alive, so that he could humiliate, torture, and finally slowly impale King Hezekiah upon a pointed stake, just as he had done to the rebel kings of the Philistines." (p. 319)
Chronology
• Isaiah 36:3 … a delegation is sent to meet Sennacherib's personal representative The Rabshakeh.
• Isaiah 36:4-7 … The Rabshakeh insults Jerusalem and scoffs at her allegiance with Egypt and with the Lord.
• Isaiah 36:8-10 … The Rabshakeh bets with them that they don't even have 2000 men to ride horses.
• Isaiah 36:11 … the delegation requests that the Rabshakeh talks to them in Aramaic as is the custom. Also, they don't want the people on the wall to listen.
• Isaiah 36:12-20 … The Rabshakeh denies the request and says he wants everyone to hear what he has to say. He shouts to the citizens on the wall and tries to bribe them to surrender the city by offering them farms. He tries to drive a wedge between them and their king. He mocks them by asking them if any of the other countries Sennacherib has conquered had their god save them. He tells them that their God will be no different.
• Isaiah 36:21-22 … The people on the wall don't respond and the delegation retreats to the city and rip their clothes to shreds as a sign of desperation.
• Isaiah 37:1-5 … Hezekiah also tears his robes and dresses in sackcloth as a sign of humility and mourning. He sends a message and a delegation to Isaiah. He requests Isaiah's prayers.
• Isaiah 37:6-7 … Isaiah replies to Hezekiah that a report will reach Sennacherib that he is needed at home and he will return home. There he will be killed.
• Isaiah 37:8-13 … Sennacherib is indeed distracted by the approaching Egyptian army. He continues to press Jerusalem to surrender by threatening annihilation of the city. Jerusalem will suffer the same fate as the other cities he has conquered.
• Isaiah 37:14-20 … Hezekiah takes the letter from Sennacherib to the Temple and prays to God. He tells God that the other cities' gods did not save them because they were false and that He, God, is indeed a living god. He pleads with God to save Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 37:21-29 … Isaiah speaks for the Lord and has a message sent to Sennacherib for Hezekiah. The Lord chides Sennacherib for being prideful and mocking the Lord. The Lord knows all and decided Sennacherib's fate long ago. The Lord is displeased with Sennacherib.
• Isaiah 37:30-32 … the Lord provides proof that He is delivering Jerusalem from Assyria. He gives a prophesy.
• Isaiah 37:33-38 … He prophesies that Sennacherib's army will depart and will be decimated by losing 185,000 soldiers. He also predicts that his sons will kill him.
Commentary
The rest of the story is not found in the bible. But from other historical sources we learn that field mice overran Sennacherib's army and ate their bowstrings. Consequently they fled before the Egyptians. Ludlow also suggest that the mice may have carried the plague and the plague caused the 185,000 soldiers to die. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled.
The single most important lesson learned from these two chapters is that "the Lord defended the Jews and defeated the Assyrians." (Ludlow, 327) As an extension to our personal lives, how often do we trust in the Lord to deliver us from our problems and/or enemies? I am reminded what Christ taught, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you." (3 Nephi 13:33) If we focus on the Lord first and foremost, then everything else will be taken care of.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Isaiah 34 & 35
The Signs of the Times
There really isn't much to say about what Isaiah prophesies regarding the times before the Second Coming. Many other scriptures give similar prophesies. It really is amazing to read all these passages and ponder upon them.
Isaiah 34:4
"And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree."
D&C 45:39-43
"And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
"And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath.
"And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
"And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.
"And the remnant shall be gathered unto this place."
Revelation 6:12-17
"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree asteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
"And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
"For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
3 Nephi 26:1-5
"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had told these things he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all things unto them, both great and small.
"And he saith: These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations.
"And he did expound all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory—yea, even all things which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the elements should melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll, and the heavens and the earth should pass away;
"And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
"If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ, who was before the world began."
D&C 88:84-98
"Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
"That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.
"Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.
"For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that alleth from off a fig-tree.
"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
"For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
"And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
"And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
"And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
"And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.
"And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it.
"And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
"And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
"And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—
"They are Christ’s, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God."
Desert Blossoming as a Rose
Ludlow offers some insight into this chapter.
With regard to Isaiah 35:1-4, he says, "The source of the people's weaknesses or fears is also unnamed, though it could result form the horror of their life in the desert. Desert life for the Hebrew usually symbolizes one of two conditions: either a place of refuge and asylum, or a place into which one is forced as a trial and tribulation. In either case, the desert is where God segregates and tests his people. (See Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, p. 115)"
Christ was also "tested" in the wilderness or desert. After he was tested, he formally began his ministry. It too blossomed like a rose.
Isaiah 35:3-4 is another one of those little gems. "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you."
Did not Christ fulfill these words? He strengthened the weak hands and feeble knees. He brought comfort to those who sought it. He came and saved us all.
We too, as we follow Christ, can strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees as we serve our fellow men.
