All in Good Time - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Twenty (2 Nephi 20 and Isaiah 10)

You can read the entire chapter at the following links: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/20?lang=eng and https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/10?lang=eng/. 

There is an overarching theme in this chapter that I call “all in good time.” Whose good time? The Lord’s. Isaiah prophesies Messianically (using the voice of the Lord) to communicate to a people in Judah who are fearful of the big, bad Assyrian Empire closing in on them.

His message? It’s a little harsh for the immediate future. In verse 11, he says, “Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and to her idols?” Meaning, just as the Israelites of the north (Samaria) lost their kingdom because of pride, continued pride will lead to the downfall of the kingdom still (as of 700 B.C.) in Judah. Nephi likely knows that including this passage from Isaiah carries special meaning for his people because they are the generation whom the Lord helped escape Jerusalem just before its downfall.

But the Lord’s silver lining is that the Assyrian bully will ultimately get its just deserts for its own pride. By pulling back to take the long view, the Lord uses Isaiah to show His children and covenant people that even if they will endure very trying times in their day, their descendants will be given the opportunity to claim their inheritance. In Isaiah’s language, this is phrased as the remnant of Israel returning to its lands (verses 20-22), but there’s a deeper meaning about any of us who fall short returning to the Lord’s favor through obedience to His commandments—most importantly faith in Christ and repentance.

Some people reading Isaiah’s prophecy might think that if the Lord knows everything that will happen in the future, he also controls everything that happens. I don’t claim to know how it all works, but I am convinced that the Lord’s great (actually, perfect) foreknowledge does not diminish people’s ability to act and experience the natural consequences of those actions. Just because a parent knows that a young child will endure a few falls when he or she learns to ride a bike, doesn’t mean the parent is making the child fall.

However, even though the Lord doesn’t control our actions, He does intervene to some extent in our world. He makes it very clear that He is the Creator of all, and uses that relationship to make the point that the ax cannot credibly claim to be more powerful than the person who wields it (verse 15)

Stem and Rod of Jesse - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Twenty-One (2 Nephi 21 and Isaiah 11)

You can read the entire chapter at the following links: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/21?lang=eng and https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/11?lang=eng.

The poetic imagery in 2 Nephi 19 initially refers to what we would call the First Coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh, beginning with his birth (2 Nephi 19:6 - “For unto us a child is born”).  As 2 Nephi 19 continues, and through 2 Nephi 20, it becomes clear that at a time about 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah is communicating prophecies from the Lord about events that will take place over a wide range of time. This time period will stretch well beyond Christ’s mortal life and the immediate aftermath of His resurrection to a time closer to our day when the covenant people of Israel will gather in from many places. 2 Nephi 21 shows us that the gathering will be closely connected with actions by men foreordained by the Lord to reestablish the gospel and church of Christ on earth and to bring about Christ’s literal Second Coming. Indeed, for Isaiah, time seems almost irrelevant because the Lord appears to be showing him a vision of an ultimate reality that depends on a far-off redemption to justify the sufferings the Lord’s people will endure before then.

If we think about the people of Nephi, there is something very similar at play for them. A few decades previously, the Lord led them to the American continent after their departure from a Jerusalem that was about to be sacked by Babylon. They endured great hardship throughout the journey, yet saw mighty miracles in their deliverance and ultimate arrival in America. However, troubles did not cease once they established themselves in America. Family resentments and widespread unwillingness to remember the Lord fed contention. Shortly after the unifying father figure Lehi passed away, Nephi found it necessary to physically separate those willing to follow His righteous teachings from the Lamanites who rejected them.

From 2 Nephi 5 to this point, we witness Nephi and his brother Jacob doing what they can to provide their followers a strong foundation in the Lord’s teachings so that they and future generations can have the perspective they need to overcome hardship and prosper through faith. Continuity with the traditions the Lord had established with their forefathers becomes extremely important. The Nephites have the record from Israel’s past generations from the brass plates they obtained from Laban to go along with plates that Nephi had made after arriving in America (1 Nephi 19) to make sure they can document events going forward. One of the first things the Nephites do after separating from the Lamanites is to build a temple as a sign that their covenant remains with the Lord despite their distance from the Old World.

And then Nephi and his brother Jacob turn their focus to reminding their people of the prophecies that they have inherited and that remain valid and vividly relevant in their lives. This is where Isaiah comes in. As a third witness to bolster the credibility of the prophecies Nephi and Jacob share from their own direct experiences with receiving revelations and visions from God. They are showing that these new prophecies are consistent with the familiar and widely-accepted stories from past prophets.  

