Isaiah 1-12

LESSON #1 WHITE AS SNOW (Isaiah 1)

TRUTH:

Through sincere repentance, Jesus Christ can make even scarlet sins white as snow.

FIRE IN THE BONES:

Something that gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson is the thought that the central truth of this lesson could really comfort and bless those in your class that may be, unnecessarily, carrying shame or spiritual inferiority because of past mistakes. They believe in the power of Christ’s Atonement generally, but when it comes to their own mistakes, they quietly assume that they’ll never be quite as clean as they once were. Isaiah 1 speaks directly to that fear. But the Lord doesn’t say that scarlet becomes a lighter shade of red. He says it becomes white as snow. We want our students to leave this lesson with an increased confidence in the Savior’s ability to completely cleanse anyone who sincerely repents.

ICEBREAKER:

Time: 3-4 Minutes

This is a lesson where an object lesson would make a great icebreaker.  I would bring in a white piece of clothing or fabric that you have deliberately stained with something deep red, like ketchup or grape juice.  And what you’ll do is display that fabric or an image of one and ask:Have you ever had a stain that simply wouldn’t come out? What makes a stain like that so frustrating?Take one or two brief responses. Then explain that a bad stain can change the way we see the entire piece of clothing. We don’t notice what’s still clean. Our eyes naturally go directly to the stain. Sometimes people begin to see themselves in a similar way. They make a serious mistake, and even after they begin changing, they wonder if that stain is always going to be part of who they are.

Isaiah 1 is going to show us what sin can do to us, what sincere repentance looks like, and what Jesus Christ can do with even the deepest spiritual stain. But before he shows us what Christ can do with that stain, he first helps us understand what sin does to us. Let’s see how he describes Israel’s spiritual condition.

SEARCH ACTIVITY:

Isaiah’s Diagnosis-2-3 Minutes

Now, invite the class to read Isaiah 1:4–6, looking for words Isaiah uses to describe their condition.

Ask:

If Isaiah were a doctor examining this nation, what symptoms would he write down?

Likely discoveries include:

• Stricken

• Head sick

• Heart faint

• No soundness

• Wounds

• Bruises

• Sores that haven’t been treated

Don’t spend time explaining every phrase in this section. The central discovery here is simply: Israel is spiritually sick and untreated. After a few responses from your students explain that sin is something that wounds and weakens us spiritually. And what’s worse, according to verse 6, these people aren’t allowing their wounds to be treated. These people need a doctor! But they refuse to go to the hospital. 

The appearance of spiritual health-1 Minute

The next section here is going to further deepen our understanding of their problem. Now briefly summarize verses 11–15. Israel is spiritually sick, but outwardly they still appear religious. They’re offering sacrifices, observing Sabbaths, attending assemblies, and praying. The Lord isn’t condemning those practices—He commanded them. He’s condemning worship that never produces repentance or changed behavior.

The real cure: 4 Minutes

At this point in the lesson, place the following two headings on the board or show the slide.  “Our Response” on one side, and “Christ’s Promise” on the other.

Invite the class to read Isaiah 1:16–18.

Ask half the class to look for what the Lord asks His people to do. Ask the other half to look for what the Lord promises. Then add their discoveries to the board.

Under “our response” they should identify some or all of the following:

Wash and make clean

Put away evil

Cease to do evil

Learn to do well

Seek justice

Help those in need

Come to Him.

And under “Christ’s Promise”:

Scarlet becomes white as snow

Crimson becomes like wool

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

Time: 2-3 Minutes

If time permits, you could ask:

After everything God has said about their rebellion, sickness, hypocrisy, and stained hands, what does His invitation, “Come now,” reveal about Him?

Likely responses:

• He hasn’t given up on them.

• He still wants them to return.

• He’s willing to forgive.

• He has the power to change them.

• He invites guilty people toward Him rather than telling them to stay away.

There’s a wonderful cross-reference from latter-day scripture that connects beautifully with verse 18 and that’s Doctrine and Covenants 58:42-43.  Ask learners to find one more item for each column from these verses. 42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

Now we can add confessing and forsaking to the “Our response” column, and “Forgiveness” and “I, the Lord, remember them no more” to the “Christ’s promise” column.

As white as snow: 1 Minute

Now you return to the stained fabric and explain:

Isaiah has used two powerful images here. Sin is sickness and we need to allow the Doctor (Christ) to heal us.  Or sin is a stain and we need it removed. Christ has the power to completely remove it. But notice, Isaiah doesn’t promise pink. He doesn’t say scarlet becomes a lighter, more acceptable shade of red. Through sincere repentance, Christ makes it white as snow. Like wool! He makes us completely, spiritually clean.

Here you may also want to add one careful clarification:

That doesn’t mean repentance removes every earthly consequence or eliminates every repair that may still need to be made. It means that once the Lord has forgiven a sin, it doesn’t remain as a permanent spiritual stain that makes someone less worthy of His love or less capable of becoming what He wants them to become.

TAKE IT TO HEART:

Time: 4 Minutes

Invite learners to quietly consider three questions. Encourage them to listen to the Spirit for any promptings here.

1.    Is there something I need to cease or forsake?

2.    Is there something good I need to begin learning or doing?

3.    Am I continuing to carry a sin the Lord has already forgiven?

Tell them they don’t need to share or write the details of a sin. They’re simply listening for the next step the Lord may be asking them to take.

You might say:

Maybe your next step is to pray honestly, confess something, seek help from your bishop, make restitution, stop returning to a sin, or begin doing something better. Or maybe your next step is to finally believe the Lord when He says He remembers a forgiven sin no more.

TAKEAWAY:

Time: 2 Minutes

Then display the following takeaway slide and say something like this:

As you look at that open doorway, remember the Lord’s invitation: “Come now.” After everything He has said about Israel’s rebellion, sickness, and stained hands, the door is still open.

He asks us to put away evil, learn to do well, confess, forsake, and come to Him. Then Jesus Christ does what we could never do for ourselves. He makes scarlet, white as snow.

Isaiah doesn’t promise pink. So if there’s something you need to bring to Christ, come. And if you’ve sincerely repented and He has forgiven you, believe His promise. Let Christ have His victory over that sin. You don’t have to keep defining yourself by a stain He has already washed away.

OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:

QUOTE:

A quote you may wish to use from Sister Sharon Eubank:

“The scarlet dye of the Old Testament was not only colorful but also colorfast, meaning that its vivid color stuck to the wool and would not fade no matter how many times it was washed. Satan wields this reasoning like a club: white wool-stained scarlet can never go back to being white. But Jesus Christ declares, “My ways [are] higher than your ways,” and the miracle of His grace is that when we repent of our sins, His scarlet blood returns us to purity. It isn’t logical, but it is nevertheless true.”

