From a magical shot of lightening displaying the circuits between heaven and earth to a child’s delight in Dandelions and beauty of mother nature: The stunning entries of Pop Isaiah’s photography, painting and prose competition.
Pop Isaiah would like to thank all of you for sharing your perspective of how God talks to man through nature. You are truly valuable to our developing Isaiah community. We hope you had fun, and we hope you’ll consider participating in future events.
The Introduction to Isaiah, Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students (2014) states: “The book of Isaiah was written sometime during the ministry of Isaiah (approximately 740–701 B.C.), during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.”
“Isaiah’s writings divide easily into two main collections or “books” of prophecies:
The Two books are written almost entirely in Hebrew poetry and they are joined by a few historical chapters(36–39) written mostly in prose. It is assumed that Isaiah arranged his writings into their present order, although a scribe or disciple may have done so. Passages from both collections are recorded by various Book of Mormon writers…” Victor L. Ludlow, Unlocking Isaiah, pp.5–6
“Since Isaiah’s ministry was centered in Jerusalem, this is the most likely location of the book’s origin.” ibid. Study Guide
As always, Travis Patten, proprietor of the Pioneer Book had a suggestion for me. He said that if I wanted an easy way to understand Isaiah, then the choice was Isaiah Made Easier. Lucky for me, he had a clean used first edition, but I suggest you get the second edition with its updates at Books & Things, the outlet for Cedar Fort Publishing and Media.
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cholar and author, David J. Ridges spent 35 years teaching the scriptures in seminary and institute classroom and at BYU education weeks. It was there he learned to deliver Isaiah’s teachings and literary symbolism in a conversational way. Personally, I like how he combines Isaiah’s actual words with his commentary to make it all understandable.
However, what I like best about Ridges’ treatment of Isaiah is his “in-verse” commentary; nearly all other writers list their analysis before or after the verse, or worse without citing the verse.
I have never seen it all clarified so simply. Just look at this sample from Isaiah:
Today Newsweek asked: “Will Trump Hasten the Arrival of the Messiah? Jews and Evangelicals Think So.” Then they answered their own questions with this:
“In the wake of President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, some Jewish activists argued that the U.S. president was being guided by God to restore Jewish control over sacred sites.
“Activists lobbying for the construction of a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem said Trump was playing a similar role to the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great, who allowed the Jews to return to Israel from exile.
“Jews also praised Cyrus for helping them build a second Jewish temple in the same place where the first had been destroyed.” (You can read more here)
A few hours prior to Newsweek’s post, I read “Messianic Trump-Cyrus Connection Revealed Through Hebrew Numerology, Bible Codes” and included some of that here too.
“Connections between the US president and Persian King Cyrus, recently strengthened by President Donald Trump’s landmark speech acknowledging Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel, have deep roots in Bible Codes and Biblical numerology which link both men to the coming of the Messiah.
Many have seen similarities between the Biblical King Cyrus and President Donald Trump. — Breaking Israel News.
“President Trump is similar to Cyrus in a number of observable ways, rabbis and commentators have noted. Though separated by 2,500 years, both men rule the greatest nation of their respective eras. Cyrus, like Trump, was powerful and rich but not at all devout. And like Cyrus, Trump supports Jewish national aspirations. Now, a Messianic connection has come to light.”
Berkowitz wrote that the connection between Cyrus, Trump and the Messiah are revealed through “mystical methods,” including Gematria, which “gives Hebrew letters and words numerical values which uncover hidden meanings.”
Berkowitz continued: “Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson, a Bible codes expert, also discovered Trump ties to Cyrus and Messiah within the codes. One week after the 2016 elections, Rabbi Glazerson produced a video(see video above) in which he described clues found in Leviticus.” (You can read this post in its entirety at Breaking Israel News.)
And there are others too:
What do you think? Is our president a new Cyrus to usher in the Millenium?
