1 Nephi 21
Click here to read chapter online
I still struggle with parts of Isaiah, and I hope I am reading it right.
Here's some great articles I found that helped clarify a few things.
"The Ten Keys" McConkie
"How Can I Understand Isaiah?" Gardner
Interesting unofficial LDS article about Isaiah
"Isaiah- Key to the Book of Mormon" Gileadi
The first few verses here seem to be an interaction between Isaiah and the Lord. The Lord tells Isaiah that He will be glorified in him (Isaiah.) Then Isaiah comes back in verses 4 and 5 and seems to say, "I've worked so hard, but it's in vain. How can you be glorified if what I'm doing doesn't seem to be working?"
The Lord then reassures him that he will be instrumental to the ends of earth- a light unto them. How reassuring that must have been for him. Isaiah lived in a time of war and contention, and worked closely with kings and politicians. He must have felt great pressure to change the world he lived in then. But we know that his greatest influence has come after he died, and rests in his prophecies in all the canon of scriptures.
Moroni quoted Isaiah. Even the Savior Himself quoted Isaiah.
---------------
Hands are wonderful things. They can do so much good, or so much bad.
They can carry great meaning, too. I do love verse 16 "I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands..."
This picture is graphic, but paints a very clear picture, for me, of where I stand. I am there, in the palms of His hands. His hands look like that,
That is overwhelming to me. I cannot fathom His love for me, but I know it's real. It is etched on His hands, and my heart, forever.
I look at my hands and I want to do good with them because of it. I want to fold them in prayer, wrap them around my children, hold my husbands hand, clean my friends kitchen, bake someone cookies, clean the church, type my blog :), and so on.
I want my hands to be worn and tired by the end of my days, so He can see my love for Him engraven upon them, too.
I still struggle with parts of Isaiah, and I hope I am reading it right.
Here's some great articles I found that helped clarify a few things.
"The Ten Keys" McConkie
"How Can I Understand Isaiah?" Gardner
Interesting unofficial LDS article about Isaiah
"Isaiah- Key to the Book of Mormon" Gileadi
The first few verses here seem to be an interaction between Isaiah and the Lord. The Lord tells Isaiah that He will be glorified in him (Isaiah.) Then Isaiah comes back in verses 4 and 5 and seems to say, "I've worked so hard, but it's in vain. How can you be glorified if what I'm doing doesn't seem to be working?"
The Lord then reassures him that he will be instrumental to the ends of earth- a light unto them. How reassuring that must have been for him. Isaiah lived in a time of war and contention, and worked closely with kings and politicians. He must have felt great pressure to change the world he lived in then. But we know that his greatest influence has come after he died, and rests in his prophecies in all the canon of scriptures.
Moroni quoted Isaiah. Even the Savior Himself quoted Isaiah.
---------------
Hands are wonderful things. They can do so much good, or so much bad.
They can carry great meaning, too. I do love verse 16 "I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands..."
This picture is graphic, but paints a very clear picture, for me, of where I stand. I am there, in the palms of His hands. His hands look like that,
and went through this
so I could have a chance to repent.
so I could have a chance to repent.That is overwhelming to me. I cannot fathom His love for me, but I know it's real. It is etched on His hands, and my heart, forever.
I look at my hands and I want to do good with them because of it. I want to fold them in prayer, wrap them around my children, hold my husbands hand, clean my friends kitchen, bake someone cookies, clean the church, type my blog :), and so on.
I want my hands to be worn and tired by the end of my days, so He can see my love for Him engraven upon them, too.
First of all.... thanks for the extra reading options to help with the chapter! I struggled with the chapter itself, but after reading the other articles, I realize I need to take more time and think more on the Isaiah.
ReplyDeleteI tried to find at least one thing that would help me for today from the chapter. I liked the description of being polished and sharpened by the Lord. But then being hidden in the quiver.
We can become sharpened and polished by letting the Lord work on us, refine us. And then we will be protected by Him until He has the need to use us for His purposes.
That was my little light in the middle of an overwhelming chapter!
Call me crazy, but I love the Isaiah chapters because of the poetry, analogies, and especially the way he writes about things I can relate to; nature and in vs 15 a real experience that I have had also. I may not understand what it all means, but I can feel & love it.
ReplyDeletevs 10 ...for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
vs 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
vs 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
vs 15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have bcompassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
I think, what is Isaiah saying in the best way he can, what God wants him to say, in a way that he thinks I'll be able to understand. And some of it I get.
Why did Nephi include this in his writings? and not put it with the other Isaiah chapters later? This chapter is very special with it's testimony of Christ and His great atonement in a beautiful way that I feel.