Old Testament Week 18: Isaiah introduction & chapters 16

1) Introduction. a) [SLIDE 2] (Overview of 5-week Isaiah schedule.) b) Why study Isaiah? i) [SLIDE 3] Isaiah is the most quoted Jewish prophet in history: (1) He is the most quoted Old Testament prophet in the New Testament.1 There are 47 quotations from or allusions to Isaiah in the Gospels; eight of these are quotations from Jesus himself.2 (2) [SLIDE 4] One complete scroll of Isaiah (1QIsaa),3 about 75% of another (1QIsab), and numerous fragments of the book were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.4 (a) The existence of these manuscripts tells us that Isaiah was a very important book to Jews in Jesus time. (3) [SLIDE 5] One-third of Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon. (4) Isaiah is the most quoted Old Testament book by Church leaders in the latter days: Since the time of Joseph Smith, he has been quoted in public sermons over 4,000 times.5 ii) [SLIDE 6] Isaiah as required reading: (1) Moroni encouraged us to search the prophecies of Isaiah (Mormon 8:2223), because they contain the purposes, promises, and covenants of the Lord. (2) Christ himself quoted Isaiah 54 (see 3 Nephi 22) and then said:
And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah. (3 Nephi 23:1; italics added.)

(3) Isaiah is the only book of scripture that we are commanded, by name, to read. iii) [SLIDE 7] Whats so important about Isaiah?
1 Figures from the Blue Letter Bible, Parallel Passages in New Testament Quoted from Old Testament (http://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/quotes.cfm). Counting quotations and allusions (excluding possible allusions), there are 799 Old Testament passages used in the New Testament: 142 from Isaiah, 136 from Psalms, 77 from Exodus, and 65 from Deuteronomy. 2 Jesus is on record in the Gospels quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 (Matthew 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10); Isaiah 13:10 & 34:4 (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24); Isaiah 29:13 (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7); Isaiah 53:12 (Luke 22:37); Isaiah 54:13 (John 6:45); Isaiah 61:1-2 (Luke 4:18-19); Isaiah 66:24 (Mark 9:48); Isaiah 56:7 (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46). References compiled by Andrew Marin, When Jesus Quoted the OTAnd Why It Matters, redletterchristians.org, 7 May 2011 (http://www.redletterchristians.org/when-jesus-quoted-the-ot-and-why-it-matters). 3 The Great Isaiah Scroll is 24 feet long, 10 inches tall, and is made of 17 pieces of sheepskin that were sewn together. It contains the complete text of Isaiah in 54 columns with a few small lacunae, mainly in the bottom edges. It is on display in the Shrine of the Book museum in Jerusalem (http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiah). 4 From these recovered documents we know that the text of Isaiah we have today was nearly identical to the text as it stood in 100 B.C. The [Dead Sea Scrolls] version of the text is generally in agreement with the Masoretic or traditional version codified in medieval codices, such as the Aleppo Codex, but it contains many variant readings, alternative spellings, scribal errors, and corrections (http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiah). 5 According to the LDS General Conference Scripture Citation Index (http://scriptures.byu.edu). The Index contains General Conference sermons since 1942, plus references to the Journal of Discourses (185186) and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The count of Isaiah citations was 3,954 as of October 2013. Since the Index omits General Conference talks before 1942 and 19th century sermons not in the Journal of Discourses, the number certainly well exceeds 4,000.