Of course, the key element to these prophecies is Jesus Christ and His central role in fulfilling the Father’s plan to save those who seek salvation. The hope that comes from Christ’s First Coming is reinforced with the gospel’s restoration in the latter days, and will climax with His Second Coming. This is in addition to the healing power and comfort we can all access right now through faith in His Atonement and our own repentance and obedience to His word.

In the first verse of 2 Nephi 21, Isaiah tells us of the “stem of Jesse,” and a rod that will come from the stem. Jesse was the father of David, and we know that Jesus is descended from David’s family line. So Jesus is the stem of Jesse. In verses 2-9, Isaiah is clearly talking about the justice that Jesus will bring with Him when He comes to reign over the earth in righteousness and “reprove with equity for the meek.” This is where we get the beautiful imagery of the wolf dwelling with the lamb in harmony, and the young child playing near the serpent’s den without coming to harm. It is emblematic of the idea that Christ will vanquish the pride and contention of the world by rewarding those who have learned to keep Satan at bay with dominion over the earth. Jeremiah (a contemporary of Lehi and Nephi, 23 and 30) and Zechariah (from around 520 B.C.) were prophets after Isaiah (their records were not in the brass plates that Nephi brought to the Americas) who also wrote of a “branch” (clearly a reference to Christ) reigning personally on the earth and establishing a millennial reign (one thousand years) of righteousness.

Remember, we take for granted that David’s kingdom will be restored. The story of Jesus’s mortal life and resurrection is in our historical record, as are new signs of the regathering of Israel over the past two centuries. The people living in the time of Isaiah and Nephi, however, are first-hand witnesses to the loss of David’s realms to invading foreigners (first the kingdom of Israel around 720 B.C. to the Assyrians in Isaiah’s time, then the kingdom of Judah around 600 B.C. to the Babylonians just after Nephi and his family fled Jerusalem). Therefore, the idea that David’s line would regain a throne of glory, and that this kingdom would cover the entire earth (not just the little patch of territory first given to Israel), requires a considerable exercise of faith on their part.

In verse 10, we learn of a root of Jesse, “which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek.” In a latter-day revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1838 on the meaning of various passages from Isaiah, we are told that this root (which is probably also the rod that comes from the stem) is a descendant of both Jesse and Joseph (of Egypt). He will use the keys of the kingdom to gather the Lord’s people in the last days. From other scripture, scholars have deduced that Joseph Smith is descended from Joseph of Egypt, so it seems likely that he is the root of Jesse. He is not the Messiah. That role is reserved solely for Jesus. But Joseph Smith has played an extremely important role as the prophet who brought forth the Lord’s gospel and church in the latter days.

The rest of the chapter is filled with language of great hope and power for those who have endured hardship as the Lord’s people. For the Nephites, who are getting used to a life far removed from familiar surroundings, and are learning to cope with being a target of their brothers’ resentments, this hopefulness is particularly important. Near the end of the chapter, Isaiah’s reference to a future day when the Lord will strike the “tongue of the Red Sea” (verse 15) connects the latter-day gathering with the most famous Biblical gathering of all—Moses bringing the Israelites in Egypt together for their exodus from Pharaoh and his armies.

For Unto Us a Child Is Born - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Nineteen (2 Nephi 19 and Isaiah

You can read the entire chapter at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/19?lang=eng or https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/9?lang=eng.

The words roll off the tongue and, for those familiar with the stirring melodies and harmonies of Handel’s Messiah, immediately bring a smile to our faces. I can’t think of verse 6 of this chapter without hope breaking into bright dawn in my mind. If there are problems I’m brooding on, they seem to matter much less than before. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

In Handel’s music, there are extended pauses before each of the climactic bursts of “Wonderful!” “Counselor!” and “The Mighty God! The Everlasting Father.” This chorus repeats and builds upon itself in joyous, delicious harmony and musical counterpoint. The through-and-through beauty of it is the only thing that prevents me from utterly losing my patience at how hard it is to get the timing and note clusters right when I sing it over Christmas with my local church choir. Perhaps the most effective part of the whole thing is that the final name Isaiah uses for the Savior is reserved for the very end of the number. Only then, as the music begins to fade and the choir seems as though it has almost given out, do the singers half-whisper—in hushed and reverent tones—“the Prince of Peace.” Ironically, it is by getting quieter rather than louder that our attention is more fully drawn to this line.