This Sunday is the second advent lights two of the four outer candles. Its focus is on love and reading in Isaiah 40, which prophesied the preaching of John the Baptist, who would come to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
Many of these verses have become the words of powerful musical works. This chapter details God’s power and how He will redeem His people and offers a hopeful message to those who will trust the Lord.
Once again prophecies of chapter 40 foretell both the first and second comings of the Messiah. If we “liken” the teachings in chapter 40 to ourselves, they can be a beautiful and powerful testimony of the Lord and His power in our personal lives.
Third Sunday Before Christmas or Second Advent Sunday
Isaiah 40:1–11
| 1 Comfort ye, acomfort ye my people, | |
| saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem | |
| that her awarfare is accomplished, | |
| that her iniquity is bpardoned: | |
| for she hath received of the Lord’s hand | |
| cdouble for all her sins. | |
| 3 ¶ The avoice of him that crieth in the wilderness, | |
| bPrepare ye the cway of the Lord, | |
| make straight in the desert | |
| a dhighway for our God. | |
| 4 Every avalley shall be bexalted, | |
| and every cmountain and hill shall be made dlow: | |
| and the ecrooked shall be made straight, | |
| and fthe rough places plain: | |
| 5 And the aglory of the Lord shall be brevealed, | |
| and all flesh shall csee it together: | |
| for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 6 The voice said, Cry. |
|
| And he said, What shall I cry? | |
| All aflesh is bgrass, | |
| and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: | |
| 7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: | |
| because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: | |
| surely the people is grass. | |
| 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: | |
| but the aword of our God shall stand for ever. | |
| 9 ¶ O aZion, that bringest bgood ctidings, | |
| get thee up into the high mountain; | |
| O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, | |
| lift up thy voice with strength; | |
| lift it up, be not afraid; | |
| say unto the cities of dJudah, Behold your God! | |
| 10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, | |
| and his aarm shall rule for him | |
| behold, his breward is with him, and his work before him. 11 He shall feed his aflock like a bshepherd: |
|
| he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, |
|
| and shall gently lead those that are with young. | |
Many of the verses in Isaiah 40 have become the words to wonderful musical works because this chapter richly describes the Lord’s power and how He will redeem His people. As a family today listen to this part of Handel’s Messiah:
If we “liken” the teachings in chapter 40 to ourselves, they can be a beautiful and powerful testimony of the Lord and His power in our personal lives.
Read other Advent posts here:
“Cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished.” Isaiah 40:2
That’s how the Book of Isaiah tells the faithful to speak to Jerusalem. But President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the city as Israel’s capital and move the U.S. Embassy there did something else. Opposed by nearly all U.S. allies — but perhaps emulated by a few — the Wednesday announcement quickly sparked clashes between infuriated Palestinians, who consider the city occupied, and Israeli security forces. Two Palestinian men were killed in a border clash in Gaza, where Hamas then fired rockets before Israeli jets retaliated Friday.
Author: The Presidential Daily Brief
President Boyd K. Packer observed: “Just as you settle in to move comfortably along, you will meet a barrier. The style of the language changes to Old Testament prophecy style. For, interspersed in the narrative, are chapters reciting the prophecies of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. They loom as a barrier, like a roadblock or a checkpoint beyond which the casual reader, one with idle curiosity, generally will not go.” [1]
President Packer’s observation regarding the barrier of the Isaiah chapters raises several questions: Why is Isaiah so difficult? Is he deliberately challenging? Why does he use poetic parallelism rather than employ a more straightforward style like Nephi, who writes “mine own prophecy, according to my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err” (2 Nephi 25:7)?
In Isaiah’s call to be a prophet, known as his “throne theophany,” [5] he was given this instruction:
“Go and tell this people—hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not. [6] Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed” (2 Nephi 16:9–10; compare Isaiah 6:9–10).