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 2

(1) Nephi testified that my soul delighteth in [Isaiahs] words because Isaiah verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him (2 Nephi 11:2). (2) Nephi used Isaiah to teach Laman and Lemuel so that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer (1 Nephi 19:23). (3) Nephi also said that we should liken Isaiahs words unto ourselves that it might be for our profit and learning (1 Nephi 19:23). c) [SLIDE 8] How can we better understand Isaiah? i) Many Latter-day Saints find Isaiah a difficult book to comprehend. We often approach it with fear and trepidation. We know its important, but we dont feel like we can understand it. (1) Theres even an old joke about an LDS soldier who was shot in combat, but his life was saved because a Book of Mormon in his shirt pocket stopped the bullet. When asked how such a small book could do this, the soldier replied, Nothing gets through the Isaiah chapters! ii) Immediately after quoting 13 chapters of Isaiah,6 Nephi gave us four keys to understanding Isaiah. These keys are found in 2 Nephi 25:18: (1) Learn the manner of prophesying among the Jews (25:1). This includes, among other things, their history, culture, beliefs, language, and writing style. (2) Nephi promised that the words of Isaiahare plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy (25:4), so we must obtain the spirit of prophecy if we are to understand Isaiah. (a) This starts with having a testimony of Jesus (Revelation 19:10), and comes through much prayer and fasting (Alma 17:3). (b) Wilford Woodruff said that it is the privilege of every man and woman in this kingdom to enjoy the spirit of prophecy, which is the Spirit of God.7 (3) Become familiar with the regions round about Jerusalem (25:6). Learn the geography and geopolitical history of the kingdom of Judah, its capital city Jerusalem, and its neighboring states (Israel, Edom, Moab, Egypt, Syria, Assyria, etc.). (4) Finally, we need to live in the last days, for in that day shall they understand them [Isaiahs words]; wherefore, for their good have I written them (25:8). (a) (This ones easyyouve already done it!) (5) To Nephis counsel I would add using a reliable modern-language translation of the Old Testament alongside our LDS edition of the King James Bible. (a) Understanding Isaiah is difficult enough without having to read him in 400year-old English. The footnotes in the LDS Bible help us with many of the more difficult words and phrases, but a good modern translation will help you better grasp the flow of Isaiahs thought and his poetical style.8

2 Nephi 1224 (=Isaiah 214). Address in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah, 8 April 1862. Deseret News 12/5 (30 July 1862), 33 (http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews2/id/45022). 8 For recommendations on modern-English Bibles, see lesson 2, pages 1213 (http://bit.ly/ldsarcot02n).
6 7

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 3

d) [SLIDE 9] Who was Isaiah? i) His name in Hebrew ( / yesh-ah-yaw) means Jehovah has saved/delivered. ii) He was a prophet of the southern kingdom of Judah, and part of the prophetic class of seers who dwelt in the kings court. iii) He was born about 760 B.C. and was the son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1).9 iv) He was called to be prophet about age 20, in year King Uzziah died (740 B.C.; Isaiah 6:1). He prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah (reigned 791740), 10 Jotham (751 732), Ahaz (736716), and Hezekiah (729687). He was the court historian during Uzziahs reign (2 Chronicles 26:22). v) [SLIDE 10] During his first ministry (740732) he opposed the allegiance between Judah and Assyria, and preached against the evils of aristocrats. vi) He apparently withdrew from public life (732716) until the death of king Ahaz. (1) Its unclear whyall we know is there are no dated oracles from this period. Ahaz was extremely wicked, so its possible that Isaiah and his prophecies were out of favor with the royalty during this time. vii) His second ministry (716701) was during the reign of King Hezekiah. viii) He possibly lived until 681 (age 79), but the date is uncertain; there is no notice of his death in scripture.11 (1) Tradition says he was killed by King Manasseh of Judah (697643) by being sawed in half.12 e) Historical background. i) [SLIDE 11] As weve previously discussed, after the death of Solomon the unified nation of Israel split into two separate kingdoms: the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and the southern kingdom of Judah. By the time we get to Isaiah, the two nations had been separated for about 200 years. ii) [SLIDE 12] This is what Jerusalem looked like in the time of Isaiah. The city expanded rapidly when refugees from northern Israel came and settled west of the temple mount. (Well discuss that next week.) iii) [SLIDE 13] The great world power during this time was Assyria. iv) Assyria had been in decline for nearly a century, during which time Israel and Judah experienced great prosperity (which Amos and Hosea condemned).

Amoz is not the same person as Amos, the prophet whose writings are in an Old Testament book that bears his name. Dating the kings of Israel and Judah precisely is notoriously difficult. The two most popular calendars are those compiled by William F. Albright and Edwin R. Thiele. In these notes, Im following Thieles dating, which postulates that the kings reigns overlapped each other, during which time two kings ruled as coregents (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Numbers_of_the_Hebrew_Kings). According to Thiele, Uzziah was coregent with Amaziah 791768 B.C., reigned solely 767751 B.C., and, after contracting leprosy, was coregent with Jotham 751740 B.C. 11 The text mentions succession of Esarhaddon of Assyria, who ruled 681669 B.C. (37:38), but this is probably a later editorial insertion describing fulfillment of prophecy. 12 This is mentioned in the 1st- or 2nd-century apocryphal Christian book of The Ascension of Isaiah 5:114 (http://bit.ly/AscensionIsaiah). Some interpreters believe that his death is referred to in Hebrews 11:37, which states that some prophets were sawed apart (NET).
9 10

