Summary of the Isaiah Prophecies included by Nephi and how the prophecies are relevant to the story line on his Gold plates which become the Book of Mormon.
In summary and after reviewing the Isaiah prophecies included by Nephi on his gold plates, we comprehend why Nephi included these specific Isaiah scriptures on his gold plates. Each of the Isaiah prophecies has a specific relevant meaning that fits with the storyline.
1 Nephi 20 Isaiah 48
The first Isaiah prophecy included as 1 Nephi 20 is about the “Power of God, “and his ability to tell us of things past, present, future and his great abilities to create the heavens and earth. In general, this Isaiah prophecy is about relying on the Lord. Laman and Lemuel have stated that the Lord doesn’t reveal to them. Nephi has read from the brass plates this specific Isaiah prophecy to help his brothren comprehend and believe in the power of God. It is very important that the family understand that Lehi their father a visionary man has been instructed of the Lord. That the Lord has the power to see the future, supply that knowledge to the family and the power to protect them. They must believe and comprehend as they have been asked to leave their home and go out into the wilderness. Father Lehi has prophesied that Jerusalem and all those in the city will be destroyed and the family must leave to keep from being destroyed. This prophecy fits the story line because Laman and Lemual are questioning the power of God and Nephi uses this Isaiah prophecy about Gods power to tell the future. Jerusalem is about to be destroyed, Laman and Lemual need to be on board with the decision to leave as the journey will be difficult and their capabilities will be needed for the family to endure.
I Nephi 21 Isaiah 49
The next Isaiah prophecy I Nephi 21 included is about the branches of Israel broken off and scattered of which Lehi’s family is one of the scattered and broken off branches. The prophecy is a direct answer to Lamen and Lemual question we do not understand what Father means about the branch broken off. Had Lamen and Lemual read the scriptures, prayed to understand then the events happening to them would have been obvious that leaving Jerusalem was to preserve them as a branch of Israel. Their Father has told them they are leaving their home because of the wickedness in Jerusalem and Jerusalem is about to be destroyed. The family will be one of the preserved of Israel because the family has believed and followed their father. Nephi and Lehi comprehend this Isaiah prophecy that the family is being preserved and will have a land of promise. This prophecy of a branch of Israel being broken off is relevant to the storyline as entire Book of Mormon is about what happens to the family after they leave Jerusalem and specifically testifies of Jesus Christs visit to their promised land.
2 Nephi 7 Isaiah 50
The Isaiah 50 prophecy concerns the history of Israel primarily the Jews who divorce themselves from their God. Prophecies of how wicked the Jews will be as they are the only nation wicked enough to crucify their God. This prophecy displays the love God has for his people that Jesus will endure his whiskers pulled, be spit upon, give his back to the smitters yet he will complete the atonement for all. I am sure Nephi is making the case that the Jews in Jerusalem are wicked and has looked forward at how evil they will be in killing the Savior. Totally relevant to the story line in that the family is leaving Jerusalem because the Jews living in Jerusalem 600 years before the Savior was born are wicked.
2 Nephi 8 Isaiah 51 and 52: 1-2
Isaiah 51 and 52 1-2 is a great prophecy for the righteous covenant peoples as the righteous are promised prosperity, lands to live, be safe and live in joy and happiness. I see Nephi using this to teach his family about their new land and future life. The prophecy has an example how the Lord provided miracles to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and Nephi’s family will be going through the desert guided by the Liahona very similar to Israel leaving Egypt. Looking from our perspective and knowing the complete storyline throughout the Book of Mormon and the cycles of righteousness and pride and the families struggles in the desert we see how the prophecy is relevant and why Nephi would include the prophecy.
2 Nephi 12 Isaiah 2
Isaiah 2 is a prophecy that chronicles the sins of the Jews in Jerusalem at the time of Lehi family. Prophecy that the Lords judgement will come upon the nations and specifically wicked Juda at Jerusalem. The Lord has forsaken the house of Jacob and is going to remove his protections. Juda shall be humbled. Prophecies concerning temples as a place God can teach us of his ways and laws. Nephi has guided his people to build a temple. The storyline in the book of Mormon we know that Lehi family is leaving Jerusalem because of the wickedness of the Jews and we see the relevance of the prophecy of Isaiah as to the wickedness of those at Jerusalem. Additionally, we know in the story line Nephi has guided his people in the construction of a temple in their new promised land. Just as today the prophets instruct us from the scriptures, we see Nephi reading the words of Isaiah to his family as instruction and guidance.