The New Testament references this Isaiah passage several times (see Matthew 13:10–15; Mark 4:12; John 12:37–41; Acts 28:25–28) and makes the statement one of consequence—they did not understand or perceive because they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds. Nephi makes a similar claim in the Book of Mormon, that by “looking beyond the mark” the Jews dulled their spiritual capabilities. Jacob explained,
“They despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand; . . . [therefore] God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it” (Jacob 4:14). [7]
In other words, both Nephi and Jacob connected Isaiah’s style of prophecy with the cultural background of the Israelites, created as a result of their desires, and called by Nephi “the manner of prophesying among the Jews” (2 Nephi 25:1). [8] Nephi and Jacob did not emulate certain features of that manner of teaching in their own prophecies; nevertheless, they valued Isaiah’s prophecies highly and testified that they came from the Lord.
Isaiah’s poetic language does reveal great truths in profound ways to those willing to invest time, humility, and faith, even as it hides those truths from the spiritually immature. [9] As an additional challenge to the Nephites and to latter-day readers, Isaiah’s similes and metaphors were often based in agricultural and geographical details that were no longer familiar to the Nephites and are not part of a modern understanding.
Isaiah’s major poetic technique is the use of parallelisms—the repetition of a thought, idea, grammar pattern, or keyword. [10] His writing is further characterized by its potential for multiple applications. This means that many of his prophecies had a historical fulfillment in his day, and others were fulfilled in future times—such as among the Nephites, and at the time of Jesus Christ—and some even have yet to be fulfilled, such as in the latter days at Christ’s Second Coming. [11] For example, after Nephi’s extended quotation of the words of Isaiah in 2 Nephi 12–24, he proceeded to interpret and apply these words first to the Jews (2 Nephi 25:9–20), then to the descendants of Lehi (25:21–26:11), and then to the Gentiles in the latter days (26:12–30:18). Although it may be helpful to understand each poetic device and each potential level of application for the Isaiah passages in the Book of Mormon, readers need not comprehend every simile, metaphor, allegory, poetic meaning, or application to find overarching themes and doctrines.
(read this entire article Here: “Finding Doctrine and Meaning in Book of Mormon Isaiah,” Religious Educator 15, no. 1 (2014): 95–122)
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[5] This is a revelation of God before his throne and sometimes accompanies the calling of a prophet. For further discussion, see Daniel C. Peterson and Steven D. Ricks, “The Throne Theophany/Call of Muhammad,” in The Disciple as Scholar: Essays on Scripture and the Ancient World in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson, ed. Stephen D. Ricks, Donald W. Parry and Andrew H. Hedges (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2000); see also Blake Thomas Ostler, “The Throne Theophany and Prophetic Commission in 1 Nephi: A Form Critical Analysis of the First Chapter of the Book of Mormon,” BYU Studies 26, no. 4 (1986): 67–95.
[6] The Book of Mormon and KJV differ slightly in verse 9. The KJV is written in the present tense without pronouns; however, the Book of Mormon passage is in the past tense with pronouns that identify who is at fault— “they,” meaning the people, not Isaiah or God (2 Nephi 16:9; Isaiah 6:9).
[7] Nevertheless, Nephi prophesied that after the marvelous work and a wonder comes forth that “the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness” (2 Nephi 27:29), a reversal of the curse upon the hard-hearted.
[8] It is evident throughout the scriptures that prophets were often considered outsiders belonging to a minority group deemed heretics (see 3 Nephi 10:15–16). Nephi preceded his quoting of Isaiah’s symbolic prophecies by first reciting the clearly-worded predictions about the “very God of Israel” by the prophets Zenock, Neum, and Zenos (1 Nephi 19:7). He would be “lifted up,” “crucified,” and “buried in a sepulchre” with signs in the heavens and earth at his death (1 Nephi 19:10–12). Lehi was mocked and almost killed by the people in Jerusalem for his teachings—not only did he testify of their wickedness and abominations, he also “manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah” (1 Nephi 1:19–20), suggesting that clearly teaching about the anointed one could arouse murderous opposition. Just as Lehi’s plain testimony enraged the Jews of his day (see 1 Nephi 1:20), their plain and bold testimonies had earlier caused Zenock to be stoned and Zenos to be killed (see Alma 33:17; Helaman 8:19; 3 Nephi 10:15–16). Interestingly, the only portions of the writings by Zenock, Neum, and Zenos that have survived are those quoted by Nephi and other Book of Mormon prophets (see, in addition to the above, Jacob 5; Alma 33:3–17). Their prophecies were taken from the original record of the Jews (see 1 Nephi 13:24–29; Jacob 4:14, emphasis added) and will only come forth in their entirety when the brass plates or other sacred writings become available (see 1 Nephi 5:17–18; 13:39).