Handel’s use of a single verse in Isaiah 9 for an entire movement of his sacred oratorio demonstrates just how powerful the prophet’s poetry is. It is even more compelling when we consider the context. Isaiah is speaking in a place and time where distinguishing between past, present, and future is much less important than communicating things are they truly are. He has several audiences—initially the people of Judah, but eventually it will encompass all of the gathered people of Israel and the billions of Gentiles who embrace the message of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah starts the chapter by referring to the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria. Zebulun and Naphtali are tribes of Israel located in the north, and they are overrun by the Assyrians’ seemingly unstoppable earthly power. For the southern kingdom of Judah, it is a reminder that their brother Israelites—who split from their kingdom a few hundred years earlier—have been lost. But rather than dwelling on this trauma and any sense of guilt or sadness, Isaiah turns the attention of his audience to a “great light” that will multiply the nation and increase their joy.

It may seem hard to visualize for this weary, besieged people who live in constant fear of surrounding enemies, but Isaiah insistently presses his case. The yoke of their burden will be broken, along with the rod of the oppressor (verse 5).

It is no wonder that Matthew looked to this prophecy when writing his gospel (good news) that Jesus is Messiah. After all, Jesus’ base of operations for most of his ministry was Capernaum, which Matthew describes as being in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali (Matthew 4:15-16). So for Matthew, it was natural to declare that Jesus was the great light, the one who would take away our pain and burdens.

Let’s focus on two of the names Isaiah gives the Messiah: the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Everlasting Father because the Father trusts Jesus completely to represent Him and carry out His plan. That plan, of course, is the idea that those who look to salvation through Christ’s atoning sacrifice for their sins will surely find it.

As we ponder the meaning of that in our own lives, in the very recesses of our souls, think about the power of verse 10:

“The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.”

Jesus isn’t just going to reestablish a glorious nation, though that will happen as well. He is going to rebuild Israel one person at a time. Those who follow Him will not worry about losing their old self if they see that the new person Jesus promises to help them build (as a very close partner) is going to be much stronger and happier.

What about the Prince of Peace? This is probably one of the more misunderstood concepts in scripture. As we know, the events of Jesus’ mortal life were very far from what we would call peaceful. He was definitely a disrupter of the status quo. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables in the temple courtyard. He infuriated local leaders and even the great Sanhedrin (religious council) in Jerusalem to the point that they sought his life, and the Romans were willing to oblige in order to rid themselves of the nuisance.

So what does the word “peace” mean here? There may not be a perfect answer, but the one I believe is that peace is much more about your internal state than your external one. If you can find assurance in understanding where God’s plan will lead you, it becomes much easier to face hardship with a courageous and even cheerful and grateful outlook. And of course Jesus exemplified this more than anyone else. What does it say about the clarity of His conscience and purity of His intent when even in the throes of torturous execution he gives loving counsel to the two criminals crucified next to him, makes sure that his mother is taken care of, and pleads with the Father to forgive the very people responsible for his pain when it is at its most acute?

And once peace is within you, you can use it to radiate love and hope around you. This is the victory Christ won—a promise to everyone that if they look to Him, they can share in eternal joy. Words aren’t adequate to describe what that is, but it’s something that allows us to not only feel goodness, but take part in creating it. The natural consequence of Christ’s Atonement is that the promise it represents will fill the world as humble seekers tap into its power and share the message to others via the Holy Ghost. And, ultimately, the Second Coming will feature Jesus Himself reigning over a fully changed society. When that happens, He will indeed literally be the Prince of Peace.

But Isaiah shows us that the way to that more sanctified world will be filled with darkness and challenges (verses 14-21). Peace is hard-earned by learning to choose love over fear, generosity over selfishness, hope over despair. The Father’s plan says that we’ll have sadness and pain to deal with, and we’ll also find deception and treachery among some of our neighbors. Those who choose pride over humility will feel “wickedness burning as the fire,” which actually presents an opportunity for them to repent of their ways. When the time comes for the Second Coming of Jesus, the earth will be only for those who are accepting of Him in their thoughts, words, deeds, and characters, and the Lord will intercede to protect the righteous. 

For Unto Us a Child Is Born - Second Book of Nephi, Chapter Nineteen (2 Nephi 19 and Isaiah 9)

You can read the entire chapter at https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/19?lang=eng or https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/9?lang=eng.

The words roll off the tongue and, for those familiar with the stirring melodies and harmonies of Handel’s Messiah, immediately bring a smile to our faces. I can’t think of verse 6 of this chapter without hope breaking into bright dawn in my mind. If there are problems I’m brooding on, they seem to matter much less than before. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

In Handel’s music, there are extended pauses before each of the climactic bursts of “Wonderful!” “Counselor!” and “The Mighty God! The Everlasting Father.” This chorus repeats and builds upon itself in joyous, delicious harmony and musical counterpoint. The through-and-through beauty of it is the only thing that prevents me from utterly losing my patience at how hard it is to get the timing and note clusters right when I sing it over Christmas with my local church choir. Perhaps the most effective part of the whole thing is that the final name Isaiah uses for the Savior is reserved for the very end of the number. Only then, as the music begins to fade and the choir seems as though it has almost given out, do the singers half-whisper—in hushed and reverent tones—“the Prince of Peace.” Ironically, it is by getting quieter rather than louder that our attention is more fully drawn to this line.

