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Isaiah’s prophecies address two kinds of end-time Israel: first, people like the Jews, who have more or less maintained their ethnic integrity through centuries of exile; second, people who have assimilated into the nations, who are now identified as Gentiles. We might refer to these as “ethnic Israel,” on the one hand, and “assimilated Israel,” […]

Built into Isaiah’s prophecy—and indeed into all scripture—are two different ways one may interpret them. The first is superficial, presumptive, and conceited. The second is in-depth, inquiring, and unassuming. That is one way God divides people—“rendering void the knowledge of their sages and the intelligence of their wise men insignificant” (Isaiah 29:14)—when the truth finally

Nephi sees that “because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine”—which “pervert the right way of the Lord”—the endtime Gentiles “have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by

God’s performing his great and marvelous work “among the children of men” (2 Nephi 25:17; emphasis added)—among humanity at large—characterizes the great and marvelous work as a worldwide event from the outset. As an inherent part of that work, God’s “setting his hand the second time” to restore his people of the house of Israel

In this modern age, when materialism, idolatry, perversions, and telestial trivia seduce the masses, one can foresee how the endtime Gentiles’ all-is-well attitude of self-sufficiency, indifference, conceit, and hypocrisy might in the end evolve into priestcraft and the murderous persecution of souls who hold fast to the truth (3 Nephi 16:10). Like the Zoramites, who

Consistent with the “other books” that are to come forth that will fulfill his prediction, therefore (1 Nephi 13:39), Jesus goes on to say that “in the latter day shall the truth come unto Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them” (3 Nephi 16:7; emphasis added). That “truth” and

Paradoxically, on the other hand, as noted, because additional scriptures come forth only when the Gentiles “believe” the Book of Mormon—including its interpretation of the words of Isaiah (3 Nephi 26:7–11)—some must believe and understand them in order for that to occur. If not, if belief doesn’t involve acting upon it, how can it be

Those who attain this second level of blessedness are freed from iniquity as well as sin. While we often lump “sins and iniquities” together as though they are the same thing, there exists a significant difference between the two. Persons on the Zion/Jerusalem level, for example, receive God’s forgiveness of their sins but must still

According to Isaiah, God raises up his servant when the world is spiraling in a spiritual downturn—when God’s people are buying wholesale into the ideology of Babylon. Isaiah’s ministry was a type of that scenario. So was the time before the Flood, when wickedness and violence prevailed throughout the earth. At that time God destroyed

“In that day the Lord will thresh out [his harvest] from the torrent of the River to the streams of Egypt. But you shall be gleaned one by one, O children of Israel. In that day a loud trumpet shall sound, and they who were lost in the land of Assyria and they who were

It was in the context of his people’s lost and fallen state that the redemptive role of Israel’s God as their Savior and King awakened in their consciousness. When they prospered in the Promised Land, his people gave little thought to the need of a Savior. Many even forgot their heavenly King. Only after they

Jesus refers to his servant again when giving Lehi’s descendants “a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place—that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion” (3 Nephi 21:1; cf. vv 8–11).