pgs. 98 and 99...we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction which should come upon them, immediately after my father left ^aJerusalem; nevertheless, they ^bhardened their hearts; and according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be those which are ^ccarried away ^dcaptive into Babylon.

11 And now this I speak because of the ^aspirit which is in me. And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall be ^brestored again to the ^cland of their inheritance.

12 But, behold, they shall have ^awars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the ^bOnly Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall ^cmanifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks.

13 Behold, they will ^acrucify him; and after he is laid in a ^bsepulchre for the space of ^cthree days he shall ^drise 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. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have ^eseen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the ^aMessiah hath risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall be ^bdestroyed again; for ^cwo unto them that fight against God and the people of his ^dchurch.

15 Wherefore, the ^aJews shall be ^bscattered among all nations; yea, and also ^cBabylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered by other nations.

16 And after they have been ^ascattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to ^bbelieve in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind—and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and ^cclean hands, and look not forward any more for ^danother Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.

17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to ^arestore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a ^bmarvelous work and a wonder among the children of men.

18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth ^ahis ^bwords unto them, which words shall ^cjudge them at the last day, for they shall be given them for the purpose of ^dconvincing them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there should not any come, save it should be a ^efalse Messiah which should deceive the people; for there is save one ^fMessiah spoken of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected of the Jews.

19 For according to the words of the prophets, the ^aMessiah cometh in ^bsix hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the ^cangel of God, his ^dname shall be Jesus Christ, the ^eSon of God.

20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot err. And as the Lord God liveth that ^abrought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should ^bheal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the ^cserpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the ^drock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you, that as these things are ^etrue, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other ^fname given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I ^awrite shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never ^bperish as long as the earth should stand.

22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be ^ajudged of them according to the words which are written.

23 For we labor diligently to write, to ^apersuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by ^bgrace that we are saved, after all we can ^cdo.

Don't you just love the word "grace?" I love the whole concept and idea of it. As wonderful as it is, I think it is one of the most misunderstood words in all of theology. I found this quote that explains it more fully:

“One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation. . . . One passage in the Book of Mormon, written perhaps . . . to stress and induce appreciation for the gracious gift of salvation offered on condition of obedience . . . is particularly enlightening: ‘For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.’ (2 Nephi 25:23; italics added.) . . .

“. . . However good a person’s works, he could not be saved had Jesus not died for his and everyone else’s sins. And however powerful the saving grace of Christ, it brings exaltation to no man who does not comply with the works of the gospel." Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 70-71

pgs. 96 and 97...my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.

14 ^aI will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the ^apit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?

17 And made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory, every one of them in his own house.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people; the ^aseed of ^bevil-doers shall never be renowned.

21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the ^ainiquities of their fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and cut off from Babylon the ^aname, and remnant, and son, and ^bnephew, saith the Lord.

23 I will also make it a ^apossession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of Hosts.

24 The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand—

25 That I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot; then shall his ^ayoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations.

27 For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28 In the year that king ^aAhaz died was this burden.

29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that ^asmote thee is broken; for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his ^bfruit shall be a ^cfiery flying serpent.

30 And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

32 What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded ^aZion, and the ^bpoor of his people shall trust in it.

CHAPTER 25

Nephi glories in plainness—Isaiah’s prophecies shall be understood in the last days—The Jews shall return from Babylon, crucify the Messiah, and be scattered and scourged—They shall be restored when they believe in the Messiah—He shall first come six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem—Nephites keep the law of Moses and believe in Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were ^ahard for many of my people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews.

2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Jews; for their ^aworks were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.

3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, ^athat they may know the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according to the word which he hath spoken.

4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the ^aspirit of ^bprophecy. But I give unto you a ^cprophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the ^dplainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in ^eplainness unto my people, that they may learn.

5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of ^aIsaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the ^bJews, and I know that the Jews do ^cunderstand the things of the prophets, and there is none other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner 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, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about; and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of God, which ^ahath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children, according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not write them.

7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my ^aplainness; in the which I ^bknow that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass.

8 Wherefore, they are of ^aworth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine ^bown people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the ^clast days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them.

9 And as one generation hath been ^adestroyed among the Jews because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never hath any of them been destroyed save it were ^bforetold them by the prophets of the Lord.