In the October 1992 Priesthood session of General Conference, President Hinckley said, "Be strong, my brethren, in the quality of mercy. It is easy to be a bully in one’s home, in one’s business, in one’s speech and acts. This sick world so cries out for kindness and love and mercy. These virtues become an expression of strength rather than weakness on the part of any holder of the priesthood of God. Be strong with that strength of which Isaiah speaks when he said, “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Building Your Tabernacle,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 50)
As we build up Zion, the desert will blossom like a rose. The knowledge of the Lord will grace His people and He will administer to them. The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the lame will walk. Just as He administered to the people in the ancient world and in the new world, He will administer to those who will live on the earth at His coming.
Highway to Holiness
How will one arrive at Zion? Isaiah 35:8 says, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."
Of this passage, David O McKay said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears testimony to the world that this will of God has been made manifest in this dispensation, that the principles of the gospel, the principles of life, have been revealed. They are in harmony with the principles that Christ taught in the meridian of time. It is impossible to give here all the principles that constitute that will, but they are so simple that, as the scriptures say, "the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein" (David O. McKay, Conference Report, October 1966, pp.136-138)
There really isn't much to say about what Isaiah prophesies regarding the times before the Second Coming. Many other scriptures give similar prophesies. It really is amazing to read all these passages and ponder upon them.
Isaiah 34:4
"And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree."
D&C 45:39-43
"And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
"And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath.
"And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
"And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.
"And the remnant shall be gathered unto this place."
Revelation 6:12-17
"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree asteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
"And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
"And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
"For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
3 Nephi 26:1-5
"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had told these things he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all things unto them, both great and small.
"And he saith: These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations.
"And he did expound all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory—yea, even all things which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the elements should melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll, and the heavens and the earth should pass away;
"And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
"If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness which is in Christ, who was before the world began."
D&C 88:84-98
"Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
"That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.
"Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.
"For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that alleth from off a fig-tree.
"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
"For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
"And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
"And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
"And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
"And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.
"And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it.
"And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
"And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
"And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—
"They are Christ’s, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God."
Desert Blossoming as a Rose
Ludlow offers some insight into this chapter.
With regard to Isaiah 35:1-4, he says, "The source of the people's weaknesses or fears is also unnamed, though it could result form the horror of their life in the desert. Desert life for the Hebrew usually symbolizes one of two conditions: either a place of refuge and asylum, or a place into which one is forced as a trial and tribulation. In either case, the desert is where God segregates and tests his people. (See Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, p. 115)"
Christ was also "tested" in the wilderness or desert. After he was tested, he formally began his ministry. It too blossomed like a rose.
Isaiah 35:3-4 is another one of those little gems. "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you."
Did not Christ fulfill these words? He strengthened the weak hands and feeble knees. He brought comfort to those who sought it. He came and saved us all.
We too, as we follow Christ, can strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees as we serve our fellow men.
In the October 1992 Priesthood session of General Conference, President Hinckley said, "Be strong, my brethren, in the quality of mercy. It is easy to be a bully in one’s home, in one’s business, in one’s speech and acts. This sick world so cries out for kindness and love and mercy. These virtues become an expression of strength rather than weakness on the part of any holder of the priesthood of God. Be strong with that strength of which Isaiah speaks when he said, “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Building Your Tabernacle,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 50)
As we build up Zion, the desert will blossom like a rose. The knowledge of the Lord will grace His people and He will administer to them. The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the lame will walk. Just as He administered to the people in the ancient world and in the new world, He will administer to those who will live on the earth at His coming.
Highway to Holiness
How will one arrive at Zion? Isaiah 35:8 says, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."
Of this passage, David O McKay said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears testimony to the world that this will of God has been made manifest in this dispensation, that the principles of the gospel, the principles of life, have been revealed. They are in harmony with the principles that Christ taught in the meridian of time. It is impossible to give here all the principles that constitute that will, but they are so simple that, as the scriptures say, "the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein" (David O. McKay, Conference Report, October 1966, pp.136-138)
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Isaiah 32 & 33
Righteous Leadership
The time will come when the Savior will rule and reign on the earth. As a result, the people of the earth will find a refuge from lies, false understandings and all the deceptions of the devil. The Savior will be a "hiding place from the wind" and a "cover from the tempest" and water in a dry place and a shadow from elements (Isaiah 32:2).
As a result, the people of the earth will see and hear and understand things as they really are. Fools will be seen as fools, knaves as knaves, nobles as nobles and honorables as honorables (see Isaiah 32:3-8). To clarify, Satan has so thickly deceived us that in many cases our society praises liars and hypocrites while we shun and scorn good people. We call good evil and evil good (2 Nephi 15:20). But when the Lord comes again, all the shrouds of deceit will fall and we all will see people and ideas as they really are.
When Christ reigns, He will govern the earth by the power of the Priesthood. John Taylor once taught, " I shall … briefly answer that [the priesthood] is the government of God, whether on the earth or in the heavens, for it is by that power, agency, or principle that all things are [upheld and] governed on the earth and in the heavens, and [it is] by that power that all things are upheld and sustained. It governs all things—it directs all things—it sustains all things—and has to do with all things that God and truth are associated with.