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 4

v) But in 745 B.C. a new Assyrian king came to power who began a policy of expansion that brought the entire Ancient Near East under Assyrian domination. This new, aggressive Assyria threatened Israel and Judah. vi) Next week well discuss the rise of Assyria and Isaiahs role in counseling the kings of Judah how to deal with it. 2) [SLIDE 14] The unity of Isaiah. a) Isaiahs message wasnt just to a single people at a single time. His oracles spoke judgment and comfort to people worried about the Assyrian expansion in the late 8th century B.C., people worried about the impending Babylonian conquest in the late 7th and early 6th centuries, and people returning from exile during the Persian era in the late 6th century. b) Tradition asserts that the Book of Isaiah was written by a single author: the prophet Isaiah himself. But some doubt concerning the unified authorship of Isaiah was first expressed in the 12th century A.D. by the famous Jewish scholar, Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. Since the late 1700s, scholars have concluded that the Books of Isaiah was written by multiple authors who wrote in different periods of time. i) The issue here is not just that Isaiah foretold specific events two hundred years before he lived, but that the vocabulary, style, tone, and message all vary considerably throughout the book. ii) [14.1] Scholars have argued that there are at least two, and possibly three, different authors whose works were later compiled into a single book. (1) Most of chapters 1 to 39 are usually ascribed to the historical prophet Isaiah who lived at the end of the 8th century B.C. He is often referred to as First Isaiah, Proto-Isaiah, or Original Isaiah. His writings were critical of Judahs sin, and foretold a time when the Lord would judge Judah and all its surrounding nations. (2) Chapters 40 to 55 have a message of peace, renewal, and comfort, strikingly different in tone from the first part of the book. The author of these chapters did not identify himself by name13; scholars refer to him as Second Isaiah or Deutero-Isaiah.14 (3) The final part of the book (chapters 5665) has a message that foretells a coming period when a humbled and contrite people of Israel will be restored to their lands in glory and the Lord will rule over them. This author is called Third Isaiah or Trito-Isaiah.

13 In chapters 139 Isaiah identifies himself by name, or is mentioned in the third person, sixteen times (1:1; 2:1; 7:3; 13:1; 20:23; 37:2, 56, 21; 38:1, 4, 21; 39:3, 5, 8), while his name does not appear at all in chapters 4065. The author of the latter chapters is anonymous and did not even attempt to connect himself with the historical Isaiah. 14 Deutero- from the Greek (deuteros), second. (As in Deuteronomy, which means second law.)

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 5

iii) This understanding of the book of Isaiah is so widely accepted that its not even argued anymore, except by the most conservative religious scholars who are opposed to the idea on theological grounds. Pick up any commentary on Isaiah, and the divisions within the book are assumed from page one.15 (1) Latter-day Saint scholars are divided on the subject.16 (2) The difficulty for Latter-day Saints in accepting the multiple authorship theory lies mainly with the appearance of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. (a) [SLIDE 15] If portions of Isaiah were written after Lehi left Jerusalem with the brass plates (in or shortly after 598 B.C.), and yet those same portions appear in the Book of Mormon, it would cause considerable problems with the Book of Mormons claim of historic authenticity. (b) Most scholars believe that Deutero-Isaiah wrote sometime during the Babylonian captivity (586538 B.C.), and Trito-Isaiah wrote after the return from captivity, in the late 6th century. (i) But, as you can see from your handout, there are numerous and lengthy passages from Deutero-Isaiah that were on the brass plates, including more than four complete chapters quoted in 1 and 2 Nephi.

