Lesson 41: “He Did Expound All Things unto Them”
3 Nephi 22–26
Sing, O Barren!
3 Nephi 22
Here, the Lord quotes Isaiah 54 prior to expounding the
scriptures for the Nephites. This act
(common in the Book of Mormon) of quoting a prophet and then expounding is
known as Midrash or as a pesher (commentary) in early Jewish terms. The Dead Sea Scrolls have peshers such as the
Habakkuk Commentary, wherein the author quotes a section of Habakkuk and then
explains how it applies to the people and events of his day.
“And then shall that which is written come to pass: Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited” (3 Ne 22:1-3).
Isaiah writes in desert/wilderness imagery. The woman who is barren is Israel. She
wanders in the wilderness, because the cities are all desolate. She’s lived in a small pup tent for years,
but now is encouraged to enlarge her tent.
Why? She will now have children
and descendants. Israel is barren no more. Eventually the descendants will be so numerous
that they will no longer be able to dwell in the enlarged tent, but will move
back into the cities that were once left desolate.
As noted before, the tent symbolizes the Tabernacle or
Temple of the Lord. When Nephi told us
that his father “dwelt in a tent,” it held great significance. This is not
because he enjoyed camping out, but because his father’s tent represented the
sacred space or Holy of Holies, for the family.
As ancient Israel surrounded the Tabernacle, so Lehi’s children’s tents
would surround his. It was here that
Lehi had the Vision of the Tree of Life, and discovered the Liahona, a treasure
to be stored in a sacred place.
Now, we find that the woman who is cast into the desert
has a small tent or Tabernacle. She is
like the twelve tribes wandering for 40 years in the desert. Once Joshua brought them into the Promised
Land, they were able to expand into cities and build a temple to God.
In this instance, the house of Israel will inherit the
places left by the Gentiles, who are now left desolate and cast out of the
Promised Land. For the Nephites, this
holds important significance, as they will become almost extinct, leaving the
Lamanites and other Native Americans in the area as the primary “adopted” House
of Joseph in the land.
Isaiah continues by stating that the Lord cast Israel
(the woman) out for a time, because she had been unfaithful to the covenant
made with Yahweh. However, he will
forgive her and bring her gently back.
She will prosper, and the covenant will stand in full force, once
again. As noted, this covenant is one
with the people, not just individuals.
“Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (3 Ne 22:11-13).
The Lord describes the building of His House, the
Temple. The woman/church’s children
shall be “taught of” (which can mean taught by or taught about) the Lord in his
House. Within the Temple, they will feel
peace and safety.
Great are the
words of Isaiah
3 Ne 23
The Lord begins explaining and expounding his pesher of
Isaiah’s words.
“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. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles” (3 Ne 23:1-2).
Something that many LDS do not note is God gives us a commandment to search diligently in
Isaiah’s words. They are not only for
the house of Israel, but Isaiah “must speak also to the Gentiles”. Isaiah can be hard to understand at first,
because he uses poetic form and symbolism to teach. This means that we must make the effort to
understand Isaiah’s methods in order to understand what he is teaching to
us. Too often we skim through the
scriptures and the Book of Isaiah in particular, when we should be drinking
deeply from the waters therein. We
cannot know the will of God concerning us without understanding Isaiah and the
Book of Mormon. Their message is deeply
connected, but is lost on many who choose to skip stones across the ocean of
spiritual knowledge.
There are many recent, good studies on Isaiah, both from
LDS and non-LDS scholars, which can help us understand his writings
better. I encourage spending a year
studying Isaiah, about one chapter a week, and research on the Internet what
one can on the wording, symbolism and meaning of each verse. You’ll be amazed at what you will learn in
doing this.
Once Jesus expounded on Isaiah, he commanded the official
Nephite record be brought forth. In
looking at them, he noted that Samuel the Lamanite’s prophesy was not
included. He ordered that it be entered
into the record. If Samuel’s words were
so important that the Lord commanded them added, perhaps we should spend the
urgent time needed to really understand them, as well.
Jesus quotes
Malachi
3 Nephi 24-25
The Lord then begins quoting Malachi chapters 3 and 4, on
two extremely important teachings regarding the great coming of the Lord.
“Thus said the Father unto Malachi—Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” 3 Ne 24:1-3, Malachi 3:1-3).
You’ll note that it isn’t Jesus speaking to Malachi, but
the Father! The Lord will come to his
temple when no one is expecting it, prepared by his servant. Some see this as fulfilled in Jesus’ mortal
ministry: John the Baptist preparing the way, and Jesus entering the temple at
that time. However, we now see this as a
current and future prophecy.
