Nephi 48

Nephi thought these words of Isaiah were best for his brothers.  And he read them -

"I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.
4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them."  (Isaiah 48:3–5)

I don't think that Laman and Lemuel could not dispute that the Lord had prophesied concerning future events and they were fulfilled.  The same hold for us today.

Isaiah 47

It is interesting how Isaiah prophecies concerning that fall of Babylon many years before.  He comments on their easy attitude with -

"For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me."
(Isaiah 47:10)

But that the day will come -

"Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame..."  (Isaiah 47:14)

This also sounds like a prophecy of today.

Isaiah 45

As Isaiah prophecies concerning Cyrus by name, the Lord declares -

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."  (Isaiah 45:22)

For -

 "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."  (Isaiah 45:25)

It is in the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ we are justified or brought in line or reconciled to Christ.

Isaiah 43

Again of (righteous) Israel, the Lord said -

"Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour."  (Isaiah 43:10–11)

Being of Ephraim, I have a responsibility to be a witness of Christ.

Isaiah 43

Having a declared lineage of Ephraim, I was touched by the Saviors words -

"Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen..."  (Isaiah 43:10)

I hope to be considered "chosen"

Isaiah 42

I have two thoughts this morning.

When it comes to missionary work or bringing souls unto Christ, I note the process -

"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth."  (Isaiah 42:3)

In other words we do this very sensitive, ministering, and by the Spirit.

My second thought is at a time that "climate change" is forefront, the Lord warned -

"I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools."  (Isaiah 42:15)

I note "I".  The Lord said that in the last days before his second coming, weather will be a form of warning the world to repent.

Isaiah 41

In my mind, speaking to modern day priesthood holders having had patriarchal blessings with declared lineage -

"But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away."  (Isaiah 41:8–9)

What a great responsibility we have to be ministering servants

Isaiah 40

Isaiah wrote -

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."  (Isaiah 40:3)

Though there is no questions this is in regards to John the Baptist, I believe it is also in reference to Elias which in my mind is plural.  I believe this scripture could be in reference to any prophet that is called to prepare the way of the Lord.

Isaiah 39

Some try to blame Hezekiah for the robbing of all temple wealth, but  whq5 I think it is significant that Isaiah prophecies -

"Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:
6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord."  (Isaiah 39:5–6)

I think it is important that we recognize that this happened over a 100 years after.  I believe it had more to do with the wickedness sin Judah than the fact that Hezekiah had show the wealth to Babylon representatives.

Isaiah 37

As Assyrians surround Jerusalem -

"...the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6 ¶ And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."  (Isaiah 37:5–7)

And as Hezekiah receives the message of Isaiah -

"...Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.
15 And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying,
16 O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
17 Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.
18 Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries,
19 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
20 Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only."  (Isaiah 37:14–20)

Isaiah follows with -

"Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.
34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.
35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake."  (Isaiah 37:33–35)

And in fulfillment of prophecies of the Lord's prophet -

"...the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."  (Isaiah 37:36)

Isaiah 36

Interesting enough, as the Assyrians are about to destroy Jerusalem, Rabshakeh says -

"...Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us..." (Isaiah 36:14–15)

Adding -

"Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us...."  (Isaiah 36:18)

And also mocking -

"...I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them."  (Isaiah 36:8)

Where Ahaz would choose confederate to other nations in lieu and trusting the Lord, we would learn the faith of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 35

As Isaiah speaks of the blessings that will follow the restoration of the gospel for the righteous, he prophecies that -

"...an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."  (Isaiah 35:8)

In my mind, "The way of holiness" is the gospel of Jesus Christ as I read this morning -

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.
21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;
22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  (3 Nephi 27:20–22)