The imagery of an iron rod representing the word of God contains nuances we may have missed, considering God’s word is truth and iron is unbending. And as we believe in God’s word in the scriptures insofar as they are translated correctly, that includes their interpretation, as their misuse or distortion is cause for damnation. […]
The Iron Rod—the Word of God Read More »
According to the scriptures, Enoch’s people, who succeeded in becoming a city of Zion, most nearly parallel and resemble the prophesied latter-day Zion. The book of Moses, for instance, links these two Zions rhetorically and typologically and shows that they will become one people of God. But just how did the Lord’s people in Enoch’s
Becoming like Enoch’s Zion Read More »
Reading the Book of Isaiah for the first time in my early twenties in New Zealand, I somehow sensed that its historical scenario had a much bigger application than only to Isaiah’s day or soon thereafter. Less than a decade later, in a yeshiva or rabbinic school in Jerusalem, Israel, the head rabbi declared as
Author’s Journey to Understanding Isaiah Read More »
The Davidic Covenant—God’s individual covenant with King David and his heirs—came into being in response to Israel’s need for protection against enemies. Although God had promised his protection under the collective Sinai Covenant, it required his entire people’s obedience to his commandments that are the terms of the covenant. That obedience had been achieved during
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Question: Is it possible that the Servant in Isaiah’s prophecy is the people of Israel? Answer: There exist two “servants” in Isaiah’s prophecy: (1) the collective servant, who are God’s people on the Jacob/Israel level of Isaiah’s spiritual ladder; and (2) the individual servant, who is on Isaiah’s seraph level. At a time when God’s
Question about Israel Being the Servant Read More »
Question: If Abinadi quotes chapter 53 of Isaiah to the priests of King Noah to convince them that the Holy One of Israel will be born on the earth as the Son of God, why does Abinadi quote the last two verses of chapter 53 about God’s Servant. Isn’t all of chapter 53 about Jesus
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In its Title Page, the Book of Mormon addresses three groups of people: (1) the Lamanites, who are a “remnant of the house of Israel;” (2) the Jews; and (3) the Gentiles. Before embarking on an explorative excursion into the Book of Mormon, therefore, it is well to clarify these three identities as not all
The Title Page of the Book of Mormon Read More »
Isaiah 66:5–9 Hear the word of Jehovah, you who are vigilant for his word: Your brethren who abhor you, and exclude you because of my name, say, Let Jehovah manifest his glory, that we may see cause for your joy! But it is they who shall suffer shame. Hark, a tumult from the city, a
Birthpangs of the Woman Zion Read More »
Question: I recently read an article on an LDS Internet site that viciously vilified Brother Gileadi. It stated that the servant in the book of Isaiah is Jesus Christ and that Brother Gileadi is wrong about the latter-day David. Joseph Smith, the article claimed, said this David or servant is Jesus Christ. What is Brother
Question about a Slanderous Published Article Read More »
Anticipating Israel’s rejection of him—without which his sacrifice for sin would not have been complete—Jehovah provided foreshadowings of his earthly ministry. These include Isaac, Abraham’s only-begotten son by Sarah, whom his father offered up as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:9–12; Hebrews 11:17); Joseph in Egypt, who saved his brothers who had sold him (Genesis 45:1–7); Job,
Jehovah/Jesus’ Atonement for Transgression Read More »
Question: How do we know from Isaiah when the Davidic Servant described therein is referring to Jesus Christ, or Joseph Smith, or some future person; or maybe all three at once? Answer: First, having imbedded many literary features in his book that prove his prophecies form an end-time scenario—one that uses the history of his
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“Hear me, O isles; listen, you distant peoples: Jehovah called me before I was in the belly; before I was in my mother’s womb, he mentioned me by name. He has made my mouth like a sharp sword—in the shadow of his hand he hid me. He has made me into a polished arrow—in his
God’s End-Time Servant Read More »