Samuel the Lamanite prepared the way for the coming of
Christ in power and glory to the Nephites. He has suddenly come to his temple
in the city of Bountiful. The wicked
were not able to abide the day of his coming, having been destroyed in the
great earthquakes, whirlwinds, and 3 days of darkness. Only in purifying the Nephites and their
priesthood holders through those refining destructions, were Nephi and the
other 11 disciples ready give an offering in righteousness. The people were ready to sacrifice a broken
heart and contrite spirit as an
offering. In doing so, they will create the Nephite “Millennial” (technically
200 years) period of peace.
Jesus also refers to the final days of this earth. Joseph Smith was called as the servant to
prepare the way. With the gospel
restored, with all the covenants and ordinances brought to earth again, the
world is prepared to have the Lord “suddenly” come to his temple. This may be any of the temples of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it may also mean a future temple in
Jerusalem. As it is, the Lord suddenly
came to the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836, shortly after its dedication. He came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
(D&C 110), accepting the house of the Lord
and their work of restoration as an “offering in righteousness”. This is not a complete fulfillment of this
prophesy, but is a symbolic fulfilling of it – in anticipation of Jesus’ return
in the clouds in great power and glory.
Jesus is called the “messenger of the covenant.” This refers to the Angel of the Lord’s
Presence, or the Messiah. The covenant
of the temple is with God the Father, through Jesus Christ. Christ or Messiah or Anointed One, represents
the One who was called forth to lead the angelic Divine Council and to restore
mankind back to the presence of God.
Christ offers himself as the sacrifice, but we must accept his sacrifice
by covenant. He is the Angel of the
Lord’s Presence, captain of the Divine Council, and the Messenger of the
Covenant that brings people back into the presence of the Lord.
“For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts” (3 Ne 25:1-3, Malachi 4:1-3).
Again, Jesus quotes Malachi 4, and again we see this
partially fulfilled with the Nephites. The wicked have literally been burnt as
stubble, as cities have been destroyed by fire – perhaps from volcanic lava and
melted rocks being rained down upon them. Only those that feared God survived
the ordeal, and were now able to stand in Jesus’ presence. Christ called them forth, healing the sick
and afflicted, blessing the children. With the balm of Gilead, Jesus healed
them from what must have been intense post traumatic stress disorder, caused by
the destructions they endured. They were
renewed, born again, protected, even as calves in the stall.
In the last days, we shall also see such
destructions. There are some Christians
and LDS who believe we can build a Zion society in the world without the
conflagrations and destruction of the wicked. They hope we will not have
massive evil, wars, pestilences, and deaths.
But the scriptures are very clear that the events that preceded Jesus’
coming in glory to the Nephites will also be seen in the last days of
earth. Only the righteous may be
rescued, as calves in a stall.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (3 Ne 25:5-6).
This scripture is the only one I’m aware of that is
quoted in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great
Price. It has had at least a partial
fulfillment in the Kirtland temple, when Elijah, Moses and Elias (Abraham?)
came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to give them keys and authorities for
the work of the restoration (D&C 110).
Elijah’s work was to bring the sealing powers of the priesthood, so as
to seal families together to their ancestors (turning the hearts of the fathers
and children towards one another).
In the Jewish celebration of Passover, the feast is
prepared with one empty seat at the table.
This seat is for the prophet Elijah, in case he comes to that home prior
to the coming of the Messiah.
Interestingly, Elijah visited Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple during
Passover (April 3, 1836).
It is possible that there will be another final visit by
Elijah, as well. What it could entail,
in regards to turning the hearts of fathers and children to one another, can
only be imagined.
Isaiah, Samuel and
Malachi
So, why would the Lord offer us these three prophets’
words together like this? Why not the
words of Moses, Nephi or Zenock? There
is a pattern in the words of Isaiah, Samuel and Malachi. Jesus uses them as three witnesses to his
coming in great power.
Isaiah speaks of the temple in the wilderness being
returned to the Promised Land, the woman no longer barren. Samuel the Lamanite foresees the coming of
Christ in power and glory to the Nephites, along with the destruction of the
wicked. Malachi sees the Lord’s return
to a people who are ready to receive him, who are no longer barren, but are a
people that have turned their hearts to their ancestors and descendants. Malachi sees the Lord coming to his temple,
no longer lost and wandering in the wilderness.
The three see Christ coming to save His people from the wicked world,
destroying those who are Israel’s enemies.
They foresee a time when Israel (Nephites, etc) will
become one people in Jesus. The Lord
will fight their battles (as we’ll see more of in the next lesson), and they
will be one in the temple, the House of the Lord, forever.
2 comments:
Great insights! Thanks so much for pulling this lesson together. And thanks for your hard work and time doing it. I live this blog.
I am so grateful for the time and work you put into this post (and blog). What great insights!! You gave pulled this lesson together!
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