“It is the power of God delegated to intelligences in the heavens and to men on the earth. … When we arrive in the celestial kingdom of God, we shall find the most perfect order and harmony existing, because there is the perfect pattern, the most perfect order of government carried out, and when or wherever those principles have been developed in the earth, in proportion as they have spread and been acted upon, just in that proportion have they produced blessings and salvation to the human family; and when the government of God shall be more extensively adopted, and when Jesus’ prayer, that He taught His disciples is answered, and God’s kingdom comes on the earth, and His will is done here as in heaven, then, and not till then, will universal love, peace, harmony, and union prevail.” (“On Priesthood,” Improvement Era, June 1935, 372.)
Righteousness is Peace
Isaiah 32:17 is another one of those gem verses. "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."
What is the "work of righteousness?" To me this means becoming a true disciple of Christ. It is not an easy work. But if strive to follow the Savior's teachings of denying ourselves (Luke 9:23) then we are on the path of discipleship.
Neal A. Maxwell wrote, "What is it that we are to deny ourselves? The ascendancy of any appetites or actions which produce not only the seven deadly sins but all the others. Happily, self-denial, when we practice it, brings great relief. It represents emancipation from all the “morning after” feelings, whether caused by adultery or gluttony. Being concerned with tomorrow, true disciples are very careful about today! Self denial also includes not letting our hearts become too set on any trivial or worldly thing. Then we can learn the great lessons about the relationship of righteousness to the powers and the joys of heaven.
"The fundamental fact is that if we do not deny ourselves, we are diverted. Even if not wholly consumed with the things of the world, we are still diverted sufficiently to make serious discipleship impossible. As a consequence, all the gifts and talents God has given us are not put meekly on the altar to serve others and to please God. Instead, we withhold to please ourselves. Diversion, therefore, is not necessarily gross transgression, but it is a genuine deprivation, especially if we consider what we might have become and what more we might have done to bless and to help others.
"Ironically, the natural man, who is so very selfish in so many ordinary ways, is strangely unselfish in that he reaches for too few of the things that bring real joy. He settles for a mess of pottage instead of eternal joy.
"By denying the desires of the natural man to the degree that they exist in each of us, we avoid this diversion, making it easier for us to take up the cross of discipleship. Of course, when it occurs in our lives, emancipation from various forms of bondage brings no celebrating parades, nor does it make the evening news. But it is big news because we “come off conqueror” (D&C 10:5).
"So it is that discipleship, far from being ascetic, is to choose joy over pleasure. It is to opt for the things of eternity over the trendy and appealing things of the moment. Eventually, we become readied for the final moment of consecration, when, gladly and completely, we let our wills be swallowed up in the will of the Father. Jesus did this in Gethsemane, where he said, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). What was God’s will? That Jesus complete the Atonement. Even so, Jesus prayed, “Take away this cup from me” (Mark 14:36); and still later he cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Yet Jesus yielded. (Neal A. Maxwell, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Jun 1996, 12)
I believe that in denying ourselves and truly seeking the will of God, we then are able to "work righteousness" and in turn we find peace, quietness and assurance for ever.
Fear of the Lord
Isaiah 33:6 says, "And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure."
Ludlow cross references four scriptures to this verse. Each note the association of wisdom and fear of the Lord.
Proverbs 1:7 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 3:7 - "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil."
Job 28:28 - "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."
Psalms 111:10 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments."
Marion G. Romney gave a good explanation of the word "fear" in this context.
He said, "Now, I have done a little homework on the meaning of the word fear as here used. And I assure you that the Psalmist did not intend it to mean dread, fright, terror, or dismay. What he did intend to express by whatever word he actually used was “profound reverence.” Webster uses this phrase, “profound reverence,” as one of the definitions of fear. A more meaningful version of the Psalmist’s statement would be, “Profound reverence for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
"Let us consider now for a moment the significance of profound reverence. One definition of profound is “arising from the depth of one’s nature.” Reverence is the soul of true religion. Its seedbed is sincerity. Its quality is determined by the esteem in which one holds the object of his reverence. And this esteem is evidenced by his behavior toward that which he reverences. When one reverences God, the profoundly reverent person has a worshipful adoration coupled with a respectful behavior toward him and all that pertains to him. One who has a profound reverence for the Lord loves him, trusts in him, prays to him, relies upon him, and is inspired by him. Inspiration from the Lord has always been, and now is, available to all mankind who have a profound reverence for him. (Marion G. Romney, “Converting Knowledge into Wisdom,” Ensign, Jul 1983, 2)
Eternal Life
Isaiah teaches what we must do to inherit eternal life or "everlasting burnings" (Isaiah 33:14, see also Joseph Smith Jr., “The King Follett Sermon,” Ensign, Apr 1971, 13–14)
We must walk righteously, speak uprightly, despise the gain of oppressions, shake our hands (fingers) at bribes and corruption, stop our hearing of violence and close our eyes to all evil.
If we do these things, we "shall dwell on high" with our Lord.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Isaiah 30 & 31
Trust in God
Through various events, Judah found herself in a precarious situation. Assyrian dominance was waning, Egypt and Babylon were gaining power and a few independent nations joined a coalition to rebel against the Assyrians. Judah joined this coalition as well as entered into a treaty with Egypt in which Egypt would defend Judah against any Assyrian attack.
