Post by Nephi –
As Jacob shares the teachings of Isaiah with you, let me give you a few keys that help me understand Isaiah’s writings. I recognize that though I delight in plainness, I also delight in the writings of Isaiah which some say are the furthest thing from plain. I admit that Isaiah spoke many things which are hard for most of you to understand. I hope you find the following helpful.
First, I grew up in the land of Jerusalem among the Jews. I am the son of a prophet, and am therefore familiar with two important things – one – the manner of the Jews, their culture, their teachings, their thought processes (which were usually rebelliously selfish), their dreams, their lusts and their pride. Two – the manner of prophesying among the Jews, the way prophets teach among the children of God. This of course combined with the Spirit of God, make Isaiah easier for me to understand.
By the time you read this, you will probably have other writings from prophets that present the same teachings given us from Isaiah. Teachings that are much easier to understand. Yet, at the direction of our Savior, we are commanded to search Isaiah’s writings. I believe there is as much a benefit and purpose to the search as there is to the understanding his message.
Therefore, even though you know everything already, please don’t disregard the opportunity to search. You may find more than mere writings, prophesies and historical contexts. As I study the scriptures, I have learned the spirit of the Lord doesn’t necessarily worry about what the words say. The spirit cares about what truths we personally need. As we search, we demonstrate our eagerness for truth, which happens to one of the keys to unlock personal revelation.
I call it the spirit of prophesy. It is required if you want to grow strong in the knowledge of the truth. To gain a sound understanding you must search the scriptures diligently, you have to give yourself to diligent prayer and fasting; if we do, we can enjoy the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation.
Another thing that helps me is my knowledge of the regions around Jerusalem where Isaiah lived and taught. Isaiah refers to well over a hundred different geographic locations. Just being familiar with the region helps me put his writings in perspective.
One more thing I love about reading Isaiah’s writings is when I come across his prophesies that I have personally seen fulfilled. Keep in mind that Isaiah lived over 100 years ago. Since many of his writings pertain to the distant future or what we call the “Last Days,” when we see some of the prophesies fulfilled in our days, there can be no doubt of the eventual fulfillment of all his prophesies.
(Book of Mormon | Alma 17:2 – 3)
