Nephi Likens Isaiah’S Words to Hispeople

Event 30

Reference: 2 Ne. 25:1-30; 26:1-33

NOW I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the wordswhich I have written, which have been spoken by the mouthof Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which werehard for many of my people to understand; for they knownot concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews.2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many thingsconcerning the manner of the Jews; for their works wereworks of darkness, and their doings were doings ofabominations. 3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto allthose that shall receive hereafter these things which I write,that they may know the judgments of God, that they comeupon all nations, according to the word which he hathspoken.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the houseof Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because thewords of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they areplain unto all those that are filled with the spirit ofprophecy. But I give unto you a prophecy, according to thespirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy accordingto the plainness which hath been with me from the time thatI came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, mysoul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they maylearn.5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for Icame out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld thethings of the Jews, and I know that the Jews do understandthe things of the prophets, and there is none other peoplethat understand the things which were spoken unto the Jewslike unto them, save it be that they are taught after themanner of the things of the Jews. 6 But behold, I, Nephi,have not taught my children after the manner of the Jews;but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Jerusalem, whereforeI know concerning the regions round about; and I havemade mention unto my children concerning the judgmentsof God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto mychildren, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, andI do not write them. 7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, accordingto my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err;nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shallbe fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times whenthey shall come to pass. 8 Wherefore, they are of worth untothe children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not,unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the wordsunto mine own people; for I know that they shall be of greatworth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall theyunderstand them; wherefore, for their good have I writtenthem.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.9 And as one generation hath been destroyed among theJews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyedfrom generation to generation according to their iniquities;and never hath any of them been destroyed save it wereforetold them by the prophets of the Lord. 10 Wherefore, ithath been told them concerning the destruction whichshould come upon them, immediately after my father leftJerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; andaccording to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save itbe those which are carried away captive into Babylon. 11And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me.And notwithstanding they have been carried away theyshall return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem;wherefore, they shall be restored again to the land of theirinheritance. 12 But, behold, they shall have wars, andrumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the OnlyBegotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven andof earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh,behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, andthe hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks.13 Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in asepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from thedead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shallbelieve on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God.Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him,for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holyname.14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiahhath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself untohis people, unto as many as will believe on his name,behold, Jerusalem shall be destroyed again; for wo untothem that fight against God and the people of his church. 15Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations; yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, theJews shall be scattered by other nations. 16 And after theyhave been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged themby other nations for the space of many generations, yea,even down from generation to generation until they shall bepersuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and theatonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and whenthat day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, andworship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and cleanhands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah,then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs beexpedient that they should believe these things.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time torestore his people from their lost and fallen state.Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and awonder among the children of men. 18 Wherefore, he shallbring forth his words unto them, which words shall judgethem at the last day, for they shall be given them for thepurpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who wasrejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that theyneed not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, forthere should not any come, save it should be a falseMessiah which should deceive the people; for there is saveone Messiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah ishe who should be rejected of the Jews.19 For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiahcometh in six hundred years from the time that my fatherleft Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets,and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall beJesus Christ, the Son of God. 20 And now, my brethren, Ihave spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord Godliveth that brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, andgave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations afterthey had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if theywould cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise upbefore them, and also gave him power that he should smitethe rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I sayunto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord Godliveth, there is none other name given under heaven save itbe this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby mancan be saved.21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promisedunto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generationto generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph,that his seed should never perish as long as the earth shouldstand. 22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generationto generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shallgo according to the will and pleasure of God; and thenations who shall possess them shall be judged of themaccording to the words which are written. 23 For we labordiligently to write, to persuade our children, and also ourbrethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God;for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after allwe can do.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep thelaw of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness untoChrist, until the law shall be fulfilled. 25 For, for this endwas the law given; wherefore the law hath become deadunto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of ourfaith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach ofChrist, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according toour prophecies, that our children may know to what sourcethey may look for a remission of their sins. 27 Wherefore,we speak concerning the law that our children may knowthe deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadnessof the law, may look forward unto that life which is inChrist, and know for what end the law was given. And afterthe law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden theirhearts against him when the law ought to be done away.28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people;wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannotmisunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shallstand as a testimony against you; for they are sufficient toteach any man the right way; for the right way is to believein Christ and deny him not; for by denying him ye alsodeny the prophets and the law. 29 And now behold, I sayunto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and denyhim not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore yemust bow down before him, and worship him with all yourmight, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if yedo this ye shall in nowise be cast out. 30 And, inasmuch as itshall be expedient, ye must keep the performances andordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled which wasgiven unto Moses. 