(Conference Report, Apr 2019, “The Light that Shines in Darkness”)

OBJECT LESSON:

As an optional icebreaker idea, sometimes I like to do the following activity when I teach the principle of repentance. I tell them that I have four different object lessons and that I want them to decide which one is the best illustration of repentance and why.  So I take a board and a nail and say: Sin. And I pound the nail into the board. Then I say “repentance” and I use the back of the hammer to pull the nail out.  Then I take a clear cup full of water and say “Sin”, and I drop some red food coloring into the water. Then I say “Repentance” and take some bleach and pour it into the cup, which will make the food coloring turn clear again. Then I ask if anyone has ever gotten sick or injured before. And of course they all say they have. Then I say, “Sickness is like sin”.  Then I pull out a prescription bottle, or a bottle of medicine, or first-aid kit, and say “Repentance”.  And finally, I have in my backpacking supplies a water filter or purifier. So I’ll take a glass of obviously dirty water and say “Sin”. And then I’ll pump some water through the filter into another glass which comes out clear and drink it in front of everyone and say “Ahhhh, repentance”. Now which of those do you feel is the best representation of the principle of repentance?  Then just let your students share with no right or wrong answers. You just allow them to share their thoughts and insights.

LESSON #2 A REFUGE FROM THE STORM (Isaiah 3-4)

TRUTH:

God has provided holy places where His presence can protect and strengthen us.

FIRE IN THE BONES:

Something that gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson is the thought that God hasn’t left us exposed. He knows life can be spiritually scorching and stormy and that  we’ll sometimes need somewhere to breathe, feel safe, regain perspective, and remember who we are. So He’s provided holy places where His presence can protect and strengthen us. And Isaiah’s promise isn’t limited to temples. God wants that presence extending throughout Zion—into our Church gatherings and even into our homes. This lesson can help our students recognize those places as gifts and consider what they can do to make them more spiritually protective for others.

ICEBREAKER:

Time: 4 Minutes

For an icebreaker, I would share the following story as an introduction. You could show this photograph of Jay Withey and a number of the people whose lives who likely saved. Then share the following story. And I recommend that you try to tell it naturally rather than feeling obligated to read every word exactly. Here it goes:

In December 2022, a deadly blizzard struck Buffalo, New York. Jay Withey was driving home when his truck became stuck in the snow. Emergency crews couldn’t reach him, so he spent the night in his truck with two other stranded people, running the engine to stay warm.

By morning, they were running out of fuel. Jay later said it was the first time in his life he truly thought he might die.

He looked at a map on his phone and noticed a school only a few hundred feet away. He knew it would probably have heat, food, water, and bathrooms. So the three of them fought their way through the snow, and Jay broke a window to get them inside.

That school became their shelter. But once Jay was safe, he looked outside and saw other vehicles buried in the snow. He realized there were more people still trapped in the storm.

So Jay went back out.

He moved from car to car, helping people through the snow and into the school. By the time he finished, he had brought approximately two dozen people inside—including children, seven elderly people, and two dogs. They stayed there together until the storm passed.

Before leaving, Jay cleaned up the building, covered the broken window, and left an apology note. In it, he explained, “I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter, food and a bathroom.”

Jay was later recognized by the city as a hero. He very likely saved those people’s lives as the blizzard did end up taking 47 lives in total.

Ask:

What made that school more than simply a building?

Allow two or three brief responses where students may mention the heat, food, protection, safety, or people gathered there.

That’s what makes this story so great. Jay didn’t create the shelter. It had already been provided. But he knew where to find it, he entered it, and then he helped bring other people inside.

The prophet Isaiah teaches that God hasn’t left us shelterless either. He has provided places where His presence can protect and strengthen us. As we read Isaiah 4:5–6, look for where those places are, what makes them protective, and who God wants His refuge to include.

CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER SUMMARY:

Time: 1-2 Minutes

For the promises in chapter 4 to have more power, I think we really need to establish the context of the circumstances the people are in when Isaiah makes this prophecy.  Chapter 3 provides that context.  So you could say:

Before we read Isaiah’s promise in chapter 4, we need a little sense of what’s happening in chapter 3. Isaiah describes Jerusalem as a society beginning to collapse from the inside. Its leaders are failing, people are openly turning against God, pride and selfishness are increasing, and the poor and vulnerable are being mistreated.

Listen to the tone of these two verses. Isaiah 3:8 says, “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord.” Then in verse 15, the Lord asks its leaders, “What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor?”

So, Jerusalem is not a peaceful or spiritually healthy society. He describes instability, hedonism, injustice, wickedness, and the mistreatment of others. Chapter 3 shows us the storm gathering around the people of Zion. Do those problems sound familiar at all?  The parallels are chilling.  Nephi encouraged us to liken the words of Isaiah to ourselves and that isn’t too hard here. We too face the same challenges and attitudes. What’s a disciple of Christ to do when the influences of the world surround and pursue us?  

SEARCH ACTIVITY:

Three Holy Places of Defense.

Time: 3-4 Minutes

Isaiah chapter 4 holds the solution for us. In the middle of that kind of world, God

has provided his people with three holy places of safety. Spiritual shelter. Yes, Satan may attack us, but we have a refuge. Can you find those three holy places in verses 5 and 6?

Now you may have to help them a little in the interpretation of these verses. But what they should recognize is . . .

1. Every dwelling place of mount Zion- That would mean our homes should be a place of defense. Our family values, strong marriages, effective and loving parenting, home-centered church-supported gospel instruction. As disciples of Christ, we should strive to make our households places of spiritual safety.

2. Her assemblies-What are our assemblies? Any place where Saints assemble themselves together. Our stakes, churches, seminaries and institutes, the conference center, or any time two or more gather together in his name. 

3. And third, a tabernacle. Now what was the tabernacle to them, the Israelites and what is our modern-day tabernacle? The temple

Those are our three holy places of defense. Our homes, our churches, and our temples. 

Now another search question:

What does the Lord promise he will provide over each of these places?

Answer: A cloud of smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night.

A cloud of smoke and pillar of fire.

Time: 2-3 Minutes

And here as the teacher, you’ll want to explain:  That promise and miracle should sound familiar to us. God has done that before. During the Exodus, God placed a cloud of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night over the tabernacle. The cloud and fire were signs that the Lord was with His people. He was leading them, watching over them, and protecting them. But notice what Isaiah sees here. The cloud and fire aren’t resting over only one tabernacle. He sees that miracle resting upon every dwelling place and assembly of Zion as well. God doesn’t want His presence and glory to be felt only in the temple. He wants it extending into our Church gatherings and homes.  That’s probably because we’re going to need all that extra protection and blessing in these last days. 

You might consider sharing this insight too. If you drove by somebody’s home at night and saw all the lights on, or during the day and you saw smoke coming out of the chimney, what would you assume about that home? That somebody was there, somebody was home. A cloud of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night suggests that the Lord is home in these places. He’s there, ready to welcome and strengthen us.  

Defensive Blessings.

Time: 4-5 Minutes

Then ask your students. What 3 things does the Lord compare these holy shelters to in vs. 6?

A shadow from the heat

A place of refuge

A covert from storm and from rain

After students identify a shadow from the heat, a place of refuge, and a shelter from the storm, explain that Isaiah is acknowledging what life can sometimes feel like. Sometimes we feel spiritually exhausted, as though we’ve been standing in the heat. Sometimes we feel attacked or pressured. Sometimes difficulties seem to come at us like a storm. Holy places don’t guarantee that those experiences immediately disappear, but the Lord’s presence there can give us rest, perspective, belonging, strength, and protection so we can face life with renewed faith.

Our holy places can provide this for us, spiritually. 

TAKE IT TO HEART:

Time: 3-4 Minutes

Then, to help your class take this lesson to heart, invite them to do the following.

