2 Nephi 22: All Men shall Praise the Lord
Praise will be offered to the Lord when his anger has passed away. The Lord is my strength and salvation! You will draw water from the well of salvation. Praise sung – great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!
“And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he had done excellent things…” (2 Nephi 22:4-5)
2 Nephi 21: Knowledge of God will Flood the Earth
A root shall come forth from the rod of Jesse, possessing the seven spirits of God: He will judge the poor with equity, and slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.
“The wolf shall also dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion… together…” (2 Nephi 20:6) The world will come together and fighting and war will be a thing of the past. The gentiles shall seek him. The Lord will gather together scattered Israel. Peace will reign, and neighboring nations be subdued.
In Doctrine and Covenant Section 113 we learn more about 2 Nephi 21 and Isaiah chapter 11 and come to understand more of the meaning behind Isaiah’s words.
Answers to certain questions on the writings of Isaiah, given by Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Far West, Missouri, March 1838.
“Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?
Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.” (D&C 113:1-2)
“What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah [2 Nephi 21:1], that should come of the Stem of Jesse?
Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.” (D&C 113:3-4)
“What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter [2 Nephi 21:10]?
Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.” (D&C 113:5-6)
2 Nephi 20: The Destruction of the 2nd Coming
Woe to Assyria, the unintentional instrument in the hand of the Lord – it will be punished for its arrogant superiority.
“Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth (chops) therewithin…” (2 Nephi 20:15) Which of course means, Can man Prosper against God? The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT! Do not be afraid of the Assyrians – the Lord will preserve a remnant of the house of Jacob. Isaiah prophesies attacks on a number of specific Juhan cities. The proud of Judah will be humbled.
2 Nephi 19: Isaiah speaks of Christ
Judah will not suffer as greatly as Israel. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
“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. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.” (2 Nephi 19:6-7)
Because of their unholy pride, Israel will be defeated by her enemies: its head (elder and honorable) and tail (false prophet) will be cut off. The people of Israel will also attack each other. Exile and slaughter will be a punishment for social injustice.
But it is important to note, that “…the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they are led of them that are destroyed.” (2 Nephi 19:16) Therefore those who lead and misguide will be dealt a very harsh punishment!
Isaiah has a son, whom the Lord tells him to name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, which means ‘speed to the spoil, hurry to the plunder’. Before the children can call his mother and father, the riches of Damascus and Israel will be taken away by Assyria. However, the Assyrian army, compared to water, will overflow its banks and flood Judah with violence and destruction. Judah can prepare for the invasion by fearing God rather than Assyria. When people say to seek the occult, rather than the word of God you shall know that they have no light in them (see: 2 Nephi 18:19-20)
2 Nephi 17: Ephraim and Sariah Wage War
In the days when Israel and Syria joined in league against Judah in the days of Ahaz. Via Isaiah and in the presence of his son Shear-Jashub (meaning: ‘a remnant shall return’) the Lord tells Ahaz not to fear, for the attack will not succeed, and Israel will no longer be a nation in 65 years’ time.
The Lord will give a sign: “…Behold a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.” (2 Nephi 17:14) Immanuel, meaning God with us. Before the child can distinguish good from evil (i.e. within a couple of years), he will be eating curds and honey (i.e. the land will be back to producing plenteous food), and both Israel and Syria will be defeated. However, the Assyrians (whom Judah called upon for help) will inflict heavy calamities upon Judah. Isaiah counsels against a Judah-Assyria alliance to counter the threat from the Israel-Syria one.
2 Nephi 16: Isaiah sees the Lord
“In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (2 Nephi 16:1) Here Isaiah sees the Lord and his sins are forgiven. Isaiah is called by the Lord to prophesy and he does, prophesying of the day of the Lord. Isaiah speaks about the pre-mortal world where Jesus Christ volunteered to be our Savior.
“…I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me. And he said: Go and tell this people—Hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.” (2 Nephi 16:8-9)
Isaiah knew that the Lord would be persecuted and would be rejected, and he prophesies of this!
2 Nephi 15: The Apostate of Israel
The Lord’s vineyard shall become desolate and because of this, His people shall be scattered among the world.
Isaiah warns us;
“Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, and wine inflame them! (2 Nephi 15:11) Members of the LDS Church follow a strict “Word of Wisdom” that prohibits the consumption of Alcohol.
Isaiah explains that people; “…are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” (2 Nephi 15:11) This can occur politically and religiously. You need to know what you are following! Research, study and prayer to know the truth for yourself and not from what others tell you!
Isaiah warns about people who say good things are bad and bad things are good.
“Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!” (2 Nephi 15:20-21)
However, in the Last Days the Lord will lift up an Ensign to His people and shall gather them again!
2 Nephi 14: Zion shall be Cleansed
“…in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach [the expression of disapproval or disappointment].” (2 Nephi 14:1)
Isaiah speaks of a time when Zion and her daughters shall be redeemed. This time will come very close to the millennial day and at the door of the Last Days. It is interesting that this chapter opens up speaking of seven women taking hold of one man. This is speaking of Polygamy.
What is Polygamy?
Polygamy occurs when there are more than two partners in a marriage. In this case, seven women marrying one man (or taking hold of one man) would constitute ‘Polygamy’ and more specifically; ‘Polygyny’; which is when a man has multiple wives.
Polygamy in the LDS Church:
When someone wants to attack The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days [LDS]; or more commonly known as “The Mormons”, Polygamy is almost ALWAYS brought up! Why? Because the LDS Church practiced Polygamy. However, are the “Mormons” the only ones who have practiced Polygamy throughout time? No.
At various times, the Lord has commanded His people to practice plural marriage. However, like the scripture above, Polygamy was to be used within the laws of God, in other words it has only been instituted when and IF God commands. God has initiated this practice, when population of his people was at risk for extinction or in cases such as the scripture above, when women married men to take away the ‘reproach’. Early in the History of the LDS Church, so many people persecuted the church and its members that men were actually killed at an alarming rate. This left many women as widows with children. But as anyone knows women in the 1800’s were not given as many rights as men, and especially not as many rights as married women. Because women had basically no rights as single unmarried women (regardless of being widows) the Lord commanded some of the early Saints to practice plural marriage. The Prophet Joseph Smith and those closest to him, including Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, were challenged by this command, but they obeyed it. Church leaders regulated the practice. Those entering into it had to be authorized to do so, and the marriages had to be performed through the sealing power of the priesthood.
Many of the men who participated in it did so for legal reasons, and many men kept “one wife”, but had many other legal wives that did their own thing. Like the scripture mentioned above; “…We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach.” – In other words give us your last name and be legally called your ‘wife’, but I will take care of myself. Some who were chosen to practice polygamy were also commanded to have children with their multiple wives; however this was not the common practice throughout the church. Anyone who disobeyed the commandment of God and used Polygamy to have control over women or simply for sexual lust were disciplined by the church.
Contrary to what many people think, the LDS Church does NOT practice Polygamy today! In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff received a revelation that the leaders of the Church should cease teaching the practice of plural marriage;
To Whom It May Concern:
Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year, also that in public discourses the leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of polygamy—
I, therefore, as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our Temples or in any other place in the Territory.
One case has been reported, in which the parties allege that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the Spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of this alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.
There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy; and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.
Wilford Woodruff
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Lorenzo Snow offered the following:
“I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the Manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24th, 1890, and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding.”
Salt Lake City, Utah, October 6, 1890.
Zach's Scripture Study 