15 The standard scholarly reference is The Anchor Bible Dictionary (David Noel Freedman, ed.; New York: Doubleday, 1992) which begins its article on Isaiah (3:472507) by noting that internal indications of diversity have led critical scholarship to distinguish three major works of literature in the book, after which the article treats First, Second, and Th ird Isaiah separately, with different authors for each section (3:472). Margaret Barkers analysis of Isaiah in Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2003; 489542) begins with, The book of Isaiah was not written by one person at one time and in one place (489). The Oxford Bible Commentary (John Barton and John Muddiman, eds.; New York: Oxford University Press, 2001) has a single article on Isaiah by Richard Coggins (43386), but begins with the apology, It may come as a surprise to some readers to discover that the whole book of Isaiah is being dealt with in one article, fol lowed by an examination of the authorship of the book (433); in other words, multiple authors is so widely assumed that Coggins felt he needed to explain why he authored Oxfords commentary on the entire book. 16 Of those who have commented on the unity of Isaiah, those who agree that the Book of Isaiah was composed by multiple authors include Hugh Nibley (cited in footnote19), William B. Hamblin (cited in footnote 17), Blake Ostler (The Book of Mormon as a Modern Expansion of an Ancient Source, Dialogue 20/1 [Spring 1987], 7778; http://bit.ly/Dialogue2001Ostler), John L. Hilton (Wordprinting Isaiah and the Book of Mormon, Isaiah in the Book of Mormon [Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1998], 442; http://bit.ly/IsaiahInTheBofM), and Kevin L. Barney (cited in footnote 18). Those who have argued for single authorship include James E. Talmage (Conference Report, April 1929, 4549; https://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1929a/conferencereport991chur#page/45 ), Sidney B. Sperry (The Isaiah Problem in the Book of Mormon, Improvement Era, September & October 1939; reprinted in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4/1, 12952; http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1387&index=17), L. LaMar Adams and Alvin C. Rencher (A Computer Analysis of the Isaiah Authorship Problem, BYU Studies 15/1 [1974], 95102; https://byustudies.byu.edu/showtitle.aspx?title=5154), Victor L. Ludlow (Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982], 54148; Isaiah: Authorship, Encyclopedia of Mormonism 2:699; http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Isaiah), Ellis T. Rasmussen (A Latter-Day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament, 1993, 526), Kent P. Jackson (Authorship of the Book of Isaiah, 1 Kings to Malachi, vol. 4 of Studies in Scripture [Salta Lake City: Deseret Book, 1993], 8085), Avraham Gileadi (The Literary Message of Isaiah, 1994), Marc Schindler (Deutero-Isaiah in the Book of Mormon?; http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/publications/deutero-isaiah-in-the-book-of-mormon), Daniel C. Peterson (Editor's Introduction: Through a Glass, Darkly, FARMS Review 9/2 [1997], ixxxiii; http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1442&index=1), and John Gee (email in my possession, 24 August 2009).

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 6

(c) If we are to accept multiple authors for Isaiah, Latter-day Saints have to push back the portions of Deutero-Isaiah that appear in the Book of Mormon to no later than just after 600 B.C.17 (d) But, in an odd way, the Book of Mormon may actually support multiple authorship of Isaiah: As your handout indicates, large portions of Isaiah that are ascribed to Deutero-Isaiah (particularly chapter 1 and chapters 4143 and 4647) and all of the material ascribed to Trito-Isaiah (chapters 5665) do not appear in the Book of Mormon, even as allusions.18 (i) This may indicate that these portions of Isaiah were not on the brass plates obtained by Lehi, and were, in fact, written by later authors. c) Whether or not you accept multiple authorship of the book of Isaiah, its important that we recognize that most ancient scripture is a composite work of an original author as well as later editors and redactors. i) [SLIDE 16] As Hugh Nibley pointed out:
What we have in Isaiah is a lot of genuine words of the prophet intermingled with other stuff by his well-meaning followers. Every chapter, including those in Deutero- and Trito-Isaiah, contains genuine words of Isaiah and every chapter, including all those in the early part of the book, contains words that are not his.19

That is the argument made by BYU professor William B. Hamblin: One can accept most of the scholarly arguments in favor of Deutero-Isaiah, except that of dating. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that Lehis group did not leave until after King Zedekiah ascended the throne (1 Nephi 1:4) as a Babylonian vassal in 597 B.C. after the first Babylonian invasion of 598 7, and after the first Babylonian Deportation. Lehi and his group left Jerusalem some time after the first year of Zedekiah, sojourned in the wilderness for an undetermined period, then returned to get the brass plates. It may well have been a year or even two or three before they obtained possession of the brass plates, conceivably as late as 595 or 594 B.C. 1 Nephi 1:4, which provides the Zedekiah date, also states that there came many prophets prophesying. Was one of these prophets Deutero-Isaiah? If he existed, it is not unreasonable to suppose he began writing his prophecies after the first deportation and continued adding to them for many years. Indeed, we could theorize that Lehi knew Deutero-Isaiah and got copies of his prophecies directly from him. Thus, if we posit that Deutero-Isaiah began writing as early as 597, 596, or 595 B.C. after the first Babylonian deportation instead of after the second deportation of 587, the problems regarding DeuteroIsaiah in the Book of Mormon are greatly diminished. Hamblin, Isaiah Update Challenged, Dialogue 17/1 (Spring 1984), 45 (http://bit.ly/Dialogue1701). Hamblins letter was a response to George D. Smith, Jr., Isaiah Updated, Dialogue 16/2 (Summer 1983), 3751 (http://bit.ly/Dialogue1602Smith). 18 LDS scholar Kevin Barney notes that there is one possible exception in Jacob 6:14, which may allude to Isaiah 65:2. Howeverthe allusion is only indirect, and seems to be directly based on Romans 10:2021. Barney, Reflections on the Documentary Hypothesis, Dialogue 33/1 (Spring 2000), 74, n. 68 (http://bit.ly/Dialogue3301Barney). 19 Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1967; 2nd ed. [1988]), 126 (http://publications.maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1113&index=7).
17