Pick one of the 3 holy places and one of the 3 symbols and share how that place has been like one of those symbols for you. So. The home, or church, or temple is like a shadow from heat, a place of refuge, or a shelter from storm because, and fill in the blanks. 

TAKEAWAY:

Time: 1-2 Minutes

To conclude, display the takeaway slide and share something along these lines: As you look at this image, remember that God doesn’t guarantee his disciples a life without heat, danger, or storms. But He hasn’t left us exposed either. He’s given us holy places where His presence can protect, strengthen, and prepare us to go back out and face the world. So seek those places. Use them intentionally. And then do what you can to help your home and Church gatherings become places where someone else can feel that same light. Think back to Jay. Once he found the shelter, he could’ve simply remained inside and taken care of himself. But he went back into the storm and helped other people find it. Maybe that’s part of what it means to build Zion. Notice the people who are still standing outside and invite them in. Help them to feel welcome, protected, and included.

OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:

QUOTE:

From Elder Patrick Kearon:

““The Lord has instructed us that the stakes of Zion are to be “a defense” and “a refuge from the storm.”  We have found refuge. Let us come out from our safe places and share with them, from our abundance, hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellowman, and love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the glorious truth that we are all children of our Heavenly Father.”

(Conference Report Apr. 2016 “Refuge from the Storm”)

HANDOUT:

For classes that may be less comfortable sharing aloud, you could give each student a simple handout with the three holy places on one side—home, Church, and temple—and Isaiah’s three images on the other—a shadow from the heat, a refuge from attack, and a shelter from the storm. Invite them to choose one place and one image and complete the sentence: “The __________ is like a __________ to me because __________.” For example: “The temple is like a shadow from the heat to me because it gives me a place to step away from the pressure and noise of the world.” Give them about two minutes to write. If the class is willing, invite two or three students to share what they wrote, but don’t make sharing necessary. The purpose is simply to help each student recognize how one of these holy places has been—or could become—a source of spiritual protection in their own life.

ISAIAH 2 INSIGHT

As an optional extension, you might spend a few minutes in Isaiah 2:1–5. Ask your class what Isaiah compares the temple to. When they identify a mountain, ask, “How is the temple like a mountain?” In my experience, this question always produces some great answers. Mountains are beautiful. They bring us closer to God, give us a higher perspective, make the problems below seem smaller, and require some effort to climb. Allow the class to suggest their own comparisons before adding any they may have missed.

Then have them search verses 3–5 for the blessings we can receive in the temple. There, the Lord teaches us His ways, helps us walk in His paths, gives us His law, brings peace, and invites us to walk in His light. You could conclude by asking, “When have you seen the temple bring one of those blessings into your life?” This helps students see why the temple can truly become one of the holy places of refuge Isaiah describes.

LESSON #3 THE PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9, 11, 12)

TRUTH:

When Christ reigns, darkness gives way to light, fear gives way to trust, and sorrow gives way to song.

FIRE IN THE BONES:

Something that gives me a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson is seeing what happens in Isaiah’s prophecy when Jesus Christ enters the picture. Isaiah begins with people living in darkness, carrying heavy burdens, facing enemies, and wondering where they can turn. Then a Child comes. He brings light into the darkness, breaks the yoke, creates peace, and gives frightened people a reason to trust and sing. This lesson gives us a chance to help our students see what it means to personally trust the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace.

ICEBREAKER:

Time: 2-3 Minutes

A fun way to introduce this lesson is to challenge your students to see if they can fill in the following famous titles.

Alexander the _________  GREAT

Abraham Lincoln:  __________ Abe  HONEST

Elvis: The ______ of Rock and Roll  KING

Babe Ruth: ______, ______,______   THE SULTAN OF SWAT, THE GREAT BAMBINO, THE COLOSSUS OF CLOUT, 

Michael Jordan:  ______ Jordan  AIR

After the final answer, ask:

Why do famous people get titles like these? OR What does a title usually tell us about someone?

Allow one or two brief responses where they’ll probably recognize that titles summarize what a person is known for—their reputation, character, a special ability they have, or accomplishments.

Then transition to the scriptures with this:

Isaiah also introduces us to someone through a series of titles. But these are more than just clever nicknames or descriptions of what people remember about Him.

SEARCH ACTIVITY:

Time: 3-4 Minutes

Invite your class to read Isaiah 9:6 to identify the titles this person has and who they think these titles describe.

And they’ll find them:

·      Wonderful

• Counsellor

• The Mighty God

• The Everlasting Father

• The Prince of Peace

And who is the bearer of each of these titles?  Jesus Christ, of course.

Then ask:

What do each of these titles suggest about Jesus Christ?

You don’t need to examine every title separately. Allow two or three observations and then say:

These titles become even more meaningful when we understand the world this Child is entering. Isaiah’s people were living beneath the threat of Assyria. The northern lands he names had experienced invasion, oppression, and captivity. So darkness, burdens, yokes, and oppressors weren’t abstract images to them. They described real life.

As we move through these chapters, watch for one question: What changes because Christ comes? Isaiah 9 introduces the Child. Isaiah 11 shows us the kingdom He creates. And Isaiah 12 gives us the song of people who experience His help and salvation.

Before Christ

Time: 4-5 Minutes

At this point, you should already have this chart drawn on your board or use this slide to help your class see what it is that makes Jesus so Wonderful, so Mighty, so Everlasting.  On one side of the chart we’re going to look for what life is like before Jesus comes.  Invite your class to fill in the blanks using the identified verses.  And here’s what they’ll find.

From 8:22

They feel the dimness of ____________. Anguish

From Isaiah 9:1

The people were grievously _____________ by other nations.  Afflicted. Oppressed. Preyed upon.

From Isaiah 9:2

The people are walking in  ________________. Darkness

In 9:4

They are carrying a yoke of his _____________. Burden

In 10:24

They are ____________ of the Assyrian.  Afraid.

After Christ

Time: 4-5 Minutes

But after Christ comes, what changes?

12:3

Instead of anguish, now the people feel ____________.  Joy.

11:6-9

Now, where the people were afflicted and oppressed, something else reigns. Based on this description, what one word would you use to describe the effect Christ has on the world? (A world of conflict, and oppression, and violence among nations)

And I would say PEACE. Here, Isaiah is describing real conditions that will exist during Christ’s millennial reign. Even the violence and enmity within the animal kingdom will cease. But these predator-and-prey pairings also give us a powerful picture of the kind of world the Prince of Peace creates among mankind. The strong will no longer prey upon the weak. The vulnerable will be safe. The innocent will not be deceived. Nothing will hurt or destroy. That’s what the reign of the Prince of Peace ultimately produces. Now, we aren’t experiencing the complete fulfillment of that prophecy yet, but His influence can begin creating greater peace in us and in our relationships right now.

9:2

Instead of darkness and shadow, now they see a great ___________. Light.  Christ brings light into dark places.

9:4

He has _____________ the yoke of their burden.  Broken. (They’re free). He brings freedom.

12:2. Instead of fear, now they feel what?  TRUST

Can you see what makes Christ so Wonderful, so Mighty, so Everlasting, such an amazing Counsellor, what makes him an excellent Governor, a Prince of Peace?

