Nephi Explains Isaiah's Prophecies

After I, Nephi, read some of Isaiah’s words from the brass plates to my brothers, they asked me, “What does all this mean? Are these things spiritual or temporal?” I replied, “These words were given to Isaiah by the voice of the Spirit, for by the Spirit all things that will happen to God’s children are made known to the prophets. These words of Isaiah are both temporal and spiritual, for sooner or later, the house of Israel will be scattered among all nations. Even now there are many tribes not known to the people in Jerusalem, for most of them have been led away. Most of the tribes are scattered over the continents. We do not know where they are, but only that they have been led away. Isaiah prophesied about those who have been led away, and about those who would be scattered and hated among all nations for hardening their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.

“The prophecy of the Lord’s hand being lifted up to the Gentiles, and of the Gentiles taking care of the children of those who are scattered, is a temporal prophecy, for the Lord’s covenants with our forefathers are temporal. These covenants will insure blessings upon our descendants and upon the descendants of all the tribes of Israel.

“Isaiah’s words mean this: After all of the tribes of Israel have been scattered and confounded, the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation upon this land. This mighty nation will scatter our descendants and make them desolate. Then the Lord God will begin to do His marvelous work among the Gentiles—a work that will be of great worth to our descendants. Some of the Gentiles will nourish our descendants, carrying them in their arms and upon their shoulders (bringing them the gospel).

“This marvelous work will also benefit other Gentiles and all of the house of Israel (the Jews and other tribes). Then everyone will know about the covenants that the Father made with Abraham, saying, ‘Through your descendants all nations will be blessed.’ I want you to know, my brothers, that all the nations of the earth cannot be blessed until the Lord makes His arm bare in the eyes of all nations. This means He will fulfill His covenants with power as He brings His gospel to all the tribes of Israel.

“The Lord will again bring all the tribes of Israel out of captivity and gather them to the their lands of inheritance. They will be brought out of spiritual darkness and come to know that the Lord is their Savior and Redeemer—the Mighty One of Israel.

After the tribes have been gathered, the devil’s great, abominable church will war among itself. All nations that war against the house of Israel will war against one another and will fall into the pit they will dig to trap the Lord’s people, for all who fight against Zion will be destroyed. That great, abominable church, which will distort the right ways of the Lord, will tumble to the dust with a great fall! For Isaiah said, ‘The time comes quickly when Satan will no longer have power over the people’s hearts (the millennium), for soon all the proud and the wicked will be burned like a harvested field of wheat. Soon the fulness of God’s anger will be poured out upon all people, for the Lord will not allow the wicked to destroy the righteous. The Lord will preserve the righteous by His power, even if He must come in the fulness of His anger to destroy the wicked with fire. This is why the righteous need not fear.’

“I know, my brothers, that these destructions must soon come—even blood, fire, and vapor of smoke will come upon those who harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel. But the righteous will not perish (spiritually or temporally), for the time will come when those who fight against Zion will be destroyed. The Lord will surely prepare a way for His people—fulfilling the words of Moses, who said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me, and you must listen to all He says, for those who will not listen to Him will be destroyed.’ And I, Nephi, tell you that the prophet that Moses spoke of is the Holy One of Israel, even the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and He will judge with righteousness.

“The righteous need not fear, for they will not be confused. But the devil’s kingdom built up among the people will have great reason to fear. For according to Isaiah, the time will come in the last days when all churches that belong to the devil’s kingdom will fear and tremble as they see their imminent destruction. Those churches created to get gain and power over people, to become popular, seeking physical gratification and material possessions, will be brought down and burned.

“The time soon comes when the righteous must be protected and nourished as helpless calves, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, might, power, and great glory. He will gather His children from all over the earth, numbering each of them, and they will know Him. Then there will be one fold and one Shepherd, and the Lord will feed and protect His children. Because of the righteousness of the Lord’s people, Satan will have no power over them. He will not be unloosed for a thousand years, even the millennium, and the Holy One of Israel will reign among His people.

“I know that all these things will happen to people in the flesh, for all nations, tribes, and people of all languages will live safely, protected by the Holy One of Israel, if they repent of their wickedness. This is all I will say about Isaiah’s words for now. Laman and Lemuel, I hope you will consider that the things written on the brass plates are true—things which testify that we must obey God’s commandments. Do not think that our father, Lehi, and I are the only ones who have testified of these things. If you will be obedient to the commandments and remain righteous throughout your lives, then you will be saved on the day of judgment. Amen.”