Editor’s Note: Four years ago, Jonn Claybaugh began writing the Study and Teaching Helps series of articles for Interpreter. We now have these wonderful and useful posts for all four years of Come, Follow Me lessons. Beginning this year we will be reposting these articles, with dates, lesson numbers, and titles updated for the current year’s lessons. Jonn has graciously agreed to write new study aids for those lessons that do not directly correspond to 2020 lessons.
2 Nephi 11:2-8 Why So Much Isaiah?
Nephi gives several reasons for quoting Isaiah again, this time for 13 chapters (adding to his three other chapters in 1 Nephi 20-21 and 2 Nephi 27; others who quoted Isaiah in the Book of Mormon are Jacob, Abinadi, Moroni, and Jesus Christ). Nephi’s reasons can help us in our study. He stated: Isaiah was a witness of the Redeemer, as were Nephi and Jacob (verses 2-3); Isaiah helps prove the coming of Christ (verse 4); he helps us understand the covenants of the Lord and His grace, justice, power, mercy, and deliverance from death (verse 5); the writings of Isaiah lead us to “lift up [our] hearts and rejoice” (verse 8).
2 Nephi 12-19 An Organized Approach
One reason we can sometimes be confused by the writings of Isaiah is that the topics include events ranging from pre-mortal life to the Millennium and beyond; and they aren’t in chronological order! It can help to look in multiple references for specific events or time periods, such as:
- What is the Lord doing in the last days to gather scattered Israel and build up His kingdom? (See 2 Nephi 12:2-3; 15:26.)
What is your role—present and future—in His work?
- What did Isaiah say about the wickedness of his day and ours, and about their destruction? (See 2 Nephi 12:6-10; 13:4-5, 8-9, 12, 15-17, 24-25; 15:11-13, 18-20; 19:5.)
How do you recognize and reject the evil of our day?
- What did Isaiah prophesy about Jesus Christ? (See 2 Nephi 17:14; 18:13-15; 19:2-4.)
I what ways is Jesus Christ a “sanctuary” and a “great light” for you?
- What things did Isaiah prophesy about Christ’s millennial reign, and what life will be like during the Millennium? (See 2 Nephi 12:4; 14:2-6; 19:6-7.)
What do you most look forward to in the Millennium? Why?
We also see that an overarching theme of Isaiah is the growth of both the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. But Isaiah abundantly assures us that in the end, God’s work and kingdom will triumph and Satan and his work will be destroyed forever.
2 Nephi 19:6 and Isaiah 9:6 are a famous prophecy about the birth of Jehovah into mortality. The same message is elaborated by the angel who visited King Benjamin, whose words are recorded in Mosiah Chapter 3.
3:5: “For behold the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is, from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay . . . .”
3:7: “And lo, he shall suffer . .. pain of body . . . even more than man can suffer . . . for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.”
3:8: “And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning, and his mother shall be called Mary.”
3:13: “And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceeding great joy, even as though he had already come among them.”
King Benjamin knew the writings of Isaiah from the Plates of Brass. He knew Isaiah’s prophecy of Christ. He heard the angel testify of “the mighty God, the everlasting Father”. He knew that Christ would be the “Prince of Peace” for all who received a remission of their sins. He knew that for the redeemed, Christ would be our advocate with the Father (D&C 19 and 45) pointing to his sacrifice as paying the price for our sins. He would thus be our “parakletos”, advocate, “comforter” or “Counsellor”. He would be a “Wonderful Counsellor.”
I think that another one of the reasons that Nephi quoted Isaiah so much is because he couldn’t quote Alma or Benjamin or Jesus or Paul etc. He couldn’t even quote Jeremiah or Amos or Daniel. Isaiah was all he had. His is the first Old Testament book with extensive doctrine, especially doctrine of Christ. He did speak of the experiences and leadership of Moses but focused on the more in-depth discussions of Isaiah.
Actually Jesus did the same thing in the New Testament, quoting a good deal of Isaiah.