As Abinadi taught the wicked priests of King Noah, he quoted Isaiah 53 to emphasize that salvation is available to us only because of Jesus Christ. In this chapter, Isaiah called the Savior "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Then, he identified the source of those afflictions: "Surely he has borne our griefs,... Continue Reading →
“He Was Despised” – Mosiah 14:3
Today, I was pondering a prophecy of the Savior written by Isaiah and later quoted by Abinadi (Isaiah 53:3-6, Mosiah 14:3-6). I was thinking about the contrast between worldly power and spiritual power as illustrated by the Savior's experience. Isaiah dramatizes it by juxtaposing the Savior's experience with our natural response to it: What He... Continue Reading →
What Do We Know About God’s Love for Us?
Yesterday, I received a question about one of my posts, entitled Willing to Submit – Mosiah 3:19. Here is the question: God is love right? So how can love inflict when the term inflict has to do with punishment. Surely love knows how to be persuasive. This is such an important question that I've decided to... Continue Reading →
Why Are We Blessed When We Are Reviled?
At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists a number of unlikely scenarios in which we should consider ourselves fortunate. One of those goes like this: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and... Continue Reading →
Why Is Jesus Called the Great Mediator?
Mediation is the process of intervening in order to resolve a dispute or heal a broken relationship. To be successful, the mediator must have the trust of both parties and must be able to understand what is required to repair the breach between them. Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would come to earth, "[pour] out... Continue Reading →
What Is the Role of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs” in the Book of Mormon?
Four passages in the Book of Isaiah are known as the "servant songs." They are written in a poetic style, and they collectively describe a servant of God who would save God's children by suffering for them ("The Servant Songs in Isaiah," American Bible Society Resources website, "Isaiah's 'Other' Servant Songs," Religious Studies Center, Brigham... Continue Reading →
How Does Isaiah Point Us Toward Christ?
Nephi tells us that he read to his brothers from the books of Moses, "but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah" (1 Nephi 19:23). Just before quoting thirteen chapters in a row by Isaiah,... 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 →
Why Is Isaiah Quoted So Much in the Book of Mormon?
After Lehi's family left Jerusalem and began to travel toward the promised land, the Lord commanded him to send his four sons back to Jerusalem to retrieve a set of sacred writings engraved on brass plates. Lehi's son Nephi tells us that these plates contained the five books of Moses, additional historical records, and the... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Sadness?
Yesterday, I wrote about what the Book of Mormon teaches us about happiness. Today, I would like to consider what the Book of Mormon teaches us about sadness. 1. Sadness is a fact of life. Alma referred to mortal life as "this vale of sorrow" (Alma 37:45). Jacob said that he and his people "did... Continue Reading →
