Isaiah 43:1-7

A few posts ago I quoted the 84 section of the Doctrine & Covenants:

“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received- Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written- That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay.” (D&C 84:54-59)

We are trying to lift the Lord's condemnation by not taking His revelations of the restoration lightly. We are also trying to let the Standard Works of the Church become "One in thine hand" as described in the prophecy of Ezekiel in the 37th chapter.

Understanding and interpreting the meaning of Isaiah can only be done with modern scripture. Without these added testaments we can not discern the Lord's explanation for the prophecies we are reading.

Our next reference using the word "gather" is Isaiah 43:5-6:

"Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west."

Verse 6 continues the theme of gathering with the following:

"I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;"

The complete thought is encompassed in verses 1-7 and centers primarily on the theme of covenants.

We will continue with the same approach, taking this reference one verse at at time.

"But thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

This verse sets the theme around covenants. The Lord, (through Isaiah) addresses Jacob by his given/mortal name initially and then introduces the concept of covenants by using Jacob's adoptive name, Israel, given after Jacob enters into a covenant relationship with the Lord. The Lord created Jacob as He created Adam but after the creation "formed thee" like molding clay, transforming His creation into a son of God who is then worthy of redemption. Following Israel's redemption the Lord claims His adoptive right by declaring, "thou art mine."

More tomorrow.