The Book of Mormon's Endorsement of Isaiah
The Book of Mormon gives a powerful endorsement of the words
of Isaiah. We see this first in the emphasis
that Nephi placed on Isaiah’s teachings.
While on their journey to the promised land, Nephi told how he relied on
them to teach his brothers about the scattering and gathering of Israel: “And I
did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the
restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were
restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered
again” (1 Nephi 15:20). After their
arrival in the promised land, he used Isaiah 48-49 to teach his brothers about
the Savior: “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; for
I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and
learning” (1 Nephi 19:23). Once the
Nephites separated, Nephi continued to use the words of Isaiah to teach his
people, explaining, “I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul
delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will
send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I
have seen him” (2 Nephi 11:2). He then
quoted Isaiah 2-14 in their entirety, and commented afterwards again, “my soul
delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes
hath beheld the things of the Jews.” He
promised us that “in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled
men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass” (2 Nephi
25:5, 7). We, in our day, can indeed
know of the fulfilling of Isaiah’s words.
Nephi also quoted Isaiah 29:6-24 in 2 Nephi 27 in a prophecy about the
coming forth of the Book of Mormon. If
we believe the words of Nephi, then we must believe that the words of Isaiah
are of great value, and Nephi’s invitation to us is clear: “Hear ye the words
of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have
been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all
the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves” (1 Nephi 19:24).
If Nephi
words were the only references in the Book of Mormon to the words of Isaiah, it
would still be a substantial endorsement.
But there were yet others who spoke of and referred to the words of
Isaiah. When Nephi’s brother Jacob taught
the people, he said, “I will read you the words of Isaiah…. The words which I shall read are they which
Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened
unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which
have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the
house of Israel” (2 Nephi 6:4-5). He
then quoted parts of Isaiah 49 and all of 50-51. Abinadi also appealed to the words of Isaiah
as he taught King Noah and his wicked priests, quoting all of Isaiah 53 about
the Savior’s suffering. Nephi, the son
of Helaman, also referred to Isaiah as a prophet who had testified of the
Savior (see Helaman 8:19-20). Moroni
explicitly recommended the words of Isaiah to us, saying simply, “Search the
prophecies of Isaiah,” and he chose to quote Isaiah in his final words of the Book
of Mormon: “And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on
thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and
enlarge thy borders forever” (Mormon 8:23, Moroni 10:31).
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