2 Nephi 8 – Jacob’s First Sermon, Part 3: “I Am He That Comforteth You” (Isaiah 51)

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Jacob continues his sermon by reading the following chapter from Isaiah. The recurring theme in this chapter is the admonition to wake up. Three times, he says, “Awake, awake!” Isaiah reassures us that we can move forward with confidence because God has redeemed us, He will comfort us, and His righteousness will endure long after everything else has decayed and crumbled.

Chapter Outline

  1. Remember how God blessed your ancestors, Abraham and Sarah (v. 1-3).
  2. God’s righteousness will last forever (v. 4-8).
  3. He will comfort and redeem us (v. 9-16).
  4. He will specifically deliver Jerusalem from their oppressors (v. 17-23).
  5. He invites Jerusalem to arise from the dust and be free (v. 24-25).

My Takeaways

  1. Knowing how God blessed our ancestors can give us courage.
  2. Perspective: The most powerful people or organizations you know are nothing compared with God’s enduring power.
  3. God will magnify our efforts as we act in faith.

Featured Blog Posts

❖ Remember Abraham and Sarah

Look unto the Rock from Whence Ye Are Hewn – 2 Nephi 8:1-3

1 Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged. 2 Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed him. 3 For the Lord…

Joy and Gladness

Jacob read the prophecies of Isaiah so that his people would rejoice in God’s promised blessings. He said, “Let your hearts rejoice.” Sometimes, we need to shift our focus and then get out of our own way in order to experience spontaneous joy.

❖ Trusting God’s Enduring Power

Who Art Thou, That Thou Shouldst Be Afraid of Man? – 2 Nephi 8:12-13

12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass? 13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations…

❖ Jerusalem is Awakened and Set Free

Put on Thy Strength – 2 Nephi 8:24-25

24 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. 25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter…

Beautiful Garments

Isaiah urged us to put on our beautiful garments. The message is metaphorical, but there is also a literal application. The way we dress for worship activities can communicate our love and devotion to God.

Old Testament Foundations

“Look unto Abraham…and Sarah”

After reminding Israel that God has not abandoned them (Isaiah 50, 2 Nephi 7), the prophet Isaiah invites them to look back to their roots. “Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged” (Isaiah 51:1, 2 Nephi 8:1). Specifically, he wants them to look to their ancestors and remember…

Sacrifice and Thanksgiving

The book of Jonah contains a poetic prayer which the prophet offered from the belly of the fish. In that prayer, he laments the blessings lost by those who turn away from God, and he vows to be faithful to the covenants he has made: They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will…

Pavilion

The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, features the building of booths or huts, temporary structures which represent the tents the children of Israel lived in during their forty years in the wilderness. While the Hebrew word sukkah (סֻכָּה) is often translated “booth” or “tabernacle,” it appears a few times in the King James Bible as…

“Put on Thy Strength”

In the middle of a passage about the gathering of Israel, Isaiah pleads with the Lord to rescue His captive people: Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days…. Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the…

“Songs of Everlasting Joy”

Isaiah prophesied of a time when the children of Israel would be delivered from bondage and would gather to Zion. This would not only be a day of joy; it would be the beginning of an eternity of joy: The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness,…

Church History Connections

The Wilderness Shall Blossom

God saves us in many ways. Sometimes, He changes our environment. Sometimes, He heals us. And in some cases, He opens a path to a better life, just as He led the children of Israel out of Egypt. All three of those manifestations of grace are on display in Isaiah 35. As I’ve pondered this…

No End

A few months ago, I heard a presentation by Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game. He explained that many games we play, like football or chess, have clearly defined rules, consistent participants, and most importantly, endings. He called these “finite games.” But other activities that we participate in might be better labeled as “infinite…

“Fear Ye Not the Reproach of Men” – 2 Nephi 8:7

Faith in God includes prioritizing His words over the words of other people. To ancient Israel, through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord counseled, “Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings” (2 Nephi 8:7, Isaiah 51:7). Then He asked the following rhetorical question: Who art thou, that thou shouldst…

“Joy and Gladness”

The Lord asked Martin Harris if he could read His words without rejoicing. This is a good question for all of us. Can you find joy in the gospel? Are you artificially inhibiting that joy? How would your life be different if you allowed yourself to feel all that God wants you to feel?

All Posts Referencing 2 Nephi 8

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