The author of Psalm 46 wants us to know that God is not a distant and detached monarch. He is very much involved in our lives, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." We may be surrounded by turmoil. "The waters" may "roar and be troubled," and "the mountains" may "shake," but the author... Continue Reading →
“They Shall Not Be Ashamed That Wait for Me” – 1 Nephi 21:23, 2 Nephi 6:7
Waiting doesn't come easy for human beings. We aren't naturally patient. But multiple times, the prophet Isaiah identifies waiting as a key component of discipleship. Here are some examples: "I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him" (Isaiah 8:17, 2 Nephi 18:17)."Lo,... Continue Reading →
Words of Comfort and Encouragement from Isaiah
This morning, as I studied 2 Nephi 16-20 (Isaiah 6-10), a number of phrases caught my attention. Here they are and why they are meaningful to me: "Here am I; send me" (2 Nephi 16:8). When Isaiah heard that help was needed, he volunteered immediately and enthusiastically. I would like to be that quick to... Continue Reading →
Which of Isaiah’s Writings Are Quoted in the Book of Mormon?
About a third of the book of Isaiah (21 out of 66 chapters) is quoted in the Book of Mormon. Here is a list of those chapters with a brief description of each: Isaiah 2 (2 Nephi 12) - There will be a great division in the last days: Many people will ascend to God's... Continue Reading →
What Is the Historical Context for the Book of Isaiah?
Nephi taught that the words of Isaiah "are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy" (2 Nephi 25:4). But he also acknowledged that he had an advantage over his descendants, because he had lived in Jerusalem and had "beheld the things of the Jews" (2 Nephi 25:5). Unlike the Book... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Fear?
Fear is an unpleasant feeling caused by the anticipation of a negative event (Oxford English Dictionary). We feel sadness when something bad has already happened; we feel fear when we think something bad is going to happen . Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi and his brothers find themselves in a treacherous... Continue Reading →
I Will Wait upon the Lord – 2 Nephi 18:17
17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. (2 Nephi 18:17, Isaiah 8:17) Sometimes it's hard to see God's hand in our lives. We may feel abandoned and forgotten when things aren't going well, and especially when there are dark... Continue Reading →
Say Ye Not, A Confederacy – 2 Nephi 18:12-13
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (2 Nephi 18:12-13, Isaiah 8:12-13) The Hebrew word which is translated as... Continue Reading →
To the Law and to the Testimony – 2 Nephi 18:19-20
19 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead? 20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it... Continue Reading →
The Waters of Shiloah – 2 Nephi 18:6-8
6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels,... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 