1 AND after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shallshow himself unto you, my children, and my belovedbrethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shallbe the law which ye shall do. 2 For behold, I say unto youthat I have beheld that many generations shall pass away,and there shall be great wars and contentions among mypeople. 3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall besigns given unto my people of his birth, and also of hisdeath and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that daybe unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perishbecause they cast out the prophets, and the saints, and stonethem, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the blood of thesaints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them.4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly,the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord ofHosts, for they shall be as stubble.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depthsof the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts;and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carrythem away, and buildings shall fall upon them and crushthem to pieces and grind them to powder. 6 And they shallbe visited with thunderings, and lightnings, andearthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire ofthe anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, andthey shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shallconsume them, saith the Lord of Hosts. 7 O the pain, andthe anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of mypeople! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nighconsumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I mustcry unto my God:Thy ways are just.8 But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words ofthe prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward untoChrist with steadfastness for the signs which are given,notwithstanding all persecution—behold, they are theywhich shall not perish. 9 But the Son of Righteousness shallappear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shallhave peace with him, until three generations shall havepassed away, and many of the fourth generation shall havepassed away in righteousness. 10 And when these thingshave passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto mypeople; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I haveseen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of theirpride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; forbecause they yield unto the devil and choose works ofdarkness rather than light, therefore they must go down tohell. 11 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive withman. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man thencometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews,that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that theGentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, theEternal God; 13 And that he manifesteth himself unto allthose who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost;yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among thechildren of men according to their faith.14 But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days;concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring thesethings forth unto the children of men. 15 After my seed andthe seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in unbelief,and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea, after theLord God shall have camped against them round about, andshall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raisedforts against them; and after they shall have been broughtdown low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the wordsof the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of thefaithful shall be heard, and all those who have dwindled inunbelief shall not be forgotten. 16 For those who shall bedestroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground, and theirspeech shall be low out of the dust, and their voice shall beas one that hath a familiar spirit; for the Lord God will giveunto him power, that he may whisper concerning them,even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shallwhisper out of the dust. 17 For thus saith the Lord God:They shall write the things which shall be done among them, andthey shall be written and sealed up in a book, and those who havedwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroythe things of God.The Lord18 Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have beendestroyed speedily; and the multitude of their terrible onesshall be as chaff that passeth away—yea, thus saith the LordGod:NephiIt shall be at an instant, suddenly—The Lord 19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindledin unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles. 20And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, andhave stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumblingblock, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless,they put down the power and miracles of God, and preachup unto themselves their own wisdom and their ownlearning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face ofthe poor. 21 And there are many churches built up whichcause envyings, and strifes, and malice. 22 And there arealso secret combinations, even as in times of old, accordingto the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of allthese things; yea, the founder of murder, and works ofdarkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with aflaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cordsforever.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that theLord God worketh not in darkness. 24 He doeth notanything save it be for the benefit of the world; for heloveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life thathe may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandethnone that they shall not partake of his salvation. 25 Behold,doth he cry unto any, saying:Depart from me?The LordBehold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith:NephiCome unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey,without money and without price.The Lord26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should departout of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?Behold, I say unto you, Nay. 27 Hath he commanded anythat they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I sayunto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and hehath commanded his people that they should persuade allmen to repentance. 28 Behold, hath the Lord commandedany that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold Isay unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one likeunto the other, and none are forbidden.Nephi29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for,behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselvesup for a light unto the world, that they may get gain andpraise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. 30Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men shouldhave charity, which charity is love. And except they shouldhave charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they shouldhave charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion toperish. 31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for ifthey labor for money they shall perish.NephiSee Isa. 14:1-32Land of Nephi560 to 546 B.C.32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that menshould not murder; that they should not lie; that they shouldnot steal; that they should not take the name of the Lordtheir God in vain; that they should not envy; that theyshould not have malice; that they should not contend onewith another; that they should not commit whoredoms; andthat they should do none of these things; for whoso doeththem shall perish. 33 For none of these iniquities come ofthe Lord; for he doeth that which is good among thechildren of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain untothe children of men; and he inviteth them all to come untohim and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none thatcome unto him, black and white, bond and free, male andfemale; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alikeunto God, both Jew and Gentile.