This marks my 50th post and it's appropriate to post my favorite Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 53. In beautiful, poetic language Isaiah looks forward in time to our Savior's mortal mission. With phrases like "tender plant" and "root out of a dry ground" he portrays Jesus as a vulnerable, normal-looking man springing up in apostate Israel. Yet in Him lies every hope imaginable.
I want to highlight only three verses.
Pierced Bread
The ordinances of the gospel point our souls to Christ, and thus they are sanctified unto us for righteousness (see Jacob 4:5). The law of Moses had a "meat offering," which would more appropriately be called a "meal offering," since it was made with fine flour. The ordinance is described as follows:
"And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil" (Leviticus 2:4; see also Exodus 29:2).
This one verse is loaded with Messianic imagery. Unleavened cakes were distinguished from unleavened bread by the small perforations in the cake. Bread has a smooth crust (think skin here), while cake has tiny holes in its texture. Thus, unleavened cake was called "pierced bread." We often sing a sacrament hymn with the words, "They pierce his hands and feet and side" ("Behold the Great Redeemer Die," Hymns #191). This offering, along with the shewbread, was a forerunner to the sacrament in ancient Israel. I have included a link to Strong's for the intent of the Hebrew word:
http://www.blbclassic.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2471&t=KJV
You will notice this is pierced cake or "pierced bread." You will notice the Hebrew word challah, and if you click on the "Root Word" (or etymology), you will notice that the root comes from the Hebrew word chalal, meaning "to wound, pierce" (see definition 2).
Remember, the unleavened wafers were "anointed with oil," symbolizing the Messiah, or Christ (anointed One), who would be wounded in the oil press. The name Gethsemane means "oil press." He would then be pierced and wounded again on the cross.
If you scroll down to "Continued Search Results" and click "4. (Psa 89:31 - Eze 20:14)," you will find Isaiah 53:5:
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
The word wounded is chalal, the root of challah, meaning "pierced bread." The Bread of Life was "wounded for our transgressions," and "bruised for our iniquities." But "with his stripes we are healed."
"Make His Soul an Offering for Sin"
Verse 10 reads:
"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand."
It sounds like, "It pleased the Father to bruise the Son." But a closer examination reveals "the Lord" is Jehovah in this case. You can click here to view it in Strong's. So it could be translated as, "It pleased Jehovah to bruise Jesus." This demonstrates the dual role of Jesus Christ as the Father and Son (see Mosiah 15:2-7).
So let's look at the pronouns in this passage. "He (Jehovah) hath put him (Jesus) to grief: when thou (you and me) shalt make his (Jesus') soul an offering for sin, he (Jesus Christ) shall see his (Jesus') seed" (spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Jesus Christ). Yes, it's up to you and me what becomes of His atoning sacrifice. It's what we make of it. Through covenants we can become "the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters," and we are "born of him" (Mosiah 5:7).
By the way, the word for grief is chalah, the verb form (put him to grief) of challah.
Jesus Gives Away the Victory Prize
The final verse of this beautiful prophecy reads:
"Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12).
In both the Old and New Testaments, the word divide is more to share or assign. It's not like dividing a pie. The giver is not depleted of whatever he is giving away. The Lord said, "All that my Father hath shall be given unto him" (D&C 84:38). In fact, the Father and Son are made more glorious as Their works are continued (see D&C 132:31).
But it wasn't Jesus who needed redemption anyway. In this Isaiah chapter, "the strong" are His seed. The spoil would be the goods won in battle. In this battle against Satan, sin, and death, our Savior shares the victory prize with His seed, His spiritually begotten sons and daughters, handing over the victory prize of eternal life and exaltation.
Whatever glory was won, whatever credit was given, He gives away. Listen to Him:
"Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—
"Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;
"Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life" (D&C 45:3-5).
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Isaiah 51--"Look unto the Rock Whence Ye Are Hewn"
Isaiah quickly identifies his audience in this chapter. He addresses the children of Abraham. Is Abraham your father? Do you follow after righteousness?