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 7

3) Having discussed the background of Isaiah, lets now examine some of his earliest writings, beginning with his call to be a prophet, recounted in chapter 6. a) Isaiahs call to be a prophet (6:113):
1

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

[SLIDE 17] King Uzziah of Judah died in 740 B.C. Isaiah had been
the compiler of Uzziahs royal history (2 Chronicles 26:22). Isaiah did not say that he was in the temple, or whether he saw a vision of the temple. Either way, what we have here is a throne theophany in which the prophet was taken into the presence of God and Gods heavenly council.20 The temple and its rituals made visible on earth the reality of heaven, so the Lords throne room in the vision was temple-like, with the instruments found in the temple at Jerusalem. The ark of the covenant is Gods throne. The train was the hem of the Lords robe, and possibly represented the heavenly court or assembly gathered with him.

Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

[SLIDE 18] Above the throne were two angelic creatures. The
Hebrew word seraph ( )literally means burning one, perhaps suggesting that these creatures had a fiery appearance.21 Elsewhere in the Old Testament the word seraph refers to poisonous snakes,22 so it is possible that the seraphs seen by Isaiah were at least partially serpent-like in appearance. Seraphs also appear in Johns Revelation (4:8) and are mentioned in modern revelation (D&C 38:1; 109:79). The multiple sets of wings have a symbolic purpose. They used one set to fly, a representation of power to move and act (D&C 77:4). With a second set they covered their faces in humility and reverence before the Lord. With a third set they covered their feet; this is probably a Hebrew euphemism for genitals23, indicating modesty before the Lord and a rejection of the fertility cults of Isaiahs day.

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

[SLIDE 19] The Hebrew word translated holy ( / qadowsh)

means sacred, consecrated, dedicated, and set apart. By repeating the word holy, the seraphs emphasized the degree of the Lords holiness.24

Other throne theophanies are recorded in Exodus 24:10; 1 Kings 22:19; Ezekiel 1:2628; 11:2223; Daniel 7:910, 13 14; Zechariah 3; Matthew 25:3146; Revelation 45; 1 Nephi 1:815; D&C 76:19ff. 21 Gods presence is described in the scriptures as everlasting burnings (Isaiah 33:14; compare TPJS 347, 361, 367, 372), a sea of glass and fire (Revelation 15:2; D&C 130:7). 22 Numbers 21:6; Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 14:29; 30:6. Nephis mention of fiery flying serpents (1 Nephi 17:41) is particularly interesting because the story he was recounting (Numbers 21:6) doesnt say anything about the serpent s flying. Since Nephi was reading the word seraph on the brass plates (or at least its Egyptian equivalent), it seems possible that h e assumed that they flew, based perhaps on the winged description in Isaiah 6. 23 See Judges 3:24 and 1 Samuel 24:3, where covered his feet is a euphemism for a human sitting in order to defecate. 24 For other examples of the Hebrew threefold repetition for emphasis, see Ezekiel 21:27; Jeremiah 22:29; 2 Nephi 28:15; 3 Nephi 9:2.
20

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

4

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 8

And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

[SLIDE 20] The sound of the seraphs voices shook the door
frames of the room. The smoke came from the altar of incense (see verse 6), which was positioned in front of the veil between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. A sweet incense was burned upon it each morning and each evening. The smoke represented the prayers of the people rising to God (Revelation 8:4).

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6

[SLIDE 21] Woe is a passionate cry of grief or lamentation.

Undone means cut off or destroyed. Isaiah was standing before the Lord with an acute awareness of his own sins and the sins of his people (cf. Alma 11:43), and he believed he was as good as dead (cf. Revelation 6:16; Alma 12:14).

