Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte
17-23 Feb 2020 - To Persuade Our Children, and Also Our Brethren, to Believe in Christ - 2 Nephi 11-25
2 Nephi 11 - That Whoso of My People Shall See These Words May Lift up Their Hearts and Rejoice
I wonder why God would inspire Jacob to record the words of Isaiah, and why they would be included in the abridgment of the record that ultimately became the Book of Mormon. It seems logical that Nephite prophets would want their people to have access to Isaiah's teachings, but why would an all-knowing God as Jacob to etch them on plates, and then ensure that this duplicate copy of teachings contained in the Bible survived verbatim in the Book of Mormon. Jacob explained, "I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men" (2 Nephi 11:8).
Jacob's main motivation was to inspire his contemporary people and fill them with joy. As I sit here with immediate access to digital copies of 2 Nephi and the book of Isaiah at my fingertips it is easy t one confused and dismissive about why there was a need to record the exact same thing twice. But I am also reminded of the power of repetition in the learning process, and think about how many times other stories are repeated in the standard works. How many times has the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt been involved to teach about the role of the Savior? How many times has the creation of Adam and Eve, or Noah building the arc been repeated to teach important principles about choice and faith?
Even today, there are many who have access to the Old Testament who have not read it, but have read the curated sections of Isaiah that Jacob recorded in the Book of Mormon
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Jacob used the words of Isaiah to teach the need for all of us to repent. Using the children of Israel as a metaphorical example, he explained how "ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways" (2 Nephi 11:5). The children of Israel were left to suffer the consequences of the unrighteous decisions "because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers" (2 Nephi 11:6). This means that instead of looking to God for strength and sustenance, they were lured by the wealth and customs of a world heathen nation.
Israel's foreign neighbors had treasures and great armies (v. 7), but committed the cardinal sins of idolatry and pride: "Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not" (2 Nephi 11:8-9).
A few months ago I sat in on a business class that discussed mitigating bias in management. The instructor shared the concept that it is a common human bias for us to place more weight on information that is easy to measure than information that is hard to measure. I see a spiritual application of this idea in the data points we sometimes latch on to to determine whether someone is in or out of the church. We place a lot of emphasis on easy things to observe, like whether or not someone attends church meetings, dresses a certain way, or keeps the word of wisdom because they are easier to measure than things like charity, humility, or spiritual sensitivity.
This passage from 2 Nephi reminds me that the sins I need to be most vigilant against in my own life are idolatry and pride. Even though they are extremely hard to measure in comparison to whether or not I attended bishopric meeting or reaching out to those I minister to, they are the most poisonous. I can assess how well-aligned my heart is by reflecting on my gratitude to God for the blessings I enjoy, acknowledging his hand in all things, and seeking his will above other worldly pursuits.
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2 Nephi 13 - The Lord Will Take Away the Bravery of Their Tinkling Ornaments
Isaiah taught that because of the pride and the wickedness of the people of Jesrusalem the city would be destroyed. Again the question for me is why was it important for Jacob's people to know this, and why is it important for us to know this, especially when it is recorded in other parts of the scriptures. I see this passage as a cautionary tale to those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ who profess to follow God. Isaiah used the excessive clothing of the women of Jerusalem as a metaphor to illustrate the pride and worldliness that had seeped into the church: "Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet ... the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon" (2 Nephi 13:16, 18).
Too often it is easy to think of wickedness and worldliness as something outside of us, as if the wickedness of the world was an external force waiting at the gates and threatening to destroy us. Whenever we think of the threat as someone else--"those people" who do not keep the commandments--Satan has already won an early victory. Instead of focusing on the mistakes and failings of others, we should reflect on the "daughters of Zion," or us, to identify and change the ways in which we still struggle to follow God's will.
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After the judgment and destruction of the wicked, the Lord promised through Isaiah that "they that are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy ... when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. "(2 Nephi 14:3-4). While Isaiah is speaking of the judgment on a macro-level, I like to apply this idea to myself as an individual, particularly the phrase, "by the spirit of burning." In the last days, the wicked will be burned and the righteous will remain. I see a parallel between this process of judgment and purging and the role of the Holy Ghost in my own life. One of the roles of the Holy Ghost is to purify, sanctify, and transform us. Sometimes described as the baptism of fire, the power of the Holy Ghost is the power by which our natures are changed when we repent.