Isaiah strongly condemned these actions taken by Judah. He knew that Judah had more confidence in men than in God and this was a sin.
I am reminded of Nephi when he said in his psalm, "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." (2 Nephi 4:34)
Yet another passage reminds us to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
The first verse of Isaiah 30 pronounces a wo on Judah. "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me."
How do we put our trust in the Lord? Isaiah teaches us how. We must listen to the prophets and become more steadfast.
Listen to the Prophets
We can trust in the Lord by listening and obeying His prophets. The people in Isaiah's time did not want to listen to the prophets.
In Isaiah 30:9-10, Isaiah is commanded to write, "this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:
"Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophet, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits."
If we sit in General Conference and enjoy the talks, but then fail to act on the feelings and promptings we had while listening to the prophets, are we not essentially saying "see not, prophesy not?" I can almost see the people of that day put their hands over their ears and yell over the prophets' voice so as not to hear them. They are like the diver of a car who after having been pulled over for a traffic violation pleads with the officer that he did not know the laws. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law.
Returning, Rest, Quietness, Confidence
Once in a while, I find a passage of scriptures that moves me and spiritually touches me deeply; so deep that I cannot fully explain it. Isaiah 30:15 is one of those passages.
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."
If ever my generation needed a succinct, specific message delivered explicitly to us, it would be Isaiah 30:15. We are a generation constantly on the move. We multi-task, we drug our bodies to work harder, stay up longer, sleep less, party more, we are up-to-date on the news, jam our schedules full of activities and in general are always busy doing something. We can't sit still. And if we do sit still, we engage our attention with video games or TV.
In all this busyness, we forget to take time to meditate, pray, ponder and commune with God.
We must return to God (and if we've never turned to Him before, then simply turn to Him). We must repent of and forsake our sins.
We must rest physically, mentally and spiritually. Spiritual rest is found in communion with God on our knees or in deep meditation.
We must turn the mp3 player and radio and TV and computer off. We must quiet our lives so as to let the Holy Spirit enter it and teach us the Lord's ways.
We must "let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly; then shall [our] confidence wax strong in the presence of God." (D&C 121:45)
By returning to God, resting, quieting our lives and increasing our confidence in God, we become more firm and steadfast and still. This is what my generation needs.
The Bread of Adversity and Water of Affliction
Indeed our trust in the Lord will be tested many times in our lives. Alma the Elder and his followers we sorely tested when the Lamanites and wicked priests of King Noah deceived and captured them and later enslaved them.
Alma and these people escaped the grasp of the wicked King Noah and had begun to prosper. They returned to God, repented and put their trust in Him. But their trials were not over.
"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
"Nevertheless - whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." (Mosiah 23:21-22)
They found themselves in such a difficult position that no one but God could deliver them. The Lord truly gave them the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (Isaiah 30:20). The Lord saw the need to make these people stronger in faith. He tested them to see if they would trust in him. They accepted the bread and water and their souls were greatly strengthened and blessed.
There are countless stories in the scriptures of people accepting the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Do we likewise accept this sacrament in order to be sanctified?
We would do well to remember, as trials come our way, that Christ did not shrink from the ultimate bitter cup. If we are to be like Him, then we must not shrink before the bread and water offered to us as we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.
The Lord Binds and Heals
Ultimately, the Lord will deliver us from bread of adversity and water of affliction. He will bind our breaches and heal our wounds. (Isaiah 30:26)
This reminds me of another moving passage found in Isaiah. Isaiah 53:5 reads, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peaces was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Those last words of that verse really sink deep in my soul: and with his stripes we are healed. Christ partook of the bitter cup and thus knows all the trials, adversities and difficulties we face in this life. Therefore, he knows how to heal us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Through various events, Judah found herself in a precarious situation. Assyrian dominance was waning, Egypt and Babylon were gaining power and a few independent nations joined a coalition to rebel against the Assyrians. Judah joined this coalition as well as entered into a treaty with Egypt in which Egypt would defend Judah against any Assyrian attack.
Isaiah strongly condemned these actions taken by Judah. He knew that Judah had more confidence in men than in God and this was a sin.
I am reminded of Nephi when he said in his psalm, "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." (2 Nephi 4:34)
Yet another passage reminds us to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
The first verse of Isaiah 30 pronounces a wo on Judah. "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me."
How do we put our trust in the Lord? Isaiah teaches us how. We must listen to the prophets and become more steadfast.
Listen to the Prophets
We can trust in the Lord by listening and obeying His prophets. The people in Isaiah's time did not want to listen to the prophets.
In Isaiah 30:9-10, Isaiah is commanded to write, "this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:
"Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophet, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits."
If we sit in General Conference and enjoy the talks, but then fail to act on the feelings and promptings we had while listening to the prophets, are we not essentially saying "see not, prophesy not?" I can almost see the people of that day put their hands over their ears and yell over the prophets' voice so as not to hear them. They are like the diver of a car who after having been pulled over for a traffic violation pleads with the officer that he did not know the laws. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law.
Returning, Rest, Quietness, Confidence
Once in a while, I find a passage of scriptures that moves me and spiritually touches me deeply; so deep that I cannot fully explain it. Isaiah 30:15 is one of those passages.