A quick look back to Abraham, chapter 1 will identify those who want to be like Abraham. In his own narrative he shares his desire.
"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers" (Abraham 1:2).
You get the idea of the cyclical effect of righteousness producing pure knowledge, and greater knowledge producing more righteousness. It's one of those great gospel secret treasures.
Isaiah, of course, agrees and identifies Abraham as a follower of righteousness. Now he speaks to his seed--heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant.
"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him" (Isaiah 51:1-2).
Isaiah must have had a copy of the brass plates mentioned in the Book of Mormon or a similar text, because other Biblical texts don't mention the term "followers of righteousness." Genesis 15 is the closest resemblance I can recall: "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (verse 6). A quick search in a Strong's Bible Concordance confirmed my suspicion here. The phrase does not occur in the King James Version. I have attached a link to confirm this:
http://www.blbclassic.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=followers+of+righteousness&t=KJV&sf=5
Look Unto the Rock
Isaiah just paid you a nice compliment. You come from awfully good stock. You are hewn out in the image and magnitude of righteous Abraham and Sarah. You inherited eternally sublime qualities. You will find them with your lineage in your patriarchal blessing.
But it gets even better!
You are hewn out in the likeness of the Rock. And it's the same Rock Helaman speaks of in the Book of Mormon:
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12).
He dug you and me out of the pit. I remember being in the pit as a practicing alcoholic. He dug me out! He dug you out too. You are His precious jewel (see Malachi 3:17). He dug you out and is now polishing and refining you.
So we have a choice. We can look back to the pit and feel remorse. We can refuse Him and stay in the pit. Or we can "shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children" (Ether 6:3).
The choice is yours.
A quick look back to Abraham, chapter 1 will identify those who want to be like Abraham. In his own narrative he shares his desire.
"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers" (Abraham 1:2).
You get the idea of the cyclical effect of righteousness producing pure knowledge, and greater knowledge producing more righteousness. It's one of those great gospel secret treasures.
Isaiah, of course, agrees and identifies Abraham as a follower of righteousness. Now he speaks to his seed--heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant.
"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him" (Isaiah 51:1-2).
Isaiah must have had a copy of the brass plates mentioned in the Book of Mormon or a similar text, because other Biblical texts don't mention the term "followers of righteousness." Genesis 15 is the closest resemblance I can recall: "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (verse 6). A quick search in a Strong's Bible Concordance confirmed my suspicion here. The phrase does not occur in the King James Version. I have attached a link to confirm this:
http://www.blbclassic.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=followers+of+righteousness&t=KJV&sf=5
Look Unto the Rock
Isaiah just paid you a nice compliment. You come from awfully good stock. You are hewn out in the image and magnitude of righteous Abraham and Sarah. You inherited eternally sublime qualities. You will find them with your lineage in your patriarchal blessing.
But it gets even better!
You are hewn out in the likeness of the Rock. And it's the same Rock Helaman speaks of in the Book of Mormon:
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12).
He dug you and me out of the pit. I remember being in the pit as a practicing alcoholic. He dug me out! He dug you out too. You are His precious jewel (see Malachi 3:17). He dug you out and is now polishing and refining you.
So we have a choice. We can look back to the pit and feel remorse. We can refuse Him and stay in the pit. Or we can "shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children" (Ether 6:3).
The choice is yours.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Isaiah 44--Fuel for the Fire
Isaiah describes a pattern of addiction, as idols fuel the fire of vain imagination. The idol maker experiences what addicts call "the God hole." He becomes hungry, thirsty, and faint. Having given all to his drug of choice, he is left with the empty feeling in the middle of his soul--that empty hole we try to fill with alcohol, drugs, sex, food . . . the list goes on and on.
Driven by vain imagination, "it shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite" (Isaiah 29:8).
Driven by vain imagination, the addict thinks he is rescued once again from whatever ails him, and the false god is strengthened in the eyes of the addicted one.
Isaiah describes it wonderfully:
"He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
"Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
"He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
"And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god" (Isaiah 44:14-17).