Handel’s use of a single verse in Isaiah 9 for an entire movement of his sacred oratorio demonstrates just how powerful the prophet’s poetry is. It is even more compelling when we consider the context. Isaiah is speaking in a place and time where distinguishing between past, present, and future is much less important than communicating things are they truly are. He has several audiences—initially the people of Judah, but eventually it will encompass all of the gathered people of Israel and the billions of Gentiles who embrace the message of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah starts the chapter by referring to the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by Assyria. Zebulun and Naphtali are tribes of Israel located in the north, and they are overrun by the Assyrians’ seemingly unstoppable earthly power. For the southern kingdom of Judah, it is a reminder that their brother Israelites—who split from their kingdom a few hundred years earlier—have been lost. But rather than dwelling on this trauma and any sense of guilt or sadness, Isaiah turns the attention of his audience to a “great light” that will multiply the nation and increase their joy.

It may seem hard to visualize for this weary, besieged people who live in constant fear of surrounding enemies, but Isaiah insistently presses his case. The yoke of their burden will be broken, along with the rod of the oppressor (verse 5).

It is no wonder that Matthew looked to this prophecy when writing his gospel (good news) that Jesus is Messiah. After all, Jesus’ base of operations for most of his ministry was Capernaum, which Matthew describes as being in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali (Matthew 4:15-16). So for Matthew, it was natural to declare that Jesus was the great light, the one who would take away our pain and burdens.

Let’s focus on two of the names Isaiah gives the Messiah: the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Everlasting Father because the Father trusts Jesus completely to represent Him and carry out His plan. That plan, of course, is the idea that those who look to salvation through Christ’s atoning sacrifice for their sins will surely find it.

As we ponder the meaning of that in our own lives, in the very recesses of our souls, think about the power of verse 10:

“The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.”

Jesus isn’t just going to reestablish a glorious nation, though that will happen as well. He is going to rebuild Israel one person at a time. Those who follow Him will not worry about losing their old self if they see that the new person Jesus promises to help them build (as a very close partner) is going to be much stronger and happier.

What about the Prince of Peace? This is probably one of the more misunderstood concepts in scripture. As we know, the events of Jesus’ mortal life were very far from what we would call peaceful. He was definitely a disrupter of the status quo. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables in the temple courtyard. He infuriated local leaders and even the great Sanhedrin (religious council) in Jerusalem to the point that they sought his life, and the Romans were willing to oblige in order to rid themselves of the nuisance.

So what does the word “peace” mean here? There may not be a perfect answer, but the one I believe is that peace is much more about your internal state than your external one. If you can find assurance in understanding where God’s plan will lead you, it becomes much easier to face hardship with a courageous and even cheerful and grateful outlook. And of course Jesus exemplified this more than anyone else. What does it say about the clarity of His conscience and purity of His intent when even in the throes of torturous execution he gives loving counsel to the two criminals crucified next to him, makes sure that his mother is taken care of, and pleads with the Father to forgive the very people responsible for his pain when it is at its most acute?

And once peace is within you, you can use it to radiate love and hope around you. This is the victory Christ won—a promise to everyone that if they look to Him, they can share in eternal joy. Words aren’t adequate to describe what that is, but it’s something that allows us to not only feel goodness, but take part in creating it. The natural consequence of Christ’s Atonement is that the promise it represents will fill the world as humble seekers tap into its power and share the message to others via the Holy Ghost. And, ultimately, the Second Coming will feature Jesus Himself reigning over a fully changed society. When that happens, He will indeed literally be the Prince of Peace.

But Isaiah shows us that the way to that more sanctified world will be filled with darkness and challenges (verses 14-21). Peace is hard-earned by learning to choose love over fear, generousness over selfishness, hope over despair. The Father’s plan says that we’ll have sadness and pain to deal with, and we’ll also find deception and treachery among some of our neighbors. Those who choose pride over humility will feel “wickedness burning as the fire,” which actually presents an opportunity for them to repent of their ways. When the time comes for the Second Coming of Jesus, the earth will be only for those who are accepting of Him in their thoughts, words, deeds, and characters, and the Lord will intercede to protect the righteous. 

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