Isaiah Gets Personal - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Eighteen (2 Nephi 18 and Isaiah 8)

You can read the entire chapter at the following links: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/18?lang=eng and https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/8?lang=eng

Isaiah continues his prophecy about the perils of the Lord’s people allying themselves with outside kingdoms. It’s interesting to think that in George Washington’s farewell address as America’s first president, he warned against what he (and the speech’s ghostwriter, Alexander Hamilton) called “entangling alliances” with foreign countries. Occasional cooperation with other earthly powers is one thing, but too close a relationship can be dangerous because it can erode self-reliance and reliance on the Lord.

The prophecy comes in very specific details from the Lord to Isaiah. The Lord warns that what may seem logical to the people of Judah—an alliance with Assyria—is exactly what they should avoid. If they “associate themselves,” they’ll be “broken to pieces” (verse 9). It doesn’t matter how much effort they put into it if they don’t follow the Lord’s instruction.

There’s a very personal element here for Isaiah. The Lord is encouraging him to be stronger than the rest of Judah. Remember, Isaiah may be a prophet, but he’s also a man subject to frailties and the same temptations everyone else faces. Think how difficult it must be for someone to explain to the people around him what the Lord wants them to do, especially when that instruction conflicts with what they initially see, hear, and feel. Mindful of Isaiah’s dilemma, the Lord reminds Isaiah that he need not “fear ye their fear” (verse 12). Instead, Isaiah is to fear and sanctify the Lord (verse 13). If he does this, the Lord promises to be a sanctuary, but with that promise comes a caution that the Lord will just as soon become a “stone of stumbling” (verse 14) to Isaiah or anyone else who prioritizes earthly considerations over divine counsel.

Those familiar with the New Testament will recognize that the Lord often uses the image of a rock or stone to represent his status as a strong foundation for the faithful and righteous—as Paul says (in his letter to the Ephesians 2:20), our “chief cornerstone.” Isaiah’s words here show us that refusing to heed that cornerstone can’t make it go away. Either we build on it by making choices in line with what is right, or we find ourselves tripped up by it. No matter how clever our schemes to gratify our selfish and prideful desires, the Lord’s perfect plan of love, justice, and mercy is stronger than those schemes and the only way to happiness and contentment.

The Lord uses another metaphor to depict for Isaiah the dangers for Judah of abandoning Him and His protecting power. The Lord likens Himself to the soft waters of Shiloah (or Siloam) that run through Jerusalem and sustain life. He warns Isaiah that if the people abandon this protection in search of earthly alliances, they will find that the waters will run over their banks and threaten to drown them. In verses 7 and 8, the Lord clearly likens these floodwaters to the armies of Assyria reaching “even to the neck” of Judah. This prophecy is later fulfilled when the Assyrians overrun Judah around 700 B.C. and nearly (but not quite) seize Jerusalem.

The Lord seems to know that Isaiah and his people need constant reminders that God’s power is real and can be effective in their lives. This is no less true for Nephi more than 150 years on or for us more than 2,700 years on. And just as the people of Judah faced a difficult choice about whether to rely on arrangements with the earthly powers around them or on the Lord, Nephi and his budding civilization probably faced a similar dilemma as they pondered threats from the Lamanites and maybe from others who lived in the surrounding area. Certainly, this problem exists for us in our day. We face many decisions about whether to tolerate or even work hand in hand with people engaged in unrighteous causes in order to “live another day.” Sometimes this may be necessary, but the main factor in our decision should be whether it is sanctioned by our communication with God through the delicate impressions of the Holy Ghost on our minds and hearts.

God knows that for us to turn to Him, we need to remember Him. So it is important to reinforce his reality in our everyday lives. For example, we see the Lord instruct Isaiah to give his son a specific name (Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which refers to a hastening destruction), probably so that whenever he uses the name, his mind will be turned to the Lord as a reminder of His power. We also read repeated pleas from the Lord for his people to look continually to the “law and to the testimony,” which are records from several witnesses over many generations about the reality of God’s existence and power. The Lord warns in verse 19 against trusting people who claim to be spiritual mediums and make a big show of their supposed link with the afterlife. He says “should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead?”

Ally Yourself with the Lord - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Seventeen (2 Nephi 17 and Isaiah 7)

You can read the entire chapter at the following links: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/17?lang=eng and https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/7?lang=eng.

