SON OF THE MORNING 3

 

In Clouds of Glory by Greg Collins

Chapters 13-23 of the book of Isaiah are known as the “burden” chapters. They contain gloomy pronouncements of judgment upon nations of Isaiah’s time, ancient Babylon in particular. Prophecies about Babylon are of a dualistic nature because ancient Babylon is a shadow and a type of present-day Babylon, or the world.

The burden of ancient Babylon was its curse to extinction. Under Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon became of the most remarkable cities of the ancient world. Isaiah predicted in Chapter 13 its total devastation and desolation (vs 19-22). While some ancient cities such as Jerusalem, Damascus, and Jericho, still exist today, Babylon steadily declined after the conquest by Cyrus and by the first century after Christ it lay deserted and in ruins and has remained so until this day. (see the Old Testament Student Manual Book 2 p 154)

Spiritual Babylon shall likewise become a waste and desolation when the Saviour returns and ushers in the Millennial reign (Revelation 18). Isaiah did not only predict this devastation but also the extinction of the Prince of this world, “Lucifer, Son of the Morning” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Isaiah predicted that “Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (13:19) and so it was. Nebuchadnezzar, its king,  was certainly buried in great splendour but there is no grave found for him today in the ruins of Babylon.

So likewise will, Satan, Son of the Morning, never have a grave , a tomb or monument of any kind though he is king and ruler of the great world-wise and history-wide empire  of spiritual Babylon. His demise will begin at the beginning of the Millenium when he will be bound and will not have power to tempt any man (D&C 101:28):

“We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God….

“The time is not far distant when great judgments will be poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth….and the wicked will be destroyed. Their destruction means the destruction of Satan’s power. The righteous will be left, and because of their righteousness the Lord will have mercy upon them; they, exercising their agency in the right direction, will bring down His blessings upon them to such an extent that Satan will be bound.”  (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:86-87; see also 2 Nephi 30:18; Ether 8:26)

When the thousand years of the Millenial reign are ended, and men again begin to harden their hearts and begin to deny God, Satan will be loosed briefly and will take that opportunity to deceive the nations and gather his forces right before the final battle with Michael and his armies when he will be permanently overcome   (Revelation 20:1-3,7,8; D&C 29:22; 88:111-116)

Isaiah described his fall from the lofty aspirations to be like the most High to being brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit, where all who see him devoid of his power  would marvel at his demise:

“They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof…..?

“All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house; but thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people; the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.”   (Isaiah 14:14-20)

And Christ shall reign upon His throne forever…..a life well lived, the price willingly paid, a glorious victory at His feet laid.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

ISAIAH AND OUR DAY

Dreaming Dreams of Prayer by Joel Rea

 

I have a friend who cannot understand why I love the Old Testament. She told me once that the Old Testament is a ‘dead book’. I take it that some think so because the law of Moses has been fulfilled through the ministry of Christ, however, the Old Testament is full of prophecies of our day which are in the process of being fulfilled or are yet to be fulfilled. A book that contains prophecies which are still pending cannot be a dead book.

Reading all the dual prophecies in the book of Isaiah makes me feel like I am reading about our world instead of ancient Israel. The tragedy of it is that Isaiah’s comments are directed to the House of Israel and not the condition of the world at large. His lament is about Israel following in the ways of the world and reaping the same consequences.

In chapter 3, Isaiah spoke at length about the corruption of women of his day who were proud, arrogant, and more concerned with their clothing and personal appearance than with righteousness. It also reads like 2026 where women have lost sight of proper priorities and the women of Zion are following suit all the way to the fruits of addiction and transgression:

“The prophet contrasts their former beauty with the results of judgment. Because of their wickedness, the beauty, the pride, and the fashion will become tragedy, disaster, and slavery. The girdle in verse 24 of chapter was the sash used to fasten the outer clothing. Keil and Delitzsch showed that the “rent” which was to replace it was the rope used to bind slaves. Sackcloth was black goat’s hair worn at times of great mourning. The “burning” refers to the branding that often accompanied one’s being made a slave (Commentary, 7:1:147; Old Testament Student Manual 141).

Slavery today might not appear in the physical form but a spiritual and emotional one. This is not just about dress or immodesty but also about women’s assertiveness in denying the qualities of their gender in pursuit of a more masculine role.

Of most interest is the parallel used in Isaiah 4:1. Isaiah speaks of scarcity of men due to war mentioned in Isaiah 3:25-26 and the devasting effect that this had on women in the ancient world. To be unmarried and childless in ancient Israel was a disgrace (see Genesis 30:23; Luke 1:25). So terrible the conditions would be anciently when Israel was at peril of dispersion and devastation, that women would be willing to share a husband with others and not expect any material support from him, if only they could claim they were married to him and had children by him.

In 21^st century we see women avoiding child bearing in preference of convenience and their pursuits by freezing their eggs, having abortions and even eradicating the need of husbands by replacing them with sperm banks.  Isaiah wrote that in his day seven women would be willing to share one man just to have his children. Reflect on how many women could end up having children by one man through the sperm bank……

Whether we follow the world or not is the deciding factor in who we become. Isaiah spoke of this too when he said, “the show of their countenance doth witness against them” (3:9). This perhaps is the most important lesson we can take from Chapter 3 of Isaiah:

“Every man and every person who lives in this world wields an influence, whether for good or for evil. It is not what he says alone; it is not alone what he does. It is what he is. Every man, every person radiates what he or she really is…It is what we are and what we radiate that affects the people around us.” (President David O. McKay, Man May Know For Himself, p 108)

The influence we have on the world is crucial because we are a ‘peculiar’ people, the definition of which is: one’s very own, exclusive or special, uncommon, unusual, distinctive in nature or character from others, belonging exclusively to some person, group or thing. As God’s people, we are obligated to pursue a character of nobility that we might be an influence for good on the nations of the earth as we await the return of our King.

Nephi’s vision of our day should give us the hope and courage to make this a reality: “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”  (1 Nephi 14:14)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

 

 

I have one thing to say about brilliant Isaiah, a statesman, a prophet, a poet, a psalmist, a visionary, the mighty seer…..it is impossible not to feel the strength of his testimony of the God he called the Holy One of Israel. Consider verses such as these:     

• Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation (Isaiah 12:2);
• O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou has done wonderful things…….. thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat……(Isaiah 25:1,4);
• As for our redeemer, the Lord of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 47:4).

Isaiah’s testimony permeates his entire book and references to it are too many to mention here. Why is this important? Because the words of Isaiah are plain ‘unto those who are filled with the spirit of prophecy (2 Nephi 25:4) and the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 19:10). Many of us are reluctant to study Isaiah because of his reputation that he is hard to understand. It is true that knowing the historical background and the manner of prophesying amongst the Jews is most helpful in this endeavour but the depth of our understanding of Isaiah comes from the depth of our testimony of Jesus.  

Listen to the Saviour’s invitation: “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord……the people in whose heart is my law: Great are the words of Isaiah….search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (Isaiah 51:1,7; 3 Nephi 23:1; John 5:39). When we reach the depth of understanding concerning prophecies of Christ, we will become like Nephites of old and be able to say: “…we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ….” (2 Nephi 25:26). And may we also LOVE CHRIST. 

 

How much You must love those

Who proclaim Thy holy name.

Thy prophets, Thine everlasting friends,

Thine angels who herald

Thy gospel and Thy name;

To the ends of the earth they speak

And their words forever remain.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Road to Emmaus by Liz Lemon Swindle)