Old Testament Lesson 36: The Glory of Zion Will be a Defense

So who was Isaiah? We have few clues. The bible tells us that he was the prophet during the time of 4 Judean kings - Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. He was a prophet for a span of close to 50 years, maybe more. And there is some suggestion that Hezekiah was his son-in-law and that Hezekiah's son Manasseh (Isaiah's grandson) killed Isaiah by putting him in a hollowed out tree trunk and having him sawn in half (cf Heb 11:37). So much for being able to enjoy your grandkids!

Isaiah's name means "Jehovah is salvation" and it is clear his name, ministry and life were meant to help point to Christ. Now before we start studying Isaiah it might be worth noting that 16 chapters of Isaiah are quoted in the Book of Mormon. For the next 5 lessons we will be studying Isaiah. The Saviour encouraged us to study Isaiah in 3 Nephi 23:1-3 ( I know some of us would prefer he had said the Book of Jarom or Omni) but interestingly although Nephi encourages a study of Isaiah also, he seems to recognize that people not of Isaiah's time and culture would struggle to understand his words. 2 Nephi 25:1-4. According to Nephi what is the key to understanding Isaiah?

The Great Isaiah Scroll of Qumran

Isaiah 1 we are told is a vision Isaiah had concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
What is the state of the people in v.2-4? rebellious, ignorant, sinful, evildoers, corrupted, gone away backward. Dumber than the dumbest animals - ox and ass.
What does that phrase "gone away backward" suggest?

How spiritually sick are the people? v.5-6 the whole head and the whole heart (leaders and the people) and notice what ails them - head is sick (unrighteous) hear is faint (weak and unrighteous), from head to toe it is ridden with wounds bruises and putrefying sores that have not been bound and closed or soothed with ointment. Based on that analogy what are the people sorely lacking? A good doctor? (cf Psalms 147:3). Who could heal them? And yet they hadn't even applied a band-aid yet. Why do people avoid repentance and healing?

What does he tell the people to do that are in this state? v.16-19 Repent, clean up.
v.18 "come now, and let us reason together" When? NOW. Don't delay.

v.29-30 alludes to the shrines set up and built with oak trees in gardens for idol worship
v.30 tow=tinder

Then he moves away from them and starts discussing the last days.

Isaiah 2:2-4 mountain of the Lord house to be established in the tops of the mountains.
It is interesting to note that when the Salt Lake valley was first settled, those that settled there wanted to call the region Deseret. However the US government in granting statehood insisted it be called Utah in common with their practice of naming states after the tribal people common to that area. Little did they realize they were helping fulfil this prophecy in Isaiah. Utah in the Ute language means "the top of the mountains".

Zion and Jerusalem to be the two centres of the Millenium. One the legal and judicial centre (constitutional) and one the spiritual centre (scriptural).
A world of peace and happiness is shown where there is no more war.

Why did Isaiah share this vision of the last days after telling people how sick they were? v.5  has the answer but try comparing to 2 Nephi 12:5 it's an invitation. You are wicked and suffering the calamities of your wickedness but there is a better way and one day it will be better. You can experience this if you walk in his light.

v.6-9 But currently you get your light and replenishment from psychics, eastern philosophies, marrying outside of the temple, your focus is on money, you have more cars and armies than you know what to do with, and you have sports idols, pop idols, movie idols and worship man-made things. Even your poor are proud! You give more credence to your own things than to the things of God. Google and Wikipedia are valued more than scripture. Which did you use more this week? We are far from the simple desire of the Lord's prayer - "give us this day our daily bread!" We chase riches and build armies in our vain efforts to self-preserve and forget the great Deliverer has promised us salvation and preservation if we just trust in Him.

What is the advice given if that is your state or condition in life - Hide! Crawl under a rock and hide! (cf Alma 12:14)

v.10. Why?
v.11-17 Because all the mighty and proud will be brought low. Cedars of Lebanon, Oaks of Bashan, Ships of Tarshish. All trees. Trees represent man. No matter how great you are, how powerful, how good-looking, how rich, He will bring you down!
v.10 and v.19 why will they hide? For fear - they will recognize he is greater than anything they put their trust in. Notice also it will be too bright for them..where do they go to hide? In dark places. Will their idols save them? No! v.20 in fact they are thrown to moles and bats. What do moles and bats have to with this? They also live in darkness and are blind!