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8

[SLIDE 22] Instead of destroying him, though, the Lord sent one

of the seraphs to take a hot coal from the altar of incense and place it in Isaiahs mouth. Isaiah had previously cried out that he was a man of unclean lips (6:5); by placing the hot coal in his mout h, the seraph both cleansed25 and cauterized Isaiahs wound. As we shall see, the coal in the mouth is also symbolic of the commission Jehovah gives to Isaiah (compare Revelation 10:811).

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
9

[SLIDE 23] The us the Lord is addressing is His heavenly

council.26 Isaiahs response here echoes Jehovahs response in the premortal council (Abraham 3:27; imitated by Satan in Moses 4:1). Contrast his response with Moses (Exodus 4:10) and Enoch (Moses 6:31).

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10

[SLIDE 24] Isaiah receives his commission from the Lord to

teach the people of Judah. This commission is probably best understood as the Lord being sarcastic in the face of an obviously hopeless mission to a people who will not listen. It could be paraphrased: The people continually hear, but they dont understand; they continually see, but they dont perceive. Your preaching will mak e their hearts calloused, and their ears full,27 and their eyes blind. But thats to be expected, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and repent and be restoredand they certainly wouldnt want that, would they? Ive offset the lines to show the poetic structure of the passage. It forms a nice chiastic phrase heartearseyeseyesearsheart.

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

25 Fire is symbolic of purification and holiness throughout the scriptures, and is frequently described in connection with the presence of God. 26 See notes to lesson 1, pages 8 9 (http://bit.ly/ldsarcot01n). 27 Think of having your ear canals filled with water after swimming.

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

11

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 9

Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
12

[SLIDE 25] In response to Isaiahs inquiry as to how long his

mission will last, the Lord answered until all the people were taken into faraway lands and Judah and Israel were left uninhabited. This was fulfilled in the Assyrian captivity of Israel in 722 B.C. and the Babylonian captivity of Judah in 587 B.C.

And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
13

But yet in it shall be a tenth and it shall return and shall be eaten: as a teil tree and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

[SLIDE 26] The King James translation of this verse is difficult to

follow.28 The idea is that a tenth of the people would be left in the land, but even they would be destroyed, like the Asherah trees used in pagan worship; the stump that was left over would represent the chosen people of God. The irony here is that the stump would remind the people of their failure: They did not oppose idol worship, they embraced it; they would be destroyed in the same way they should have destroyed the idols.

b) Isaiahs call is a marvelous passage, full of symbolism and with similarities to the vision calls of other prophets who also saw the Lord on his throne with the heavenly assembly and received divine commissions to preach the gospel of repentance. 4) [SLIDE 27] Returning to chapter 1, lets take a look at Isaiahs introductory poem. a) In this chapter, Isaiah indicted Judah for religious infidelity. i) In verse 3 he chastised the people by contrasting them with farm animals: Even animals, he said, know their master, but youre obviously dumber than they are! b) In verses 1020 he issued a call to repentance and cleanliness:
10

Hear the word of the lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

The Lord, through Isaiah, sarcastically called to people of Judah by referring to them as the rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah. They had committed Sodom and Gomorrahs sins but would not reap Sodom and Gomorrahs punishment.

28 NET: Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

11

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 10

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12

This part of the oracle begins with a sarcastic rhetorical question that suggests their many sacrifices are of no importance to the Lord. This phrase answers the possible objection that an Israelite could raise in response to Gods indictment: But we are offering the sacrifices you commanded! The Lord said he was [stuffed] full of the burned offerings, and wanted to know if they actually thought he wanted a parade of livestock trampling through the temple courtyards. He didnt reveal at this point exactly what he did want, thus building suspense in the narrative.

When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14

Vain oblations are meaningless offerings. Calling their incense offerings an abomination was the strongest language used in the Old Testament to describe something the Lord hates.29 Israelite religious festivals followed a lunar calendar, so the new moon would be an important time in their religious schedule. So if the Lord didnt like their sacrifices, and he detested their religious observances, what did he want?

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Spread forth your hands means in prayer; the word hands here is kaph ( )palms.30 Israelites prayed with their hands raised above their heads and palms pointing upward.31 The Lord told them he would look the other way when they raised their hands in prayer, and not listen when they prayed, because their hands are full of blood.

29 Notice some of the other practices that the Lord regards as an abomination : sexual intercourse between individuals of the same sex (Leviticus 18:2230; 20:13), idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25; 13:15), human sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31), eating ritually unclean animals (Deuteronomy 14:38), sacrificing defective animals (Deuteronomy 17:1), engaging in occult activities (Deuteronomy 18:914), and practicing ritual prostitution (1 Kings 14:23). 30 The second instance of hands in 1:15 is yad, which does mean hands. 31 See notes to lesson 16, page 6 (http://bit.ly/ldsarcot16n).