TAKE IT TO HEART:

Time: 2-3 Minutes

Now we want to help our students take this message to heart. Invite them to look at the chart and ask:Are you experiencing any of the emotions on the left side of the chart yourself? Are there any areas in your life where you need Christ’s help?

And say: If so, I invite you to turn to the Wonderful Counsellor, call upon the Prince of Peace, and trust in the Mighty God and His power to save.  I invite you to move from a mere understanding of who Christ is to proclaiming with personal conviction whatIsaiah says in 12:1-2:

¹ And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

² Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

TAKEAWAY:

Time: 2-3 Minutes

Then show the takeaway slide and testify:

As you look at this picture, ponder what the world will actually be like when Jesus Christ reigns. The wolf will no longer prey on the lamb. The vulnerable won’t need to be afraid. Nothing will hurt or destroy because the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth. We’re obviously not there yet. There’s still plenty of darkness, conflict, and fear in the world. But we don’t have to wait until the Millennium to begin feeling the influence of the Prince of Peace. His light and peace can begin making a difference in us, in our personal lives, right now. He can help us to find light, peace, freedom, and joy.

He really can be our Wonderful Counsellor, our Mighty God, our Prince of Peace.

OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:

VIDEO:

After discussing the power and change that Jesus can bring into people’s lives, you could show the Church’s powerful 2½-minute video called “The Prince of Peace.” You could introduce it by saying:

Isaiah has shown us what the world will eventually become when the Prince of Peace reigns. But we don’t have to wait until the Millennium to begin experiencing His influence. As you watch this video, look for how Jesus Christ can bring peace into our lives now.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2017-02-1000-the-prince-of-peace-find-lasting-peace-through-jesus-christ?lang=eng

QUOTE:

From Elder Quentin L. Cook:

“Peace in the world is not promised or assured until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. . . . Universal peace does not exist today.

However, personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention, and division that blight and corrupt our world today. It has never been more important to seek personal peace. A beautiful and beloved new hymn, written for today’s youth by Brother Nik Day, titled “Peace in Christ” declares, “When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.”

(Conference Report, Oct. 2021 “Personal Peace in Challenging Times”)

2022 Lesson Plan-Additional Teaching Ideas

Isaiah 1-12

A NOTE

A brief note to begin this week of study. Many of you may notice that a lot of the ideas, the activities, and the teachings I present in this video are very similar to some of the lessons I did back in the Book of Mormon two years ago. Why is that? Well, you probably know that Nephi included many of Isaiah’s teachings, almost word for word and chapter by chapter in the book of 2 Nephi. The infamous, “Isaiah Chapters”.  And I thought to myself, why reinvent the wheel here? The ideas and activities I presented there, will work here as well. So you may notice that similarity. I hope that’s ok. But, of course, there are some differences, for sure. For example, Nephi didn’t include Isaiah chapter 1 in his writings. And Isaiah chapter 1 has some really key within it.  So we’ll spend some time there. But some of you might ask, “Why did Nephi include so many of Isaiah’s teachings in the Book of Mormon, if the Lord knew that we would already have his words in the latter-days here in the Bible? My theory? It basically forces us as a people to take the writings of Isaiah seriously. If there were no Isaiah chapters, do you think we would study him as much? I mean how much time do you spend studying Jeremiah, or Ezekiel? Without the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon, his words probably wouldn’t get as much attention as they now do. So I, for one, am very grateful that they're in there and that we get the chance to study them twice as we make our way through the standard works. 

UNDERSTANDING ISAIAH

ICEBREAKER

To introduce the Book of Isaiah to my students I like to begin with this hilarious little video. I’ll provide a link to it for you in the video description below, but I invite you to take a minute to watch this yourself consider if you’ve ever felt like this when studying the Book of Isaiah or the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon”?

And if you took the time to do that, how did you feel? Were you like, “What on earth is he talking about?!” It’s almost like listening to someone speak a foreign language.

Rockwell Retro Escalator Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w)

TRANSITION

Well that may be a very similar type of experience many have when they first begin reading the Book of Isaiah. His writings are a bit more challenging to understand than most of the other books we’ve studied so far this year. If you’ve ever felt that way in the past as you’ve read Isaiah, have no fear. There are a lot of things that have helped me to gain a better grasp of this book that I’d like to try and pass on to you. And perhaps with a little bit of help, maybe you’ll come to love this book just as much as I do. And perhaps one of the reasons I love this book so much is that it requires a lot of time and effort to really understand it. But like most things in life, that which we work hardest on, becomes most dear to us.  Nephi understood this as he made the following comment. He said, “My soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah” (2 Nephi 11:2). I believe that if you take the time to get to know this great prophet and really dig deep into his teachings, that eventually you’ll say the same thing. You’ll delight in Isaiah. Oh, and one more reason to study the words of Isaiah. Look what Jesus himself said in 3 Nephi 23:1

“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.”

Now can you think of any other prophet that gets that kind of endorsement from Jesus? I can’t. And notice the language he uses there. He says, “a commandment I give unto you”. Jesus didn’t just endorse or suggest or encourage us to study Isaiah, he commanded us to. I wonder what grade we would get as a church on living that commandment. But we’re going to do just that right now. Let’s diligently study Isaiah as Jesus instructed us to.  And I can promise you that whatever effort you’re willing to expend on seeking to understand his writings, it will be rewarded fourfold, guaranteed. So let’s dig in.

SEARCH

The first thing I’d like to do is give you a few tools for working with the words of Isaiah. You and I know that certain jobs require specific tools to accomplish a project efficiently and successfully. As a teacher, you may even pull out a few tools as an object lesson as you talk about these suggestions. And actually, these ideas for understanding Isaiah don’t really come from me. I can’t take credit for them. They actually come from Nephi who we know “delighted in the words of Isaiah.”  In the Book of Mormon, after reviewing a large portion of the teachings of Isaiah, he took almost a whole chapter to teach his people “HOW” to understand Isaiah. So we’re going to jump to 2 Nephi 25 to do a brief review of Nephi’s top 7 tools or suggestions on how to get more out of our study of Isaiah.  To engage my students in that study even more, I might give them this bookmark activity for them to fill in the 7 suggestions of Nephi. You may even want to print it on cardstock so that it will last longer for them. You can encourage them to use it as they study Isaiah and have it there as a ready reference. And we’ll fill that in together now.

Tool  #1

Nephi begins this chapter by acknowledging that Isaiah is a little tougher to grasp. He admits that even his people found Isaiah’s words “hard to understand”. Which is kind of comforting when you think about it. We’re not the only generation to struggle with Isaiah’s words. But he tells us why they struggled with them. It’s because they knew not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews. And what does that mean? What is the manner of prophesying among the Jews? It’s poetry. It’s figurative and symbolic language. Much like the Book of Revelation, God often uses imagery and metaphor to teach his people. So if you want to understand Isaiah better, approach it like poetry. Don’t look so much for the literal as you do the allegorical. When he presents you with a symbol, stop and ask yourself why he chooses to represent that idea with that object. Be prepared to approach Isaiah the same way you would Shakespeare, or Wordsworth, or Dickinson. It’s serious poetry and needs to be read slowly, carefully and deliberately. So Nephi’s first suggestion to understanding Isaiah. Know the manner of prophesying among the Jews.