The addict plants the seed and the rain nourishes it. It grows into a tree. He builds a fire to warm himself and bakes bread to satisfy his hunger. He eats up the flesh and becomes consumed by it. He says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire."
How many nights I wasted away consumed in the warm glow of the alcoholic buzz, thinking, "Aha, I am warm and satisfied." I have become numb again and all seems to be well in my euphoric escape.
With the residue we make false gods, even imaginary. I fall down and worship in my own way.
Then comes the tricky part. I plead for deliverance. "Deliver me; for thou art my god." But the enemy who led me there has now abandoned me "even as a sheep having no shepherd" (Alma 25:12).
Denial sets in.
"They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand" (Isaiah 44:18).
I am deceived.
"And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?" (Isaiah 44:19).
Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? Shall I fall down again to the chemical formula of alcohol?
The fire has consumed my life.
"He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Isaiah 44:20).
Out of the ashes I reach out to God.
"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy" (1 Nephi 8:12).
Driven by vain imagination, "it shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite" (Isaiah 29:8).
Driven by vain imagination, the addict thinks he is rescued once again from whatever ails him, and the false god is strengthened in the eyes of the addicted one.
Isaiah describes it wonderfully:
"He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
"Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
"He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
"And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god" (Isaiah 44:14-17).
The addict plants the seed and the rain nourishes it. It grows into a tree. He builds a fire to warm himself and bakes bread to satisfy his hunger. He eats up the flesh and becomes consumed by it. He says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire."
How many nights I wasted away consumed in the warm glow of the alcoholic buzz, thinking, "Aha, I am warm and satisfied." I have become numb again and all seems to be well in my euphoric escape.
With the residue we make false gods, even imaginary. I fall down and worship in my own way.
Then comes the tricky part. I plead for deliverance. "Deliver me; for thou art my god." But the enemy who led me there has now abandoned me "even as a sheep having no shepherd" (Alma 25:12).
Denial sets in.
"They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand" (Isaiah 44:18).
I am deceived.
"And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?" (Isaiah 44:19).
Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? Shall I fall down again to the chemical formula of alcohol?
The fire has consumed my life.
"He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Isaiah 44:20).
Out of the ashes I reach out to God.
"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy" (1 Nephi 8:12).
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Isaiah 40--"The Voice of Him that Crieth in the Wilderness"
Isaiah 40 is a transition marker in the Book of Isaiah. The message shifts from Israel's fallen state to a Messianic message of hope in Jesus and His Atonement.
And we all know whose voice cries in the wilderness, right? If you said it was John the Baptist, you are right. It is quoted in the New Testament:
"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, (Isaiah) saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Matthew 3:3).
But could there be other "voices?"
A Divine Council
Often the leitwort (theme word) voice is emphasized in Hebrew to mean the voice of the divine council. The word voice appears in verses 3 and 6 of Isaiah 40.
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness . . ."
"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?"
The King James Version suffers a translation failure here. Many Bible translations have the latter part read, "And I said, What shall I cry?" Clearly there is a dialog involving members of the divine council. In fact the first verses address the divine council.
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins (vv. 1-2).
The word ye addresses the divine council in the second person.
Members of the Council
So who are the members of this divine council? John the Baptist would have to be included. And Isaiah is re-commissioned to carry the Messianic message, after receiving his first assignment in Chapter 6.
Isaiah is often dual prophecy, or multiple prophecies, and this is no exception.
John the Baptist was the forerunner preceding the coming of the Savior. His role was to make straight a highway for our God. To "make straight" would be the equivalent of removing obstacles in the highway. It's like straightening a room by tidying up a bit. Definitely John the Baptist fits this role.
Joseph Smith
Just as there is a Second Coming, there is also a second "Elias" to prepare the way of the Lord. Joseph Smith, as the prophet of the Restoration, is another voice crying in the wilderness. The Lord states in modern revelation:
"And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness" (D&C 33:5; see also 86:3).