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

16

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 11

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18

So what had the people of Judah done wrong? Theyd been performing the letter of the law (the rituals, festivals, and sacrifices), but theyd forgotten the spirit in which it was given: That its more important to do what is right, promote justice, give relief to the oppressed, take up the cause of the orphan, [and] defend the rights of the widow. The Lord wanted to transform a society that desperately needed transforming.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Employing the language of a courtroom legal argument, the Lord implored them to consider their options: Let us reason together. (Both instances of shall here should be translated as can. 32) The peoples sins would be more than just covered up; they would be completely removed and replaced with purity. The Lord sought a transformation of the inner man, after which he would remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34; cf. D&C 58:42). The miraculous nature of this transformation is hinted at in the difficulty of removing a deep red stain from bright white clothing. The wordplay draws attention to the options: The people could obey, in which case they would eat Gods blessing, or they could disobey, in which case they would be devoured by Gods judgment (cf. D&C 64:3435).

19

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

5) Chapters 2 through 4 contain a prophecy of the future of Jerusalem. This prophecy is a mixture of a vision of a people overrun and ruined because of their disobedience, mingled with hope for a glorious future in which the Lord reigns personally among his people. a) [SLIDE 28] It begins with a prophecy of the temple in the last days (2:15). i) This is arguably Isaiahs most famous prophecy among Latter-day Saints. ii) However, we should be careful not to assume that Isaiah saw the LDS temple in Salt Lake City. Our temple is a type or prefiguration of the millennial temple prophesied here, but it is not the temple in question, as the context of the passage will bear out.
1

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

This is a critical verse for understanding the prophecy, but virtually all Latter-day Saints omit it when quoting the passage. 33 Isaiah indicated here that his prophecy was about the land of Judah in general and its capital city, Jerusalem, particular.

32 The Hebrew vowel is imperfect, indicating it should be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility), not imperative. 33 In the 92 times this prophecy was referred to or quoted in General Conference from 1942 to 2013, not once did the speaker include verse 1 (http://scriptures.byu.edu).

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

2

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 12

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORDs house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3

Typically Latter-day Saints start the quote with this verse. Doing so gives emphasis to features that Isaiahs prophesied temple have in common with the Salt Lake temple. Note, however, that D&C 133:13 identifies the location of the mountains of the Lords house as Jerusalem. Also, a more correct translation of in the top of the mountains would be as the chief of the mountains or the most important mountain. In other words, its not the height of the temple mount that Isaiah is pointing out, but its prominence and importance in comparison to other mountains because it is the location of the house of the Lord. Some Latter-day Saints point to the beginning of this verse and claim that it has been fulfilled in the millions of tourists that visit Temple Square each year. However, the verse read as a whole indicates that these people have come to the temple not as tourists but as worshippers. The end of verse 3 is a repetitive parallelism: for out of ZION shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from JERUSALEM.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

[SLIDES 29 & 30] Jerusalem sits on a two-tiered hill called

Mount Zion, with the city on the south portion and the temple mount on the north.34 Isaiah emphasized that the law and word of the Lord would go forth from Mount Zion in Jerusalem, not from two separate locations in the eastern hemisphere and the western. Joseph Smith did prophesy that the city of Zion, the New Jerusalem, will reside in the western hemisphere.35 But the prophecy in Isaiah 2 is not a prophecy of that city.

And he shall judge 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 war any more.
5

[SLIDE 31] Verse four indicates that the prophecy will be fulfilled
when the Lord personally reigns upon the earth, at which time he will judge disputes between nations from Mount Zion, and men will live in peace. These conditions (obviously) have not yet been met. A pruning hook was an implement used to prune vines, i.e., to cut off extra leaves and young shoots. It was a short knife with a curved hook at the end sharpened on the inside like a sickle.

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Isaiah concluded with an exhortation to his brethren to live the Law so that the day of the great temple might be ushered in.