Tool #2

Nephi’s second suggestion comes in vs. 4

Isaiah’s words will become plainer to you if you are filled with the spirit of prophecy. Well what does that mean? You might say, I’m not a prophet, so do I have any hope? Yes. John tells us what the spirit of prophecy is in Revelation 19:10. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. So if you have a belief and testimony of Jesus Christ and you seek the Spirit, Isaiah will be far easier for you to understand. So be sure to have a mind and heart open to the Spirit while you seek the Savior on every page. Tool #2 is: Seek the Spirit of Prophecy (the testimony of Jesus)

Tool #3

You’ll find tool #3 at the end of verse 5. 

There is none other people that understand the things which were spoken to the Jews like unto them, save it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews. 

Suggestion #3 is to be taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.  It really helps if you have an awareness of their history, their culture, their geography, and religion. The better understanding you have of that background, the better able you will be to know what Isaiah’s message for us is. No, you don’t have to have a degree in Ancient Hebrew studies to appreciate Isaiah, but you should do a little bit of homework to get your bearings. And I’ll help you with some of those things here, but the church has provided manuals, and articles, and the Bible Dictionary to help you with some of the “things of the Jews” you would do well to understand.

Tool #4

Tool #4 comes in vs. 7

In the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass. 

So the suggestion is to look for fulfillments of prophecy. When Isaiah speaks of the Mountain of the Lord’s house being established in the tops of the mountains, ask yourself how that may have been fulfilled. When he speaks of an Ensign being lifted up to the nations and an army answering it’s call to go out and conquer, ask yourself how that might be fulfilled. When he speaks of establishing a vineyard with a fence and building a tower in the midst of it, ask yourself if and how that prophecy has been fulfilled. Isaiah’s writings are there to help instruct us about the latter-days. And that’s part of what makes him difficult. He speaks about his time, Christ’s time, and our time, all at the same time. 

Tool #5

In vs. 8

Nephi says, “I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them.”

Nephi tells us that we in the last days will be able to value Isaiah’s writings more in the last days because we will understand them. Now I hope that this isn’t too much of a stretch, but I have to ask myself, “Why will we understand them better in the last days?” I think the reason is because we have so much more help and resources to understand his writings. We have prophetic commentary to help us, we have manuals that explain and clarify, we have the study aids right there in our scriptures, the footnotes, the chapter headings, the Bible Dictionary. Use these things. We really don’t have much of an excuse not to understand Isaiah’s writings nowadays. The resources are out there—resources that previous generations had no access to. For us, it’s right at our fingertips. 

Tool #6

Is all over Nephi’s writings. He says it again and again. In fact, let me put these verses and a few more up here at once and you tell me what they all have in common. What is Nephi’s (and Jacob also) #1 suggestion to studying Isaiah? Do you see it? It’s to liken his words to yourself. Seek to find personal meaning in the Isaiah chapters. Look for its relevancy to your life. How does it change you? How you act? What you believe? On this channel, you frequently hear me talk about “likening the scriptures”.  Well this is where I got that phrase from and it’s specifically referring to the writings of Isaiah.

Tool #7

And finally, tool #7 doesn’t actually come from Nephi. It comes from the Savior himself in that verse that we already took a look at earlier. HOW does Jesus suggest we study the words of Isaiah in 3 Nephi 23:1?

Diligently. Be diligent in your study. It takes effort, it takes time, it takes pondering, it takes digging deep to learn from him.

Now with those seven things in mind, let’s jump into Isaiah chapter 1 and try them out.

ISAIAH 1-WHITE AS SNOW

ICEBREAKER

To teach the principle of Isaiah chapter 1, I might do the following object lesson.  Actually, it’s a whole bunch of object lessons at once. I tell them that I have four different object lessons and that I want them to decide which one is the best illustration of repentance and why.  So I take a board and a nail and say: Sin. And I pound the nail into the board. Then I say “repentance” and I use the back of the hammer to pull the nail out.  Then I take a clear cup full of water and say “Sin” and I drop some red food coloring into the water. Then I say “Repentance” and take some bleach and pour it into the cup, which will make the food coloring turn clear again. Then I ask if anyone has ever gotten sick or injured before. And of course they all say they have. Then I say, “Sickness is like sin”.  Then I pull out a prescription bottle, or a bottle of medicine, or first aid kit, and say “Repentance”.  And finally, I have in my backpacking supplies a water filter or purifier. So I’ll take a glass of obviously dirty water and say “Sin”. And then I’ll pump some water through the filter into another glass which comes out clear and drink it in front of everyone and say “Ahhhh, repentance”. Now which of those do you feel is the best representation of the principle of repentance?  Then just let your students share. There are no right or wrong answers here. You just allow them to share their thoughts and insights.

TRANSITION

Now Isaiah’s people had some problems with sin. Let’s review verses 2-15 and mark all the problems Isaiah says his people have.

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

³ The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

So, the people are acting dumber than farm animals in Isaiah’s opinion. At least oxen and donkey’s know who their masters are. They know where to go to be fed. But not Israel. They don’t consider this. They are rejecting their master, and refusing to be fed with his words.

⁴ Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

⁵ Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

⁶ From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

So here, Isaiah is comparing sin to sickness. They have spiritual wounds, bruises, and sores. But they won’t allow them to be bound up or softened with ointment. They need a doctor! They need healing. But they refuse to go to the hospital.

⁷ Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸ And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

⁹ Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Isaiah is prophesying literally what will eventually happen to Jerusalem. It will become a besieged city. It will end up like a little shack in a garden instead of a glorious city.  And if weren’t for the fact that God will allow a remnant to eventually return (think Nehemiah and Ezra) they would basically become like Sodom and Gomorrah, completely wiped off the face of the earth.

¹¹ 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 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 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.

Now why would the Lord be fed up with their sacrifices, burnt offerings, feasts, sabbaths, prayers, and solemn meetings? Those are all good things. They’re doing them. So why would he say his soul “hateth” them. Probably because there’s no sincerity in them. They’re just going through the motions. They’re outwardly worshipping, but their heads and hearts aren’t in it. The Lord is saying that he’s tired of their hypocritical, false show of religious practices. Now can you imagine the Lord saying the same thing to us?  Remember that we are to liken the scriptures to ourselves here. Try substituting some of our religious practices in those verses. “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrament meetings unto me. I am full of your tithing offerings. I delight not in your testimony meetings, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the temple attendance.” Are we ever guilty of just going through the motions?

THE CURE

Now all is not lost for the Israelites, nor us.  Isaiah is going to offer us the solution to the problem, the cure for the sickness.  He’s going to shift the tone here. Now we’re going to hear the soft, mellow, loving Father in Heaven. Take a different colored pencil and mark the cure.

¹⁶ 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 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.

¹⁹ If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Now what do those verses teach you about repentance?  Even if you’ve gone astray, even if you’ve sinned deeply, there is HOPE! There is a way back. There’s a doctor, and medicine, and ointment for you. So it’s time to wash up and get clean and put away the evil. To repent you’ve got to forsake the sin and put it away. This is the sacrifice he really wants from his people, not the burnt offerings, not the blood of lambs and goats. He wants their hearts. They’ve got learn to do well. So if you wish to repent. Study the scriptures.  Listen to the words of the living prophets. Look for positive examples to follow. Ponder what you need to do to make restitution. And apparently from verse 17, part of repentance is service. Save yourself by serving others. Go out and relieve the oppressed, help the widows. That kind of selfless service can cover a multitude of sins.

