Isaiah 54:1-10, part 4

"For this is the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; bu my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." (Isaiah 54:9-10)

The Lord promised He would never flood the earth again as He did in the days of Noah. It was an immutable, non-revocable covenant between the Lord and His people. (Genesis 9:8-17) Just as God entered this covenant "with all flesh," the Lord covenants with Israel that He will not be angry at Israel or rebuke her in the end.

Reference to "mountains" departing and "hills" moving have duel meaning. Persons who are faithful and devoted to God are often endowed by their creator with faith to move mountains. (JST Genesis 14:30, 1 Corinthians 13:2) Just as God promises the faithful power to move mountains and hills, God also promises not to remove from Israel His kindness or covenant of peace.

A second perspective on the movement of "mountains" and "hills" is one presented by Avraham Gileadi in his research. Avraham suggests references to "mountains" often treat the word "mountain" as a synonym for nation. Hence, the Lord pronounces through Isaiah His intent to remove all nations:

"And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations." (D&C 87:6)

The Lord is consistent in all His declaration, regardless of ancient or modern revelation. The day is rapidly coming when the kindness and mercies of our God are extending to Israel and all Gentiles who join them in their covenant relationship with God.

This will be my last installment for a while. I need to turn to another project for now. Press on see what treasures "gather" hold for you in the rest of the Standard Works.

Isaiah 54:1-10, part 3

"Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; he Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee fro a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." (Isaiah 54:4-8)

Isaiah returns to the "Bride"/"Groom" imagery discussed previously. Israel has been a widow because she failed to keep her covenant with God. "Reproach" reflects disapproval or disappointment the Lord feels due to Israel's conduct. Israel's "widowhood" reflects the consequences of Israel's lack of integrity in honoring her covenant with God and the accompanying rebellion. She is forced to live without God in this world due to covenant disobedience. This condition will shortly change. The Lord will reclaim His bride and restore Israel to her covenant relationship. Although Israel has rebelled and been forsaken for a brief period of time, with "great mercies" the Lord will again gather Israel. The Lord withdrew from Israel for a brief period but with "everlasting kindness He will again have mercy on Israel and gather her from the nations. The Lord will again reclaim His people.

Isaiah 54:1-10, part 2

"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited." (Isaiah 54:2-3)

Verse 2 uses the imagery of a tent to describe a union between repentant Gentiles who enter the covenant with God and the tribes of Israel, post-gathering. It is also the verse that gave birth to the term, "stake" as a title for groups of congregations in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Israel is told that sometime in their future, many Gentiles will come to them seeking a covenant relationship with God. Israel will not have received her permanent inheritance, hence the image of a "tent." Tents were used when people were unsettled travelers. When the covenant is fully instituted the promised blessing is the receipt of a land of their inheritance. Consequently, the Gentiles will come to Israel sometime prior to their receiving their inheritance.

The Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 21 describes this day as a time that follows the destruction of the Gentiles:

"For it shall come to pass, saith he Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel; And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as hey have not heard. But if they will repent and hearken unto my words and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance." (3 Nephi 21:20-22)

The "cut-off" is not limited to the Lord's people but applies to the "heathen", (a synonym for Gentiles in scripture.) Note the Savior uses the name Jacob which is the pre-covenant name for Israel. This implies the "cut-off" occurs prior to covenant renewal between God and His people.

Isaiah gives this additional description of the same events in chapter 49:

"Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou has lost the other shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall by thy nursing fathers, and heir queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isaiah 49:18-23)