[9] Interestingly, in Matthew 13:14–15, Jesus refers to the same verses of Isaiah as those quoted by Nephi and alluded to by Jacob (see previous paragraph in paper). Jesus uses this section of Isaiah to explain why he is speaking in parables, so that only the spiritually mature will hear and understand. Jesus’s understanding of the purpose of parables, then, forms a helpful parallel to Nephi and Jacob’s understanding and use of Isaiah.
[10] Victor L. Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982), 32.
[11] Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, writing of Isaiah’s manner of prophesying, stated: “These parallel prophecies with application in more than one age create much of the complexity in Isaiah, but they also provide so much of the significance and meaning that his writings contain.” Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, Deseret Book, 1997), 78.
Authors: RoseAnn Benson and Shon D. Hopkin| Benson (rabenson@byu.edu) was an adjunct professor of ancient scripture and Hopkin (shon_hopkin@byu.edu) was an assistant professor of ancient scripture at BYU when this article was published.
After months of receiving beautiful artwork submissions for Pop Isaiah’s “Does Good Communicate with Man through Nature” competition we’re excited to highlight the top contenders!
The Pop Isaiah team is going to have a very difficult time choosing a winner since so many inspiring pieces were submitted. We want to thank everyone for participating and taking the time to share how God communicates with man through nature. We’ve had a great time viewing each and every one of them! Now for the top ten:
Josh Krogue:
Brady Moon:
Snježana Crnogorac:
Emily Tueller:
Cassidy Freeman:
Fay Fisher:
Daren Wilding:
Ashley Cain Cole:
Nick Verbelchuck:
Adam Davis:
Thanks again to everyone that participated in the Pop Isaiah photography, painting and prose competition. If you’d like to check out the rest of the submitted pieces, be sure to visit Pop Isaiah on Facebook. Also make sure to follow us via the links below for new and exciting promotions in the future!
“Isaiah is by every standard the messianic prophet of the Old Testament and as such is the most penetrating prophetic voice in that record.”1—Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Most of the world would ask, “Who is Isaiah,” and while many Jews and Christians regard him as one of the greatest prophets, Latter-day Saints see him as preeminent among Old Testament prophets. His preeminence could be shown in a host of historical things we’ve posted, but here are 12 facts we have selected from the LDS Bible Dictionary and other church resources such as the Old Testament Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students to help you get to know him better fast:
He was the last of the major prophets to teach all of the twelve Israelite tribes before they were scattered to the north and east.
Today I visited my favorite bookstore to get a few more books about Isaiah. Travis Patten, the owner of Pioneer Book had several recommendations, though the one he favored was The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lecture on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record. Sadly it was out of stock, but I got it online later in the day.
As Travis and I chatted, he offered his insights into 1 Nephi 21–22 and the Second Nephi Isaiah chapters. He thinks that after Nephi’s vision, he used the words of Isaiah to explain his vision, which means Nephi used Isaiah to explain what he witnessed [the history of the Jews, Lamanite, and gentiles]. And this because he “was told not to write them because that was the stewardship of John the Revelator.”[1] Then in Second Nephi, he used his vision to explain Isaiah to his family and us.
I never considered this before, and in fact, this discussion with Travis pointed to a further mistake in my course of study. I have scrutinized and dissected individual verses for years looking for meaning, but never stepped back to get the big picture or even aski why Nephi would quote Isaiah.