This chapter is rooted in a very specific historical context. Isaiah finds himself counseling with Ahaz, the King of Judah. For those who know their Biblical history, Israel split into two kingdoms—Ephraim (sometimes known as the kingdom of Israel) in the north and Judah in the south—after Solomon’s reign in around 975 B.C.

Now it is around 740-735 B.C. (don’t be confused by the 2 Nephi 17 chapter heading—its reference to 559-545 B.C. is to when Nephi decided to transcribe these excerpts from Isaiah’s preexisting record onto the metal plates Nephi created), and we see some of the perils that have come about because of the disunity among the Lord’s covenant people (the house of Israel). The northern kingdom of Ephraim and its king, Pekah, have made an alliance with Syria (located northward from Ephraim) and its king, Rezin.

This alliance threatens Judah. Even though verse 1 tells us that Ephraim and Syria do not have success in overthrowing Jerusalem (Judah’s capital), the insecurity that King Ahaz presumably feels from this persistent threat makes him feel as though he needs to make his own alliance with another kingdom. Although this chapter does not make specific reference to Ahaz’s possible ally, the historical record confirms at this time that Judah became close with the Kingdom of Assyria (also well to the north of Judah and Israel, and a little east of Syria).

By the normal rules of the world, Ahaz’s strategy makes sense. Whether it’s the ancient or the modern Middle East, the basic rules of geopolitics teach weak countries surrounded by enemies to make an arrangement with a stronger country to ensure its survival. But of course, nothing comes for free, and usually such alliances cost the weaker country much of its independence, as the stronger country dictates the terms of the pact.

And so, the Lord sends Isaiah to Ahaz with a very clear and direct message. Don’t worry about the world’s rules here. The threat you think you see from Syria and Ephraim is a mirage. As verse 7 says, “It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.” Why? Because, in Isaiah’s words, even though these two kingdoms are plotting against Judah, they are “smoking firebrands.” Their power is waning, being snuffed out. Isaiah even shares the very specific prophecy (in verse 8) that Ephraim will be “broken” within 65 years, and the historical record bears out that this is the time where Ephraim and its ten tribes of Israel are overrun by the Assyrians and largely scattered abroad. (Incidentally, those left behind mixed with non-Israelite people, producing the Samaritans—with their hybrid of traditional Mosaic and heathen beliefs and practices—whom Jesus was to know 700+ years later.)

Isaiah doesn’t directly forbid King Ahaz from joining with the Assyrians, but the meaning seems pretty clear when he warns Ahaz (in verse 9) that if he does not heed Isaiah’s words about Syria and Ephraim, Judah “shall not be established.” The concern appears to be that making alliances with heathen kingdoms does not reduce Judah’s vulnerability, but increases it, because putting one’s trust in mortal man is a fool’s game.

What’s the alternative? Isaiah comes to this in verse 11 when he asks Ahaz to turn to God for a sign. Instead of trusting man, we need to have faith in the Lord. Ahaz tries to justify his reluctance in turning to the Lord by saying that he doesn’t want to “tempt” the Lord, but Ahaz’s real reason is a crisis of faith. He is having trouble placing his faith in an invisible God when faced with a military threat that is easier to detect through the physical senses.

This is where Isaiah’s teaching intersects directly with our lives. You and I might not face threats from ancient kingdoms on our borders, but we constantly face challenges that we think are on the verge of overpowering us. We look all over the place for ways to avoid or overcome these challenges, usually looking first for a solution from our own limited wisdom and physical senses. But it is only when we enlist the Lord into the problem-solving process, allowing Him to enhance whatever initial capabilities we bring to bear on the challenge, that we find our capacities and our confidence boosted to truly become equal or superior to what we face.

And so, even though Isaiah warns of days of great turmoil and desolation to come (verses 17-25), the pivotal verse in the chapter is verse 14:

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Most of us can recognize the allusion to a virgin birth and to “Immanuel,” a name that means “God with us.” This is clearly a prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. Jesus Christ, as the literal son of God, came to earth in this way a little more than 700 years after Isaiah is writing (and about 550 after Nephi copies Isaiah’s prophecy for his people—and for us).

Why is the prophecy of the birth of Jesus relevant here? Because it is the ultimate shot in the arm for our faith that the Lord is there for us. We need not ally ourselves with the Assyrians of the world, who are liable to treacherously turn on us at some point, if we know that God is able and willing to manifest Himself in our lives. The birth is a symbol of the many other ways He can bless us—the comforting presence of His Spirit, the helping hand of another person, or something else that happens to reminds us we are not alone in fending for ourselves.