It is the voice of Joseph (and the Lord) calling the Church out of the wilderness in preparation for the Second Coming. Joseph sits (or rather stands) in the council.
Orson Hyde
The "ye" in the first two verses particularly addresses Orson Hyde. On Sunday October 24, 1841 Orson Hyde offered a dedicatory prayer on the Mount of Olives, asking the Lord to remove the "barrenness and sterility of this land," and he dedicated the land for the return of the Jews. Indeed, he spoke "comfortably (intimately in Hebrew) to Jerusalem.
However, what is less known is that Elder Hyde received his commission as a member of the divine council in an open vision over a year previous to his visit to Jerusalem. He saw Jerusalem and other European cities he would be visiting. He quotes verse 2 as part of the divine message.
I have included an excerpt from his writings found in History of the Church, Volume 4, page 375:
My labors since that period have been bestowed upon the Gentiles in various countries, and on both sides of the Atlantic, until in the early part of March, 1840, I retired to my bed one night as usual; and while meditating and contemplating the field of my future labors, the vision of the Lord, like clouds of light, burst into my view (see Joel 2:28). The cities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople and Jerusalem, all appeared in succession before me, and the Spirit said unto me, "Here are many of the children of Abraham whom I will gather to the land that I gave to their fathers; and here also is the field of your labors. Take, therefore, proper credentials from my people, your brethren, and also from the Governor of your state, with the seal of authority thereon, and go ye forth to the cities which have been shown you, and declare these words unto Judah, and say, "blow ye the trumpet in the land; cry, gather together, and say, assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defensed cities. Set up the standard towards Zion—retire, stay not, for I will bring evil from the north and a great destruction. The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way—he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate, and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished—that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand doubly for all her sins. Let your warning voice be heard among the Gentiles as you pass; and call yet upon them in my name for aid and for assistance. With you it mattereth not whether it be little or much; but to me it belongeth to show favor unto them who show favor unto you." The vision continued open about six hours, that I did not close my eyes in sleep. In this time many things were shown unto me which I have never written; neither shall I write them until they are fulfilled in Jerusalem.
Witnesses for the Divine Council
The Second Coming will be quite different from that humble birth scene in a manger in Bethlehem. Isaiah records, "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (verse 5). While the advent of our Savior was witnessed by a few shepherds, and perhaps a few others, the Second Coming will be the biggest media event ever. "All flesh shall see it together," on the Internet, tablets, iPhones, television, and whatever else has been invented by then. The entire population of the earth will become witnesses for the Savior.
"His Reward Is with Him"
Isaiah promises, "Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him" (Isaiah 40:10). At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple the Prophet pleaded with the Lord, "That when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the Lord" (D&C 109:75). Those who are caught up in the cloud to meet Him will be rewarded indeed.
In the final verse there is another great promise.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
This is one of my favorite scriptures. One day, while writing a book, I felt a prompting to research eagles' wings on the Internet. There were hundreds of sites, but I felt impressed to click on a particular one.
I learned that eagles suffer a midlife crisis and their feathers and talons become brittle, making flight very difficult. The eagle sits on a cliff, and in some accounts, other eagles drop down food. The eagle begins to pluck out the hardened feathers and strikes his beak against the rocks until it breaks.
He waits in his weakened state as the transformation slowly begins. Then tiny baby feathers begin to grow and his beak becomes sharp. The claws grow out to become more powerful than ever. After the transformation the eagle can fly higher and longer than ever before, as he ascends to new heights.
What beautiful Isaiah imagery this is. I have inserted a similar link. I don't believe this is the original link I found, but it serves as another witness of the masterful writing of Isaiah. Here is the link I found today:
http://www.drcm.org/monthly-reflections-archive/488-qthey-shall-mount-up-with-wings-like-eaglesqisaiah-4031
Not Merely a Waiting Game
Within the last few months I learned another special gem connected with this verse. To "wait upon the Lord" is not a mere passage of time. The original Hebrew word for wait is qavah, and it means to twist or bind together like a rope. This becomes significant in the next chapter of Isaiah when the Lord says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." You may recognize these words as the basis for the hymn, "How Firm a Foundation."