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."
If ever my generation needed a succinct, specific message delivered explicitly to us, it would be Isaiah 30:15. We are a generation constantly on the move. We multi-task, we drug our bodies to work harder, stay up longer, sleep less, party more, we are up-to-date on the news, jam our schedules full of activities and in general are always busy doing something. We can't sit still. And if we do sit still, we engage our attention with video games or TV.
In all this busyness, we forget to take time to meditate, pray, ponder and commune with God.
We must return to God (and if we've never turned to Him before, then simply turn to Him). We must repent of and forsake our sins.
We must rest physically, mentally and spiritually. Spiritual rest is found in communion with God on our knees or in deep meditation.
We must turn the mp3 player and radio and TV and computer off. We must quiet our lives so as to let the Holy Spirit enter it and teach us the Lord's ways.
We must "let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly; then shall [our] confidence wax strong in the presence of God." (D&C 121:45)
By returning to God, resting, quieting our lives and increasing our confidence in God, we become more firm and steadfast and still. This is what my generation needs.
The Bread of Adversity and Water of Affliction
Indeed our trust in the Lord will be tested many times in our lives. Alma the Elder and his followers we sorely tested when the Lamanites and wicked priests of King Noah deceived and captured them and later enslaved them.
Alma and these people escaped the grasp of the wicked King Noah and had begun to prosper. They returned to God, repented and put their trust in Him. But their trials were not over.
"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
"Nevertheless - whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." (Mosiah 23:21-22)
They found themselves in such a difficult position that no one but God could deliver them. The Lord truly gave them the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (Isaiah 30:20). The Lord saw the need to make these people stronger in faith. He tested them to see if they would trust in him. They accepted the bread and water and their souls were greatly strengthened and blessed.
There are countless stories in the scriptures of people accepting the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. Do we likewise accept this sacrament in order to be sanctified?
We would do well to remember, as trials come our way, that Christ did not shrink from the ultimate bitter cup. If we are to be like Him, then we must not shrink before the bread and water offered to us as we take upon ourselves the name of Christ.
The Lord Binds and Heals
Ultimately, the Lord will deliver us from bread of adversity and water of affliction. He will bind our breaches and heal our wounds. (Isaiah 30:26)
This reminds me of another moving passage found in Isaiah. Isaiah 53:5 reads, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peaces was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Those last words of that verse really sink deep in my soul: and with his stripes we are healed. Christ partook of the bitter cup and thus knows all the trials, adversities and difficulties we face in this life. Therefore, he knows how to heal us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Isaiah 29
"Low out of the dust"
Isaiah 29:4 says, "And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and they speech shall whisper out of the dust."
There seem to be two meanings from this verse. First, Jerusalem was humbled to the dust and scattered. In this humiliated condition, she wrote to the world the consequences of sin. She warned those of future generations of the fate of those who embrace wickedness.
The second meaning is more literal. Records of the fallen people are buried in the earth and are then published to the world as a warning. The Book of Mormon is believed to be one of these records. Other records (from the Ten Tribes of Israel) are to come forth as prophesied in 2 Nephi 29:13.
Dreams of Eating
I've always found this description of the wicked very interesting. They are and will be obsessed and bent on the destruction of Israel and the Lord's people, but they will not succeed. The Lord will make it appear to them that they will conquer over Israel, but in reality, they will not. It will be as a man who is hungry and who is dreaming. He dreams of food and in his dream, he eats and is filled, until he awakes. Then his discovers it was all a dream and the satisfaction that was his is gone.
So great will be their hatred that they will be drunk and stagger like an inebriated man.
The Sealed Book
Simply put, Isaiah 29:11 is a reference to Martin Harris delivering the text of the Book of Mormon to Charles Anthon (see LeGrand Richards, “Value of the Holy Scriptures,” Ensign, May 1976, 82).
Isaiah 29:12 is a reference to Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon (see Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report, October 1970, pp. 138-142).
Removed Hearts
One of the first sentences that began the Restoration was "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof" (JS-History 1:19).
Isaiah 29:13 says, "this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear (regard or reverence) toward me is taught by the precept of men."
What does this all mean? Simply stated, it means apostasy; both generally and individually. People have become fundamentally separated from our Heavenly Father. We preach and teach and teach and preach, but do nothing. We do not acknowledge the power and authority of God. We do not strive to become true disciples of Christ. We may learn and teach all the correct doctrines, but if we do not act the part of a disciple of Christ, then our hearts are far from God.
Neal A. Maxwell once taught, "Of necessity, of course, we are to teach and learn the doctrines. We would be spiritually stranded without them and, likewise, without the saving and exalting gospel ordinances, because “in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
“And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh” (D&C 84:20–21).
"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" (Neal A. Maxwell, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, June 1996, 12).
The only way we can truly become disciples of Christ is to have our will swallowed by the will of the Son.
Neal A. Maxwell continues in another address, "I am going to preach a hard doctrine to you now. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true. The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him. And that hard doctrine lies at the center of discipleship. There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do. And when we submit to His will, then we’ve really given Him the one final thing He asks of us. And the other things are not very, very important. It is the only possession we have that we can give, and there is no lessening of our agency as a result. Instead, what we see is a flowering of our talents and more and more surges of joy. Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe.
