Isaiah: A Great Feller (2 Nephi 24)

Today we're on 2nd Nephi 24 (compare Isaiah 14).  First thing I do when I blog a BOM chapter is read the chapter clear through once, and look and listen and sense for impressions or ideas or whatever.  These are my notes...

So, I looked through it again.  This time I really put on my thinker...

But...

So, I'll sum the chapter up for ya, and we'll color it good.

2 Nephi 24: 1

1.  For The Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

After this, past, and future scatterings, Israel will become a chosen people once again, and be gathered in as He promised from the beginning.


Strangers shall be joined with Israel.  Hopefully, when we meet them, we'll know who not to talk to.  You know, 'cause we ain't supposed to talk to strangers.  Never mind.  Ok, we're the strangers.  You know, Gentiles.  Anywayz...

2 Nephi 24: 3

3.  And it shall come to pass in that day that The Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.

Those who beat up on Israel won't bug 'em anymore.

2 Nephi 24: 8

8.  Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebannon, saying:  Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us.

Ha, no feller.  That's awesome.  Bad news for that cool feller, Paul Bunyan...

Then it says some stuff about a couple of fellers who were serious losers.  Isaiah is a smart feller who is real good at speaking about multiple people and times at once.  Verses 12 through 16 is about the king of Babylon on the surface, but it is widely believed that it's really about Satan.  This is where Satan gets the name Lucifer, which actually means "light bearer" or "morning star".  Satan was a nice feller at one time in the pre-mortal realm, but then got greedy, and was thrown outta there.

 
Since then he has sought that "man might be miserable like unto himself." (-2 Nephi 2: 27). 

2 Nephi 24: 12

12.  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

13.  For thou hast said in thy heart:  I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;

14.  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

15.  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

It's a sad story, really.  But it's important to know that we know who the winner will be, we know who the loser will be, and we can decide to be a winner or a loser by joining one or t'other.  As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord. (-Joshua 24: 15)

That's the end of the Isaiahs, at least the tough ones.  There's a few more, but they don't scare me.  It's taken me months and months to get from 2 Nephi 11 to 2 Nephi 25.  I'm sorry to see him go.  I'm going to miss Isaiah.

I hope you know that I'm kidding about not liking the Isaiah chapters.  Jesus Christ said, "Yea, a commandment I give unto you, that ye search these things diligently, for Great are the words of Isaiah," and I believe Him. (-3 Nephi 23: 1) He's just a hard feller to blog about that many times in a row.  I seriously can't wait to get to Mosiah something or other when Abinadi quotes Isaiah 53 (-Mosiah 14) before he is burned alive. 

Let's celebrate our completion of the Isaiahs by figuring up some way to sum it all up.  How do you sum up Isaiah? 

Isaiah 9: 6

6.  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 50: 6

6.  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:  I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

2 Nephi 24: 7

7.  The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing.

Great are the words of Isaiah.

Peace be with you...