2 Nephi 13 Isaiah 3
The destruction of Jerusalem and the removal of Juda’s leadership prophesied in Isaiah 3 is the premise for the family leaving Jerusalem. “For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen, because their tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.” The prophecy is plain and easy to comprehend, and Nephi used to persuade his family along with his father to leave Jerusalem and go to the new promised land. We know historically the Babylonians conquered Juda took King Zedekiah and his family captive made him watch the killing of his son’s and then put his eyes out. The relevance of Isaiah 3 prophecy to the Book of Mormon story line is obvious. Amazing and there is no way that Joseph Smith wrote his book and included the Isaiah prophecies to coincide and perfectly fit the story line. Nephi was including the scripture off the brass plates onto his gold plates that are relevant to them.
2 Nephi 14 Isaiah 4
Prophecy concerning the escaped of Israel, that become excellent fruit of the earth is meaning of Isaiah 4. Lehi family are the escaped of Jerusalem the broken off branch that is beautiful and glorious. Their history the Book of Mormon is the excellent fruit. Nephi is able with prophecy to show his family the promises of the Lord if they escape. These prophecies and Nephi’s placement on the gold plates help us to know their meaning. We see these prophecies concerning Nephi’s family in the bible and are able to comprehend Isaiah’s meanings. So very relevant to our faith how Isaiah prophecies concern the family of Lehi.
2 Nephi 15 Isaiah 5
Isaiah 5 is a prophecy that compares Israel as the Lords vineyard. The prophecy discusses vines producing good and wild fruit. Good Fruit are righteous people and wild fruit are those who leave the covenant path. Juda the pleasant plant left the covenant path. Their hedge of protection was removed, and Jerusalem was destroyed. This prophecy contains much of the history of Israel with the Lord as owner of vineyard which represents Israel. The Lord waters, fertilizes, weeds and protects the vineyard. The Lord will provide for the vines producing good fruit but will remove his assistance for those providing wild fruit. Lord provides hedge of protection and rain for the vines with good fruit. This prophecy provides us with knowledge of the difference between how the Lord protects and provides blessings to the righteous and removes his protections when we are not righteous. The Lord is the judge and will judge righteously his peoples. Prophecy is relevant to all people but fits the story line in Book of Mormon and easy to see why Nephi includes this prophecy on his gold plates.
2 nephi 16 Isaiah 6
Isaiah 6 prophecy is personal to Isaiah as it concerns his calling as a prophet. Nephi includes this prophecy as he tells his people of the importance of Isaiah prophecies. Isaiah is cleansed through the atonement referenced in the imagery of the hot coal Saviors suffering an innocent satisfying justice and providing mercy to the sinner. Lord provides council to Isaiah concerning his calling. Nephi has told us how important the words of Isaiah are to his people and us. Prophecy fits the story line concerning Isaiah and his prophecies being important.
2 Nephi 17 Isaiah 7
The majority of Isaiah 7 is a prophecy that was given by Isaiah in his lifetime that has been fulfilled at the time Lehi family leaving Jerusalem. The prophecy concerns Ephraim and Syria combining to wage war against Juda and Jerusalem. Nephi and his family look and see the exact fulfillment of the Lords words through Isaiah. Proof to the family of prophetic fulfillments they have both the prophecy and the history of the events to give them evidence and knowledge of Gods ability to show future events. Ahaz the King of Juda is given a sign that Isaiah prophecy that Ephraim and Syria will not attack Jerusalem is true. The sign that the Savior will be born to a virgin is that the Savior is our salvation and trusting in the Lord will be the salvation of Ahaz kingdom. Very relevant to the storyline of Book of Mormon we see why Nephi included this prophecy it just enlarges on what Nephi was doing to instruct his family using scripture relevant to them. Nephi wants family to trust in lord and believe that Jerusalem is about to be destroyed.