Here's a little trivia for you: the only places in the Bible and the Book of Mormon where the title Lucifer is used are Isaiah 14:12 and 2 Nephi 24:12 (which, of course, is quoting Isaiah 14.) In D&C 76: 25-28 we learn that Lucifer (which means lightbearer) was the premortal name of Satan.

The end of chapter 24 marks the end of the "Isaiah chapters." In Chapter 25 Nephi tells his people that he knows the writings are hard to understand so he will go on to explain them in "plainness." I have to say, I'm looking forward to that in tomorrows reading! He also says in verse 8 that the reason he included these writings on the plates is because it will be of great worth to us in the last days and that they are for our good. I'm trusting that.
Congratulations to all of you who are still hanging on after these difficult chapters!!!!

pgs. 94 and 95...the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherin thou wast made to serve.

CHAPTER 23

Destruction of Babylon is a type of destruction at Second Coming—It shall be a day of wrath and vengeance—Babylon (the world) shall fall forever—Compare Isaiah 13. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 ^aThe burden of ^bBabylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, ^ashake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my ^amighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my highness.

4 The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great people, a tumultuous noise of the ^akingdoms of nations ^bgathered together, the Lord of Hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea, the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye, for the ^aday of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man’s heart shall ^amelt;

8 And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall ^adestroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the ^astars of heaven and the ^bconstellations thereof shall not give their ^clight; the ^dsun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11 And I will ^apunish the world for evil, and the ^bwicked for their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the ^cproud to cease, and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible.

12 I will make a ^aman more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13 Therefore, I will ^ashake the heavens, and the earth shall ^bremove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up; and they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own ^aland.

15 Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and every one that is ^ajoined to the wicked shall fall by the sword.

16 Their ^achildren also shall be ^bdashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished.

17 Behold, I will stir up the ^aMedes against them, which shall not regard silver and gold, nor shall they delight in it.

18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no ^apity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.

19 And ^aBabylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew ^bSodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be ^ainhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21 But ^awild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her time is near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged. For I will destroy her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my people, but the wicked shall perish.

CHAPTER 24

Israel shall be gathered and shall enjoy millennial rest—Lucifer cast out of heaven for rebellion—Israel shall triumph over Babylon (the world)—Compare Isaiah 14. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 ^aFor the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet ^bchoose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the ^cstrangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 And the people shall take them and bring them to their place; yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return to their ^alands of promise. And the house of Israel shall ^bpossess them, and the land of the Lord shall be for ^cservants and handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were captives; and they shall ^drule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee ^arest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.

4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up this proverb ^aagainst the king of ^bBabylon, and say: How hath the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased!

5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the ^awicked, the scepters of the rulers.

6 ^aHe who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at ^arest, and is quiet; they break forth into ^bsinging.

8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebanon, saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us.

9 ^aHell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the ^bdead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12 ^aHow art thou fallen from heaven, O ^bLucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thy heart: ^aI will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;

All of chapter 23 is Isaiah explaining the destruction at Babylon as a type for destruction at the Second Coming. My mom sent me this video that I think is a little sobering but comforting in the end.

pgs. 92 and 93...for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.

27 And it shall come to pass in that day that his ^aburden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the ^banointing.

28 ^aHe is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages.

29 They are gone over the ^apassage; they have taken up their lodging at ^bGeba; Ramath is afraid; ^cGibeah of Saul is fled.

30 Lift up the voice, O daughter of ^aGallim; cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor ^bAnathoth.

31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.

32 As yet shall he remain at ^aNob that day; he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the ^ahigh ones of stature shall be ^bhewn down; and the ^chaughty shall be humbled.

34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

CHAPTER 21

Stem of Jesse (Christ) shall judge in righteousness—The knowledge of God shall cover the earth in the Millennium—The Lord shall raise an ensign and gather Israel—Compare Isaiah 11. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 ^aAnd there shall ^bcome forth a rod out of the ^cstem of Jesse, and a ^dbranch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the ^aSpirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of ^bwisdom and ^cunderstanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not ^ajudge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.

4 But with ^arighteousness shall he ^bjudge the poor, and reprove with equity for the ^cmeek of the earth; and he shall ^dsmite the earth with the ^erod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And ^arighteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The ^awolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

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.

