The Power of the Old Testament: October 2018

Isaiah can be very daunting to read. We think only the wise of the wise can read it and understand it. In 3 Nephi 23:1 the Lord commanded the people to 'search' these things (meaning Isaiah). That means that all of us need to search and read Isaiah. I think that instead of trying to read Isaiah from cover to cover we need to choose important verses, then ponder and search those verses. At the bottom of this blog, I have a list of the scriptures and the theme of that scripture. Take that list, browse through it, and find a topic you would like to study. I will give an example of one I have studied

Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the ^alast days, that the ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be ^destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all ^enationsshall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ^ago up to the ^bmountain of the Lord, to the ^chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will ^dteach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of ^eZion shall go forth the ^flaw, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Principle:

1 We are taught the way of righteousness in the temple or house of the Lord. Covenants and ordinances are received there. Keeping those covenants help us to establish Zion and to prepare to meet the Lord at the Second Coming. (Isaiah 2:2-5)

Therefore:

I need to go to the temple, participate in the ordinances, and when I do it will help me to be part of establishing Zion and preparing to meet the Lord at the Second Coming.

BUT IF I NOW WANT TO STUDY MORE ON TEMPLES I need to decide what I want to study about temples? How to prepare to go? What are temples about? What do you do in the temples?

There are many great resources to begin your study such as:

CONFERENCE TALKS

Go to this link for a list of talks about temples

Here is one of my favorite by Thomas S. Monson. The Holy Temple -- a Beacon to the World

or a talk by Elder Quentin L. Cook See Yourself in the Temple

What other scriptures talk about temples?

Go to the LDS Scriptures "Guide to the Scriptures" topic "Temple, House of the Lord" for a list of scriptures and explanations.

For some videos to watch:

Mormon Temples: The Blessings of the Temple

Mormon Temples

The Process of Building a Mormon Temple

The first 166 Temples (slideshow)

Resrouces on how to study Isaiah

Ten Keys to Understanding Isaiah by Bruce R. McConkie

How Can I Understand Isaiah? by Ryan S. Gardner

Understanding Isaiah

Understand Isaiah's Prophecies with video

Understanding Isaiah and other Challenging Scriptures with Video

Isaiah’s Counsel

Isaiah 1:11–13 Do not be a hypocrite.

Isaiah 1:16 Be baptized and washed clean.

Isaiah 1:17 Serve others.

Isaiah 1:18 Repent

Isaiah 1:28 Do not forsake the Lord; endure to the end.

Isaiah 2:2–3 Go to the temple

Isaiah 2:4 Be a peacemaker.

Isaiah 2:5 Walk in the light of the Lord; stay close to His Spirit.

Isaiah 2:7–8 Do not worship or idolize what God blesses us with.

Isaiah 3:9 Do not sin openly and rebelliously like the people of Sodom.

Isaiah 3:16–24 Avoid the fashions and fads of the worldly.

Isaiah 5:11–12 Beware of following the path of ease (see also 2 Nephi 28:8).

Isaiah 5:18 Do not be tied to sins like beasts to carts and burdon

Scriptures Isaiah’s Prophetic Messages about the Savior

Isaiah 2:3–12; 4:4–5 At the Lord’s Second Coming the wicked will be destroyed. The Lord will reign on the earth, where the righteous will walk in His light.

Isaiah 6:8 “Here am I; send me” is a type of the premortal Christ volunteering for His holy mission.

Isaiah 7:14–16 Christ will be born of a virgin and will be called Immanuel. He will refuse evil and choose good.

Isaiah 8:13–15 When Christ comes, some will accept Him and others reject Him.

Isaiah 9:1–6 Christ will be born into the world during a time of spiritual darkness. He will bring great blessings to the people in Galilee.

Isaiah 9:6–7 Christ will be called “The mighty God” and “The Prince of Peace” and will sit on David’s throne forever.

Isaiah 11:10–12 The Lord will come in power and glory to usher in the Millennium.

Isaiah 12:6 The Lord will dwell in the midst of His people during the Millennium.

Isaiah 25:8 Christ will conquer death through His Resurrection.

Isaiah 28:16 Christ will be the “corner stone,” tested and tried to be the sure foundation.

Isaiah 32:1–4, 15–18 During the Millennium the Lord will rule as king. There will be safety and peace.

Isaiah 33:22 The Lord is our judge, lawgiver, king, and savior.

