Rejoice in the Words of Isaiah

Nephi introduced the writings of Isaiah that he quoted this way: “And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men” (2 Nephi 11:8). The following thirteen chapters then essentially quote Isaiah 12-24 from the Bible.  Much of the material speaks out against the wicked and the judgments of the Lord that will come upon them, so at first glance there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to “rejoice” about.  But reading carefully I think there is much that Isaiah speaks of which should cause us to lift up our hearts and rejoice.  He spoke of how the “mountain of the Lord’s house” will be established in the last days and that we can “go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob” to learn “his ways” (2 Nephi 12:2-3). We also read that “there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm and from rain” (2 Nephi 14:6).  The temple acts as a place of learning and refuge and its blessings should give us great cause to rejoice.  These chapters also reference the coming of the Messiah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel…. 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” (2 Nephi 17:14, 19:6).  The birth and ministry of the Savior was something that Nephi had seen in vision and caused him to rejoice, and this is surely part of what he was referring to when he commended words of Isaiah to us.  A third theme that we see in these Isaiah chapters is the blessings of the Lord that will come to His people.  Isaiah said simply, “Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings” (2 Nephi 13:10).  Despite the seeming triumph of the wicked at times, great blessings will come to the righteous people of the Lord.  Isaiah wrote of how the Lord would “set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people” and “shall assemble the outcasts of Israel” (2 Nephi 21:11,12). The lost of the Lord’s people would be gathered again, and this was particularly import for Nephi for his own future posterity.  There is indeed much that should cause us to rejoice and be glad as we read these words of Isaiah, and we should follow this invitation from this ancient prophet: “Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee” (2 Nephi 22:5-6).