2 Nephi 26

It is amazing how prophets speak to people of future generations with such great attachment and love. "And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do (1). "And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked (3),...And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightenings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions (6)...O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people! For I Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto my God: Thy ways are just" (7).
Nephi rejoices in what the righteous will experience; "But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all persecution---behold, they are they which shall not perish. But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him,..." (8-9).
Nephi again speaks of the Jews, but this time includes the Gentiles (other people). "And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God; And that he manifesteth himself unto all those 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 the children of men according to their faith" (12-13). God teaches all people of the world of his Son. Many great prophets have been instrumental in helping to mold peoples and nations character and to prepare a world ready to receive Christ.

2 Nephi 25

According to Nephi Isaiah's words are not easy to understand. Nephi delights in plainness and prophecies that his words will be easily understood (1-4). The Jews understood Isaiah's writings. Nephi understands the ways of the Jews and he is filled with prophecy so he can understand Isaiah's writings and his soul delighteth in them (4-7).
Nephi prophecies that the Jews will be destroyed from generation to generation because of iniquity. They will never be destroyed unless they are first warned by prophets (9). When Jesus comes among them they will reject Him and crucify him. After 3 days he will "rise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God" (12-13). The Jews will be scattered among all nations (15) and be persecuted "until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind---and when that day is come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands...he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men" (16-17).

2 Nephi 24 compare Isa. 14

The Lord will choose Israel and set them in their own land (vs. 1). "In that day the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow and...fear (vs 3). "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations (vs. 12)! Lucifer thought to rule over God (vs. 13-14). "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (vs. 15). The Lord has all power; He will rise up against the wicked so those that are oppressed by them will have "his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders" (vs.21-24 and 25). This is the purpose of the earth; "and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations" (vs. 26). Verses 28-31 is the destruction by the Assyrians in succeeding generations (this could represent the destruction in the last days). Verse 32 brings comfort and a message "What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it."

2 Nephi 23 compare Isa. 13

I have not wanted to post about this chapter and have put it off today because it is a description of the destruction of the wicked. My heart aches for the wicked, for those that desire to do harm rather than good. I feel like Ammon and his brethren when they were so concerned about the souls of the Lamanites because they did not want them to be lost. According to Parry (1998) verses 2-5 "comprises the Lord's command to us to gather Israel by hoisting a banner or ensign on a mountain; calling with a voice; and beckoning with the hand. When these three signals are given, the earth cannot doubt the veracity of the invitation to join the Saints in Zion.
Those who gather will come from all parts of the earth (13:5), will be sanctified in the temple (13:3), and will become part of the Lord's army to serve in the holy war against evil (13:4-5), all of which will occur in preparation for the Lord's coming when he will destroy modern Babylon as he destroyed ancient Babylon. As the Lord invites his people to gather to Zion, and the temple, Satan simultaneously entices people to become part of Babylon (14:4-20)" (p. 129). We know that we will not be left alone, to fight this battle against evil. Ultimately God will be the one to wage the war of destruction and end the conflict. Such phraseology as destroy the whole land, howl ye, hands be faint, every man's heart shall melt, afraid, pangs and sorrows, faces as flames, punish the world for evil, shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, consummate the sorrow of this time.

2 Nephi 22 compare Isaiah 12. Merry Christmas!

A better chapter for Christmas morning could not have been handpicked. I too, with Isaiah, praise and honor the Lord this joyous day. In the book "Understanding Isaiah," Parry refers to Isaiah 12 as "Israel's 'Songs of Salvation' that we will sing in the future, perhaps at Christ's coming or during the Millennium." Verse 2 introduces this work as just that, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation." Verse 6 refers to the time we will sing this song, "Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." When Christ will reign in our midst we will honor him and all that he has accomplished for us and this will be known in all the earth.

2 Nephi 21compare Isaiah 11

There is so much we can learn from Isaiah about our day and Christ's Millennial reign. I am grateful that the earth will be prepared and return to its Eden state. This is why the destruction of the wicked is immanent. The earth cannot be in a temple-like state without a cleansing. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain..." (vs. 9). The term mountain has always been used when referring to temples, as introduced by Moses when he went into the mount to speak to the Lord. Verse 9 also teaches that the "earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Joseph Smith quoted this statement, but he added that it will be 'sacred knowledge' that will fill the earth" (Parry, Parry, & Petersen p. 120).
Verse 11 teaches that the Lord will "set his hand again the second time to recover his people."
My favorite verse is verse 8, "And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. Parry (1998) makes it apparent that this does not only refer to the peacefulness between man and beast; it refers to God's children not being harmed by poisonous serpents, or the one who is referred to as the serpent. Satan will be bound during Christ's Millennial reign.

His Hand is Stretched out Still

There are several running themes in the Book of Isaiah. In chapters 19 and 20 of second Nephi His hand is stretched out still is used to depict the tender mercies of the Lord. Prior to this statement is cited the unrighteous behavior of the inhabitants of the earth. The oppressor and the oppressed are mentioned in chapter 20, which is Isaiah's chapter 10.

The oppressor makes unrighteous decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed (vs. 1). These decrees turn away the needy and prey upon the widows and fatherless (vs. 2). They, the oppressors, will take charge of the spoil (or the wealth) and tread down the people (vs. 6). His (the oppressor's) heart is to destroy and cut off nations (vs. 7). They are proud and do make themselves altogether kings (vs. 8). He saith, "By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom I have done these things; for I am prudent; and I have moved the borders of the people and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man; and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs that are left have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped" (vs. 13 -14).

The Lord's response to the wicked oppressor, "I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks" (vs 12). The Lord asks, "Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it (vs. 15)? "Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down; and the haughty shall be humbled" (vs. 33).

The oppressed ( saith the Lord) "without me shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain (vs. 4). " The Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee' (vs 24). There shall be a scourge and a slaughter (vs. 26).

The Lord's has two responses to the oppressed. The Lord will send leanness and kindle a burning of fire (vs. 17), "And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and his briers in one day" (vs. 18). He counsels "O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid...For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction" (vs. 24 and 25). The Lord needs to perform his whole work (of refining) upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem (vs. 12). But "his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of he anointing (footnote; Jesus Christ, Messiah)" (vs. 27).

Chapter 21 speaks more of what the Lord will do for those that have endured the refining process and chosen righteousness over wickedness, those who have not turned their backs on Jesus Christ but have allowed Him to embrace, nurture, teach and guide them. Yet to all the theme that rings clear and strong to all, both the oppressor and the oppressed is "But His hand is stretched out still" (Chap. 19:12, 17, 21; Chap 20:4). And we shall lift up the voice (vs. 30) and shout, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Might God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever..." (2 Nephi 19:6).