2 Nephi 17

It wasn’t long before Uzziah’s son and two others led a battle to capture Jerusalem. This led to some behind-closed-doors machinations in which I gave them some tip-offs from God. It gets a little complicated and I know how you hate politics. So let me just tell you what I said to Ahaz, who was worried to death because the armies of Syria and Ephraim— that Israeli tribe—had actually made an alliance against him.

I told him, “Look, God is going to shatter Ephraim like an old piece of pottery. So the threat is bogus, a phantom.”

Then I told Ahaz he could ask a sign of God for proof. Ahaz turned down the offer, didn’t want to offend God by testing him.

I said that was ridiculous. “God made you an offer and you should take it. Who do you think is in charge? Anyway, here’s the sign God gave—a little vague but that’s a good way to go, let the receiver make of it what he will: A girl will get pregnant and have a son named Immanuel, which is a trick name that means ‘God is with us.’ Before he can eat solid foods his mom will give him butter and honey, which will teach him to stay with the sweetness of good behavior.

But even before that child has learned the difference between good and evil, all the kings you fear will be gone.”

I said a lot of other kind of obscure things that pertained to political intrigues and short-term nationalism. Lots of poetic language to spice up the proceedings. (Hey, that’s my style of prophecy.) I said that God would leave attackers dead in the rocks, he’d scrape the hair off of their heads. Livestock would die off except for a man with one cow that would give lots of milk for butter, which everyone would start to eat, just like Immanuel.

All the vineyards will rot away. Nothing left but weeds and thorns. Are you sure you want to hear all of this?