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Isaiah outlines some of the sins and failings that prevented the children of Israel from availing themselves of the full blessings of God. First, they were hedonistic or pleasure-seeking, and "they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands" (2 Nephi 15:12). Isaiah was specifically criticizing the amount of time they spent at feasts drinking, dancing, and listening to music, but for me this is not a commentary on the sinfulness of parties, or even drinking alcohol, per se. The core issue is a matter of focus and priorities. To enjoy God's blessings we need to fill ourselves with knowledge and awareness of and gratitude for the work of God.
The children of Israel also sought signs, were impatient with God's miracles, and sought proximity as proof. They said, "Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it" (2 Nephi 15:19). Impatience with God's timeline stems from insufficient faith in his love and power. When we are confident that God's plan, and trust that He has the wisdom to know what is in our best interest and the ability to bring it about, we are not dependent on external indicators to prove our progress. We do need to see speedy progress in God's work because we can enjoy the assurance of the Holy Ghost instead of relying on our senses to discern Him.
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Chapter 16 details the vision Isaiah received when he was called as a prophet. In preparation for his service, he was first pleased from sin by a "live coal" representing the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ "(2 Nephi 16:7). Being free from sin was perhaps not only a prerequisite of service, but an important motivating factor. After Isaiah was cleansed from sin, he heard the voice of the Lord ask who would be willing to represent him: "Whom shall I send and who will go for us," to which Isaiah echoed the words of the Savior and responded "Here am I; send me" (2 Nephi 16:8)
I'm not sure what the significance of this detail, but a seraphim, or an angelic minister of God, was the one to bring the live coal to Isaiah's lips, but the voice of the Lord personally called Isaiah to serve. I'm intrigued by the role of a minister or servant in helping others access the blessings of the atonement, and the direct and personal approach the Lord employed to extend a calling.
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Isaiah prophesied that Syria and Ephraim would come to battle against Judah, but would not prevail. In offering this assurance of safety, God said, "the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rezin; ... and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son" (2 Nephi 17:8-9). While not stated explicitly, this prophesy implies that while the adversaries are led by mortal kings in earthly capitals, that judah is led by the God of heaven. The message from Isaiah is not to fear what man can do "whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (2 Nephi 12:22). Earthly power is limited and fleeting and pales in comparison to the power of God.
God then offers a sign assuring the tribe of Judah that it will be safe from Syria and Ephraim. The sign described is the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ, and his eventual millennial reign. The reason we do not have to fear anything that can happen to us in this life is because of the atonement and power of Jesus Christ to overcome.
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2 Nephi 18 - For Signs and for Wonders in Israel
While Judah was promised protection from Syria and Ephraim, Isaiah also prophesied of the coming invasion of the Assyrians, who would "come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks. And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land" (2 Nephi 18:7). Because of the wickedness of Judah and their flirtations with the idolatrous customs of Syria and Ephraim, Isaiah prophesied that Judah would "pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God" (2Nephi 18:21). All of this suffering came about because Israel sought an alliance with Rezin and Remaliah, the kings of Syria and Ephraim, instead of relying on the Lord: "Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son" (2 Nephi 18:6).
The lesson for me is to keep the commandments, seek and follow promptings of the Spirit, and prioritize the spiritual dimension of my life. Usually I attempt to solve challenges with worldly solutions. While it is totally appropriate to consult professional sources and reason through my problems--whether they are related to parenting, finances, or work--those sources are supplemental and secondary to the insight and power of God. When we try to live righteously, we experience the miracle of conversion and sanctification within ourselves and become the treasure and glory of God. As Isaiah put it, "I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts" (2 Nephi 18:18).
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2 Nephi 19 - We Will Change Them Into Cedars
Isaiah testified that despite the wickedness and rebelliousness of Israel, Christ stands ready to save. "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (2Nephi 19:21). I love the metaphors that Isaiah used to describe the blessings that will come upon the house of Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem and the persecution of the people. He compared the gathering of Israel and the redemption of Christ to masonry and lumber. "The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars" 2 Nephi 19:10). Cut stones are a superior building material to clay bricks, and cedar was a prized building material in the region in ancient times.
Last year Bren and I went to a wedding in the Provo City Temple where the sealer referred the the cedars of Lebanon in his advice to the young couple. He mentioned the deep roots of a cedar tree lends it height and strength, and encouraged them to be like a cedar tree and "put down deep roots." Putting down deep roots means that the tree might take longer to grow and not be immediately or outwardly impressive, but it is also the source of the trees resilience and long-term growth. This notion has become a mantra for me and helped me invest in things with long-term importance and quiet my anxiety around not accomplishing enough fast enough.