Then the Lord says, "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee" (see Isaiah 41:10,13).
The Lord can bind us to Him like a rope if we will abide in His covenants. Modern revelation states, "And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me" (D&C 43:9).
Here is the link for the Hebrew word qavah:
http://www.blbclassic.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6960&t=KJV
I am grateful for the inspired writings of Isaiah, and the renewed strength that comes from the Lord's covenants and His Atonement.
And we all know whose voice cries in the wilderness, right? If you said it was John the Baptist, you are right. It is quoted in the New Testament:
"For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, (Isaiah) saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Matthew 3:3).
But could there be other "voices?"
A Divine Council
Often the leitwort (theme word) voice is emphasized in Hebrew to mean the voice of the divine council. The word voice appears in verses 3 and 6 of Isaiah 40.
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness . . ."
"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?"
The King James Version suffers a translation failure here. Many Bible translations have the latter part read, "And I said, What shall I cry?" Clearly there is a dialog involving members of the divine council. In fact the first verses address the divine council.
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins (vv. 1-2).
The word ye addresses the divine council in the second person.
Members of the Council
So who are the members of this divine council? John the Baptist would have to be included. And Isaiah is re-commissioned to carry the Messianic message, after receiving his first assignment in Chapter 6.
Isaiah is often dual prophecy, or multiple prophecies, and this is no exception.
John the Baptist was the forerunner preceding the coming of the Savior. His role was to make straight a highway for our God. To "make straight" would be the equivalent of removing obstacles in the highway. It's like straightening a room by tidying up a bit. Definitely John the Baptist fits this role.
Joseph Smith
Just as there is a Second Coming, there is also a second "Elias" to prepare the way of the Lord. Joseph Smith, as the prophet of the Restoration, is another voice crying in the wilderness. The Lord states in modern revelation:
"And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness" (D&C 33:5; see also 86:3).
It is the voice of Joseph (and the Lord) calling the Church out of the wilderness in preparation for the Second Coming. Joseph sits (or rather stands) in the council.
Orson Hyde
The "ye" in the first two verses particularly addresses Orson Hyde. On Sunday October 24, 1841 Orson Hyde offered a dedicatory prayer on the Mount of Olives, asking the Lord to remove the "barrenness and sterility of this land," and he dedicated the land for the return of the Jews. Indeed, he spoke "comfortably (intimately in Hebrew) to Jerusalem.
However, what is less known is that Elder Hyde received his commission as a member of the divine council in an open vision over a year previous to his visit to Jerusalem. He saw Jerusalem and other European cities he would be visiting. He quotes verse 2 as part of the divine message.
I have included an excerpt from his writings found in History of the Church, Volume 4, page 375:
My labors since that period have been bestowed upon the Gentiles in various countries, and on both sides of the Atlantic, until in the early part of March, 1840, I retired to my bed one night as usual; and while meditating and contemplating the field of my future labors, the vision of the Lord, like clouds of light, burst into my view (see Joel 2:28). The cities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople and Jerusalem, all appeared in succession before me, and the Spirit said unto me, "Here are many of the children of Abraham whom I will gather to the land that I gave to their fathers; and here also is the field of your labors. Take, therefore, proper credentials from my people, your brethren, and also from the Governor of your state, with the seal of authority thereon, and go ye forth to the cities which have been shown you, and declare these words unto Judah, and say, "blow ye the trumpet in the land; cry, gather together, and say, assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defensed cities. Set up the standard towards Zion—retire, stay not, for I will bring evil from the north and a great destruction. The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way—he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate, and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished—that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord's hand doubly for all her sins. Let your warning voice be heard among the Gentiles as you pass; and call yet upon them in my name for aid and for assistance. With you it mattereth not whether it be little or much; but to me it belongeth to show favor unto them who show favor unto you." The vision continued open about six hours, that I did not close my eyes in sleep. In this time many things were shown unto me which I have never written; neither shall I write them until they are fulfilled in Jerusalem.
