The Book of Mormon corrects
and changes many verses in this chapter.
Vs. 1 -
Chapters 2, 3 & 4 are 1 vision. Judah &Jerusalem
Vs. 2-4 Is the same as Micah 4:1-3
Vs. 2 - This
is the 1st of 6 references to the Latter-days in this chapter. (2, 11, 12, 13
(BoM only), 17, 20). Mountain of the Lord’s house established in the top of the
mountains refers to
A.
Salt Lake Temple-Wilford Woodruff at dedication, LeGrand Richards
B.
Other temples in Rocky Mountains (BRM)
C.
Jackson County Temple-(D&C 57:1-3 & headnote)
D.
Temple in Old Jerusalem (Zech. 6:12-15; D&C 133:12-13)
E.
Mountain in scriptures is a place God meets his servants. (Enoch-Moses 7:2-4;
Brother of Jared-Ether 3:1 & 4:1; Moses-Moses1:1, 27-28; Nephi-1 Nephi
18:3; Peter, James, and John-Matt. 17:1
& D&C 63:2) During the
Millennium, this will be the whole earth.
“Let
Israel gather to the stakes of Zion in all nations. Let every land be a Zion to
those appointed to dwell there. Let the fullness of the gospel be for all the
saints in all nations. Let temples arise wherein the fullness of the ordinances
of the Lord’s house may be administered. But still there is a center place, a
place to which the Lord shall come, a place whence the law shall go forth to
govern all the earth in that day when the Second David reigns personally upon
the earth. And that center place is what men now call Independence in Jackson
County, Missouri, but which in a day to come will be the Zion of our God and
the City of Holiness of his people. The site is selected; the place is known;
the decree has gone forth; and the promised destiny is assured” (BRM-A New
Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 595-See also p. 539).
This New Jerusalem temple
will be a complex of 24 buildings, built before & during the millennium.
See Hymn #'s 5, 34, 37, 54
(37 Isaiah; 90 Psalms)
Vs. 3 - Out
of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of
the Lord from Jerusalem
A.
Jackson County and a rebuilt Jerusalem
B.
George Albert Smith at the dedication of the Idaho Falls Temple in 1945. “We
thank thee that thou has revealed to us that those who gave us our
constitutional form of government were men wise in thy sight and that thou
didst raise them up for the very purpose of putting forth that sacred
document....We pray that kings and rulers and the peoples of all nations under
heaven may be persuaded...to adopt similar governmental systems, thus to
fulfill the ancient prophecy of Isaiah that...out of Zion shall go forth the
law.” (IE, Oct. 1945, p. 564.) See also D&C 101:77-80.
C.
Mark E. Petersen talked about General Conference talks as being a fulfillment
of this prophecy. (Brewster p. 13) See
D&C 45:65-71; Ether 13
Vs. 4 - The
Lord's judgment and rebuking are to see who will humble themselves and follow
Him. (D&C 95)the millennial government will be Christ as Judge and King and
war implements will no longer be necessary. In preparation for that day we
should make sure that we are people of peace.
Vs. 5 - Second
half of verse is not in the Bible. (Yea come, for ye have all gone astray,
everyone to his wicked ways" (2 Nephi 12:5) -Too clear of a prophecy on
the apostasy. Hymn # 304
Vs. 6-22 summarize spiritual
problems of ancient and modern Israel
Vs. 6 - The
word translated "forsaken means to send away, or let go or to disperse or
spread abroad. Replenished from the east. - Supplied with teachings from
apostate religions like those in Assyria. Soothsayers (persons who attempt or
pretend to predict the future) like the Philistines- May have reference to 2
Kings 1, when the Israelite King Ahaziah sought help from Baal-zebub, the false
god of the Philistine town of Ekron. Elijah intercepted the King’s messengers
and told of the King’s death. Three captains of 50 were sent, two of who were
killed at Elijah’s word. Finally Elijah went with the 3rd captain and talked to
the King who died as Elijah had said.