Nephi in 1 Nephi 15:20, explains that he used Isaiah’s words to teach his brothers about the restoration of the Jews, and to pacify and humble them. However, there is more to the inclusion than just for Nephi’s brothers. Joseph Spencer, in The Vision of All, explained, “For Nephi, it’s all about the Abrahamic covenant and the history of Israel.” Hmm …I’ve missed that in the past, how about you?
Further, in The Vision of All, Spencer explained that today’s chapters in the Book of Mormon are not the ones Joseph Smith dictated to his scribes. The chapters and verses we use in today’s Book of Mormon were first devised by Orson Pratt as an Apostle in 1879 on assignment from President John Taylor,2 which means some continuity could have been lost from the original chapters.
Evidence from both the original and printer’s manuscripts shows that Joseph Smith apparently saw some visual indication at the end of a section that the section was ending. Although this may have been a symbol of some kind, a more likely possibility is that the last words of the section were followed by blankness. Recognizing that the section was ending, Joseph then told the scribe to write the word chapter, with the understanding that the appropriate number would be added later. 3
With a little research, I found that 1 Nephi 20–21 were in a an original chapter that began at our modern 1 Nephi 19:22 and ended with 1Nephi 21. This could mean Nephi meant this to be one cohesive message. Then in our modern 1 Nephi 22, Nephi explains the Isianic verses he quoted.
Nathan Richardson says, “Since these section dividers are part of the original text, they can be useful in a number of ways when studying the Book of Mormon. For one thing, they can aid in understanding how the authors were structuring their writings, as well as in revealing connections between passages.4
Using that notion, let’s take a look at 1 Nephi Chapter 19 beginning a verse 21, to see what Nephi says about why he included these two chapters of Isaiah:
21 And he surely did show unto the aprophets of old all things bconcerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass.” Nephi writes that God showed the prophets of old, like Isaiah, many things “concerning us” meaning the Lehites.
22 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 aplates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.
It seems, Nephi feels his people need to know those words which were recorded on the Plates of Brass written by Isaiah, so that “they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.”
Nephi concludes his introduction to Isaiah 48 in verse 23:
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the abooks 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 bIsaiah; for I did cliken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our dprofit and learning.”
He read “many things” to his family from “the books of Moses,” which are the first five books in our Bible, but to more fully “persuade them to believe in” Christ he read them Isaiah’s writings.
In In The Vision of All, Spencer suggests that we might not understand the word likening the same way Nephi does. “Nephi doesn’t much bother with what Isaiah means in his original context; instead, he’s happy just to use broader patterns in Isaiah’s prophecy to see how it might shed light on God’s larger dealings with the covenant people.”4
In 1 Nephi 22, as Nephi’s closing commentary he offers these points:
In a podcast, Bro. Spencer also gave this insight when Nephi quotes from Isaiah, “What he seems to be interested in is this prophetic pattern is maybe the best way to put it. This prophetic idea that Isaiah has, that Israel goes into exile, leaves the Holy Land to find itself among Gentiles. When God redeems Israel, the Gentiles have a chance to learn of Israel’s true God, and as a result, have an opportunity to join in the work of redeeming Israel and become a part of the covenant itself. That’s what Nephi seems to find in …Isaiah and he sees that as not only what happens in, say, the exile in Babylon but as what’s going to happen with the remnant of Israel in the New World.” 7
In all, Nephi wants readers to gain a witness of Christ and know that the Jews will not only return to Israel but accept Christ as part of a renewed Abrahamic covenant.
[1] Book of Mormon Teacher Resource Manual, (2004), 295
2 David J. Whittaker, “Orson Pratt: Early Advocate of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, Apr 1984.
3 Royal Skousen’s Work On the Book of Mormon Manuscripts, Mormon Dialogue & Discussion Board
4 The Original Chapter Breaks in the Book of Mormon
5 Spencer, Joseph M. The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record, Greg Kofford Books.
6 What is Isaiah Doing in the Book of Mormon? – Joseph Spencer, LDS Perspectives Podcast, Episode 8
7 Ibid.