9 They shall ^anot hurt nor ^bdestroy in all my holy mountain, for the ^cearth shall be full of the ^dknowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

10 And in that day there shall be a ^aroot of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the ^bGentiles seek; and his ^crest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the ^asecond time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from ^bAssyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from ^cShinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ^aensign for the nations, and shall assemble the ^boutcasts of Israel, and ^cgather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 The ^aenvy of Ephraim also shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not ^benvy ^cJudah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the ^aPhilistines towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon ^bEdom and ^cMoab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15 And the Lord shall utterly ^adestroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over ^bdry shod.

16 And there shall be a ^ahighway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

CHAPTER 22

In the millennial day all men shall praise the Lord—He shall dwell among them—Compare Isaiah 12. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 ^aAnd in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will ^atrust, and not be afraid; for the Lord ^bJehovah is my ^cstrength and my ^dsong; he also has become my salvation.

3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw ^awater out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say: ^aPraise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 ^aSing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.

6 ^aCry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Ok, My thoughts on these pages are a little random but here goes...

1. In the last verses of chapter 20 Isaiah lists all of the cities that Assyria destroyed in the war. They are Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramath, Gibeah, Gallim, Laish, Anathoth, Madmenah and Gebim. (Wow, that's alot!) And then if verse 33 the Lord "lops the bough" of the Assyrians by sending a sudden plague which killed 185,000 of them in one night as they were camped outside Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 19:32-35.) I guess this is what He meant when He said they were only being used for His purposes.
   
2. Chapter 21 compares with Isaiah 11 which Moroni quoted to Joseph Smith and told him that it was about to be fulfilled. (see Joseph Smith History 1:40) That was well over 150 years ago so that's something to think about.
   
3. Verses 14 -16 of chapter 21 are Isaiah's description of the Middle East in the Last Days. The "highway" in verse 16 is said to be the path that the church will be for many to return to Him
4. Chapter 22 is so simple, poetic and beautiful and it really makes me look forward to the millenium!

pgs. 90 and 91...shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith?

15 The ^aancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

16 For the ^aleaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are ^bled of them are destroyed.

17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have ^amercy on their fatherless and ^bwidows; for ^cevery one of them is a hypocrite and an ^devildoer, and every mouth speaketh ^efolly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his ^fhand is stretched out still.

18 For ^awickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

19 Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the ^aland darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; ^bno man shall spare his brother.

20 And he ^ashall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he shall ^beat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm—

21 Manasseh, ^aEphraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together shall be against ^bJudah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

CHAPTER 20

Destruction of Assyria is a type of destruction of wicked at the Second Coming—Few people shall be left after the Lord comes again—Remnant of Jacob shall return in that day—Compare Isaiah 10. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 ^aWo unto them that decree ^bunrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;

2 To turn away the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the ^apoor of my people, that ^bwidows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is ^atheir indignation.

6 I will send him ^aagainst a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

8 For he saith: Are not my ^aprinces altogether kings?

9 Is not ^aCalno as ^bCarchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as ^cDamascus?

10 As ^amy hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her ^aidols, so do to Jerusalem and to her idols?

12 Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of ^aAssyria, and the glory of his high looks.

13 For ^ahe saith: By the strength of ^bmy 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;

14 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.

15 Shall the ^aax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!

16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, send among his fat ones, leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

17 And the light of Israel shall be for a ^afire, and his Holy One for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and his briers in one day;

18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth.

19 And the ^arest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the ^ahouse of Jacob, shall no more again ^bstay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 The ^aremnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 For though thy people ^aIsrael be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall ^breturn; the ^cconsumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.

23 For the Lord God of Hosts shall make a ^aconsumption, even determined in all the land.

24 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Hosts: O my people that dwellest in Zion, ^abe not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the ^bmanner of Egypt.

25 For yet a very little while, and the ^aindignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

26 And the Lord of Hosts shall ^astir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of ^bMidian at the rock of Oreb; and as his rod was upon the sea so shall he lift it up after the manner of ^cEgypt.


The writing on these pages continue Isaiah's record of the ancient history of Israel. They describe the war between Israel and Assyria and how Assyria will prevail but should not be proud because they are only fulfilling the Lord's purposes (see verse 15.) It is another testimony to me that the Lord's plan WILL be carried out and it should never be questioned.

pgs. 88 and 89...For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder.