Please
themselves in the children of strangers. - Means to shake hands with or make a
covenant with. Their business arrangements were more important to them than
their covenants with God. May also refer to marriage or immoral relations
outside of the covenant. Isaiah may also have been condemning those who clasp
hands with strangers in secret rites, delivering sacred things to those not
worthy to receive them. Note the differences in the Book of Mormon translation.
(are=hearken unto)
Vs. 7 - Israel
Vs. 8 - What
are the false gods we worship? cars, houses, clothes etc. Idolatry in Isaiah's
day was accompanied by adultery and fornication as a part of their fertility
cults. ("The False Gods We Worship", SWKimball, Ensign June 1976)
Vs. 9 - mean
man=common man - the first two nots are not in the OT (2 Nephi 12:9) Without
those nots, the verse does not make sense- The sin of pride is identified by
both Isaiah and Nephi as the common dominator in the fall, destruction and scattering
of all the nations and peoples discussed in Isaiah’s prophecies.
Vs. 10 - “O
ye wicked ones” (2 Nephi 12:10) is not in the OT. When Christ comes again, the
wicked will try to hide. In BoM the verse ends with "shall smite
thee." Note, as you compare the KJV with the BoM that many of the minor
changes are with italicized words in the KJV.
Vs. 11 -
When Christ comes; people &things, previously highly esteemed, will not
seem like much.
Vs. 12 - "soon
cometh upon all nations is in the BoM. “the day of the Lord, in that day, day
of visitation, day of his fierce anger, and day of the Lord’s vengeance are
found more than 55 times. All refer to 2nd coming. D&C 64:23 says that now
is called today, until the coming of the Son of Man.
Vs. 13 - In
the BoM this verse begins with "Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come
upon...“ Symbolically, the scriptures consistently use trees to represent men.
Green trees are righteous people (Ps. 1:3; D&C 135:6) and dry trees
represent the wicked (Luke 23:31: 3 Nephi 14:17-18. In the context of Isaiah 2:11-21,
oaks and cedars are like proud people, who Isaiah informs us, are high and
lifted up, the oaks of Bashan represent the idols or gods they worship and the
day of the Lord shall come upon them too.” (Parry, p. 34)
Bashan
is north of Gilead. Its forests produced rare hardwood, Lebanon is a mountain
range in Syria known for its fine cedars, used because of its fragrance &
in building fancy places.
Vs. 14 -
these mountains and hills may represent false temples. Hills, mountains, towers
and walls are all representative of protection that will not abide the coming
of the Lord. In the BoM this verse ends with "and upon every people."
Vs. 16 -
Tarshish was a wealthy seaport, in Spain?, here representing the wealth of the
world. Through Tarshish Solomon imported luxury items like silver, ivory, apes &
peacocks. 1 Kings 10:22
Pleasant
pictures has something to do with imagery or figures. Possibly images on the
sails of ships from Tarshish? See footnote 16a. (Joseph Smith didn't
know Greek.)
Vs. 17 - see
vs. 11 &12. When the Lord repeats Himself it is not because He forgot He
already said that. It is for emphasis.
Vs. 18 - The
idolatrous works of men's hands will be destroyed just as completely in the
latter days as they were in Isaiah's day.
Vs. 19 - see
vs. 10. The BoM adds "shall come upon them" after "for the fear
of the Lord."
Vs. 20 -
bats and moles are animals that cannot see. The items prized because of their
beauty will be tossed to animals that cannot see them! The wicked go to dark
places when the God of Light appears.
Vs. 21 - in
times of trouble, the sinners go to the wrong Rock. ("Gen. 19:30; Josh.
10:16; 1 Sam. 24:3; Matt. 27:50-53; 3 Nephi 8) For Isaiah's references to
geographical changes in the earth see 24:1; 54:10; 64:3; 62:4.
Vs. 22- Note
footnotes
