Isaiah’s Words Help Us See Jesus Christ

2 Nephi 12:1 - "The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:"

Elder Boyd K. Packer - “Do not stop reading! Move forward through those difficult-to-understand chapters … even if you understand very little of it. Move on, if all you do is skim and merely glean an impression here and there.”

Seek this Jesus - A Book of Mormon Daily Podcast invites you to discover the joy and guidance that comes from studying the Book of Mormon everyday. This podcast would hope to just be a supplement to your studies. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Speak This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

Some parts of the Book of Mormon feel easier to read than others. There are chapters that feel clear, direct, and immediately personal. Then there are chapters that may feel difficult, unfamiliar, or confusing. For many of us, Isaiah can feel that way. His language is symbolic, his audience was ancient, and his messages can sometimes seem far removed from daily life. But if we skip over those chapters completely, we may miss truths the Lord wants us to understand. Isaiah's writings matter because they teach us about Jesus Christ, the scattering and gathering of Israel, the covenants of the Lord, and the future of the world. Nephi loved Isaiah. Jacob loved Isaiah. The Savior quoted Isaiah. If these prophets valued his word so highly, then there must be something important for us to learn from them. Even when we do not understand everything, the Lord can still teach us as we continue reading faithfully. Second Nephi twelve one. The word that Isaiah, the son of Amaz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from Elder Boyd K. Packer, we will consider what it means to keep reading difficult scriptures and focus on Jesus Christ. This short verse introduces Isaiah and reminds us that he taught was not merely his opinion. These were things he saw. Isaiah was a prophet and a revelator. The Lord showed him visions concerning Judah and Jerusalem, but his words also reached far beyond his own time. Isaiah saw the scattering of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, the latter days, the restoration, and the eventual triumph of Jesus Christ. That helps us understand why Nephi included so much of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. Nephi had limited space on the plates. He could not include everything, yet he chose to include large sections of Isaiah because Isaiah testified of Christ. Nephi knew that future readers would need these teachings. Sometimes we may feel discouraged when we reach these chapters. We may wonder why the language is harder or why the meaning is not immediately obvious. But difficult scripture is not useless scripture. There are many gospel truths that require patience, repeated reading, and a willingness to keep learning little by little. The Lord often teaches line upon line. He does not always reveal everything at once. That pattern helps us grow spiritually because it requires humility, effort, and faith. If every verse were instantly easy to understand, we might move too quickly and miss the deeper lessons the Lord wants us to learn. Isaiah teaches us that spiritual understanding is not only about information, it is about revelation. We may not understand every symbol or every historical detail at first, but we can still feel something. We can still notice repeated themes. We can still see that Isaiah points us toward the Savior. At a point K. Packer gave wise counsel about studying difficult scriptures.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

Do not stop reading. Move forward through those difficult to understand chapters of Old Testament prophecy, even though you understand very little of it. Move on if all you do is skim and merely glean an impression here and there.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

That counsel is important because many of us may think we are failing if we do not understand everything immediately. But scripture study is not a test where we must master every verse before moving on. Sometimes the Lord simply wants us to stay in the scriptures and keep exposing our minds and hearts to his word. There is power in continuing to read even when we do not fully understand. The Spirit can still teach us. A phrase may stand out, a warning may become clear. A testimony of Jesus Christ may become stronger. We may not leave with complete understanding, but we can leave with greater faith. Isaiah especially rewards repeated study. A chapter that seemed confusing one year may become clear later because our experiences have changed. Trials, responsibilities, family life, repentance, covenant living, and discipleship all help us understand Scripture differently over time. We do not need to be experts in ancient history to benefit from Isaiah. We simply need to keep reading. We can look for repeated ideas like redemption, gathering, covenant blessings, peace, pride, repentance, and the Savior. As we do that, Isaiah becomes less intimidating and more meaningful. The Lord does not expect perfection in our scripture study. He asks for consistency. He asks us to keep moving forward. Even if we only understand a small part of what we read today, that small part can still bless our lives. There may be times when we avoid certain parts of the scriptures because they feel too difficult. We may stay only in the familiar stories or verses we already know well. While there is nothing wrong with favorite scriptures, we should also be willing to stretch ourselves and trust that the Lord can teach us in unfamiliar places. One way we can do this is by changing our expectations. Instead of expecting to understand everything in one reading, we can simply ask, What is one thing the Lord wants me to notice today? That one thought may be enough for that day. We can also use study helps, footnotes, chapter summaries, conference talks, or cross references when we read Isaiah. Those tools can make difficult chapters feel more approachable. But even without those tools we can still move forward faithfully. When we keep reading, we show the Lord that we trust him. We show him that we're willing to keep learning. Over time the difficult parts of Scripture often become some of the most meaningful because we work through them with patience and faith. Isaiah's writings are not barriers to our scripture study, but they are invitations. They invite us to slow down, seek revelation, and look more carefully for Jesus Christ. So here is today's challenge. Spend a few extra minutes this week reading a chapter of Isaiah, either in the Book of Mormon or in the Bible. Do not worry about understanding every verse. Instead, look for one truth about Jesus Christ, one warning, one promise, or one phrase that stands out. Write it down and keep moving forward in your study. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.