ISAIAH – A BOOK FOR ALL SEASONS

One of the more fascinating experiences I have in Sunday School classes is when the book of Isaiah is being studied. It gets especially entertaining when the instructor or one of the students expresses with absolute authority how certain verses or certain chapters should be interpreted.

The prophet Nephi in the first two books of the Book of Mormon included sections of Isaiah’s writings from the Brass Plates which had been obtain from Laban, but before doing so he wanted to make sure we were aware of a very important principle which needed to be understood by those who were studying Isaiah’s words.

Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.

And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written. (1 Nephi 19: 22-24)

Nephi is clear that the scriptures in general and the book of Isaiah in particular are of most value when the individual who is searching them ‘likens’ the contents unto themselves for their individual profit and learning and to give them reason to have hope. He also indicates that a personal bias he has is to use these words to persuade his people to believe in their Lord and Redeemer.

During His visit to the descendants of Lehi after His resurrection Jesus the Savior, before quoting some passages from Isaiah, gave the following admonition to those who were gathered at the Temple in the land Bountiful.

And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.

Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles. And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things. (3 Nephi 23: 1-5)

I believe the Savior is just as clear as was Nephi that the words of Isaiah and as He likewise notes, all the words He has given us through his prophets, should be searched and harkened to for the individual progress of all of Heavenly Father’s children.

Perhaps a small reminder would be appropriate that to the writers of the Book of Mormon the world consisted of only two groups of people. Those who had aligned themselves with the covenants of the House of Israel and those who had not, whom they referred to as Gentiles.

Therefore, it is well to remember, whenever one is doing individual searching of the scriptures, especially the book of Isaiah, the more we can individualize the teachings into generations, nations and peoples, the greater will be the benefit to our progression towards understanding the path which leads us unto Christ.

ISAIAH – A BOOK FOR ALL SEASONS

For those who lived as contemporaries of Isaiah during the 8th century B.C. and continuing down to the advent of the Savior in the Flesh, the book was a reminder of the wars and the consequences of those wars which were continually being waged between neighbors in an effort to determine the power of their god or gods. The rabbinical scholars of that and subsequent eras have found very different and individual meanings from the words of Isaiah for the House of Israel than those of other dispensations.

In the Book of Mormon we find the words of Isaiah being quoted so frequently that Fawn Brodie remarked in her book, ‘No Man Knows My History’, ‘whenever Joseph Smith ran out of ideas he just inserted passages of Isaiah to fill pages.’ Those who believe Joseph Smith to be a prophet of God, however, believe Nephi’s and the Lord’s explanations as to why the Book of Mormon contains chapters from the book of Isaiah. The prophets and teachers of the Book of Mormon era found very different and individual meanings from the words of Isaiah for the House of Lehi than those of other dispensations.

Those who wrote about the Savior’s mission in the flesh, especially the Apostle Matthew, used the words of Isaiah to verify to the House of Judah during the meridian of time that the Son of God had come to earth to open the doors of salvation to all. The Disciples, Sadducees and the Pharisees found very different and individual meanings from the words of Isaiah for the House of Judah than those of other dispensations.

For Centuries post Constantine Christianity representatives have used the words of Isaiah to justify changes and charges, destinies and destructions which vacillated almost as frequently as the filling of decades. Popes, Priests, Pastors and Preachers through the centuries have found very different and individual meanings from the words of Isaiah for the House of Christianity than those of other dispensations.

During the period of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, members of the Church of Jesus Christ have become fond of talking about Isaiah in one of two ways. Either we hear them say, ‘I can’t understand the words of Isaiah’ or ‘let me tell you exactly what these words of Isaiah mean’. Therefore, depending upon whether you attend Sunday School in Eli, Nevada, Bountiful, Utah, Bogota, Colombia or some other isolated unit of the church you will find some variation of the ‘not understanding’ or the ‘exact interpretation’ mode being espoused which will vary widely and be preach with individual meanings about the words of Isaiah for the House of Latter Day Saints than those of other dispensations.

I cannot say for certain, but I have a suspicion that those who live during the millennial dispensation after the Second Coming of Jesus the Christ will receive very different and individual meanings when reading the words of Isaiah than any other dispensation of this world’s history.

During the coming months when we are led into the words of Isaiah by one of the writers of the Book of Mormon, my prayer is that I might be faithful as I write my Thoughts to four guiding principles; first, that I might succeed in my efforts to demonstrate what Nephi was trying to have his people understand from the passages of Isaiah he was quoting; second, I will be able to faithfully include Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s chapter preface statements in the English LDS edition of the Bible with some additional brief personal comments which will not distract from his interpretation of Isaiah’s words; third, that I might succeed in my efforts to communicate a very personal meaning I am receiving at the moment; and fourth, that perhaps I might succeed in my efforts to provide a stimulus for whoever might be reading my Thoughts that week to seek their own individual instructions from the words of Isaiah.

I have a solemn testimony that the words of Isaiah as well as the words of all scripture are of most benefit when they speak to us individually and sink deeply into those areas of our beings which need to profit from learning about the purposes of our existence and which will inspire us to align our thoughts, words and actions with the gospel of Jesus the Christ.

ISAIAH – A BOOK FOR ALL SEASONS


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY