Isaiah 13-35
LESSON #1 IS THIS THE MAN? (Isaiah 13-14)
TRUTH:
Satan may appear powerful for a season, but Jesus Christ will expose him, defeat his kingdom, and give His people rest.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Now the power of this lesson lies in its dramatic depiction of Satan’s defeat. One of Satan’s greatest weapons is exaggeration. He wants temptation to feel irresistible, cultural pressure to feel unavoidable, and his kingdom to look permanent. And no doubt, Satan does have power, and we must take his influence seriously. But ultimately, Satan will lose and his story will end in disgrace. The being who once made nations tremble will eventually appear so diminished that people will look at him and ask, “Is this the man?” Helping our students to see Satan as he will ultimately be seen can help us stop giving his promises and threats more power than they deserve.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Now, I’m going to try something a little different this week and see if this is helpful to you, especially with the new format. Before we get into the actual lesson plan, let’s take a few minutes to understand what Isaiah is doing in these chapters. You probably won’t explain all of this to your class, but knowing it will help you to guide the discussion and teach these verses with more confidence.
Isaiah 13 announces the eventual fall of Babylon. Babylon was a real kingdom known for its wealth, military power, pride, and oppression. But throughout the scriptures, Babylon is used as a symbol for Satan’s kingdom and the world’s rebellion against God. Now Isaiah makes that comparison obvious in verse 11 when he says, “I will punish THE WORLD for their evil,” not Babylon. That’s his hint that we’re talking about bigger things than just the literal fall of Babylon. And that chapter is basically just a large catalog of terrible things that are going to happen to that kingdom. Those things literally did happen historically, but spiritually, the message is clear, the world, the wicked, evil will be overcome eventually.
Then, in chapter 14, Isaiah gives what he calls a “proverb” against the “king of Babylon.” Figuratively speaking, who is the great king of Babylon? That would be Lucifer. And in this case, a “proverb” means a taunt or a satirical song (you can see that in the footnotes) celebrating the fall of this proud, ruthless ruler. Isaiah is using the historical fall of Babylon’s king to help us see the pride, power, and eventual fall of the real king of Babylon.
There are three phrases that create the teaching spine for this lesson.
The first is “I will.” In Isaiah 14:13–14, Lucifer makes five “I will” statements:
I will ascend into heaven.
I will exalt my throne.
I will sit upon the mount.
I will ascend above the clouds.
I will be like the Most High.
Everything moves upward in Lucifer’s imagined future. He plans to ascend, exalt himself, rise above, and become like God. And notice how many times he says “I.” His entire vision is centered on himself.
But then comes the second phrase: “Yet thou shalt.”
Lucifer may have given his five proud declarations, but God answers all five with one sentence:
“Yet thou shalt be brought down.”
Isaiah continues the taunt by imagining Lucifer’s arrival in hell, and it is scathing and visual. In verses 9–11, the former wicked rulers and tyrants of the earth rise to meet him, but it isn’t a triumphant homecoming. They mock him and ask, “Art thou also become weak as we?” The one who promised to rise above the stars has been reduced to the same weakness as every other fallen tyrant in history. Then, in verses 18–20, Isaiah contrasts Lucifer with earthly kings who were buried in elaborate tombs and memorialized after their deaths. Lucifer receives no such honor. He’s cast out without a respected burial, monument, or lasting name. Isaiah powerfully illustrates the humiliation of Satan’s fall through poetry. No throne, memorial, or grateful remembrance awaits him. His kingdom will end, his power will disappear, and no one is going to look back longingly to the time when he was in power.
That contrast is important. Satan can make grand promises and exaggerated claims, but he doesn’t control the ending. His influence is real, but it’s limited and temporary. He should never be admired, trusted, or feared as though his kingdom could somehow outlast God’s. HE WILL LOSE!
That brings us to the question at the heart of the lesson. In verses 16–17, the people who finally see Satan stripped of his influence and authority look at him with astonishment and ask:
“Is this the man that made the earth to tremble?”
Now that’s not to suggest that Satan was never dangerous. Verse 17 says he made the world a wilderness, destroyed cities, and refused to release his prisoners. His influence is real, and the damage he causes can be terrible. But his power is also limited and temporary. Once that power is stripped away, people will be amazed that someone so ultimately weak caused so much fear and destruction.
The final key phrase here is “The Lord hath.”
Verses 3-7 hold the message here.
Isaiah 14:5 says:
“The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked.”
The staff and scepter represent ruling authority. Satan’s kingdom doesn’t just collapse on its own. The Lord breaks its power. And for Latter-day Saints, that Lord—Jehovah—is Jesus Christ.
That’s the doctrine underneath this lesson. Satan isn’t an equal but opposite rival to God. He’s a rebellious spirit whose influence is real but limited. Through His Atonement and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has already made Satan’s ultimate defeat certain.
Other notable phrases in those verses describe how the Lord brings rest, freedom from bondage, and rejoicing.
Your class probably doesn’t need all of that explained to them because they’ll discover most of it by noticing those three phrases in the text:
I WILL
YET THOU SHALT
THE LORD HATH
Now let’s look at how we might help them make that discovery.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2-3 Minutes
For a quick icebreaker, slightly darken the room and use a flashlight to cast the shadow of a small object onto the wall. A toy figure or a chess piece would work well for this. And you begin with the object close to the flashlight so that its shadow appears enormous. Then slowly move it away from the light until the shadow becomes smaller and closer to the object’s actual size. Then explain: “A shadow can be real. It can cover a large area and even appear frightening. But it can also make something look much larger than it really is. In chapters 13 and 14, this is what Isaiah is basically doing with Satan and his kingdom. Satan’s influence may be real, BUT he wants us to believe that he’s more powerful, more permanent, and more unstoppable than he actually is. Isaiah is going to remove the shadow and allow us to see Satan as he really is and will eventually be seen. In chapters 13 and 14, Isaiah is describing the fall of Babylon and its king. But Babylon also becomes a scriptural symbol for Satan’s kingdom. Isaiah uses the historical fall of this proud ruler to show us the eventual fall of Lucifer himself.
Satan As He Sees Himself
Time: 3-4 Minutes
Now we start helping our students to see how Satan sees himself. Invite a student to read 14:13-14 taking note of his 5 “I WILL” statements. As they listen, have them consider the following question:
Which direction does Lucifer imagine himself moving?
And each statement suggests upward movement.
Then ask: What single sentence does God use to answer all five of Lucifer’s statements in the next verse?
“Yet thou shalt be brought down”.
Make the point that Lucifer had great plans for himself. He may have made impressive claims, BUT he never had the ability to control the ending.
And how low is he going to go? This is where you might want to briefly read or summarize verses 9-12 where we see Lucifer’s dubious homecoming in hell where he’s welcomed by all the evil leaders and tyrants of history, and 18-20 where we’re told that he won’t get a monument or tomb to remember him by. Don’t get too caught up in that explanation, but just help them to see just how far Satan falls.
How Satan will be Seen
Time: 2-3 Minutes
Explain to the class that when we finally see Satan for what he really is, the prideful loser that he is, when his imposing shadow is eventually diminished to nothing, we’re all going to ask a very incredulous and revealing rhetorical question. What is that question in verse 16?
“Is this the man that made the earth to tremble?” And really emphasize the tone of disgusted amazement in that question. Isaiah has successfully shrunk Lucifer and his power down to what they really are. Not much. Not worthy of our estimation. It makes us wonder why we would ever want to give him a moment’s notice or be intimidated by his influence or desire to take any part in his kingdom. Especially when there’s somebody else we can turn to.
The Lord Hath
Time: 3-4 Minutes
Now go back and read verses 3-7 and look for two things: What does the Lord do, and what do His people experience?
And they’ll see them. He gives us rest from sorrow and fear. He frees us from bondage. He breaks the staff and scepter of the wicked, the oppressors. He brings quiet or peace, and singing, rejoicing.
You see, Isaiah wants us to understand something about Satan, his power, and his kingdom. Then I would display the truth, the final destination of the lesson.
Satan may appear powerful for a season, but Jesus Christ will expose him, defeat his kingdom, and give His people rest.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 2-3 Minutes
To help that message sink a little deeper into your student’s hearts, now ask:
How does knowing the ending change the way we face the middle of the story?
Take a few responses. And I believe it helps us to more easily choose the right. To choose Christ. Because if that’s the eventual end of Lucifer and the world, why would we want to be a part of that now. Why would we side with Satan, if we know he’s going to lose in the end?
You could display the following phrases that represent claims Satan still wants you to believe.
· This temptation is stronger than you.
· Everyone is going this direction, so resistance is pointless.
· This shortcut will give you what God’s way won’t.
· Your mistakes have given me a permanent claim on you.
· Evil is winning.
Then explain: Satan still speaks with the same exaggerated confidence we see in Isaiah. He wants his temptations to appear irresistible, his shortcuts to appear satisfying, and his kingdom to appear permanent. But he’s a liar. Don’t fall for these falsehoods. Eventually he and all his lies will be exposed, and Christ will break his scepter.
Invite learners to think privately about one temptation, pressure, fear, or discouragement that sometimes appears larger and more powerful than it really is.
Ask them to complete these statements mentally or in writing:
Satan wants me to believe __________.But knowing how his story ends, I know __________.Therefore, I will __________.
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2-3 Minutes
End with the takeaway slide and conclude with something like this:
Isaiah doesn’t want us to underestimate Satan’s ability to cause damage. But he also doesn’t want us to overestimate him. Satan is dangerous, but he isn’t eternal, he’s not all-powerful, and he’s not equal to God. In the end, Satan will lose. The day will come when his promises are exposed, his kingdom falls, and his power is broken. Those who once feared him will look at him and ask, “Is this the man?”
And who breaks his power? The Lord does. Jesus Christ has already overcome sin and death through His Atonement and Resurrection, and He will ultimately destroy Satan and all his works.
So don’t be too impressed by Babylon’s promises, and don’t be too intimidated by Satan’s threats. He can cause real damage, but he cannot win. Stay with Jesus Christ. His is the kingdom that will stand, and with Him come rest, freedom, peace, and rejoicing.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
QUOTE:
A brief quote from Elder Ronald A. Rasband you might include:
“Satan knows his days are numbered and that time is growing shorter. As crafty and cunning as he is, he will not win.”
(Conference Report, Apr. 2019 “Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection”)
HANDOUT:
In my lesson from four years ago I suggested a short handout activity asking students to identify as many of the famous monuments or tombs as they can depicted here. I’ll include that resource here if you feel it would be helpful.
LESSON #2 POWERFUL AND PERSONAL (Isaiah 24-25)
TRUTH:
Jesus Christ is powerful enough to defeat death and compassionate enough to wipe away our tears.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
I get a fire in the bones for teaching this lesson in that it can help our students understand Christ’s character on a deeper level. We believe in the Resurrection, but sometimes we speak about it so broadly that we miss how deeply personal it really is. Yes, Christ conquered death to solve a universal problem. But he also conquered it because death separates families, breaks hearts, and leaves people crying beside empty chairs and graves. Isaiah helps us see both sides of the Savior. He has the power to swallow up death, but He also has the compassion to notice and wipe away every tear that it causes.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Isaiah 24 contains prophecies of destruction, judgment, and loss. But Isaiah 25 turns the reader’s attention toward what God will ultimately do for His people. The sorrow of chapter 24 isn’t the end of the story.
Isaiah 25:6–9 moves through a series of images:
The Lord prepares a feast.
He removes a covering spread over all people.
He swallows up death.
He wipes away tears.
He removes the reproach of His people.
His people recognize Him, rejoice, and say, “We have waited for him.”
The “covering” and “veil” in verse 7 seem connected with the universal condition described in verse 8: death. The language may also suggest the darkness, separation, grief, and limited understanding of mortality. Don’t insist on a rigid interpretation of every detail. The essential movement is clear: something that covers all humanity will be removed through the Lord’s victory.
“Swallow up death” contains a striking reversal. Death appears to swallow everyone eventually, but Isaiah declares that the Lord will swallow death itself. Jesus Christ’s Resurrection has already secured that victory. Every person will be resurrected because of Him, even though we’re still waiting for the complete fulfillment of that victory.
Isaiah then changes the image completely. The Lord who conquers a universal enemy bends down, as it were, to wipe tears “from off all faces.” His victory is enormous, but it’s also personal. He cares about more than defeating death. He cares about what death and mortality have done to us.
Verse 9 repeats, “We have waited for him.” Isaiah leaves room for the painful distance between God’s promise and its complete fulfillment. Waiting doesn’t mean the Lord has forgotten His people. It means they continue trusting Him while the story is still unfinished.
ICEBREAKER:
Time: 2-3 min.
For an icebreaker, begin with a little movie trivia:
According to the Library of Congress, what’s considered the most viewed movie of all time?
Take two or three quick guesses, then reveal that it’s “The Wizard of Oz.”
Remind learners of the familiar song, “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” and ask:
According to the song, why were Dorothy and her companions going to see the Wonderful Wizard?
Give them the familiar answer:
“Because of the wonderful things he does.”
Then transition:
“Isaiah also called Jesus Christ ‘Wonderful’ in Isaiah 9:6. And why is He worthy of that title? For the very same reason—because of the wonderful things He does.”
Invite learners to read Isaiah 25:1:
“O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things.”
Then say:
In the verses that follow, Isaiah describes some of those wonderful things that Christ will do for those that love Him.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Time 4-5 min.
Briefly explain that Isaiah 24 described terrible destruction and sorrow. Isaiah 25 now looks beyond that sorrow to the Lord’s promised salvation.
Divide the class into two search groups.
Ask one group to read Isaiah 25:6–9 looking for:
What does the Lord remove?
And ask the other group to look for:
What does the Lord give or make possible?
Give learners a minute or two to read and mark the passage. Then create two columns on the board.
And what does the Lord remove?
The covering and veil
Death
Tears
The rebuke of his people
And what does he give?
A feast of fat things
Salvation
Gladness
Rejoicing.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Time: 5-6 min.
Once the chart is complete, ask:
Which of these promises stands out most to you? What makes that particular promise meaningful?
Allow a few responses, but don’t feel obligated to discuss every item separately.
Read Isaiah 25:8 again:
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.”
Ask:
What does each of these actions teach us about Jesus Christ?
Let the class make the first observations. Then help deepen what they discover.
Swallow
Death seems to swallow every person eventually. Isaiah reverses that image. Jesus Christ will swallow death itself. His Resurrection has already guaranteed that death won’t be permanent for any of us.
You might say:
Christ doesn’t merely weaken death or help a few people escape it. He completely overturns its apparent victory.
Wipe
Wiping away a tear is entirely different. It’s gentle, close, and personal. Christ doesn’t only defeat death as a universal enemy. He notices and cares about the sorrow and separation it causes.
Ask:
Why do you think Isaiah included tears in this prophecy instead of speaking only about death and resurrection?
Help learners see that Christ cares about more than the problem of death. He cares about every grief, separation, fear, and wound it has caused.
Then state:
The Christ who is powerful enough to swallow up death is gentle enough to wipe away every tear.
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Time: 4-5 min.
Now to help them take that message a little deeper to heart, Invite someone to read Isaiah 25:9. Ask the class to listen for the phrase that appears twice.
After they identify “we have waited for him,” ask:
What might God’s people experience while they’re waiting for all these promises to be completely fulfilled?”
Possible responses may include grief, separation, fear, illness, disappointment, loneliness, or unanswered questions.
Clarify:
“Waiting doesn’t mean Christ hasn’t already secured the victory. It means we don’t yet see or experience every part of that victory. We may know that someone will be resurrected and still miss them terribly. We may believe that Christ will heal every wound and still feel the wound today.”
Give each learner a piece of paper or invite them to write privately in a notebook:
While I wait for Christ to make all things right, I can still __________.
You might offer a few examples without telling learners what their answer should be:
Trust Him
Keep moving forward
Let myself grieve
Notice His help
Comfort someone else
Choose hope
Remember what He has promised
Give them a quiet moment to complete the sentence. Don’t require anyone to share. If appropriate, invite one or two volunteers.
Conclude the activity by saying:
“Waiting faithfully doesn’t mean pretending that everything is fine. It means choosing to trust the Savior while some parts of the story are still unfinished.”
TAKEAWAY:
Time: 2-3 min.
Display the takeaway slide and return to Isaiah 25:9:
“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.”
Then I might say: Isn’t Wonderful an appropriate title for Jesus Christ? He’s powerful enough to swallow up death and compassionate enough to wipe away every tear. Because of Him, death, separation, and sorrow won’t have the final word. So if you’re still waiting—still grieving, still hurting, or still hoping—keep trusting Him. The story isn’t finished. One day we’ll look upon the Savior who defeated death and healed its wounds and say, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.’”
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
QUOTE:
From Elder Milton Camargo:
“. . . the tribulations, difficult experiences, sadness, pain, and unfairness of this world. Jesus Christ overcame all of this. For those who strive to follow Him, He will one day “wipe away all tears” and make things right again. In the meantime, He can strengthen us to pass through our trials with confidence, good cheer, and peace.”