And what is the lesson the Lord would have us learn from all of this? v.22  "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils..." We are nothing, we live - carried along by a mere puff of air. Can we save ourselves? NO. Only he who is mighty to save can save mankind, through the great atonement.

Notice that Isaiah 2 has two great heights that can be reached in life - the tops of the mountains where you will find the Lord's house OR the loftiness of man (pride). Which are you closest to scaling?

Isaiah 3 is a continuation of the vision Isaiah had and here he is told in vision that the Lord will take away his support from the people. He will no longer feed them, taking away the wise and replacing them with immature leaders v.1-4

v.16-26 even the women are guilty of pride and being followers of fashion more than faithful followers of their God. They will be shamed and their families torn apart by war.

How great will be the desolation and destruction according to Isaiah 4?   7 women will ask 1 man to give them his name. Don't feed or clothe us just let us belong. (v.1) Only the righteous will be left in Jerusalem and Zion.
v.5-6 Every home (dwelling place), every congregation of his people (assembly) shall be protected by a pillar of fire at night, and by a cloud and smoke during the day. What else will be there - a tabernacle (temple). How is it described? As a shadow from the sun and heat, a cover from rain and storms and a place of refuge. Could we use a place to get away from the storms and the stresses of our life? Could we do with having a place of refuge and protection for us? Go to the temple!

Isaiah 5:1-7 The Lord now compares his people to a vineyard. How did he look after it? Built a fence (protection and defence), gathered out the stones (made life a rich place to grow for us) planted the choicest vine (the best, the chosen people were given for their roots Abr. 3:22-23), built a tower in the midst (a place of gathering and a sign of God's presence in our midst - the temple), made a winepress (gave us challenges to bring the best out of us). What was the result - sour grapes! What was the Lord's reaction - take away the protection and stop looking after it.
v.8-24 a expansion on who these sour grapes are.
wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil:

Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ our Lord is under no obligation to save this world. The people have ignored him, disbelieved him, failed to follow him. They stand at his mercy which will be extended only if they repent. But to what extent have we repented? Another prophet said, "We call evil good, and good evil." Men have rationalized themselves into thinking that they are "not so bad." Are they fully ripe? Has the rot of age and flabbiness set in? Can they change? They see evil in their enemies, but none in themselves. Even in the true Church numerous of its people fail to attend their meetings, to tithe their incomes, to have their regular prayers, to keep all the commandments. We can transform, but will we? It seems that we would rather tax ourselves into slavery than to pay our tithes; rather build protections and walls than drop to our knees with our families in solemn prayers night and morning. (Conference Report, Oct. 1, 1961, p.31)

v.25 his hand is still stretched out against them - there is more destruction to come.
v.26 in the last days an ensign will be lifted and people will gather to it swiftly with the aid of young lions (missionaries).

LeGrand Richards

Since there were no such things as trains and airplanes in that day, Isaiah could hardly have mentioned them by name, but he seems to have described them in unmistakable words. How better could "their horses hoofs be counted like flint, and their wheel like a whirlwind" than in the modern train? How better could "Their roaring...be like a lion" than in the roar of the airplane? Trains and airplanes do not stop for night. Therefore, was not Isaiah justified in saying "none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken"? With this manner of transportation the Lord can really "hiss unto them from the end of the earth," that "they shall come with speed swiftly." (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, p. 236)

Isaiah 6
Isaiah is called of God but feels unworthy of his call saying he has unclean lips and lives among people with unclean lips. How was Isaiah made worthy? v.6-7 Where did the coal come from? Why was it hot? What does the coal symbolize?

Once cleansed and purified Isaiah answered his call saying, "Here am, I send me" alluding to the Saviour's own mission call in the pre-existence.

Our first study of Isaiah has been a study full of symbols and imagery. But it is clear that the wicked are being called to repentance. The righteous are promised great blessings and all can still be saved through the cleansing power of the great atonement.
As we are cleansed, attend the temple and live the commandments we will find that the Lord's Glory will attend us and will protect us.

