Isaiah 25–26. Death, Destruction, Second Coming, Resurrection, and Rejoicing

Many times we look at the prophecies of Isaiah and see only the destruction and sadness. Isaiah’s prophecies are full of hope and how these same dark times can be a day of rejoicing. Chapters 25-26 talk about the destruction, but they also talk about the hope.

Chapter 25

 1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

4 For thou hast been a strength to the ^apoor, a strength to the needy in his ^bdistress, a ^crefuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

8 He will swallow up ^adeath in ^bvictory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the ^crebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for theLord hath spoken it.

 9 ¶And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our ^aGod; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have ^bwaited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his ^csalvation.

Chapter 26

 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect ^apeace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

 4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord ^AJEHOVAH is ^beverlasting ^cstrength:

 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I ^aseek thee ^bearly: for when thy ^cjudgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

 19 Thy dead men shall ^alive, together with ^bmy dead body shall they ^carise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

·         In these verses Isaiah mentions some blessings available to us as we turn to the Lord: Strength to the poor, strength to the needy in distress,  a refuge in a storm, a shadow from the heat, and peace for the righteous who trust in the Lord

·         Isaiah expressed his desires. He wanted the Lord to be with him in dark times. He sought him early and wanted for the inhabitants of the world to learn righteousness. He desired for all to be resurrected and rejoice.

·         Some of the promises given in these verses include: All evil will be wiped off the earth and perfect justice will take place wiping away the tears of the innocent. Death will be swallowed up as all are resurrected. Salvation will come through His everlasting strength.

At times, death can come all too sudden. My son passed away not too long ago and the messages of these verses bring me great hope and peace. With the promise of resurrection, I know I will see my son again. It is just a goodbye for now, not forever. I miss him, but I find comfort and peace and strength to get through the tough times and the grief by turning to Christ and focusing on the good in my life and the good memories of the past. 

Isaiah 1–4. Isaiah’s Teachings about the Last Days

Isaiah 1:2–14, 21–23, 30–31

There are many symbols Isaiah uses to describe the people of Judah and their sins.

Vs 4 people laden with iniquity, seed of evildoers, corrupters, gone away backwards

Vs 5 whole head is sick, whole heart faint

Vs 6 from the sole of the foot to the head there is no soundness, wounds not closed, bruises not bound up, putrefying sores not mollified with ointment

Vs 7 country is desolate, city is burned, strangers devour

Vs 8 left as a cottage in a vineyard, a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, besieged city (all that is left are the cottages and huts, there are no prophets or temples, spiritually destitute)

Vs 9 very small remnant, like Sodom and Gomorrah (Sodom and Gomorrah were cities completely taken over by evil) the very small remnant means there are very few righteous left

Vs 11-14 describe many of the temple ordinances, festive and sacred occasions being done without any heart, feeling, or understanding. The Lord describes them as “vain oblations” and “iniquity.”

Vs 21 harlots, murderers

Vs 22 silver is dross and wine mixed with water (individuals who are precious and pure have been compared to silver and wine, now they are full of impurities)

Vs 23 princes(leaders of the cities) are rebellious, companions of thieves, seek luxuries and rewards, ignore fatherless and widows (the leaders are taking bribes and following after money rather than carry for the poor and needy)

Vs 30 an oak whose leaf fadeth, garden with no water (spiritual death or dying)(oaks and gardens also represent worshiping other Gods. The oak is a counterfeit for the tree of life. A garden can represent a temple and this represents the counterfeit temple systems)

Vs 31 The strong will be as tow(tinder) and the maker of it as spark, both will burn together and none will quench (refers to the burning of the wicked in the last days) 

Isaiah 1:16–20

Isaiah tells them what they need to do to be forgiven of their sins.

Vs 16 wash you, make you clean, put away evil, cease to do evil (we are washed and made clean as we make and honor covenants and turn to Christ)

Vs 17 do well, seek judgment(justice), relieve the oppressed, judge(vindicate) the fatherless, plead for the widow

Vs 18 reason with the Lord, He will help you make your sins as though they never stained your soul

Vs 19 be willing and obedient 

Isaiah 3:9–11

Isaiah teaches the consequences of sin

Vs 9 Their countenance will reflect their actions, they will not be able to hide their sins

Vs 10-11 Each will receive the reward of their actions. It will be well for the righteous and ill for the wicked.

Isaiah 2:1–5 tells us about the “last days”

 1 The word that ^aIsaiah the son of Amoz ^bsaw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

 2 And it shall come to pass in the ^alast days,, that the ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be ^destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all ^enations shall flow unto it.