(Conference Report, Apr. 2023 “Focus on Jesus Christ”)
TEACHER INSIGHT:
If you have time, an optional insight you might offer your class may be this from 25:6 In that verse, Jesus prepares a great meal for the righteous. A feast of fat things. The wines on the lees well refined would be from grapes grown on the downwind side of the hill, therefore making them juicier, fuller, and better tasting. So this is God giving his people the best he has to offer. And what is this feast that he’s talking about. Is it a literal feast of food and drink? Or is there figurative meaning in there. I read it figuratively. In the scriptures, food and drink are often compared to God’s word or doctrine. So in my mind, I picture Jesus as the host walking up to feast table with one of those covered platters where he then with great fanfare reveals the main course. And what’s on the menu? Truth! He will offer his people his juiciest, fullest, fattest doctrines and truths that he can offer—things that have been hidden from mankind for ages—beautiful truths, inspiring truths, exciting truths. That’s the kind of feast we’re talking about here. Christ can offer that kind of nourishment now, and he will continue to offer it in the future—especially in the millennium. There I believe he will answer all questions we may have and reveal all truth. What makes Christ so wonderful here? He prepares a wonderful meal for his guests. A meal of truth.
LESSON #3 A MARVELOUS WORK IN ME (Isaiah 29)
TRUTH:
Through the Restoration, God has given us scripture and truth that can help us see clearly, understand doctrine, rejoice in Christ, and draw our hearts closer to Him.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
I get a fire in the bones for this lesson because many Latter-day Saints already know Isaiah 29 as an important Old Testament prophecy that points to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. But sometimes we become so focused on proving that the prophecy was fulfilled that we overlook what Isaiah says the marvelous work was supposed to accomplish. The main reason he gave us the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration was to open our eyes, increase our joy, help us understand doctrine, and bring our hearts closer to Him. The Book of Mormon’s coming forth is marvelous, the way it happened, the miraculous events surrounding its publication. But so is what can happen to US when its words really get inside us.
WHAT THE TEACHER SHOULD KNOW:
Isaiah 29 begins with a prophecy concerning Ariel, which is another name for Jerusalem, but by verses 9–13, Isaiah is describing a broader condition of spiritual blindness. Still, the people aren’t necessarily without religion. In fact, they still speak about God and honor Him with their lips. But their eyes are closed, their understanding is limited, and their hearts are far from Him. Now remember, Isaiah speaks about his time, Jesus’s time, and our time, all at the same time. So this is also a description of the spiritual conditions of the latter-days.
Verse 14 announces God’s response to this:
“I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder.”
For Latter-day Saints, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the gospel are fulfillments of this prophecy. Isaiah 29:11–12 describes a sealed book being presented first to a learned man and then to one who is not learned. Second Nephi 27 expands this prophecy, and Joseph Smith—History 1:63–65 records Martin Harris’s visit to Professor Charles Anthon.
Now, that historical fulfillment is important, but Isaiah continues beyond it. Verses 18–24 describe the changes that follow God’s marvelous work:
The deaf hear the words of the book.
The blind see out of darkness.
The meek increase their joy in the Lord.
God’s people sanctify His name.
Those who erred come to understanding.
Those who murmured learn doctrine.
And that’s really where I would want to direct my classes’ main focus for this lesson. I wouldn’t turn this just into a Church History lesson. Isaiah wants us to know that the Restoration is more than just the arrival of a book and the organization of a church. It’s God’s means of reversing the spiritual blindness, confusion, distance, and darkness in the latter-days.
ICEBREAKER:
For an icebreaker, I’d begin with a little humor about the difference between owning something and actually allowing it to benefit you. You could say:
“Have you ever bought something because you were convinced it was going to improve your life? Maybe it would help you get healthier, become more organized, learn a new skill, or finally fix something around the house. But then you discovered something disappointing: simply owning it didn’t change anything. You actually had to use it.”
Then use a few of whichever of these examples feels most natural:
I’ve learned that having a gym membership doesn’t automatically get you into shape. Unfortunately, paying the monthly fee doesn’t count as a workout.
Owning a cookbook hasn’t made me a good cook. I’ve owned several for years, and none of them has made me dinner yet.
I wouldn’t say that owning a toolbox has made me especially handy. Broken things don’t repair themselves just because the right tool is somewhere in the house.
Owning the textbook doesn’t mean you’ve passed the class. Students have been testing that theory for generations.
Owning a set of weights doesn’t guarantee muscles. I’ve checked.
Then ask:
So what’s the difference between owning something that could help you and actually being changed by it?
Allow one or two brief responses and say:
The same is true spiritually. Just owning a Book of Mormon doesn’t guarantee spiritual transformation. Isaiah helps us to see what it can do when its words begin working inside us.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
Write the word “Before” on the board and invite students to read Isaiah 29:9–13, looking for descriptions of the people’s spiritual condition in these verses. And there’s lots. I’ll mark some of the things on the screen here they might find.