"This ought to be more obvious to us than it is sometimes, brothers and sisters, because developmentally, as well as doctrinally, all the other commandments hang, as Jesus said, on the two great interactive commandments:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“This is the first and great commandment.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37–40). (Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7)
The key to his teaching in the above quote is where he says, "There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do." Now getting back to what the Savior said to young Joseph Smith, "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Is that not what the Savior really wants … our hearts; our wills? Is that not at the root at what He was trying to restore to the earth?
Every day, we should be praying and asking our Father, "what doest thou want me to do today? What is Thy will for me?" If we can truly, sincerely seek and follow God's will every day (and not hide counsel we receive from God … see Isaiah 29:15), then we will obey the first and great commandment.
PS: Also read my commentary in the Book of Mormon about this chapter. See 2 Nephi 26 and 2 Nephi 27
Isaiah 29:4 says, "And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and they speech shall whisper out of the dust."
There seem to be two meanings from this verse. First, Jerusalem was humbled to the dust and scattered. In this humiliated condition, she wrote to the world the consequences of sin. She warned those of future generations of the fate of those who embrace wickedness.
The second meaning is more literal. Records of the fallen people are buried in the earth and are then published to the world as a warning. The Book of Mormon is believed to be one of these records. Other records (from the Ten Tribes of Israel) are to come forth as prophesied in 2 Nephi 29:13.
Dreams of Eating
I've always found this description of the wicked very interesting. They are and will be obsessed and bent on the destruction of Israel and the Lord's people, but they will not succeed. The Lord will make it appear to them that they will conquer over Israel, but in reality, they will not. It will be as a man who is hungry and who is dreaming. He dreams of food and in his dream, he eats and is filled, until he awakes. Then his discovers it was all a dream and the satisfaction that was his is gone.
So great will be their hatred that they will be drunk and stagger like an inebriated man.
The Sealed Book
Simply put, Isaiah 29:11 is a reference to Martin Harris delivering the text of the Book of Mormon to Charles Anthon (see LeGrand Richards, “Value of the Holy Scriptures,” Ensign, May 1976, 82).
Isaiah 29:12 is a reference to Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon (see Mark E. Petersen, Conference Report, October 1970, pp. 138-142).
Removed Hearts
One of the first sentences that began the Restoration was "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof" (JS-History 1:19).
Isaiah 29:13 says, "this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear (regard or reverence) toward me is taught by the precept of men."
What does this all mean? Simply stated, it means apostasy; both generally and individually. People have become fundamentally separated from our Heavenly Father. We preach and teach and teach and preach, but do nothing. We do not acknowledge the power and authority of God. We do not strive to become true disciples of Christ. We may learn and teach all the correct doctrines, but if we do not act the part of a disciple of Christ, then our hearts are far from God.
Neal A. Maxwell once taught, "Of necessity, of course, we are to teach and learn the doctrines. We would be spiritually stranded without them and, likewise, without the saving and exalting gospel ordinances, because “in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
“And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh” (D&C 84:20–21).
"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" (Neal A. Maxwell, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, June 1996, 12).
The only way we can truly become disciples of Christ is to have our will swallowed by the will of the Son.
Neal A. Maxwell continues in another address, "I am going to preach a hard doctrine to you now. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true. The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him. And that hard doctrine lies at the center of discipleship. There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do. And when we submit to His will, then we’ve really given Him the one final thing He asks of us. And the other things are not very, very important. It is the only possession we have that we can give, and there is no lessening of our agency as a result. Instead, what we see is a flowering of our talents and more and more surges of joy. Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe.
"This ought to be more obvious to us than it is sometimes, brothers and sisters, because developmentally, as well as doctrinally, all the other commandments hang, as Jesus said, on the two great interactive commandments:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“This is the first and great commandment.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37–40). (Neal A. Maxwell, “Insights from My Life,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 7)
The key to his teaching in the above quote is where he says, "There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and what to do." Now getting back to what the Savior said to young Joseph Smith, "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Is that not what the Savior really wants … our hearts; our wills? Is that not at the root at what He was trying to restore to the earth?
Every day, we should be praying and asking our Father, "what doest thou want me to do today? What is Thy will for me?" If we can truly, sincerely seek and follow God's will every day (and not hide counsel we receive from God … see Isaiah 29:15), then we will obey the first and great commandment.
PS: Also read my commentary in the Book of Mormon about this chapter. See 2 Nephi 26 and 2 Nephi 27
Friday, February 15, 2008
Isaiah 28
Precepts, Lines, Here and There a Little
Much like learning a language or math or any science, we do not learn everything at once. We begin with the basics and then we begin to dig deeper. Learning the gospel is similar. We begin with the basics and then our knowledge is added upon.
"Precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10).
Ludlow elaborates on this concept. He teaches that precepts are eternal principals. Lines are commandments based upon those eternal principals and "here a little" is a fence or personal law designed to help individuals keep the commandments.
To clarify, he gives an example.