 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ^ago up to the ^bmountain of the Lord, to the ^chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will ^dteach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of ^eZion shall go forth the ^flaw, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

 4 And he shall ^ajudge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn ^bwar any more.

 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us ^awalk in the ^blight of the Lord.

“The ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be ^destablished in the top of the mountains.”  “All ^enations shall flow unto it.” The mountain symbolizes the place we go to learn about the Lord and his ways. We have seen partial fulfillment of these prophecies.

President Harold B. Lee said: “With the coming of the pioneers to establish the Church in the tops of the mountains, our early leaders declared this to be the beginning of the fulfillment of that prophecy” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” Ensign, Nov. 1971, p. 15).

Elder LeGrand Richards said: “How literally [Isaiah 2:3] has been fulfilled, in my way of thinking, in this very house of the God of Jacob right here on this block! This temple [Salt Lake], more than any other building of which we have any record, has brought people from every land to learn of his ways and walk in his paths.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 143.)

Each time we have general conference, people from all over the world come to temple square in Salt Lake to learn more of the Lord and his ways. Many millions more watch the proceedings on the internet and through satellite broadcast all over the world.

“Out of ^eZion shall go forth the ^flaw, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” The law of the Lord goes forth from Zion (where ever The Church of Jesus Christ is established in the world), but what about the word of the Lord from Jerusalem?

“These two cities, one in the land of Zion and one in Palestine, are to become capitals for the kingdom of God during the millennium.“In the meantime, while the work of preparation is going on and Israel is being gathered, many people are coming to the land of Zion saying: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.’ The Latter-day Saints are fulfilling this prediction, since they are being gathered from all parts of the earth and are coming to the house of the Lord in these valleys of the mountains. Here they are being taught in the ways of the Lord through the restoration of the gospel and by receiving blessings in the temples now erected. Moreover, before many years have passed away, the Lord will command the building of the City Zion, and Jerusalem in Palestine will in due time be cleansed and become a holy city and the habitation of the Jews after they are cleansed and are willing to accept Jesus Christ as their Redeemer.” (Doctrines of Salvation,3:69–71.)

Eventually, there will be no more war and peace will flood the earth!

Isaiah 2:5–9

5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us ^awalk in the ^blight of the Lord.

6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they ^abe replenished from the east, and are ^bsoothsayers like the Philistines, and they ^cplease themselves in the children of strangers.

 7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:

 8 Their land also is full of ^aidols; they ^bworship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:

 9 And the ^amean man ^bboweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

What is the divine invitation to the family of Jacob? 

The invitation is to come back to the Lord and walk in righteousness.

Note or list the wickedness that interferes with the divine invitation:

The have adopted the apostate spiritual practices worshiping deities of the people of the east.

They are soothsayers (those who pretend to prophesy or predict the future).

They make covenants in apostate temples.

They worship their wealth and their own work.

Both the ordinary man and the great man are guilty of pride.

2 Nephi 12:9 helps us clarify the confusion of Isaiah 2:9 by adding the word “not.” 

 2 Nephi 12:9 And the mean man ^aboweth ^bnot down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not.

The verses that follow in Isaiah 2 elaborate on the pride of the people.

Some key words and phrases:

Vs 12 Proud and lofty, lifted up

Vs 13 cedars of Lebanon, Oaks of Bashon (Lebanon was known for its fine cedar trees, the trees are symbolic for men being high and lifted up)

Vs 14 high mountains, hills that are lifted up (mountains symbolize temples and these phrases refer to the apostate temple systems)

Vs 15 high tower, fenced wall (towers and walls are ways to protect from enemies, these phrases indicate the people are relying on their own means for protection rather than turning to God)

Vs 16 ships of Tarshish, pleasant pictures (Tarshish was a seaport that brought in many luxuries to the people)

Vs 18 idols

Vs 20-21 The people want to hide in the clefts of the rocks with their idols, gold, and silver rather than face God

Isaiah 4:5–6  teaches us the potential for our homes

5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount ^aZion, and upon her assemblies, a ^bcloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming ^cfire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of ^arefuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. 

 Temple

“A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” 

We can make our homes as temples by following the things we learn in these verses of Isaiah 4. Every dwelling place of mount Zion indicates the individual homes of the saints. The symbolism of the cloud and smoke by day and the fire by night reminds of us the tabernacle (temple) in the wilderness at the time of Moses. The cloud and the smoke indicate continual prayer. They burnt incense in the temple continually to symbolize prayer ascending to heaven. If we want to make our homes like a temple we need to have our homes filled with never ending prayer. Fire and burning indicate the presence of the spirit of the Lord. We need to invite the Spirit of the Lord to be with us and ask for the protecting power as we lay down at night. As we do this our homes will be a defense and a refuge from the storms of life. 