You might clarify that Isaiah is using physical conditions such as sleep, drunkenness, and blindness to describe spiritual confusion and darkness. Also, be sure to point out that their problem isn’t the absence of religion. Verse 13 says they still spoke respectfully about God, but their hearts were far from Him.
Now write “God’s Solution” on the board and invite someone to read Isaiah 29:14 looking for what God intended to do because of their condition?
Answer: He would do a marvelous work and a wonder.
Ask: What was that marvelous work and a wonder?
If your class needs some help with the interpretation of that verse, you could invite someone to read the following quote from Elder Ronald A. Rasband:
“By divine design, ancient prophets of God, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, prophesied of the Restoration and what was to come in our day, the last dispensation and the fulness of times. The very work “fired the souls” of the early seers. Through generations of time, they foretold, dreamed, envisioned, and prophesied of the future of God’s kingdom on earth, what Isaiah called “a marvellous work and a wonder.”
The prophecies that have been fulfilled by the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are many.
(Conference Report, Apr. 2020 “Fulfillment of Prophecy”)
The marvelous work and a wonder is the Restoration of the gospel in the latter-days. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon being one of the most important parts of that Restoration.
Now write the word “After” on the board and invite students to read 18-24 to find everything that changes after God begins His marvelous work. What can people now do, feel, or understand?
You can then review with them all the promises God makes in those verses.
Once the chart is complete, pause, and allow your students to see the contrast.
Ask: What does Isaiah help us understand about the purpose of the Restoration?
TAKE IT TO HEART:
Display these words drawn from Isaiah’s prophecy:
SEEHEARREJOICEDRAW CLOSERUNDERSTANDLEARN
Pick one of Isaiah’s words here and share one way that the Book of Mormon or Restored Gospel has helped you to do one of those things.
As the teacher, I would have one of my own examples and share it briefly.
TAKEAWAY:
Display the takeaway slide and read Isaiah 29:14 again:
“I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder.”
Bear testimony that God’s marvelous work didn’t end when the Book of Mormon was published or when the Church was organized. It continues as restored truth opens eyes, brings understanding, increases joy, and draws individual hearts closer to Jesus Christ.
OPTIONAL LESSON IDEAS:
HANDOUT:
If you wish to help your students be more engaged in the actual process of examining the before and after ideas presented in this lesson, you could have them fill in the chart themselves on this handout as you go.
ADDITIONAL INSIGHT:
If you have additional time, you might consider exploring the very memorable image in Isaiah 29:8. Invite someone to read the verse and ask the class to picture the experience Isaiah describes:
“It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite.”
Then ask:
What makes eating or drinking in a dream such a frustrating image?
The food seems real while the person is dreaming. They may experience the taste and even the temporary feeling of satisfaction. But when they wake up, nothing has actually changed. They’re still hungry.
In its immediate context, Isaiah is describing the nations that fight against Zion. They believe victory is within their grasp, but their expectations will disappear like a dream, leaving them with nothing. But we can also liken Isaiah’s image to the many things the world offers that appear capable of satisfying our deepest needs but leave us spiritually hungry.
You might explain:
The world offers plenty of things that can imitate satisfaction. Drugs or alcohol may offer a temporary sense of well-being without lasting peace. Smoking or vaping can initiate an artificial sense of calm. Pornography imitates intimacy without love or commitment. Endless scrolling can create the sensation of connection without meaningful closeness. Video games may offer a sense of achievement, but they can’t carry the weight of giving our lives lasting meaning. Passive entertainment may capture our attention and fill our time without filling our souls.
If we expect these things to satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger, eventually we wake up and discover that we’re still empty. Help learners recognize that genuine nourishment leaves us stronger, clearer, freer, and more capable of loving God and others. Counterfeit satisfaction may feel good briefly but often leaves us emptier, more dependent, or less able to face real life.
Connect the insight back to the lesson:
This helps us understand why the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was such a marvelous work. God wasn’t simply adding another book to the world. He was giving His children words with real substance—words that can open our eyes, help us understand doctrine, increase our joy, and draw our hearts closer to Him.
“THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE DOES”
One quick final lesson idea for you here. If you really wanted to just turn the entire time over to your students for discovery and discussion you could try this activity that I put together in 2022. I would begin with the Wizard of Oz icebreaker, then hand this sheet out to my students, invite them to study as many of the provided references as they can in whatever order they choose looking for and writing down all the wonderful things Christ does that they can find. Then invite them to share their favorites with the class. If you wanted my commentary on each of those verses, you could watch the video I produced in 2022 from the link I’ll provide in the video description below.
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