CHAPTER 18

Christ shall be as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense—Seek the Lord, not peeping wizards—Turn to the law and to the testimony for guidance—Compare Isaiah 8. Between 559 and 545 B.C.
1 Moreover, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me: Call his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
4 For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:
6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.
8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.
11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a crock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.
19 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead?
20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
21 And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, and darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness.

CHAPTER 19

Isaiah speaks Messianically—The people in darkness to see a great Light—Unto us a child is born—He shall be the Prince of Peace and shall reign on David’s throne—Compare Isaiah 9. Between 559 and 545 B.C.
1 Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations.
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy—they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 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 Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of government and peace bthere 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. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart:
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts.
14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush in one day.

Did you recognize the words from Handel's Messiah in Chapter 19 verse 6?  The words are so beautiful and poetic, it is no surprise that Handel chose to use them in his classic, well-loved work.  Here is a little summary from the Book of Mormon Institute Manual about this verse:

"The titles given to the Messiah in verse 6 signify his service to mankind. He is the wonder of the ages and a counselor in the ways of eternal life (see Jacob 4:10). He who was born in a lowly manger is Jehovah, the “Mighty God” (2 Nephi 19:6) of Israel come to earth. Those who have faith in Christ and covenant with the Lord in the waters of baptism become his children and he becomes their “Everlasting Father” (v. 6, see also Mosiah 5:7). When the Messiah was born, the angels sang “peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14) because the “Prince of Peace” (2 Nephi 19:6), even “the founder of peace” (Mosiah 15:18), had come to earth. His government and peace will last forever."

pgs. 86 and 87...Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.

CHAPTER 16

Isaiah sees the Lord—Isaiah’s sins are forgiven—He is called to prophesy—He prophesies of the rejection by the Jews of Christ’s teachings—A remnant shall return—Compare Isaiah 6. Between 559 and 545 B.C.
1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I: Wo is unto me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me.
9 And he said: Go and tell this people—Hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.
10 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.
11 Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate;
12 And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
13 But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and shall be eaten, as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

CHAPTER 17

Ephraim and Syria wage war against Judah—Christ shall be born of a virgin—Compare Isaiah 7. Between 559 and 545 B.C.
1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
2 And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
3 Then said the Lord unto Isaiah: Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;
4 And say unto him: Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying:
6 Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea, the son of Tabeal.
7 Thus saith the Lord God: It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rezin; and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people.
9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established.
10 Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying:
11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depths, or in the heights above.
12 But Ahaz said: I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.
13 And he said: Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
14 Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good.
16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.
17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father’s house, days that have not come from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah, the king of Assyria.
18 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.
20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, a man shall nourish a young cow and two sheep;
22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk they shall give he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.
23 And it shall come to pass in that day, every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, which shall be for briers and thorns.
24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither, because all the land shall become briers and thorns.
25 And all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and the treading of lesser cattle.

I learned a few things in my "Writings of Isaiah" class at BYU that explained some of the expressions in these pages.  Maybe you already know them but just in case you don't I'll describe them.  The first is that when a word is written three times it is the same as us saying good, better, and best.  So when Isaiah writes holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts in verse 3 of chapter 16 he is emphasizing that the Savior is not just holy or holier but holiest!

The second is that a reference to butter and honey is symbolic of comfortable living and prosperity.  In the days of Isaiah if you were able to eat butter and honey it meant that you had access to a healthy cow who produced milk and to bees that had access to the pollen of blooming flowers.  For this to be possible the land must not have been suffering from drought or severe weather.

A third insight was about Seraphim which are mentioned in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 16.  I like this quote that sums up what I remember:

“Seraphs are angels who reside in the presence of God, giving continual glory, honor, and adoration to him. . . .The fact that these holy beings were shown to him [Isaiah] as having wings was simply to symbolize their ‘power, to move, to act, etc.’ as was the case also in visions others had received. (D. & C. 77:4.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 702–3).

I know there are still a lot of  mysteries in these verses that I didn't even touch on but at least these are a few small insights.  

P.S. There's a trivial Hollywood connection to this chapter! Do you know which celebrity A-list couple just named their daughter Seraphina after these angels in Isaiah? 

If so leave it in a comment! : )