In 2 Nephi 26-30, Nephi elaborates on the words of Isaiah which he has quoted in the previous chapters. The first and the last chapters (26 and 30) emphasize God’s desire to reveal all things. The second and fourth (27 and 29) are prophecies of the role of the Book of Mormon in the restoration. And chapter 28 warns us specific tactics which Satan will use against us in the last days.
Here is a summary of the topics in these chapters:
- God doesn’t work in darkness, and He invites all to come unto Him (2 Nephi 26).
- A book will help the world understand spiritual things in the last days (2 Nephi 27, paraphrasing Isaiah 29).
- In the last days, Satan will teach false doctrines (2 Nephi 28)
- Disbelief: There are no more miracles; God has done His work (2 Nephi 28:5-6).
- Fatalism: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” (2 Nephi 28:7-10).
- Prideful persecution of the poor: “stiff necks and high heads” (2 Nephi 28:12-15)
- Misguided priorities: turning aside the just for a thing of naught (2 Nephi 28:16-20)
- Complacency: “All is well in Zion” (2 Nephi 28:21-25).
- Willful ignorance : “We need no more of the word of God, for we have enough” (2 Nephi 28:26-30).
- “The testimony of two nations is a witness…that I am God” (2 Nephi 29).
- The words of the book will bring knowledge and peace to the world. All things will be revealed (2 Nephi 30).
Blog Posts About 2 Nephi 26-30
- Bond and Free – 2 Nephi 26:33
- His Soul Is Empty – 2 Nephi 27:3
- The Spirit of Deep Sleep – 2 Nephi 27:4-5
- I Am Able to Do Mine Own Work – 2 Nephi 27:19-20
- A Marvelous Work and a Wonder – 2 Nephi 27:25-26
- Puffed Up – 2 Nephi 28:12-13
- My Word Also Shall Be Gathered in One – 2 Nephi 29:12-14
- Reprove with Equity- 2 Nephi 30:8-10
- Manifest in the Light – 2 Nephi 30:17-18
Questions
- Why Is It Important to Ask Questions?
- What Is Priestcraft?
- How Are We “All Alike Unto God?”
- How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil?
- What Is the Sealed Portion of the Book of Mormon?
- Who Is the House of Israel?
- Who Are the Lost Tribes of Israel?
Blog Posts: February 25-March 1
What Is a “Flaxen Cord?” – 2 Nephi 26:22
Nephi prophesied that, in the last days, the devil would lead people “by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever” (2 Nephi 26:22). It’s clear from the context that the “flaxen cord” described here was not strong. I envision a person with a very thin thread wrapped…
“I Am Able to Do Mine Own Work” – 2 Nephi 27:20-21
God told Moses that His work is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39). He also told Moses, “I have a work for thee” (Moses 1:6). And He assured Moses, “I am with thee” (Moses 1:26). God’s work is beyond the capabilities of the best among us. We can only do…
Internalizing Isaiah
Nephi loved the words of Isaiah. He read them to his family to “persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer” (1 Nephi 19:23). He assigned his brother Jacob to preach a sermon about a passage from Isaiah (2 Nephi 6:4). He quoted 16 chapters from the book of Isaiah in his writings. And…
“Come Unto Me” – 2 Nephi 26:25
In 2 Nephi 26, Nephi asks a series of rhetorical questions to illustrate the universality of the Savior’s love: “Doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?” (2 Nephi 26:25) “Hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?” (2 Nephi 26:26) “Hath he…
Overcoming Resistance to Change – 2 Nephi 28 & 29
When you are confident that your worldview is complete, it can be easy to ignore or reject inconvenient facts which fail to conform to your theories. That’s human nature. We prefer for the data to fit neatly into our preconceived notions rather than to have to question those notions. But this resistance to change can…
“Revealed…Manifest…Loosed” – 2 Nephi 30:17
As we’ve studied 2 Nephi 26-30 this week, I’ve noticed a pattern. Every one of these chapters affirms God’s desire to bless us with knowledge: “He manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 26:13). “The Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words…
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