Witnesses for the Divine Council
The Second Coming will be quite different from that humble birth scene in a manger in Bethlehem. Isaiah records, "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (verse 5). While the advent of our Savior was witnessed by a few shepherds, and perhaps a few others, the Second Coming will be the biggest media event ever. "All flesh shall see it together," on the Internet, tablets, iPhones, television, and whatever else has been invented by then. The entire population of the earth will become witnesses for the Savior.
"His Reward Is with Him"
Isaiah promises, "Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him" (Isaiah 40:10). At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple the Prophet pleaded with the Lord, "That when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the Lord" (D&C 109:75). Those who are caught up in the cloud to meet Him will be rewarded indeed.
In the final verse there is another great promise.
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
This is one of my favorite scriptures. One day, while writing a book, I felt a prompting to research eagles' wings on the Internet. There were hundreds of sites, but I felt impressed to click on a particular one.
I learned that eagles suffer a midlife crisis and their feathers and talons become brittle, making flight very difficult. The eagle sits on a cliff, and in some accounts, other eagles drop down food. The eagle begins to pluck out the hardened feathers and strikes his beak against the rocks until it breaks.
He waits in his weakened state as the transformation slowly begins. Then tiny baby feathers begin to grow and his beak becomes sharp. The claws grow out to become more powerful than ever. After the transformation the eagle can fly higher and longer than ever before, as he ascends to new heights.
What beautiful Isaiah imagery this is. I have inserted a similar link. I don't believe this is the original link I found, but it serves as another witness of the masterful writing of Isaiah. Here is the link I found today:
http://www.drcm.org/monthly-reflections-archive/488-qthey-shall-mount-up-with-wings-like-eaglesqisaiah-4031
Not Merely a Waiting Game
Within the last few months I learned another special gem connected with this verse. To "wait upon the Lord" is not a mere passage of time. The original Hebrew word for wait is qavah, and it means to twist or bind together like a rope. This becomes significant in the next chapter of Isaiah when the Lord says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." You may recognize these words as the basis for the hymn, "How Firm a Foundation."
Then the Lord says, "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee" (see Isaiah 41:10,13).
The Lord can bind us to Him like a rope if we will abide in His covenants. Modern revelation states, "And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me" (D&C 43:9).
Here is the link for the Hebrew word qavah:
http://www.blbclassic.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6960&t=KJV
I am grateful for the inspired writings of Isaiah, and the renewed strength that comes from the Lord's covenants and His Atonement.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Isaiah 22--"The Key of the House of David"
Isaiah 22 relates to the highest priesthood ordinances, those of the Melchizedek order. A revelation given in our dispensation delineates Aaronic and Melchizedek ordinances. The Lord has said,
"And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
"Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments" (D&C 84:26-27).
Just a few verses earlier in this section, the Lord explained the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood by saying,
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live" (D&C 84:19-22).
The Power of Godliness
The power of godliness is manifest in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, particularly temple ordinances. Without such temple ordinances we would not be able to enjoy the eternal presence of the Father. The ultimate purpose of the temple is to allow us to come back into God's presence.
The sealing power comes through Melchizedek Priesthood ordinances as well. We often think of the sealing power as the uniting and bonding of eternal families, but it is much more than that. Sealing power binds us to God.
Another modern revelation discusses the more sure word of prophecy by stating, "The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood" (D&C 131:5). Godlike attributes and powers are sealed upon those receiving exaltation.
King Benjamin discusses the process of becoming spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Christ through the making and keeping of covenants. He then said,
"Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen" (Mosiah 5:15).
Notice that when we become sealed to Christ we obtain those godlike attributes of wisdom, power, justice, and mercy.
Well of Souls
The "well of souls," sometimes referred to in scripture as the "pit," is a cave located under the Dome of the Rock in the Foundation Stone on the Temple Mount (Moriah) in Jerusalem. The Foundation Stone is the symbolic navel of the world. Israel would be the at the center of the world, Jerusalem at the center of Israel, the Temple Mount in the center of Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies at the center of the temple.