Then 18 has got to be one of the most beautiful, powerful verses of the entire Book of Isaiah. He starts with, “Come now”. There’s a message of repentance. The time to do it is when? Now! Don’t procrastinate the day of your repentance. Don’t hide your sins. Don’t delay! Come now and let us reason together. I like that too. Repentance is reasonable. You’ll feel better. It works. It just makes sense to leave yours sins behind. And let’s do it together. This isn’t something you have to do on your own. I’ll help you. I’ll be with you. And then, the great promise of forgiveness. Though your sins be as scarlet, or as crimson. Now those are both deep, deep colors of red. Have you ever gotten a red stain on your white clothing? It’s very hard to get out. In fact, to this day on my basement carpet is a red stain from a child’s soda spill. I must have tried every cleaner, every solution, every home remedy out there possible to get that stain out. And I rubbed it with a wet cloth for hours, and still, it’s there. Red is a very hard color to get out of fabric. But! Is there anything that is capable of covering the scarlet and the crimson? Only the atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior. He can take the deepest and even most serious of sins, and make them like what? As white as snow, as pure as wool. What a fantastic contrast there. And do you really believe that? Do you believe that Christ can wash away your sins so completely that there isn’t even a stain left behind? I think we sometimes struggle with this. When we’ve sinned and repented, we may be grateful that we’ve been forgiven but we still wonder if we are less of a disciple because of it. We wonder if we can ever be as good or pure as we once were? Do we still have the opportunity to fulfill the divine potential that we once had?  Yes! But in my experience, there are way too many “pink people” in the church, or people who see themselves this way. Pink people are those who really struggle with the idea of Isaiah 1:18. They struggle to accept the truth that they can become as white as snow. They say, “Yes, I know Christ’s forgiveness can wash me through repentance, but that can only go so far. It can leave me a nice shade of pink.”  And what does Isaiah say to this? No, no. In God’s kingdom, there are no pink people. Only white as snow, white as wool.  When we sin and repent, it’s as if we had never sinned at all in the first place. There is no tell-tale stain on the basement floor. There’s no reminder. What is it that the Doctrine and Covenants taught us last year? “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, And I the Lord remember them no more”(Doctrine and Covenants 58:42).  But sometimes we struggle with that. We sometimes find it difficult to forgive ourselves. But we must! What if Paul had not been willing to put his former life behind him? What if Alma the Younger had dwelt on the sins of his youth forever? When Christ has forgiven you, allow him to have his victory over your sins. Allow him to wash your red away and make you as white as snow. I like that last image a lot. Can you picture it? What does snow do? It covers everything in a beautiful blanket of striking white. That’s what Christ’s atonement will do. In fact, that’s what the word “atonement” means—to cover.

TRUTH

When I repent, I can be perfectly purified of my sins (even serious ones) through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

Is there any “sickness” you need to bring to the healer?

CONCLUSION

Isaiah chapter 1 is a great introduction to the teachings and spirit of Isaiah. Can you see what Nephi meant by likening the scriptures unto us? If you are sick with any sin at this time, I plead with you to heed and find hope in Isaiah’s counsel. Come now, and reason together with the Lord. I believe in the power of repentance. It can make you as white as snow and as pure as wool. I know that I’ve felt the power of repentance and God’s mercy in my own life, and I can assure you that it’s worth it to bring your sins, as crimson and scarlet as they may be, to Christ. Bring your sicknesses to the healer and be cured of all that afflicts you. That’s the introductory message of this book and, in a way, the whole message of Isaiah. His book is one giant invitation to come unto Christ. Will we heed the call, is the real question.

WAR GAMES

ICEBREAKER

Now, as an icebreaker to the remaining chapters in this week’s study of Isaiah, I like to show my class the following little church video called “Enemy Territory” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2012-06-0006-enemy-territory?lang=eng&alang=eng). In it, Elder Boyd K. Packer compares his experiences with serving in World War II to modern day spiritual battles that we fight with the adversary. As your class watches, tell them to think about ways that life in the latter-days is like a war. After the video you may even ask them to consider the modern-day counterpart to these different aspects of war:

Where is the battlefield? It’s everywhere. It’s at school, the workplace, on our cell phones, or sometimes we may find that the war is being waged right within our own hearts and minds.

Who is the enemy? I would say Satan, temptation, the world, or sin.

What are some of his weapons? Hatred, pride, drugs, pornography, violence, dishonesty.

And what are some of our weapons? Testimony, love, covenants, the scriptures.

TRANSITION

Well what Elder Packer just did in that little video is exactly what Isaiah is going to do, especially in these initial chapters of his book. Isaiah wrote these at a time when the kingdom of Judah was under threat of military attack from the Assyrians. You might remember us talking about that back in the book of 2 Kings. Everyone would have had war on their minds at the time Isaiah’s writing this. And he’s going to use that situation to teach them (and us, consequently) about the more serious spiritual attack that they were facing. Isaiah was far more concerned about their spiritual defenses than their national defenses. In fact, he knew that if they prepared themselves spiritually, that they WOULD be defended literally from their enemies—because the Lord would be with them and fight their physical battles for them. With that theme of war in mind, here’s how I would break down and label some of the sections of these initial chapters of Isaiah.

We have:

Satan’s Attack: Isaiah 2:7-8, Isaiah 3, Isaiah 5:8-25

Our Defense: Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah 4:5-6

Our Offense: Isaiah 5:26-30, Isaiah 6

Our Captain: Isaiah 9:1-7, Isaiah 11:1-5

The Winners: Isaiah 11:6-16, Isaiah 12

And then, let’s go ahead and also label some chapters that we’ll be covering next week but that thematically fit here. We’re also going to take a look at

The Losers: Isaiah 2:9-22, Isaiah 13

Their Captain: Isaiah 14

SATAN’S ATTACK

We’ll begin with the attack—Satan’s attack. What are his weapons and war strategies? We’ll do this as a matching handout. Read each of the suggested verses on the left and then, try to match them with the spiritual problem they describe that the Israelites are having on the right. And when you correct it with your classes, be sure to ask the following questions after each answer: Is this still a problem in our day? Can you think of any examples?  Here we go.

Isaiah 2:7   F. Materialism (Certainly a problem today as well, especially in the United States and other first world countries)

Isaiah 2:8  K. Idolatry (We may not struggle as much these days with worshipping statues, but an idol is anything we place before God. Money is an idol, popularity is an idol, our own appearance can be an idol, power is an idol, success is an idol) 

Isaiah 3:1-3 D. Relying on man instead of God (These verses describe what the people consider to be their “stay and staff”. Who is it that the people are looking to? Who are their heroes? It’s a list of the wrong kinds of people. The man of war, the cunning artificer, the eloquent orator. The celebrities, so to speak. And by the way, when it says prophet in there, that’s referring to false prophets)

Isaiah 3:5 E. Persecution and Disrespect  (the child behaving himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable)

Isaiah 3:9 G. Open and proud of their sins  (It says that they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not) It’s one thing to sin and keep it hidden. It’s completely another when you actually parade it around or brag about it to others. That’s a whole other level of sin.)