2 Nephi 18 Isaiah 8
Isaiah 8 is a prophecy to King Ahaz that the Assyrians will attack Ephraim, and Syria prohibiting Ephraim and Syria from attacking Jerusalem. Ahaz is promised the Lord will defend Jerusalem. This is historical to Nephi’s family and they know that the Assyrians attacked Ephraim and Syria took them captive miraculously preserving Jerusalem. The emphasis again is that relying on the Lord is better than having a great army. Nephi’s family are able to know both the prophecy and the fulfillment. Extremely important and relevant for us and Nephi’s family to know the scriptures be able to see prophecies and fulfillment to strengthen faith. Nephi was able to rely on the Lord and gain the brass plates even when Laban was more powerful.
2 Nephi 19 Isaiah 9
The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ and Isaiah 9 is a great prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. The prophecy adds to the sign given Ahaz that Jesus will be born as a child lineage of David or Juda that his government will be a government of peace and that relying on him provides salvation both for our souls and at this time Jerusalem against the Northern tribes combined with Syria. Jesus will be the mighty God and there will be no end to his throne and his name will be called wonderful, counselor. If Ahaz and his son Hezekiah rely on the Lord that Jerusalem and their kingdoms will be protected. Historically we know that Ephraim was planning on combining and attacking Jerusalem. Ephraim’s plan was stopped because the greater army of the Assyrians conquers Ephraim and takes them captive. Ephraim or Israel, and the other northern tribes become the lost ten tribes. Nephi states in the book of Mormon that he lived in Jerusalem and new the regions round about. He would have had personal knowledge of the fulfillment of this prophecy and could testify of the fulfillment. Provides additional credence to the prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. This prophecy with Isaiah 8 is providing background to the storyline of why Lehi family should trust in the Lord and leave Jerusalem as there are prophets prophesying of Jerusalem’s destruction. Very easy to understand the relevance of this prophecy and understand why it has place on Nephi’s Gold plates and is in Book of Mormon.
2 Nephi 20 Isaiah 10
Prophecy in Isaiah 10 concerns the destruction of the Assyrian army that has conquered the Northern tribes now wants to conquer Jerusalem. The Assyrian King boasts that he is more powerful than Israel God because he has conquered the Northern tribes who have the same God. The King does not realize that he was a tool the Lord used to humble the people because of their wickedness. When attacking Jerusalem the Lord causes the Assyrian army to die one evening prior to the attack on Jerusalem. Isaiah 8-10 are several prophecies relating to different events concerning the house of Israel. The Northern tribes are conquered and captured but Jerusalem is saved by the miraculous power of God. Isaiah was able to see and prophecy the future and yet this is historical to Nephi family which has been able to see the fulfillments. Provides great knowledge about trusting in Lord and living the covenant path. Nephi’s family would have been familiar with the prophecy and the fulfillments as this would have been very much in the Jewish culture and possible a reason the Jews felt they were unconquerable. Again, we see the relevance to Nephi in teaching his family from the scripture on the brass plates which contained the prophecies of Isaiah.
2 Nephi 21 Isaiah 11
Isaiah 11 is a fascinating prophecy about the last days. The prophecy concerns a rod that comes out of the stem of Jessie. The stem of Jessie is defined in section 113 as the Savior. The Rod is defined as partly a descendent of Jessie as well as Ephraim or the house of Joseph. Nephi on his plates 2 Nephi 3 provides the genealogy of a prophet in the last days that matches the genealogy but gives us greater information that his name will be Joseph who would be named after his father and would be a descendent of Joseph sold into Egypt. Moroni quotes Isaiah 11 to Joseph Smith the night he comes to give Joseph his calling to translate the gold plates. Joseph Smith in his personal history makes sure we know that Moroni quoted the Isaiah 11 scripture prophecy would be very personal to him. There is no question that the Rod is a prophecy concerning Joseph Smith and his calling in the last days to translate the gold plates to the Book of Mormon. The branch referred is concerned with Joseph work to gather Israel in the last days the members of the church are this righteous branch. We can see the personal nature of this scripture to both Nephi and Joseph as Nephi is writing the gold plates and Joseph will bring them forth in the last days as another witness of Jesus Christ. No can doubt the relevance of this Isaiah scripture to the Book of Mormon story line when we understand how relevant this is to Nephi himself the Lord has told him that he is writing the plates for a wise purpose and now this prophecy is about Nephi and Joseph and their relationship in bring about the gathering of Israel in the last days.
