Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentary

Old Testament,  The Book of Isaiah Chapters 1-6

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson #36

The Glory of Zion Will Be a Defense

Book Reference: The Old Testament Made Easier, Part Three, David J. Ridges, p. 449

Book Reference: The Fourth Thousand Years, W. Cleon Skousen, p. 737-8;

The Book of Isaiah

            Isaiah is one of the most important prophets who ever lived.  His mission began approximately 750 B.C. and lasted until at least 700 B.C.  He was quoted in the Book of Mormon, the New Testament, and by other prophets in the Old Testament.  His name means “Jehovah saves” and his mission was to proclaim that message to the children of Israel, to their neighboring states and countries, and to the world in the latter days.  His words are filled with metaphors, similes, analogies, parables, and types and shadows (meaning something that is symbolic of something else).  Joseph (sold into slavery in Egypt) and Isaac (the son of Abraham) were both “types”—many things that happened to them were symbolic of Christ.  For Isaiah (and all of the rest of us), everything points to Christ.

 Note: - Like other Old Testament scripture, Isaiah contains dualistic messages both for his time and ours.  And, within chapters, the verses skip around from his time, to the future destruction of Judah and Israel, to the time of Christ, and then to the latter days and the Millennium.

Isaiah 1- Isaiah's mission to preach repentance

            Isaiah is given a vision from the Lord concerning his mission to Judah and Jerusalem during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, all kings of Judah. The Lord told him that even though he had nourished and cared for the children of Israel, “they have rebelled against me.” He calls Judah a sinful nation. The people are filled with wickedness and have forsaken the Lord, and “they have provoked the Holy One of Israel [the Savior] to anger” (Student Manual, II, p. 137).  Isaiah warns the people that the whole head [all the leaders] are sick and the whole heart [the people] are faint [spiritually sick] (vv. 1-5).

            Now Isaiah lists some of the false worship by the people of Judah in his day that are abominations and hated by the Lord:  (1) their insincere sacrifices and burnt offerings when they go to the temple [this is a theme throughout the book of Isaiah]; (2) their “vain oblations” [offerings] such as burning incense, the new moon Sabbath ritual,  appointed feasts, and the calling of assemblies, and (3) “when ye spread forth your hands, [to pray] I will not hear: your hands are full of blood [bloodshed, murder]” (vv. 11-15). 

            Isaiah exhorts the people, "Wash you, make you clean [through baptism];…cease to do evil; Learn to do well [footnote 17b good works], seek judgment [footnote 17c, HEB justice], relieve the oppressed [footnote 17d, charity], judge the fatherless [footnote 17e, give a just verdict to], plead for the widow" (vv. 16-17). And Isaiah preaches the power of the Atonement to the wicked people.  “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” (v. 18).

Isaiah 2:1-4 - Isaiah prophesies of the last days

            Isaiah’s words from the Lord: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house [the church] shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (v. 2).  “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house [temples] of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”  Then, out of Zion [the kingdom of God on earth, New Jerusalem] and Jerusalem will go the law [footnote 4f, HEB teaching or doctrine] and the word of the Lord from these two places during the Millennium (v. 3).  And when the Millennium comes, Christ will judge the wicked among the nations and cleanse the earth.  All instruments of war will be destroyed by the people; “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (v. 4).

Continuing Isaiah 2 - verses 5-8; 11-12 - More of Israel's sins and pride           

            To the Israelites of his day Isaiah implores the people, “O house of Jacob [Israel] come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord” (v. 5).  And he tells them why the Lord has forsaken them.  It is because “they be replenished from the east” [adopting false religions], are soothsayers [with witchcraft and sorcery, etc.], and are marrying foreigners not of the covenant [children of strangers].  They have become wealthy with gold and silver, they have horses and chariots [armaments of war instead of relying on the Lord], and "they worship the work of their own hands" [idols] (vv. 6-8).

            The prideful and haughty will be humbled [bowed down], and only the Lord who has power over all things will be exalted in that day. Isaiah warns the people of their pride, "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down."  All the "proud and lofty" and those who are "lifted up" shall be "brought low" (vv. 11-12).

Isaiah 3- More of Israel's sins

            "And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient [elderly], and the base [crude] against the honourable" (v. 5).  Isaiah describes the countenance [faces] of the wicked of Judah as a witness against them in their “sin as Sodom” [homosexuality] which they don’t attempt to hide.  “Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves” (v. 9).  But the Lord will “enter into judgment” and judge the sins of his people.  The Lord accuses the princes [political leaders] and the “ancients” [apostate priests], who have joined together to take the "spoil of the poor" instead of helping them (vv. 13-15). 