Ecclesiastes. Seeing Life Clearly

From the Bible Dictionary for “Ecclesiastes,” we learn:

The book of Ecclesiastes consists of reflections on some of the deepest problems of life, as they present themselves to the thoughtful observer. The author describes himself as “son of David, king in Jerusalem” (1:1).

Ecclesiastes is written from the point of view of the world, everything is temporary and soon gone—nothing is permanent. Ecclesiastes should not be construed as theological pronouncements on the condition of the soul after death; rather, they are observations by the Preacher about how things appear to men on the earth “under the sun.” (9:5, 9:10)

Ecclesiastes 1–2 tells us ways the author sought happiness but couldn’t find it.

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not ^asatisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing (1:8) 

He sought happiness in his work but was not satisfied.

 17 And I gave my ^aheart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.  18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth ^aknowledge increaseth ^bsorrow. (1:17-18) 

He sought happiness in wisdom but found more grief and sorrow.

1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with ^amirth, therefore enjoy ^bpleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.  2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? (2:1-2). 

He sought happiness in laughter and pleasure but could not find it.

3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. (2:3) 

He sought happiness in wine and discovered it folly.

 4 I made me great works; I ^abuilded me houses; I planted me vineyards:  5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:  6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:  7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:  8 I gathered me also silver and ^agold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the ^bprovinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.  9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.  11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.  12 ¶And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (2:4-12) 

He sought happiness in riches but realized it had no purpose when he died.

Many have heard the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. Other scriptures sharing a similar principle are found in Mosiah 4:27; Doctrine and Covenants 10:4; 111:11; Luke 10:38–42.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

1 To every thing there is a ^aseason, and a ^btime to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A ^atime to be born, and a time to ^bdie; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to ^alaugh; a time to ^bmourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to ^aget, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to ^arend, and a time to sew; a time to keep ^bsilence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to ^ahate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

  Mosiah 4:27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and ^aorder; for it is not requisite that a man should run ^bfaster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order..

D&C 10:4 Do not run ^afaster or labor more than you have ^bstrength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be ^cdiligent unto the end.

D&C 111:11 Therefore, be ye as ^awise as serpents and yet without ^bsin; and I will order all things for your ^cgood, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen.

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named ^aMartha received him into her house.

 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art ^acareful and troubled about many things:

 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath ^achosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

We need to consider the timing in the choices we make in our life. Things done in the wrong timing could have serious consequences for our life. A teen who has a child may give up opportunities for education that could have serious consequences for both her and her child. Yet a young woman who delays having children to pursue a career may lose her opportunity to ever have children. There is a time to be intimate and a time to refrain from intimacy. There is a time to work and a time to play. If you play while you should be working, you will not be able to provide for your needs. If you never take time to relax and play, you will burn out and not be able to work. Time needs to be spent with children while they are young, because they grow and the opportunity is gone. Within each day there are multiple good choices we could make, but never enough time to do them all. We need to prioritize and decide what is most important to meet our individual goals. If we just let things happen, we can go through life and never become the best that we could become. Sometimes we have to say “no” to many good things because there are more important things we need to focus on.

In Ecclesiastes 4–5, I have chosen a couple of principles important in my life.

 Ecclesiastes 4:9 ^aTwo are better than one; because they have a good ^breward for their labour.

 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Relationships are important to me. Everything is better when it is shared. I learn more when I discuss with others. I am strengthened in times of weakness. The grief is less when I have someone to validate the feelings. The joy is multiplied when I can share it. I feel more useful when my efforts help make another’s day better. Friends, spouses, children, family, coworkers, and even a random stranger help me find more joy and purpose in life.

Ecclesiastes 5:12 The ^asleep of a ^blabouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 

‘Happy is the man who loves the work he has to do.’”  

Life would be very boring without some work to do. Work brings purpose and direction to our life. It also helps us develop skills and helps us become better people. When we have done a hard days labor, we sleep better and feel peace from the sense of accomplishment. A day of doing nothing is very tiring, but doesn’t allow a restful sleep. We may need to work to provide for our families and ourselves, but even if we don’t finding work will help us feel more fulfilled.

Ecclesiastes 12:7, 13–14 gives us answers to these questions:

 7 Then shall the ^adust return to the earth as it was: and the ^bspirit shall return unto God who ^cgave it.

What happens to us when we die? We return to God

13 ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: ^aFear God, and ^bkeep his commandments: for this is the whole ^cduty of man.

What is “the whole duty of man”? Fear or respect God and keep His commandments

 14 For God shall bring every ^awork into ^bjudgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Why is this a good description of man’s purpose? We will be judged by our works, whether they be good or bad. Do our works uplift and help us or others progress or do we chose to do things that tear down others or add no contribution to the world?