2 Nephi 22 Isaiah 12
Isaiah 22 is a prophecy concerning the righteous branch spoken of in Isaiah 11 that will trust and worship Lord. This branch or people will not be afraid and will worship Jesus and rely on the Savior’s strength to be their strength. The will praise the Lord and make him known throughout the earth.
2 Nephi 23 Isaiah 13
The Prophecy in Isaiah 23 concerns the destruction of Babylon who were the people who destroyed Jerusalem. Isaiah prophecy of the destruction of Babylon by the Medes came true 200 years after Isaiah prophecy. Today Babylon is still not inhabited fulfilling Isaiah prophecy. Nephi would include this prophecy as the country that conquered Jerusalem around 597 BC would then be punished by Persians. Babylon was evil nation represents Satan’s Kingdom and the Lord will defeat Satan’s kingdom in the last days. History is specific on the destruction Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the conquering of Babylon by King Cyrus. For us we are able to see the fulfillment of prophecy and know the Lord is able to show past as well as future events to prophets.
2 Nephi 24 Isaiah 14
This is a unique prophecy in Isaiah 14 as we are told the prophecy was given in the year King Ahaz died. The prophecy includes several elements. First that Juda will be restored to their lands freed from the enslavement of Babylon. The Assyrians will come and conquer the great Babylonian empire destroying the land. The Babylonian King was a wicked King. The Assyrian King will then allow Juda to return to their lands. That the Savior will be born in the promised land as a descendent of King David fulfilling prophecy and purpose. The purpose is that the Savior will be born and complete the atonement which is the stretched-out hand of love for all nations. The Jews who crucify the Savior will be hated through generations of time because of the iniquity of their fathers. The Jews will not have or posses a land of their own. Second the prophecy provides us knowledge of Lucifer. We are unable to know the past or before creation of earth except the Lord reveals this knowledge. Lucifer role in heaven that he seen narrowly and didn’t comprehend the great plan of happiness. Lucifer wanted to exalt himself above God’s throne. Lucifer is the seed of evil-doers here on the earth. Lucifer is the encourager of iniquities on the earth of greed and lust for power. The Lord in the last will have mercy on Juda and set them in their own land. This prophecy we see coming true today. Nephi would want to teach his people the future of the Jews as they were leaving the wicked Jewish people who were about to be destroyed to know of their future and how the Savior would be born of Juda’s lineage. In 2 Nephi 25 Nephi interrupts Isaiah 14 prophecy in plainness for us all to understand. Nephi is plain in answering the question why this Isaiah prophecy is included that the people “may know the judgements of God”. Nephi himself make it clear why he recorded this Isaiah prophecy on the Gold plates, and we know the relevance to the storyline as Nephi states his purpose.
2 Nephi 27 Isaiah 29
Of all of Isaiah prophecies Isaiah 29 would have been most personal to Nephi himself as the prophecy concerns the Plates of Nephi his writings coming forth as the Book of Mormon a “marvelous work and wonder”. Nephi adds to the Isaiah scripture additional prophetic knowledge concerning the last days and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon including Joseph Smith the servant in the Lords hands. Joseph Smith as he records his personal history which becomes scripture documents the fulfillments of those things prophesied by Isaiah and Nephi. One of the best methods to understand 2 Nephi 27 is to read Joseph Smith’s personal history and then read Nephi 27 and much of the prophecy comes to life with details of the events of the restoration. We know that one of the scriptures quoted by Moroni to Joseph Smith was Isaiah 29 when Moroni was giving Joseph additional information on his calling.
We should be convinced of the relevance and importance of the Isaiah verses that Nephi included on his plates. Each prophecy fits completely with the storyline in the Book of Mormon and that additional witness to the truthfulness of Book and why the Isaiah verses were included by Nephi. The Isaiah verses were for the teaching of his people the workings of God.
Isaiah Prophecies in Book of Mormon are Relevant to the Storyline 