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 46: "Zion the Pure in Heart"

Zions National Park (Angel's Landing)

Zion has been used to describe a number of different places, including Zion's National Park (see left).
Enoch's city was called "the City of Holiness, even Zion".
David's city, the ancient city of Jerusalem, was also referred to as Zion for a time.
We are told that the New Jerusalem in the latter days will also be called Zion.

What is this Zion? Reading these two scriptures might help:
Doctrine and Covenants 97:21

"Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is ^aZion—the pure in heart; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn."

Moses 7:18

"And the Lord called his people ^aZion, because they were of^bone heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

So we learn from these two sources that Zion is the pure in heart, those unified in heart and mind and who dwell in righteousness. Let's look at each of those characteristics a little more.

One Heart/One Mind:
This concept of unity can be hard to embrace in the modern world. Today's world is about individualism and self. If we focus on ourselves we will not achieve unity. To achieve unity we must all be focused on the same external source.

“And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness within you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things”   Doctrine and Covenants 88:67

Dwelt in righteousness: 
If everybody is focused on the glory of God, they are promised understanding. It would seem a natural conclusion that with that increased light and understanding comes more obedience. 4 Nephi shows such a people in this situation:

"And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost...and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another."     4 Nephi 1:1-2

Notice the factors that helped people dwell in righteousness: formation of Christ's church with the proper authority, humble and sincere repentance, baptism by immersion followed by the gift of the Holy Ghost being received. Here was a people focused on the Lord. And they created a Zion. Compare that with the Saints of the early latter-days who were commanded to build a Zion but failed. Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:6 and Doctrine and Covenants 105:1-5.

The early Saints did not learn collectively what they needed to to be able to create a Zion. One of the things the Lord rebuked them for was not giving to the poor and afflicted.

There was no poor among them:
It would seem that where there is poverty there is no Zion. So should we all be working harder at our jobs? Putting in overtime? Creating more jobs? Trying to pursue wealth and money. The basic laws of economics suggest something like this might help. But look at this scripture:

“But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish"                                         2 Nephi 26:31

Did you get that? "If they labor for money they shall perish!" The way to solve poverty is not pursuing wealth. That will just kill you, spiritually and maybe physically too! Have you ever known people that say they are trying to pursue wealth to be of more use to the kingdom of God or to their family but in doing so end up spending less time with family or church because all they do is spend their time pursuing wealth. Well this seems to clearly indicate those people have it backwards. Notice the same sentiment taught in Jacob 2:18-19. First and foremost your focus should be on God and His glory. The rest will be added to you. Compare this with Mormon's vision of our day in Mormon 8:35,37.

Unlike the world today. there is no poor in Zion because everyone is focused not on themselves but on the glory of God - helping others, loving their neighbour, exalting and saving others. When that happens, you can't help but ensure everyone is provided for - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Pure in heart:

The great blessing of being pure in heart is that you shall see God (see Sermon on the Mount). Pure suggests being free of all infiltration, free of extra elements, all that is impure removed and refined. How do you become pure in heart and what then is the one element that should be left pure in our heart? 

"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever;... Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love;...that when He shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is;...that we may be purified even as He is pure. Amen"      Moroni 7:47-48

Mormon, through his son Moroni, is teaching us that the element we need in our hearts is charity and the way to get it is to pray for it with all the energy of our heart. This requires removing all thought of self, all selfish wants and desires, instead focusing with an eye single to God's glory on helping others.

One of the things that can help us achieve Zion is temples: the covenants we take upon us and the principles we learn. It is no coincidence that the Saints were continually instructed to construct a temple wherever they moved. Temples are necessary in the building of Zion in our cities and in our homes and in our hearts.

Now we have done a decent job of defining Zion, so the last word goes to President Spencer W. Kimball. In the April General Conference of 1978, President Kimball gave a brilliant talk entitled "Becoming the Pure in Heart". If you click on that title you may read or listen to the talk in it's entirety. I highly recommend a study of his words. But I will leave you with a quote of his from the talk. They are words that many will associate fondly with the prophet:

"As important as it is to have this vision in mind, defining and describing Zion will not bring it about. That can only be done through consistent and concerted daily effort by every single member of the Church. No matter what the cost in toil or sacrifice, we must “do it.” That is one of my favorite phrases: “Do It.”    Spencer W. Kimball

Do it.
Do it right.
Do it right now. 