In the same breath that Isaiah prophesied trials and destruction, he foreshadowed a reconstruction with hard wood and cut stone that would be more glorious and lasting than the preceding structure.
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2 Nephi 20 - Shall the Ax Boast Itself?
Assyria was the tool God wielded to humble and destroy Jerusalem. But Assyria was wicked in its own right. While they had not betrayed the same light and truth and did not receive the warning voice of the prophets, they were still an idolatrous people. While Assyria boasted that their conquest was a function of their military power and cunning strategy, God asks, "Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!" (2 Nephi 20:15).
Eventually Assyria fell as well, and these rhetorical questions can be good for us to reinforce our own humility. When we do something good there is nothing wrong with celebrating the accomplishment and validating our worth and contribution in the world. What Isaiah is warning against is ignoring God as the provider of all power and blessings. We have been blessed with talents and abilities to glorify God and accomplish his work. When we boast in our own strength without acknowledging the blessings of God we fail to recognize that we are instruments in His hands.
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2 Nephi 21 - He Shall Not Judge After the Sight of His Eyes
As Isaiah characterized the power and righteousness of Christ he mennonite that "he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears" (2 Nephi 21:3). I take this phrase to mean that Christ discerns and judges by the power of the Spirit. It reminds me of the counsel the prophet Samuel received as he was trying to select the King of Israel. As he considered various sons of Jesse before finding and anointing David Samuel learned that "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
While easier said than done, these verses remind us to see others as God sees them, to try to understand their past and their motivations, discount external worldly factors, and avoid forming permanent opinions as we make righteous judgements.
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2 Nephi 22 - With Joy Shall Ye Draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation.
During the millennium the righteous will rejoice and praise God. Isaiah prophesies that "with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (2 Nephi 22:3). I love the implications of this metaphor of the well. It is an effectively endless source of refreshment and life. As Christ taught the woman of Samaria, "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (john 4:14). Jesus Christ is the source of salvation end eternal life.
Drawing water from a well is also a significant effort. "In fact, it was Rebekah's willingness to go to great lengths not only to draw water for Abraham's servant, but his camels also that served as a sign that she was the intended bride of Isaac: "Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also"Genesis 24:14). Drawing water is work. Repentance is work. Loving and serving others is work. But Isaiah foresaw the the righteous would draw water "with joy." While we must exert effort to enjoy the blessing afforded through Christ's power, it is a labor of love and happiness.
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2 Nephi 23 - Mine Anger Is Not Upon Them That Rejoice in My Highness
Isaiah anticipated the eventual destruction of Babylon as a type of the destruction of the wicked at the time of His second coming: "And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible" (2 Nephi 23:11). He caveats that the Lord the righteous will be protected and spared: "I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my highness" (2 Nephi 23:3).
I'm intrigued that the Lord does not say that he withholds his anger from the righteous, per se, but from "them that rejoice in my highness." We are spared not because of a checklist of good deeds we have completed, or because of our own merits. We are sanctified and made mighty when we acknowledge the divinity of Christ and rejoice in His power.
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2 Nephi 24 - As I Have Purposed, so Shall It Stand
Isaiah prophesied that Israel will be gathered, wicked rulers and institutions will be destroyed, the earth will experience peace, and that Satan will be overcome. All of these things will be accomplished according to will of the Lord, per the revelations he has given to His prophets. Through the scriptures I notice phrases that allude to the power of God's words, and His perfect integrity. "The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand" (2 Nephi 24:24).
Part of what makes God divine is the fact that his words are in perfect alignment with his will. He has the ability and internal integrity to fulfill all that he says he will. In our earthly experiment, we can learn to be more like him by discovering and clarifying our desires, making commitments to God, ourselves, and others that align with our values, and striving to follow through.
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2 Nephi 25 - The Words of Isaiah Are Not Plain Unto You
In 2 Nephi chapter 25 Nephi summarized and discussed his reasons for extensively quoting Isaiah. As it turns out, Isaiah was hard for his people to understand, too. Because they didn't understand the regions surrounding Israel or the customs of the Jews "the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy" (2 Nephi 25:4).
Nephi used simple language that his people and later generations would understand to describe the destruction of Jerusalem because of wickedness, the scattering and gathering of Israel, and the millennial victory of Christ. Underpinning all of this was his motivation to inspire his people and connect them with God. "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:25-26).
I have received so much joy and strength from my relationship with Christ and participation in his Church. It is a gift I do not take for granted. I share my experience and thoughts on spiritual things in the hope that they are useful and uplifting to others on a spiritual journey.
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Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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