Hi everyone!
Okay the last thing I ever thought I would write about
in my blog is about the prophet Isaiah and why we should “liken his
words” unto us. One might ask, “Liesl, why wouldn’t you write about
Isaiah?” My answer would be, “because I’ve never felt like I could
understand him or his prophecies.” For those of you who may not know, I
am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our
Church’s nickname is the Mormon Church. If you haven’t read the Book of
Mormon before, I want you to know that the Book of Mormon is another
witness of Jesus Christ and goes hand in hand with the Holy Bible as
true scripture.
In 2 Nephi 11:8, we are told by Nephi, “And now I
write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my people shall see
these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men. Now these
are the words, and ye may liken them unto you and unto all men.” Even
more importantly, Jesus Christ taught the Nephites how important
Isaiah’s words were. The Savior taught, ““great are the words of Isaiah”
and instructed the Nephites that they “ought to search these things.
Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things
diligently” (3 Nephi 23:1- Student Manual Book of Mormon) If the Savior
wants me to search something diligently, I’m going to listen!
So
what does it mean to “liken?” According to dictionary.com, the
definition of “liken” means; “to represent as similar or like; compare.”
When we liken something to our own lives, we look for comparisons or
similar things we can relate to. How can I relate to an Old Testament
prophet who lived hundreds of years ago? In many ways, it’s difficult
for me to understand Isaiah’s prophecies. There are differences in how
he lived, dressed, and what his culture was like, compared to mine.
Isaiah’s way of writing was often written with a “dualistic nature”
(Book of Mormon Student Manual) and heavily uses symbolism. Despite
these differences Isaiah and I have similarities. The biggest similarity
is that Isaiah and I both worship the same God and recognize Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior.
So what can I, or anyone, do to
understand and “liken” Isaiah’s prophecies? Thankfully we have many
spiritual helps. First, I think it’s important to start with prayer. We
should ask God. We are promised in James 1:5 of the New Testament, “If
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” That’s a
great promise! We also have footnotes in the Book of Mormon and the Old
Testament that direct us to other scriptures that give insight as well
as a Topical Guide and Bible Dictionary which furthers knowledge and
understanding of principles, or even symbols, that might seem foreign to
us. I’m also grateful for living prophets today who have been called
and chosen by the same God Isaiah was called by. They too receive
revelation and spiritual guidance for all mankind on the earth.
So
if you’re like me and desire to have a better understanding of Isaiah,
this post is a guide to help you know how you can “liken” Isaiah to
yourself. With diligence and patience on our part, and the help of the
Lord, we are promised, “For he will give unto the faithful line upon
line, precept upon precept…” (D&C 98:12)
Happy reading!
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