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 27 "They Must Needs be Chastened, even as Abraham"

Doctrine and Covenants 101, 103, 105.

4 Questions for discussion and study:

1. Why must we be chastened, even as Abraham? What does that even mean?
2. Where is Zion?
3. What is the watchtower that is spoken of in Doctrine and Covenants 101:44-62?
4. What can we learn from the experiences of the Colesville Branch Saints and Zion's Camp?

Background/History:
Colesville Branch
c. Jul 1830   Presumed to be the 1st official branch of the church (65 people)
Jan 1831      Commanded to leave Colesville, NY for area of Kirtland, OH
Apr 1831     Arrived in area of Kirtland, OH in and began planting and sowing and settling
May 1831    Commanded to leave Kirtland, OH and move to Jackson County, MO and set up Zion
Jul 1831      Arrived in Jackson County, MO and by Jul 1832 grown to 500 saints
Jul 1833      1200 saints in Jackson County, MO. Bragging, greed, envy and contention start to appear consistently among the Saints.
Aug 1833-Jan 1834    All the saints persecuted and driven from homes across Missouri River into Clay County (study the Secret Constitution and Battle at Big Blue River etc)

Zion's Camp

Feb 1834    The Lord called for 500 men preferably but minimum of 100 men of Ohio saints to provide for and protect the Saints in Missouri
May 1834   130 sign up and leave Kirtland, OH (growing to 205 along the way)
Instructed not to divulge their identity or purpose
Strict rations and schedule – 20-40 miles march/day, reveille at 4am, morning and evening prayers, 25 wagons but filled with supplies for Missouri Saints (most of the camp walked), feet bleeding, food scarce and water often infested
Discord and disobedience infiltrated the camp as they progressed
Jun 1834     sickness affects most of the horses, kills one of Sylvester Smith’s horses.
Jun 1834     attack of cholera kills 14 of the camp
Jun 1834     Zion’s camp disbanded without having restored Missouri Saints’ lands or homes

Question 1: Why must we be chastened, even as Abraham?

Let's deal with the first part of the question - why must we be chastened?

Doctrine and Covenants 101:2, 4

2. I, the Lord have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions.4. Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.

Notice the two words underlined. The Lord "suffered", or in other words allowed this to happen as a "consequence" of their actions. In other words He allowed the laws of nature to take their course. Maybe He truly suffered in seeing them suffer. I do not believe this was punishment in the negative sense of the word. But you say that it says the Lord "chastened" them. Let's look at that word. Too often we interpret that word as punishment - an active action taken by the Lord. While I believe this can certainly be true when it is necessary, I wonder if maybe what is happening is that we fall victim to the consequences of our own actions more often than we receive "punishment" from the Lord. This world is set up with laws. One of the natural laws of this world is the Law of Cause and Effect. I believe that much of what we experience is already built into our mortal experience and is not a punishment but a natural consequence of our actions.  The true root of the word "chastened" is not punishment as we know it today but to make chaste, to purify. So in effect this process of having consequences for our actions helps to purify us and make us more like God. If accepted in the right way, we learn and grow from these experiences in life. I believe it is in that spirit that the Lord told Joseph that the Colesville Saints in Jackson County "must needs be chastened and tried".

So what does it mean "even as Abraham"? That's pretty harsh isn't it?

As we all know, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Isaac who was his heir. Isaac who was promised to Him by the Lord as the heir that would carry the Lords blessings from Abraham throughout all his future generations. Abraham was asked to sacrifice him. This did not make sense. God does not ask for human sacrifice - he forbids it. So why ask Abraham to break this commandment and to kill all Abrahams hopes and dreams and his very future? 

Now would be a good time to cross-reference a couple of scriptures - Abraham 3:24-25 and Mosiah 3:19. Notice any similarities?

 "...And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."