The Foundation Stone represents the point where heaven meets earth, and some believe it was the first place where the waters of creation receded, exposing dry land.
This location also represents the gate to the underworld of spirits, or the "gates of hell." The New Testament speaks of "hell," or the Greek equivalent of "Hades," as the abode of the dead.
I have inserted a Wikipedia link to the "Well of Souls."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_of_Souls
Keys of the Kingdom
Jesus promises Peter, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). But in the previous verse Jesus says, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (verse 18).
The keys of the kingdom contain the sealing powers of the temple. The keys also prevail against the "gates of hell." Jacob declares, "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit" (2 Nephi 9:10). He goes on to say that the "keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 9:41).
Key of the House of David
Isaiah 22 mentions a man by the name of Eliakim, whose name means, "God raises." He becomes a type of Christ, who was raised up by the Father (see 3 Nephi 27:14). The scripture in Isaiah records:
"And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
"And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
"And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house" (Isaiah 22:21-23).
Clothed in glorious kingly robes, He will open and none shall shut. The keys are laid upon His shoulders as the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) foreshadowed by ancient priests of Aaron wearing an ephod with onyx stones on their shoulders, as He bears our names before the Father (see Exodus 28:12).
Truly He hath borne our burdens and seized the keys of death and hell (see Hymns, #182).
"And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
"Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments" (D&C 84:26-27).
Just a few verses earlier in this section, the Lord explained the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood by saying,
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live" (D&C 84:19-22).
The Power of Godliness
The power of godliness is manifest in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, particularly temple ordinances. Without such temple ordinances we would not be able to enjoy the eternal presence of the Father. The ultimate purpose of the temple is to allow us to come back into God's presence.
The sealing power comes through Melchizedek Priesthood ordinances as well. We often think of the sealing power as the uniting and bonding of eternal families, but it is much more than that. Sealing power binds us to God.
Another modern revelation discusses the more sure word of prophecy by stating, "The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood" (D&C 131:5). Godlike attributes and powers are sealed upon those receiving exaltation.
King Benjamin discusses the process of becoming spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Christ through the making and keeping of covenants. He then said,
"Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen" (Mosiah 5:15).
Notice that when we become sealed to Christ we obtain those godlike attributes of wisdom, power, justice, and mercy.
Well of Souls
The "well of souls," sometimes referred to in scripture as the "pit," is a cave located under the Dome of the Rock in the Foundation Stone on the Temple Mount (Moriah) in Jerusalem. The Foundation Stone is the symbolic navel of the world. Israel would be the at the center of the world, Jerusalem at the center of Israel, the Temple Mount in the center of Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies at the center of the temple.
The Foundation Stone represents the point where heaven meets earth, and some believe it was the first place where the waters of creation receded, exposing dry land.
This location also represents the gate to the underworld of spirits, or the "gates of hell." The New Testament speaks of "hell," or the Greek equivalent of "Hades," as the abode of the dead.
I have inserted a Wikipedia link to the "Well of Souls."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_of_Souls
Keys of the Kingdom
Jesus promises Peter, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). But in the previous verse Jesus says, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (verse 18).
The keys of the kingdom contain the sealing powers of the temple. The keys also prevail against the "gates of hell." Jacob declares, "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit" (2 Nephi 9:10). He goes on to say that the "keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 9:41).
Key of the House of David
Isaiah 22 mentions a man by the name of Eliakim, whose name means, "God raises." He becomes a type of Christ, who was raised up by the Father (see 3 Nephi 27:14). The scripture in Isaiah records:
"And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
"And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
"And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house" (Isaiah 22:21-23).
Clothed in glorious kingly robes, He will open and none shall shut. The keys are laid upon His shoulders as the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) foreshadowed by ancient priests of Aaron wearing an ephod with onyx stones on their shoulders, as He bears our names before the Father (see Exodus 28:12).
Truly He hath borne our burdens and seized the keys of death and hell (see Hymns, #182).
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