            The next eight verses tell how the “daughters of Zion” have become prideful and full of lust.  Isaiah describes the tinkling of the ornaments on their feet; their “cauls, and their round tires like the moon;” their chains, bracelets, earrings, rings and nose jewels; their “changeable suits of apparel,” glasses [see-through clothing, see footnote 23a], mantles and wimples [shawls], headbands, mufflers [veils], and hoods [turbans]; their tablets [perfume boxes] and crisping pins [for curling hair].  In the future destruction ahead, for all their sin and worldliness, their beauty will be taken away, their heads will be shaved [baldness] by the invaders, they will no longer smell sweet but stink, and their clothing will be rent [as rags] (vv. 16-24).

           

Isaiah 4 - The glory of Zion will be a defense

            Again, Isaiah skips to scenes of the Millennium. "And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and…a flaming fire by night:"— representing the presence of the Lord [see Exodus 19: 16-18] and the glory of the Lord will be a “defence” [defense meaning protection]. And there will be a tabernacle in the daytime for a place of refuge from the heat, and for a "covert" [cover, shelter] from rain and storms (see Skousen, p. 174-5) (vv. 5-6).

Isaiah 5:8-29 - Isaiah pronounces many woes and prophesies of the future

            "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place,  [take the land from the poor] that they [the poor] may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!"  Said the Lord of hosts, "many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant" (v. 9).  "Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath [8½ gallons of wine], and the seed of an homer [6½ bushel of seed] shall yield an ephah” [½ bushel] (v. 10).  “In other words, the harvest will be only one-tenth of the seed which the farmer originally planted!” (Skousen, p. 181).  This is foretelling of the coming famine. 
          “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! (v. 11).  And the harp, and the viol [lyre], the tabret [drums], and pipe [worship instruments], and wine are their feasts; but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands” (v. 12).

            Now Isaiah prophesies of the future as if it has already happened.  “My people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge [of the words of the Lord]: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up [drought and famine].  Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth [in wickedness] shall descend into it.  Then, [after the destruction] shall the lambs feed [in the deserted vineyard] and the waste places shall strangers [foreigners] eat [take over the land]” (vv. 13-19).

             “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (v. 20).  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight! (v. 21). Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine (v. 22).…[And those] which justify the wicked for reward [bribes], and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him” [their good reputation] (v. 23). Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people "because they have cast away the law of the LORD" and despised his word (v. 24). The anger of the LORD is kindled against his people and "he hath stretched forth his hand against them and has smitten them.…For all this [wickedness] his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still.”—if the people will repent and come unto him (v. 25).

            Next Isaiah prophesies of the gathering of Israel in the last days.  The Lord will lift up an ensign [the gospel] to the nations, and will signal for them to be gathered from the ends of the earth.  They will come with speed; they won’t be weary or stumble; they won’t slumber or sleep or change their clothes.  They will travel in “whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent [airplanes], their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint [trains] and their wheels like a whirlwind:" Their roaring shall be like a lion [noise of trains and airplanes], "they shall roar like young lions…and lay hold of the prey [those being gathered], and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it"—"none will stop the gathering of Israel in the last days" (Ridges, pg. 41).  “And in that day [the last days] they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if one look unto the land, light is darkened in the heavens thereof"—"war, smoke, pollution, and spiritual darkness?" (Ridges, p. 41) (vv. 26-30).

Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah's call from the Lord

            Isaiah had a vision from the Lord in the year that king Uzziah died [about 740 B.C.].  He saw the Lord [Jehovah-Jesus Christ] sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, surrounded by "his train" [skirts of his garment] which filled the temple [with light].  Seraphims [angels] stood above the throne and one cried to another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.  And the posts of the door moved [shook] at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke" [symbolic of God’s presence] (vv. 1-4). 

            And Isaiah said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; [overwhelmed] for I am a man of unclean lips…for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then an angel flew [moved rapidly] to Isaiah with a live coal from the altar in his hand [symbolic of cleansing].  And the angel laid it on Isaiah’s mouth and said, “Lo, this hath touched thy lips; thy iniquity is taken away [forgiven] and thy sin purged" [as a result of the Atonement] (vv. 6-7) (Ridges, III, p. 42).  And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”  Then Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me” (v. 8). 

           

Pearl of Great Price: Abraham 2:27 And the Lord [God the Father] said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another [Lucifer] answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. (See also Moses 4:1-2.)