"...willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

Did you see it? Not some things. Not most things. ALL things. Not that he will ask us to actually follow through but He wants to test us and prove us to see if we are willing to trust Him and submit to Him. For Abraham his faith had already reached such a level that the only way to test him further was to ask him to sacrifice his son. For the Colesville Saints their faith was so strong, having left their homes in Colesville on the word of their prophet and moved their family and worldly possessions to Ohio only to be moved on another 1000 miles to Jackson County, Missouri barely one month later by that same prophet,...they were that faithful...that the only way to test and prove them was to see how they would react to being forced out of their homes once again. It was indeed a stern test. For Zion's Camp their faith was so strong that they were willing to give their lives for their fellow saints but now the Lord wanted to test whether they would be willing to march thousands of miles for apparently nothing - a failed mission.
And one final thing to note in the expression of "even as Abraham". Abraham hadn't done anything wrong and yet still he too was subjected to these trials. No one is immune. The whole point of this life is to be tested and tried and to prove ourselves. Even the righteous!

The Prophet Joseph Smith, in speaking to the Twelve Apostles in Nauvoo, said:

“You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God. . . . God will feel after you, and he will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God."

For further study and insight read this excellent article "The Abrahamic Test" by Larry Dahl

Question 2: Where is Zion?
Too many times we think of Zion as a place. True, places have been named Zion but I believe the scriptures clearly define Zion as something more.
Read these scriptures and tell me what you think? Moses 7:18, Doctrine and Covenants 100:16, Doctrine and Covenants 101:5, Doctrine and Covenants 97:21

Question 3: What is the watchtower that is spoken of in Doctrine and Covenants 101:44-62
This is not a widely studied or widely known parable among LDS members. That is a shame as it is a gem with a very important message. Read the parable.
So how do we understand this parable? Willard Richards, in his journal recorded something very enlightening from the Prophet Joseph Smith about how to interpret parables. He records that Joseph Smith said,

“I have [a] key by which I understand the scripture. I inquire, what was the question which drew out the answers?”

In this instance what were the circumstances? Well the circumstances were that the Saints had been told to build Zion in this choice land. They were told to plant and settle and organize themselves and among these things, one very key thing they were instructed to do in August 1833 (Doctrine and Covenants 97):

 10 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you.
 11 Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people.
 12 Behold, this is the tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a house built unto me for the salvation of Zion—  

18 And, now, behold, if Zion do these things she shall prosper, and spread herself and become very glorious, very great, and very terrible.

The crazy thing is they were originally instructed to do this in 1831 when they first arrived in Missouri. A temple site was identified and dedicated and the Saints were instructed to build the temple 2 years previous to the instruction in 1833 telling them to now do it "speedily". Coincidence? Cross-reference these scriptures and tell me what you think? Doctrine and Covenants 97:20, 2 Samuel 22:3  To me it seems clear in their direct circumstances the the parable is instructing the Saints to build the temple as previously commanded. The greater significance and interpretation is surely about having God in our midst with the temple as the focal point of that instruction. The blessings are clear and the Lord is very sure in telling them even as late as August 1833 that if they build the temple "speedily" there was still time and they could still discover the power to remain in their lands peaceably. Tragically the Saints in Jackson County did not follow the instruction and were left to be driven from their homes and wander persecuted in the "wilderness" for many years after.

 4. What can we learn from the experiences of the Colesville Branch Saints and Zion's Camp?
Well it is clear that there were many faithful saints back then that endured many things that I could not. But they missed some incredible blessings and were tested with tribulation as a result of silly bickering, greed, laziness and not trusting in God enough to fight their battles for them (contact me for more on this in relation to both Zion's Camp and the Saints in Missouri). We too are being tested - not necessarily in the same way but sometimes with the same results. Do we have God in our midst? Is He in the midst of us individually (in our heart)? Is He in the midst of the family and the home? Do we centre all we do around that focus? Is the temple the focus or do we get lost in the demands of our every day lives (we'll do Family Home Evening next week, or I'll say my prayer tomorrow)?
And when we do have those things as a focus in our lives but are still tried and tested even as Abraham, do we get frustrated and get mad at God for ruining our hopes and dreams, for taking away those things that we love in our life?

Watch this video to finish. I hope this has inspired you to peek further into the scriptures. They are a treasure trove, a map and a guideline.