In the middle of a final set of exhortations to his future readers, Moroni inserts a compact paraphrase of two passages from Isaiah, both of which were quoted by Jesus during His ministry among the Nephites and the Lamanites.
We know that Isaiah was important to Moroni. Early in his writings, he implores us, “Search the prophecies of Isaiah.” Then he adds, “Behold, I cannot write them,” as though he wished he had the means to replicate Nephi’s project in 2 Nephi 11-30. (See Mormon 8:23.)
Yet, like Nephi, Moroni had internalized the words of Isaiah, particularly the words which were quoted by the Savior. The sudden appearance of some of those words, without introduction and integrated with the overall message of his final chapter, illustrates how much they had become part of him:
| Moroni 10:31 | Isaiah 52:1-2 (3 Nephi 20:36-37); Isaiah 54:2, 4 (3 Nephi 22:2, 4.) |
|---|---|
| 31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. | 1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; … 4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded. |
In Moroni’s chapter, these words are sandwiched between two verses urging us to “come unto Christ” (Moroni 10:30, 32). In Isaiah, these two chapters surround Isaiah 53, which describes the Savior’s suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross. If you weren’t aware of this context, you might miss the fact that these prophetic words are all about the effect of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice in our lives and our response to it.
In Moroni’s reconfiguring of Isaiah’s words, the passage consists of five related exhortations, followed by two promises:
Exhortations
- Awake – Be more aware, get more engaged, and participate more fully in life.
- Arise from the dust – Let go of things that are holding you down.
- Put on thy beautiful garments – Wear clothing which elevates your thoughts and feelings.
- Strengthen thy stakes – Prepare for increased opportunities to serve others.
- Enlarge thy borders forever – Act now as though you had already received God’s promised blessings.
Promises
- You will not be confounded any more.
- God’s covenants will be fulfilled.
When we understand what the Savior has done for us, we will do all of these things. We will engage more fully with life and set aside harmful things. We will plan for a hopeful future and act as though that future is already in our grasp. As a result, He will help us overcome every obstacle, and He will fulfill every promise He has made to us.
Today, I will be grateful for the confident life which is possible because of Jesus Christ. I will rely on His promises as I navigate the challenges of the day, and I will act in faith, trusting that He will help me learn, grow, and ultimately find joy and fulfillment through those actions.
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