Isaiah 3:14-15 A. Taking advantage of the poor. Or ignoring them. “Grinding the faces of the poor” is a stark bit of imagery here)

Isaiah 3:16-24 B. Obsessed with having the “right look”, Outward appearance is everything.  These verses describe the daughters of Zion, although the attitude could certainly apply to both male and female. It’s a description of people’s tendency to obsess about their outward appearance. The daughters of Zion are haughty, or prideful. They walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes. That would mean seductive eyes. And they walk with mincing or tinkling steps.  Mincing steps are tiny little steps. Can you picture that? How they’re walking?  They’re society was celebrating and emphasizing the sensuality of women, not virtue. They we’re oversexualizing things. Does our society do the same? I’ll let you be the judge of that. And then we have this long list of items that they’re wearing. I know there are some tough words in there and you may wonder if they are talking about women or cars here, but if you look at the footnotes it will help you understand what he means by those words. And it’s a long list for a reason. You’re almost supposed to get tired reading it. He’s saying, look at everything you have to have to get “the right look”. You have to buy this and this and this and this in order to be “in style”. Maybe it would be interesting to ponder what our modern list would look like.

Isaiah 3:11-12, 22 C Drinking and partying

Isaiah 5:20  I. Calling good, evil, and evil, good. 

Isaiah 5:21 J. Learned but not wise.

Isaiah 5:24 H. They despise commandments and the gospel. 

And perhaps you’ve noticed that these are all the same problems that we face today, aren’t they. Satan hasn’t changed his attacks much, has he? He’s been using these weapons on mankind for millennia. And you can probably figure out why. They work. He knows the strategies and attacks that are the most effective. 

So now the question becomes: “What can we do to not be overcome?” One suggestion. Know his tactics and be prepared for them. The better you know your opponent, the less likely you are to be fooled by them. And this is one of the great reasons for studying the scriptures. They reveal Satan’s tactics. Like right here in these chapters. If we know what weapons our enemy is going to be using on us, we’ll be far better prepared to face them when they come.

OUR DEFENSE

Now, despite that attack, we have a defense available to us. God has provided us with holy places of safety. Yes, Satan may attack us, but we have a refuge. The Doctrine and Covenants has instructed us to “Stand in holy places, and be not moved” (Doctrine & Covenants 87:8) Well what are those holy places? There are 3 that Isaiah will specifically mention in , and Isaiah will help us to recognize them in Isaiah 4:5-6. And look, he even uses that word. Defense in vs. 5. But can you find the three places of defense?

Every dwelling place of mount Zion- Our homes are a place of defense. Our family values, strong marriages, effective and loving parenting, home-centered church-supported gospel instruction. These are the things that will help our households to be places of safety.

Her assemblies- Any place where Saints assemble themselves together. Our stakes, and churches, seminaries, and institutes, the conference center, or any time two or more gather together in his name. 

And third, a tabernacle. Now what was the tabernacle to them, the Israelites and what is our modern-day tabernacle? The temple

Those are our three holy places of defense. Our homes, our churches, and our temples. 

And what does he promise he will provide on each of these places? A cloud of smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Does that sound familiar to you? Has God ever done that before? Yes, remember the beginning of the year while studying the Exodus. In those days, God placed a cloud of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night over the tabernacle, or their temple. And what does that imagery suggest? The warmth, light, and comfort that God’s holy places can offer us. Consider this too—If you drove by somebody’s home at night and saw all the lights on, or during the day and you saw smoke coming out of the chimney, what would you assume about that home? Somebody was there, somebody was home. Well that description suggests that somebody is home in these places. Who? The Lord. He’s always there, ready to welcome us.  But isn’t that cool, in the latter-days, that blessing isn’t just on the temples, but upon every assembly and every home of Zion. That’s probably because we’re going to need all that extra protection and blessing in these last days. 

Then look how he describes the blessings of these defenses in vs. 6. He compares them to what 3 things?

A shadow from the heat

A place of refuge

A covert from storm and from rain

Do you get what he’s saying. He’s saying that life is like a heatwave, and you’re going to need some shade. It’s 115 degrees and you’re thirsty. Come in, he calls you, cool off, be refreshed, drink from my stream. 

Or life is like a battle, and you’re going to need a refuge. So here we are in the world, day by day, at school, at the workplace, and we’re swinging our swords, fighting evil, and the Lord calls, “Come home for a moment, come to my refuge, put your sword down. There are no battles to be fought in here. Your enemies can’t reach you for a time here, rest. Then you can go back out and fight the battles of life with more strength.

Or life is like a terrible storm, and you’re going to need some shelter. A hurricane is moving in, and the Lord says “Come, dry off, find shelter here, sit by the warmth of my fire, be cheered, no storm can overcome you in here.”

Our holy places can provide this for us, spiritually. 

Perhaps a quick sharing activity. Pick one of the 3 holy places and one of the 3 symbols and share how that place has been like one of those symbols for you. So. The home, church, or temple is like a shadow, a place of refuge, or a shelter from storm because, and fill in the blank. 

For me, I lived in Arizona for 15 years, so I know what heat is like. And sometimes in the summer I would have to go out and mow my lawn. And what was it like to get out of that 115-degree weather and sit in the shade with a glass of water, or to run inside to air-conditioned bliss? It was amazing. It felt so good to get out of the heat. Spiritually, that’s what the temple is like for me. Same feeling. It’s a place of shade, in a spiritually scorching world.

Well speaking of the temple, take a quick look at Isaiah 2:1-5 and answer the following question. 

What object does the Lord compare the temple to here? 

A mountain

Now, “How is the temple like a mountain?” This is a great discussion question and, in my experience, always yields great answers.

A few thoughts: They’re beautiful, they bring you closer to God, they give you a higher perspective, the problems of the world below become smaller, they require climbing or effort. There are lots of great analogies your class could possibly come up with.  

And then look in vs. 3-5 for the blessings the temple can bring us. He’ll teach of us his ways there. We’ll learn to walk in his paths. We’ll receive his law. He’ll bring us peace. All the images of verse 4 are of taking weapons and turning them into tools of peace. And there, we will walk in his light.

And you might ask: When have you seen the temple bring one of those blessings to you? 

OUR OFFENSE

Well that’s our defense. But you know what. God doesn’t expect us to just hunker down in our defenses and hope the enemy doesn’t get through. God also has an offense. We get to fight back against Satan’s kingdom. And what is the plan for that? He describes it in Isaiah 5:26-30. It’s very visual and symbolic.  I’ll read it to you, and you see if you can figure out what he’s talking about. How do we fight back against Satan?

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far,

An ensign is a flag, so somebody lifts up a huge flag for all the world to see

 and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; 

Hiss means to whistle. So the flag bearer lets out a loud whistle, you know like some people can put their fingers in their mouths and whistle really loud. I’ve always wished I could do that. But he whistles.  And what happens after he’s raised the flag and whistled?

and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

So who comes, they, come. Who are they? Let’s figure it out. They come quickly, they’re strong and enthusiastic.

27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken;

So they are prepared, ready, alert, their belts are cinched up and their shoes are tied.

