Just as it
is important to have a scriptural record to testify of eternal truth through
the generations, it is important for the people of the current generation to
liken those scriptures to their specific place and time. After Nephi reads passages
from Isaiah’s writings from the brass plates to his brothers, he explains their
meaning. The last verse of this chapter (verse 31) refers back to the visions
that Lehi and Nephi directly experienced several years before in Jerusalem and
in the family’s first desert campsite (Lehi in 1 Nephi 1 and 8, Nephi in 1
Nephi 12-14), so it seems that Nephi has great fondness for Isaiah’s prophecies
about the people of Israel and the Gentiles because he has seen many of the
same things himself. But as verse 31 shows, Nephi knows that his brothers have
some baggage when it comes to listening to him and to Lehi, so he wants them to
get the message from sources they’re more comfortable accepting. I wouldn’t be
surprised if Nephi settled on this teaching approach after much pondering and
seeking of the Lord’s guidance through prayer.
It seems
Nephi’s approach is working, because after he reads the prophecies from Isaiah,
his brothers exhibit curiosity. They ask Nephi questions about whether the
prophecies will be literally (temporally) fulfilled or are meant to be
understood more symbolically (spiritually). The direct experiences Nephi has
had help him know what to emphasize to his brothers. He tells them that the
prophecies have both literal and symbolic elements.
From
there, he provides a straightforward explanation of key events that will occur
for the Lord to gather his people. Note that 1 Nephi 15 records a very similar
conversation between Nephi and his brothers years ago (complete with references
to Isaiah – 1 Nephi 15:20) alluding to these same events. Just as it is with
us, it appears that it’s important for them to hear the same things numerous
times over their life’s journeys so they can remember their importance:
- Many of Israel have been scattered already (including themselves) and others will later be scattered upon the “isles of the sea” (verse 4).
- The Gentiles (again, those with no clear ancestral ties to the children of the covenant that passed from Abraham down through his grandson Jacob, also known as Israel) will play an essential role in helping restore these scattered branches of Israel. Two points are of particular importance:
1.
The
Lord will raise up a “mighty nation” among the Gentiles (verse 7). As Nephi has
already seen (in 1 Nephi 13), this refers to the United States. This nation
will scatter the descendants of Lehi’s family (probably a reference to Native
Americans), but it will also be the first country with a written constitutional
guarantee of religious freedom.
2.
Upon
this mighty nation, the Lord will do “a marvelous work” among the Gentiles
(verses 8-9). Again, going back to 1 Nephi 13 (verses 39-42), this refers to truth
and power being revealed among the Gentiles to bless both them and the
scattered branches of Israel, including Lehi’s descendants. Specifically, the
passage is talking about the discovery of the plates on which Nephi and his
descendants will write sacred things, these plates’ translation into the Book
of Mormon, and the book’s eventual circulation throughout the world.
Nephi emphasizes that these events will fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy about Israel being nourished by and carried on the shoulders of the Gentiles, and will fulfill the covenant promise to Abraham that all the earth will be blessed through his seed. Those who are familiar with the humble beginnings of Joseph Smith and others who helped him bring forth the Book of Mormon can’t help but marvel at how widely people around the globe have become familiar with the book and the Church. Think of how surreal this promise must have seemed to Joseph while he translated this passage.
As Nephi
reviews these promises with his brothers, he emphasizes that the Lord will
“make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations” to help bring His people out
of captivity. The imagery has been described as one of having authority and
power to make the gospel of Jesus Christ known throughout the world. Centuries
later, after appearing as a resurrected being to his disciples at the very end
of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus Himself would charge them (and, by extension, all
who follow Him) to do that (Matthew 28:18-20):
And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
In the
rest of the chapter, Nephi shares things he previously saw (written in 1 Nephi
14) about the end of the world (or at least the end of the world as we know
it). As shared, the events evoke a climactic struggle between good and evil.
There’s reference to nations who fight against Israel being turned against one
another and the Lord destroying the enemies of the righteous by fire. This is
in line with what the apostle John shares in the Book of Revelation, though
John goes into much more symbolic detail about these last days over several
chapters. The idea of cleansing the wicked from the earth is not new. The Old
Testament story of Noah involves a different cleansing element (water rather
than fire), but shares the same basic principle.
Then Nephi
leans on the authority of another prophet—the great Moses—to support his own
words about a prophet who will be raised up (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). That
prophet is Christ Himself, who will “execute judgment in righteousness” (verse
21). In this context, the prophecy seems to be referring to Christ’s Second
Coming, echoing a statement the apostle Peter would make at the temple in
Jerusalem (Acts 3:20-24) about 600 years later.
When Jesus
comes again, we learn that He will gather his children as a shepherd gathers
his sheep, and that Satan will have no power for many years. This evokes the
prophecy of the Millennium found in the Book of Revelation (20:2) where Satan
is bound for a thousand years and is unable to deceive the people during that
time. How is Satan’s power taken away? By the righteousness of the people
(verse 26). They don’t allow him into their hearts.
These
events are all quite dramatic and sweeping in their consequences for the world,
but Nephi brings his brothers (and us) back to the fundamentals at the very
end. This reminds us that the main reason Nephi shared these things was not to
produce mental and emotional excitement, but to show that “a man must be
obedient to the commandments of God.” The whole tale of scattering and
gathering through sacred records and prophets is one of simple accountability,
promising that safety (defined more in terms of eternal salvation and inner
peace than in terms of complete protection from physical harm) comes through
repentance and in following Jesus (verses 28 and 31).
You can
read the entire chapter at this link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/22?lang=eng
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