The prophecy also apparently alludes to the birth of Isaiah’s own son. The Hebrew word for virgin can also be read to refer to a woman of great purity such as Isaiah’s wife. In this context, the prophecy Isaiah shared with King Ahaz pointed to the birth of Isaiah’s son as a sign that the Lord was with Judah, and that Ahaz should therefore avoid joining with the Assyrians. Ahaz did not obey Isaiah’s counsel, and events later bore out that Judah’s dependence on Assyria hurt it far more than it helped, because Assyria ended up overrunning much of Judah after gaining control over Syria and Ephraim.

The Calling of a Prophet and Savior - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Sixteen (2 Nephi 16 and Isaiah 6)

This brief chapter has wonderful treasures of knowledge in store if you take some time to soak in the meaning of its verses. In typical Isaiah fashion, it has a dual meaning. At the surface level, Isaiah is recounting the circumstances of his own calling as a prophet, when the Lord (Jesus, appearing in spirit form prior to His birth as a representative of the Father) appears in glory to Isaiah in the temple and purifies and otherwise prepares him for the challenging task of going among a largely unbelieving people to preach the gospel of warning and repentance.

But the chapter’s heart (verses 8-13) refers not only to Isaiah’s role, but more significantly to Christ’s own acceptance of his role as the Messiah, the Savior. Take a moment to ponder. In verse 8, “Whom shall I send?” And then, “Here am I; send me.” Yes, at one level, this is Isaiah agreeing to be the mouthpiece of the Lord, similar in some ways to the calling of the boy prophet Samuel in the Old Testament account in the temple in Shiloh (1 Samuel 3). But more profoundly, this is Isaiah relating the circumstances of Jesus accepting the role of Savior directly from the Father before the creation of the world at an initial council of premortal spirits in heaven (other parts of which—including Lucifer’s rebellious role—are recounted elsewhere in the scriptures, including Isaiah 14:13, Job 38:7, Revelation 12:7, and several latter-day references). In other words, “Send me as the person to accomplish the task of sinless sacrifice amid rejection by my own people.”

In that context, Isaiah comes back to the familiar theme of the rejection of God and His message by his own covenant people—the people of Israel. This idea has occupied much of the writings of Isaiah and of Nephi to this point, and is retold in a succinct, powerful way so that we better understand the unfortunate nature of a people whose ears become “heavy” and hearts “fat” and eyes “shut” when presented with the truth (verses 9-10). To clarify, the Lord is not instructing Jesus or Isaiah to harden the hearts of the Israelites, but only to present them with a choice. The people have their agency, and therefore they alone are responsible for rejecting the opportunity given to them to draw nearer to God by changing their lives.

However, the mercy and love of God’s plan is found in the theme of scattering and regathering. In the promise that His covenant people will have another chance. Prophets, including the Messiah, will come among the Jews and other children of Israel until their cities have become desolate (verses 11-12), but a remnant will return. As Isaiah poetically writes in verse 13, it will be like the tree losing its leaves but retaining its capacity to regenerate at a later time.

Now, back to explaining a few passages that may seem difficult to understand. First, to locate the time of this prophecy, King Uzziah of Judah died around 740 B.C. (verse 1). Second, Isaiah’s vision of the Lord probably cannot be described sufficiently through words, but to have some better understanding, it appears as though the vision came to him while he was carrying out some priestly duty at the temple in Jerusalem (probably in the “holy of holies”). Seraphim are angels (or messengers) of the Lord. Since they are people (in premortal or resurrected form), the reference to wings appears to be metaphorical in describing the seraphim’s capabilities. Third, verses 4-7 describe how the Lord’s presence makes the temple shake, as well as how the Lord and His angel help Isaiah with his feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness by (probably metaphorically) putting a hot coal to his lips. Having the coal pressed to his lips is a sign of special emphasis on Isaiah being able to speak the pure words of divine truth. Many, many imperfect people chosen to act for the Lord have confessed to Him they don’t feel equal to the task, but this image is a reminder that the Lord indeed has great power to ensure that we can succeed in carrying out His work.

You can read the entire chapter at the following links: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/16?lang=eng and https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/6?lang=eng