28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent,

They’re archers. Their arrows are sharp, and to have your bow bent means it’s pulled back, ready to let an arrow fly. So this is an army we’re talking about here. God’s army. Who are they? Have you figured it out yet?

and their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind,

They are archers on chariots, they are coming quickly, they are unstoppable. They’re powerful. If you’ve ever seen the chariot race in Ben Hur, that’s the imagery here. Can you imagine thousands of those racing towards you? 

And then one of my favorite descriptions of this army

29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

They’re like lions, and they roar their message, and they lay hold of the prey, and carry it away not to devour it, but carry it away safe, never to let it get away again. 

30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

These lions, this army will have to fight and roar during dark times. 

So did you figure it out? What army is being described here? Who are these archers with sharp arrows? Who are these roaring young lions?

They’re missionaries. Young men, young women, senior missionaries and couples, and all members who seek to spread the message of the gospel and gather Israel. Isn’t that the coolest description of missionaries ever?!  So the prophet stands on the hill and raises the flag, and whistles and says, come all worthy able individuals. Come fight for the Lord, come join his army. And they come, right now they come 55,000 strong. And they are powerful, unstoppable, and effective, like 55,000 chariot archers racing toward you. And they are sent throughout the world to fight against Satan’s kingdom. We beat him, by winning souls to our side. That’s our attack, saving souls. And so what kind of missionary are you?

Are you a come with speed swiftly missionary? A girdle cinched, shoe latchet tied missionary? Are you an arrow sharp and bow bent missionary? I love that image. What is a missionary’s arrow? His testimony, right. Is yours sharp, is it ready to fly at a moment’s notice. You see an investigator across the way, and out comes your arrow and (make sound) thump! And they’re like, uh baptize me. Your testimony went straight to my heart.  Are you a roaring lion missionary. That’s another great one. Missionaries are lions. They are powerful, they roar the gospel, not meow it. Their message is clear, loud, and forceful. I love that. Maybe we shouldn’t ask people where they served their missions, but where they roared. I roared in Brazil. My wife roared in Australia. My brothers roared in Peru and Portugal, and my sister roared in Taiwan. Where will you roar? Maybe right there in your own community, on your own street.  The Lord needs his archers, he needs his young lions. Will you answer the whistle? Will you flock to the ensign? I hope you will. 

And speaking of mission calls, that’s the theme of the next chapter. This is Isaiah’s mission call. And look for what it teaches you about answering that call when it comes. Isaiah at first says:

Wo is unto 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.  He doesn’t feel worthy or ready. This is a common fear amongst many prospective missionaries. And so the Lord sends an angel to him with a live coal and places it on his lips. And can you just hear the sound of that? PSSSSSSS. And the angel says:

Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

He cleanses him and makes him worthy. I believe that the Lord will do this for all prospective missionaries that desire to serve him but have fears and insecurities. 

Then the Lord asks: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? 

And how does Isaiah answer now “Here am I, send me” I want to go! 

And you can just sense the enthusiasm in his response. That’s the kind of missionary the Lord needs. The “Here am I, send me” missionary, not the “Ok, I’ll go if I have to, I’ll go to make Mom and Dad happy” missionary. 

Our missionary force, that’s our offense. 

THE CAPTAIN

Now that army has a captain, a leader, the head lion or leader of the pride. Who would that be?  Jesus Christ of course. He is our captain, and Isaiah has a lot to say about this Captain of our souls. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi had something to say about the writings of Isaiah in 1 Nephi 19:23. He said:

23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

What apparently will be one of the benefits or blessings of studying Isaiah?  It will help us to be more fully persuaded to believe in the Lord our Redeemer. We will come to know our Savior on a much deeper and personal level. We’ll understand why we should choose him as our leader.

ICEBREAKER

A fun way to begin this discussion would be to see if you could complete these famous titles.

Alexander the _________  GREAT

Ivan the _____________ TERRIBLE

Abraham Lincoln:  __________ Abe  HONEST

Elvis: The ______ of Rock and Roll  KING

Babe Ruth: ______, ______,______   THE SULTAN OF SWAT, THE GREAT BAMBINO, THE COLOSSOS OF CLOUT, 

Michael Jordan:  ______ Jordan  AIR

Shaquille O’Neil: _________ SHAQ

TRANSITION

What are Christ’s titles according to Isaiah 9:6-7?

⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

And what kind of leader will he be according to 11:1-5? While you read this, ask yourself why would you want to choose Jesus as your captain?

He will have the Spirit of the Lord with him

He’s wise, he’s understanding, he’s willing to counsel us, he’s a strong leader, he’s smart, and respectful.

Again, understanding and respect.

He’ll be our judge, but what kind of judge? He’ll judge not by the outward appearance, but the heart. He’ll judge with righteousness, meekness, and justice to the wicked.  

Now I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of being that I want judging me. 

He will lead by righteousness and faith. 

THE SPOILS

And those that choose Him as their leader. What will be their reward? What are the spoils of victory?

I want you to find and mark them in verses 6-16. But maybe a quick commentary on some of them. Look closely at the pairs of animals in 6-9. They are predator and prey. But when Christ overthrows Satan’s kingdom, there won’t be predator prey relationships. I know we usually picture the lion and the lamb lying down together, but we get it wrong. It’s the wolf and the lamb, and the lion and the fatling. That’s the scripture pairing. And then, innocent children will not need to fear poisonous snakes. I know we almost always read that literally. And I believe it is literal, there will be peace in the animal kingdom. BUT, more importantly, I think he’s saying that there will be no more predator prey relationships among mankind. No more strong nations conquering and dominating the weaker ones.  No more rich preying on the poor. No more physically strong exploiting the weak. No more abuser preying on the abused. And like the child and the poisonous snakes, the deceitful and cunning will no longer poison the innocent. The con man won’t swindle the senior out of their retirement savings, the sexual predator will not take advantage of the trusting. The intelligent will not deceive the naive. It will be a time of peace and assurance. The world will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.

There are more in the remaining verses, but I’ll let you find them. But do take a look at vs. 13. It says that  the envy of Ephraim shall depart. What was the envy of Ephraim? The temple. Ephraim was the Northern Kingdom and one thing they did not have in their borders was the temple. And why do you think that in the last days there will there be no more envy? Because there will be temples everywhere. There already are! 

And then chapter 12. I would label this chapter “The Victory Song”. This is the song we will sing if we have chosen the correct captain in this conflict. Read it! Or better yet, sing it in your heart. Even if you don’t know the tune, you can feel the harmony and the joy of the lyrics.

And perhaps just one phrase from that song that I’d like to point out to you. Check out  verse 5. He hath done excellent things.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

A great concluding “Liken the Scriptures” question you could ask here: What are some of the “excellent things” has he done for you?

CONCLUSION

Now it’s important to note that we’re not completely done with this particular theme of wars and winners. Next week, we’ll take a look at what happens to the other side.  What if I choose the other captain in this conflict? What are the results then? Isaiah  helps us to make an informed choice in this conflict. But so far, have you been persuaded more fully to believe in the Lord your Redeemer? I hope so. And I pray that we will choose Him as our latter-day leader, as our captain. He will do excellent things for you. Choose the wonderful, the counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. I can promise you; you will never regret it and one day, we will all sing chapter 12 in triumph.