Isaiah's Term...........Ludlow's Term..........LDS Equivalent.........Example: Law of Life
precept..................principal..................higher law.................Life is sacred
line.......................commandment...........lesser law.................Thou shalt not kill
here a little.............fence......................personal law.............Do lot lose temper
This passage in Isaiah is also referenced in the D&C. D&C 98:11-12 reads, "And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
"For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept, and I will try you and prove you herewith."
D&C 128:21 also references this passage.
Christ is the Stone
Undoubtedly, Isaiah 28:16 refers to Jesus Christ. "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
The Book of Mormon expands upon this idea of Christ being the stone. Helaman 5:12 teaches, "Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Remember, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yeah, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
If we build our life … the way we live … upon the teachings of Christ, we will not fall for the temptations of the devil and will we produce good fruit. We will be good fruit and will not be cast out at the last day (see Alma 5:36, 52).
The Lord's Strange Work
The Lord's strange work is to bring to pass the eternal life and immortality of man (Moses 1:39).
Isaiah gives a parable to explain and teach what the Lord's strange work is. He compares a farmer preparing the land, planting and harvesting the grain to the souls of men. Not all time should be given to preparation. Each step is necessary, planned and carried out.
To me, this parable is a bit difficult to understand. Ludlow does a wonderful job explaining it.
"The means by which the Lord prepares the earth for his coming might be questioned by some people, but Isaiah answers their concerns in the last verses of chapter 28. Verses 23-29 deal with a "parable of the farmer" written in poetry. They can be divided into two segments: Isaiah first describes the method of sowing grain and then carefully distinguishes the methods used for threshing different crops:
"23Give ear and hear my voice; listen and hear my words. Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? 24Does, he [continually] tear up and harrow his land? 25Does he not rather, after leveling the surface, scatter dill and sow cummin, put the wheat in rows, barley in the appointed places and rye around its border? 26His God correctly instructs and teaches him. 27Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, neither does a cart wheel roll over cummin; but dill is beaten out with a rod and cummin with a flail. 28Grain is crushed; he will not continually thresh it, but he rolls the wheels of his cart over it, since with his horses he cannot crush it. 29Even this comes from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. (MLB)
"In verse 23, Isaiah uses four imperatives—give, hear, listen, and hear—to alert his listeners to this important parable, which portrays why the Lord acts as he does in preparing the children for their final state. (Compare Isa. 1:2 where some of the same imperatives are used.) Verse 26, inserted between the "sowing" and "threshing" sections, provides an important key for understanding the parable. Verse 29 provides a concluding key and witness about the Lord's wisdom in all his doings.
"Sowing requires preparation. The farmer must plow, harrow, and level the ground before planting, and yet must not spend too much time in these tasks or he will not have enough growing season left for the seeds to mature (vs. 23-25). After preparing the soil, he is ready to plant each seed in its proper place. The comparatively abundant seed of the dill (or black cummin, "fitches" in the KJV) and the common cummin are used as a spice and on the crust of breads. This seed is scattered carelessly in the fields while the more valuable grain seeds, wheat and barley, are sown more carefully in the middle of the fields. Finally, the coarse, inferior rye seed is sown on the edges of the fields, which give a much lower yield. The farmer does his work carefully, using different methods for the different crops he grows. (Kaiser, Isaiah 13-39, p. 260; IDB 1:843; 2:274.)
"The threshing process also requires careful planning and the correct choice of tools and technique. The dill and cummin seeds are so small that a threshing sledge or cart is inappropriate, since the seeds would be crushed or lost. A stick is used to thresh them (v. 27). The larger and coarser grains require a heavy cart pulled by oxen, horses, or donkeys to separate the seeds from the stems and husks. The cart should not roll over the grain too long, however, or the seeds will be crushed to powder. After the threshing, a mill will eventually be used to grind the grain into flour (v. 28).
"In both the sowing and the threshing, the farmer acts with wisdom taught to man by God (vs. 26, 29). God instructs man correctly through divine counsel and wisdom, which is "wonderful" and "excellent." In other words, the Lord provides the proper instruction so that the farmer may have a successful harvest.
"The key to understanding this parable is the analogy between the farmer's technique and God's plan for "harvesting" souls. God's activities are similarly purposeful, orderly, and discriminating. He cannot spend all of his time preparing the earth for his children; finally he must send them there. As people grow, they must have "threshing" or testing, which differs from person to person. The threshing process suggests three elements about God's plan: (1) sifting the grain from the chaff suggests the separation of the righteous from the wicked; (2) the harshness of the threshing process suggests suffering as a necessary condition for the emergence of good, worthy souls (good, clean grain); and (3) the care of the divine Harvester in dealing with the more precious kinds of grain suggests the particular attention the Lord would give to the house of Israel and those foreordained to special callings. (IB 5:321.) God will not punish (thresh) his children beyond what they deserve. Isaiah emphasizes God's perfect wisdom in sowing and threshing his children until he achieves a full, complete harvest. (See Rom. 11:33; Jacob 4:8-10.)
Much like learning a language or math or any science, we do not learn everything at once. We begin with the basics and then we begin to dig deeper. Learning the gospel is similar. We begin with the basics and then our knowledge is added upon.
"Precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10).
