Study and Teaching Helps — 2024 Book of Mormon Lesson 9

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.

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