Shadow of Isaiah Mormon Doctrine the Enduring Shadow of Isaiah

When the Lord called Isaiah - he told him : “... Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.” ( Isa 6:9)

A final commandment to the Nephite people “And now, behold,.... a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.” (3 Ne 23: 1)

Why is Isaiah important? Scattering Christ – Birth – Death – Atonement Gathering – To promised lands – To Christ’s church – Fulfill covenant Messianic era – Coming of the Messiah – Millennium – period of peace

In Isaiah, Judaism sees a millennial era and a Messiah “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare. (Isaiah 2:4) “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.... for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord....” (Isaiah 11:6-9)

Christianity sees Christ Music completed in 1741, in 24 days At the end of the manuscript, Handel wrote: "SDG"—Soli Deo Gloria, "To God alone the glory". Librettist - Charles Jennens Handel’s Messiah

Three parts: – Part I - virgin birth, – Part II - death, resurrection and ascension; spreading of the gospel, God's glory – "Hallelujah” – Part III - redemption, day of judgment, "general resurrection,” victory over sin and death Draws heavily on Isaiah! Mostly from New Testament

What do Mormon’s see in Isaiah’s prophecies? Scattering Christ – Birth – Death – Atonement Gathering – To promised lands – To Christ’s church – Fulfill covenant Messianic era – Coming of the Messiah – Millennium – period of peace

Bruce R. McConkie’s summary “Of all the ancient prophets, he [Isaiah] is the one whose recorded words preserve for us the good news of restoration, of the gospel coming again, of the everlasting covenant once more being established, of the kingdom being restored to Israel, of the Lord’s triumphant return, and of a reign of millennial splendor.” (Ten Keys to Understanding Isaiah, Oct 1973)

The covenant “... the Lord came unto Abram in a vision....” and said to him: “... Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” (Gen 15: 1,5)

Elder Bednar on covenants & ordinances “The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that in all ages the divine purpose of gathering the people of God is to build temples so His children can receive the highest ordinances and thereby gain eternal life.” (D&C 132:19)

The mountains of the Lord in the last days “Mountain of the Lord’s house in the top of the mountains....” “... Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” “Them will I bring to my holy mountain.” (Isa 2: 2-3; Isa 56:7)

The Gathering, the Covenant Isaiah and The Book of Mormon

Bruce R. McConkie’s summary “... the Book of Mormon prophets interpreted... passages [of Isaiah]... with the result that this volume of latter-day scripture becomes the witness for and the revealer of the truths of this chief book of Old Testament prophecies. The Book of Mormon is the world’s greatest commentary on the book of Isaiah.” (Ten Keys to Understanding Isaiah, Oct 1973)

What is the purpose of The Book of Mormon? “And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST....” “... to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever

Moroni 10 (an amalgam of Isa 52 and 54) “And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes an enlarge thy borders for ever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.” (vs 31)

Nephi

Isa 49 “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” (vs 14, 18)

Isa 29 “ Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. “And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.” (vs 14, 18)

1 Ne 11 – 14 Nephi’s vision “For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain....” (vs 1)

1 Ne 13 “And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten. “And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance....” (vs 14-15)

“... after I, Nephi, had read these things....” “... my brethren came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye have read?” (1 Ne 22: 1)

Nephi explained Isa 49 “... Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles... and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders.... “... the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders.” (1 Ne 22: 6, 8)

Jacob also returned to Isa 49 “... thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me... then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be.... “... gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great... in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance. “Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles....” (2 Ne 10: 7-9)

Jacob then offered promises to the Gentiles “And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. “And I will fortify this land against all other nations.... “Wherefore,.... the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the house of Israel.” (2 Ne 10: 11-12, 18)

The Savior

3 Ne 15 (still day 1) “And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the Law of Moses....” (vs 2)

He then explained the Law of Moses “Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. “Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled... it hath an end. “For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.” (3 Ne: 4-5, 8)

He then told them about the “other sheep” “And verily I say unto you that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. “And, they [disciples in Jerusalem] understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles.” (3 Ne: 21,22)

And, then turned to the covenant “And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel.” (3 Ne 15: 5)

3 Ne 20 The Lord focused on Isaiah “Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them— “And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.” (vs 11-12)

After the Lord gave them the sacrament, he returned to the subject of gathering “And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south, and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.” (3 Ne 20: 13; see Isa 43:5)

3 Ne 20 And, then turned fully to Isaiah “Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye. “Then will the Father gather them together again.... “Then shall they break forth into joy.... “... Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem....” (See versus 32 – 46)

Elder McConkie concludes “And may I be so bold as to affirm that no one, absolutely no one, in this age and dispensation, has or does or can understand the writings of Isaiah until he first learns and believes what God has revealed by the mouths of his Nephite witnesses....” (Ten Keys to Understanding Isaiah, Oct 1973)

Why is Isaiah important? Read The Book of Mormon!