Isaiah 29-30
Chapter 29: The Book of Mormon
Woe to Ariel
(Jerusalem) – its pride shall be humbled. However, the humbled Jerusalem will
be protected from its enemies. Jerusalem suffers from spiritual drunkenness and
illiteracy. However, the spiritually blind will see, and justice for the wicked
be administered.
The
coming forth of the Book of Mormon (to cure the spiritually blind) is prophesied:
“And
thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech
shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as one that hath a
familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the
dust.” (Isaiah 29:4)
The
Book of Mormon came out from the ground and came forth as a familiar spirit and
as a companion to the Bible, the New World story of the Ancient Americas. What
is more interesting is that Isaiah continues to prophesy about the Book of
Mormon…
“…the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
And the book is delivered to him that is
not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.” (Isaiah 29: 11-12)
Joseph Smith received this book (the Book of Mormon), being unlearned.
What’s more, he sent it with Martin Harris to the learned Professor Anthon, who
reportedly said precisely “I cannot read
it, for it is sealed.”
Ezekiel prophesied of a Stick of
Judah (Ezekiel 37:15-17), (a stick is a book or a scroll) these are
the Jews and this stick is the Bible. He also prophesied of a Stick of Joseph,
these are descendants of Joseph, down through Lehi and his descendants who came
to the New World. He and his descendants wrote the Book of Mormon.
Isaiah continues by saying that
God will “…proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous
work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the
understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” (Isaiah 29:14) God
will bring forth more of His word, what is more marvelous than that? People
long for the Lord to speak and reveal that He still lives, the Book of Mormon
proves that Jesus Christ Lives! It is Another Testament of Him! In the last
days the word will become confused and many will wonder and stray away from
God, the Book of Mormon will help people come back to the path… “They
also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured
shall learn doctrine.” (Isaiah 29:24)
Chapter 30: Rejection of Prophets
Woe to the
rebellious children who look to Egypt to protect them from Assyria.
“…this is a rebellious people,
lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:Which say to
the seers, See not: and to the the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,
speak unto us smooth things…” (Isaiah 20:9-10) The people do not want
seers to see, and want prophets to prophesy deceits rather than right things. They
want “smooth things” or things that don’t require them to be righteous and
follow commandments.
Judah will be broken like a
potter’s vessel. Blessed are those who wait for the Lord. He shall respond to
his people, who cry to him from Jerusalem. The Lord’s people will throw away
their graven images of gold and silver. Nature will bring forth abundance.
There is a place in Tophet (the rubbish dump outside Jerusalem) for the
Assyrian king. The breath of the Lord shall kindle it.
Remember that “…though the Lord give you the
bread of adversity, and the water of affliction… This is the way, walk ye in it…”
(Isaiah 30:20-21) OR in other words… the Lord gives us affliction… but
we need to move forward and walk in His path, and we will be blessed and those
afflictions will be for our own growth and learning.