Ludlow elaborates on this concept. He teaches that precepts are eternal principals. Lines are commandments based upon those eternal principals and "here a little" is a fence or personal law designed to help individuals keep the commandments.
To clarify, he gives an example.
Isaiah's Term...........Ludlow's Term..........LDS Equivalent.........Example: Law of Life
precept..................principal..................higher law.................Life is sacred
line.......................commandment...........lesser law.................Thou shalt not kill
here a little.............fence......................personal law.............Do lot lose temper
This passage in Isaiah is also referenced in the D&C. D&C 98:11-12 reads, "And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
"For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept, and I will try you and prove you herewith."
D&C 128:21 also references this passage.
Christ is the Stone
Undoubtedly, Isaiah 28:16 refers to Jesus Christ. "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
The Book of Mormon expands upon this idea of Christ being the stone. Helaman 5:12 teaches, "Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Remember, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yeah, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
If we build our life … the way we live … upon the teachings of Christ, we will not fall for the temptations of the devil and will we produce good fruit. We will be good fruit and will not be cast out at the last day (see Alma 5:36, 52).
The Lord's Strange Work
The Lord's strange work is to bring to pass the eternal life and immortality of man (Moses 1:39).
Isaiah gives a parable to explain and teach what the Lord's strange work is. He compares a farmer preparing the land, planting and harvesting the grain to the souls of men. Not all time should be given to preparation. Each step is necessary, planned and carried out.
To me, this parable is a bit difficult to understand. Ludlow does a wonderful job explaining it.
"The means by which the Lord prepares the earth for his coming might be questioned by some people, but Isaiah answers their concerns in the last verses of chapter 28. Verses 23-29 deal with a "parable of the farmer" written in poetry. They can be divided into two segments: Isaiah first describes the method of sowing grain and then carefully distinguishes the methods used for threshing different crops:
"23Give ear and hear my voice; listen and hear my words. Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? 24Does, he [continually] tear up and harrow his land? 25Does he not rather, after leveling the surface, scatter dill and sow cummin, put the wheat in rows, barley in the appointed places and rye around its border? 26His God correctly instructs and teaches him. 27Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, neither does a cart wheel roll over cummin; but dill is beaten out with a rod and cummin with a flail. 28Grain is crushed; he will not continually thresh it, but he rolls the wheels of his cart over it, since with his horses he cannot crush it. 29Even this comes from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. (MLB)
"In verse 23, Isaiah uses four imperatives—give, hear, listen, and hear—to alert his listeners to this important parable, which portrays why the Lord acts as he does in preparing the children for their final state. (Compare Isa. 1:2 where some of the same imperatives are used.) Verse 26, inserted between the "sowing" and "threshing" sections, provides an important key for understanding the parable. Verse 29 provides a concluding key and witness about the Lord's wisdom in all his doings.
"Sowing requires preparation. The farmer must plow, harrow, and level the ground before planting, and yet must not spend too much time in these tasks or he will not have enough growing season left for the seeds to mature (vs. 23-25). After preparing the soil, he is ready to plant each seed in its proper place. The comparatively abundant seed of the dill (or black cummin, "fitches" in the KJV) and the common cummin are used as a spice and on the crust of breads. This seed is scattered carelessly in the fields while the more valuable grain seeds, wheat and barley, are sown more carefully in the middle of the fields. Finally, the coarse, inferior rye seed is sown on the edges of the fields, which give a much lower yield. The farmer does his work carefully, using different methods for the different crops he grows. (Kaiser, Isaiah 13-39, p. 260; IDB 1:843; 2:274.)
"The threshing process also requires careful planning and the correct choice of tools and technique. The dill and cummin seeds are so small that a threshing sledge or cart is inappropriate, since the seeds would be crushed or lost. A stick is used to thresh them (v. 27). The larger and coarser grains require a heavy cart pulled by oxen, horses, or donkeys to separate the seeds from the stems and husks. The cart should not roll over the grain too long, however, or the seeds will be crushed to powder. After the threshing, a mill will eventually be used to grind the grain into flour (v. 28).
"In both the sowing and the threshing, the farmer acts with wisdom taught to man by God (vs. 26, 29). God instructs man correctly through divine counsel and wisdom, which is "wonderful" and "excellent." In other words, the Lord provides the proper instruction so that the farmer may have a successful harvest.
"The key to understanding this parable is the analogy between the farmer's technique and God's plan for "harvesting" souls. God's activities are similarly purposeful, orderly, and discriminating. He cannot spend all of his time preparing the earth for his children; finally he must send them there. As people grow, they must have "threshing" or testing, which differs from person to person. The threshing process suggests three elements about God's plan: (1) sifting the grain from the chaff suggests the separation of the righteous from the wicked; (2) the harshness of the threshing process suggests suffering as a necessary condition for the emergence of good, worthy souls (good, clean grain); and (3) the care of the divine Harvester in dealing with the more precious kinds of grain suggests the particular attention the Lord would give to the house of Israel and those foreordained to special callings. (IB 5:321.) God will not punish (thresh) his children beyond what they deserve. Isaiah emphasizes God's perfect wisdom in sowing and threshing his children until he achieves a full, complete harvest. (See Rom. 11:33; Jacob 4:8-10.)
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