It’s not surprising that the first Isaiah chapter Nephi chooses to quote tells us that God has “refined” us “in the furnace of affliction.” After all, Nephi opened his record telling us that he had “seen many afflictions” in his life but had nevertheless been “highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days” (1 Nephi 1:1). In this chapter, God reproves Israel for their hypocrisy but reaffirms His commitment to them and promises that they can find peace if they rely on Him.
Chapter Outline
- Introduction: You aren’t relying on God (v. 1-2).
- You’re ignoring prophecies that turned out to be accurate (v. 3-8).
- But you are still mine. I have chosen you (v. 9-13).
- Listen to my messenger, and you will have peace (v. 14-19).
- Come out of the world, and remember that God has redeemed you (v. 20-22).
My Takeaways
- When we see God’s hand in our lives, we ought to share it.
- Our trials can purify us and prepare us to live with God.
- God wants us to be successful and happy. His commandments can bring us peace and joy if we are willing to act on them.
- Be attentive to the cultural influences in your life and in your home.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Sharing the Gospel – 1 Nephi 20:1-6
Will Ye Not Declare Them? – 1 Nephi 20:6
The very first passage from Isaiah which Nephi quotes opens with an indictment. The prophet addresses himself to the people who claim to be the covenant people of God but who aren’t acting like it: Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth…
❖ I Have Chosen You – 1 Nephi 20:9-13
The Furnace of Affliction – 1 Nephi 20:10
After rebuking the children of Israel for hypocrisy and negligence, the Lord goes on to explain why He hasn’t disowned them. “Behold, I have refined thee,” He says, “I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (1 Nephi 20:10). (See also Isaiah 48:10.) Our trials can feel like a furnace. When we are experiencing…
❖ Blessings of Righteousness – 1 Nephi 20:17-18
1 Nephi 20:17 Who Teacheth Thee to Profit
17 And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done it. (1 Nephi 20:17) Heavenly Father wants us to be successful in life. Of course we have trials and difficulties–that’s part of…
Peace…as a River, and…Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea – 1 Nephi 20:18
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments–then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. (1 Nephi 20:18, Isaiah 48:18) The imagery in this passage from Isaiah is compelling to me. I can easily imagine a calm, wide river, flowing powerfully but with no anxiety…
❖ Come Out of Babylon – 1 Nephi 20:20-22
“Go Ye Forth of Babylon” – 1 Nephi 20:20
“The world is too much with us,” wrote the poet William Wordsworth. He meant that our lives are influenced more than we realize by the society in which we live, leaving us unable to properly perceive “things as they really are” (Jacob 4:13). As Elder David R. Stone explained: Our culture tends to determine what…
“With a Voice of Singing” – 1 Nephi 20:20
Earlier this week, I discussed Isaiah’s admonition to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in our lives and share with others what we know. Near the end of the same chapter, Isaiah underscores the importance of this admonition by making a series of commands: “Go ye forth of Babylon” “Flee ye from the Chaldeans” “With…
There Is No Peace…unto the Wicked – 1 Nephi 20:22
22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. (1 Nephi 20:22, Isaiah 48:22) One of the major themes of the Book of Mormon is that if we make righteous choices, we will prosper, while if we choose wickedly, we will be cut…
Old Testament Foundations
Babylon
Don’t get attached to temporary things. That’s the message I hear when I read about the destruction of Babylon. A center of commerce and the capital of the powerful Babylonian Empire, the city of Babylon was formidable. The apostle John conveyed the enormity of the city’s economy with the following list of things bought and…
Thy Name, My Name
I spent the day yesterday serving with some people I haven’t seen in a long time. I was gratified when some of them who I don’t know very well remembered my name (and when I remembered some of their names). Names are important. We like it when other people remember our names and when they…
Church History Connections
The Sound of Rejoicing
A few years ago, I had the responsibility to recruit some volunteers to help a family move between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Knowing that it was a time of year when people are spending time with their families, and being somewhat self-conscious about making this request on short notice, I emphasized the negative aspects…
All Posts Referencing 1 Nephi 20
- Contents of the Brass Plates (1/3/2026)
- Thy Name, My Name (9/25/2022)
- Songs of Everlasting Joy (11/20/2021)
- Babylon (11/18/2021)
- Pandemic Lessons (10/1/2021)
- “I Have Not Spoken in Secret” (9/24/2021)
- The Sound of Rejoicing (3/27/2021)
- “Go Ye Forth of Babylon” – 1 Nephi 20:20 (12/31/2020)
- “With a Voice of Singing” – 1 Nephi 20:20 (2/2/2020)
- The Furnace of Affliction – 1 Nephi 20:10 (1/31/2020)
- Will Ye Not Declare Them? – 1 Nephi 20:6 (1/30/2020)
- Which of Isaiah’s Writings Are Quoted in the Book of Mormon? (5/31/2019)
- What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?” (3/10/2019)
- Peace…as a River, and…Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea – 1 Nephi 20:18 (8/11/2018)
- In the Furnace of Affliction – 1 Nephi 20:10 (8/10/2018)
- There Is No Peace…unto the Wicked – 1 Nephi 20:22 (9/5/2017)
- 1 Nephi 20:17 Who Teacheth Thee to Profit (1/29/2015)
- 1 Nephi 20:1-2 Yet They Swear Not in Truth Nor in Righteousness (1/28/2015)