“My people are taken over without price; those who govern them act presumptuously, says Jehovah, and my name is constantly abused all the day” (Isaiah 52:5). “The heads of state have led Egypt (America) astray. Jehovah has permeated them with a spirit of confusion; they have misled Egypt in all that it does, causing it […]
“Woe to the land of buzzing wings beyond the rivers of Cush, which sends emissaries by sea, in swift craft across the water! Go speedily, you messengers, to a people perpetually on the move, a nation dreaded far and wide, a people continually infringing, whose rivers have annexed their lands!” (Isaiah 18:1–2) “Woe to those
We recognize the elite of the world by the wealth, power, and influence they wield, especially when oppressing the common people. But do we easily discern the elect of God or, at times, do we confuse the two? The term “elect” (Hebrew bechir) is the same as the word “chosen” (bechir) from the verb “to
As trials intensify, so does the comfort God extends from on high: “I now send upon you another Comforter . . . even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded
It seems no coincidence that Isaiah’s end-time message should come to light in all its literary, theological, and prophetic glory at the very time truth is at a premium in the world—when so much of what passes for the truth consists of but a cunningly conceived façade concealing layers of lies, lies, and more lies.
Question: If the scriptures say the end-time church has apostatized, why should we continue to be members of it? Answer: Although there exist many prophecies that speak of a general apostasy of God’s end-time people—and of the judgments of God that come upon all nations as a consequence—a prophecy of the church’s ceasing to exist
Why Should We Continue to be Members of the Church? Read More »
How many of us remember our calling to “say nothing but repentance unto this generation,” to “keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work” (Doctrine & Covenants 6:9)? Or the Lord’s admonition that “it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” so that they may be “left without excuse,”
Degrees of Loyalty Read More »
Question: Many verses of Isaiah are quoted in the Book of Mormon, some with changes from the Old Testament Isaiah. I assume these verses were taken directly from the Plates of Laban. The question is when and who changed the wording, or was it in the translation? Answer: While Isaiah passages quoted in the Book
How Do We Account For Variations of Isaiah Passages Quoted in the Book of Mormon? Read More »
Joseph Smith’s boldly declaring the Book of Mormon “the most correct of any book on earth” (TPJS, 194) invites serious scrutiny. Apart from the fact that millions of people have received a spiritual testimony of its truthfulness by the power of the Holy Ghost, others have searched and additionally gained an intellectual testimony. That “a
Most Correct Book? Read More »
The concept of “the birthpangs of Messiah” arose out of Israel’s need for a divinely empowered deliverer of God’s people when conditions became intolerable. When Israel served in hard bondage in Egypt and the people cried to God for deliverance, he raised up Moses, who led them to the Promised Land. When the Philistines were
Birthpangs of the Messiah Read More »
Because as yet there has occurred no real Mormon (LDS) embrace of the words of Isaiah—neither of his endtime prophecy, of which his historical prophecies are an allegory, nor of his theology that is embedded in his literary devices—perhaps that could account for some of the disconnect developing between two Mormon narratives: (1) the recapitulation
A “precept of men” we may have heard is that we should not search out mysteries. As if seeking the truths of God for ourselves is prohibited! In a day when “all things shall be revealed” (2 Nephi 27:11, 22; cf. Doctrine & Covenants 101:32—and indeed are beginning to be revealed—won’t seeking the truth save
Searching Mysteries Read More »