Isaiah 40:3 The Lord will send a messenger to prepare the way before Him.

Isaiah 40:4–5; 42:1–4 At the Second Coming, Christ will come in judgment, and “all flesh shall see him together.”

Isaiah 50:4 Christ will have the “tongue of the learned.”

Isaiah 50:5–6 Christ will willingly obey the Father and allow Himself to suffer persecution.

Isaiah 53:2–12 Christ’s atoning mission is explained.

Isaiah 53:2 Christ will not be different in appearance than

Isaiah 53:3–4 Christ will be despised, rejected, and acquainted with grief. He will bear the grief and sorrows of all.

Isaiah 53:5–6 Christ will pay for our sins and heal us.

Isaiah 53:7 Christ will not revile against His oppressors.

Isaiah 53:8, 11–12 Christ will be slain for the sins of His people.

Isaiah 53:9, 12 Christ will be crucified with thieves and buried in the tomb of the rich.

Isaiah 53:9 Christ will be innocent of any wrongdoing.

Isaiah 53:10 It is Heavenly Father’s will that Christ die for us.

Isaiah 53:12 Christ will be glorified.

Isaiah 54:5 Christ is the Creator and Redeemer; Israel will be restored.

Isaiah 59:19–20; At the Second Coming, the Lord will come Joseph Smith— from the east like the rising sun. Matthew 1:26

Isaiah 60:19–20 The brightness of the Lord’s glory will be the light of the world during the Millennium.

Isaiah 61:1–2 Christ is the anointed one who will help those in spiritual bondage, including the spirits in prison (see also Luke 4:16–21; 1 Peter

3:18–19; 4:6).

Isaiah 63:1–6; 66:15 Christ will come in power and glory in a “day of

vengeance,” having “trod the winepress alone.

List from Old Testament Seminary Manual

JOB

Job was a righteous man and strived to always do what was right and obey God's commandments. Job was also a very rich man. He was blessed with a good wife and 10 children. He also had many animals and servants. God was pleased with Job and blessed him with health and riches. Satan was certain that Job would not be as righteous if all of the blessings from the Lord were taken away.

God allowed Satan to take away everything Job had. First, it was his servants and his oxen. They had all been killed. Then a fire had burned all of his sheep. Next, his camels were stolen. Then a strong wind blew down Job's son's house and all of Job's children were killed. Job had nothing.

Job was sad but not angry with God. Instead of becoming bitter he fell to the ground and worshipped God. He said he had nothing when he was born and that God had given him everything. Even though he felt God had taken it all away he still loved God.

God knew that Job would stay righteous. That was not good enough for Satan. Satan said Job would not be righteous if he were very very sick. Satan was allowed to make Job Sick but he was not allowed to kill him.

Job did become very sick. His body was covered with sores. He was so miserable that he wished he had not been born. Job's wife asked Job if he still believed in God and loved him. Job said he did. He believed that God was good and gave blessings to people. It did not believe it was God's fault that he had suffered so much. He said that sometimes God lets bad things happen to people, even to good people.

Three of Job's friends came to see him. They felt very sorry for Job and told him that God punishes wicked people. They told Job that he must have done something wrong. Job told his friends that they were not helping him. He told them that he had not been wicked. He did not understand why so many bad things were happening to him but he did not believe God was punishing him. Job said that even if he died he would still love God and he knew he would be resurrected and have a whole body again.

The friends still insisted that Job was wicked. They told him to repent and that he could not hide his wickedness from God. Once he repented he would be blessed. But Job knew better, he knew that he was righteous. He knew that even righteous people would have trials and troubles.

Then Job heard the voice of God. God asked Job many questions. Questions like what did Job know about the clouds, the snow, and the rain. Job told God that he did not understand everything. He did not understand why God does what he does. But he believed that men must trust God no matter what happens to them. Then Job saw God. Job had been righteous through all of his trials. Job had loved and trusted God.

God again blessed Job. He gave Job more than what he had before. More animals and servants and flocks. He and his wife had more children. Job lived to be a very old happy man and he stayed very righteous.

Having trials in our lives does not mean we are wicked. It is important that we stay righteous and that we love the Lord and trust him. Many times our trials are for our good. We can learn a lot through our trials. We don't feel that way when we are in the middle of them but we can often look back and see how we had grown through our trials. The important thing is to trust in the Lord and love him with all of our hearts.

For the children