See 2 Kings 19:31; Psalm 48:2, 11; 74:2; 78:68; 125:1; Isaiah 4:5; 8:18; 10:12; 18:7; 24:23; 29:8; 31:4; 37:32; Joel 2:32; Obadiah 1:17, 21; Micah 4:7. 35 See Articles of Faith 1:10. Joseph Smith taught in April 1844, You know there has been great discussion in
34

relation to Zionwhere it is, and where the gathering of the dispensation is, and which I am now going to tell you. The prophets have spoken and written upon it; but I will make a proclamation that will cover a broader ground. The whole of America is Zion itself from north to south, and is described by the Prophets, who declare that it is the Zion where the mountain of the Lord should be, and that it should be in the center of the land. History of the Church 6:318 (http://byustudies.byu.edu/hc/6/16.html#318); TPJS 362 (http://scriptures.byu.edu/stpjs.html#362); cf. Words of Joseph Smith 36265.
2014, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 13

iii) The temple indicated in this prophecy, then, is a future temple that will be erected on the temple mount in Jerusalem and which will serve as the headquarters of the Messiah during his millennial reign. iv) The Salt Lake temple may certainly be seen as a type or shadow of Isaiahs prophesied temple, but it does not meet the criteria outlined in Isaiah 2:15 to be the temple he foresaw. b) [SLIDE 32] The remainder of chapters 2 through 4 describe what must take place before the temple can be rebuilt: The people of Judah must be brought down in humility:
11

The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low, and the pride of everyone shall be humbled; and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day. (NRSV Isaiah 2:11.)

c) Id just like to take a moment to debunk one misunderstood passage: Isaiah 4:1. i) Some Latter-day Saints have interpreted the prophecy that seven women shall take hold of one man to be a promise of the restoration of plural marriage in the latter days, or perhaps in the millennium.36 ii) However, read in context, this is actually a description of the dire conditions that will exist after Jerusalem is destroyed because of her wickedness. (1) Isaiah 4:1 is part of the passage that begins in 3:18: The fine clothing of the women will be replaced with rags (3:24) and the men will be killed in battle (3:25). Because of the shortage of eligible husbands, the women will beg the remaining men to marry them to take away the stigma of being unmarried and childless (their reproach). iii) Only later will the humbled daughters of Zion (Jerusalem) be cleansed and restored to their former glory (4:4). 6) [SLIDE 33] Well conclude tonight with a love song penned by Isaiah (5:17). a) This passage is one of the most beautiful and moving in all of scripture. Isaiah sang a song of unrequited love, using a vineyard and its implements as symbols.
1

Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

This is a grape harvesting song. Grape harvesting is done at the end of summer. Treading grapes into wine was a joyous occasion that involved the entire community (see Judges 9:27). The harvest and wine pressing were typically accompanied by songs that set the rhythm for the work. The meaning of the symbols will be revealed later. For now its sufficient to keep in mind that the vineyard is in a very fruitful (productive) hill: The soil conditions are excellent, and the owner of the vineyard has every reason to expect this land will produce a magnificent harvest.

36 Orson Pratt in particular referred to this scripture often in his defense of the 19th century LDS practice of plural marriage. See Journal of Discourses 13:193 (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/13/22#193); 14:353 (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/14/46#353); 15:5253 (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/15/8#52); and 17:221 (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/17/34#221).

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

2

Old Testament: Isaiah intro & 16

Week 18, Page 14

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
3

The owner of the vineyard worked hard to ensure a good harvest. He dug a hedge around it to keep out animals that would eat the grapes. He planted the best seed. He built a tower to keep watch for those who would want to steal the grapes or damage the vineyard. He built a winepress to serve just this vineyard (typically one winepress would serve several vineyards; clearly he expected a large harvest!). And then he waited with eager anticipation. But to his dismay, instead of producing edible grapes, it produced sour grapes!

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
5

With the song concluded, Isaiah challenged the people of Judah to decide who was at fault for the bad harvest: The owner, or the vineyard. Isaiah made the case for the fault lying with the vineyard. He rhetorically asked what else the owner could have done to ensure a spectacular harvest. Clearly the answer is nothing. So why then did it produce sour grapes?

And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
7

The owner decides that, as a result of the bad harvest, he will tear down the vineyard and its walls and turn it into a place for animals to graze. This is an amazing thing to do; certainly no one in his right mind would take such valuable land and turn it over to a use so unprofitable! Clearly the owner has strong feelings about what the vineyard has done.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

Finally, Isaiah revealed the meaning behind the symbols: The owner of the vineyard is the Lord, the vineyard is the house of Israel, and the sour grapes the people of Judah. The Lord planted the people in a glorious land and gave them all the blessings they needed, and He waited for justice, but look what he gotdisobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he gotcries for help! (NET)

7) [SLIDE 34] Next week: a) Isaiah 712.

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.