Nephi's First Isaiah Chapter - Christ is coming; the unprepared will be humbled

2 Nephi 12 is Nephi's first Isaiah chapter. The main message is that Christ is coming and when he comes a few things will happen:

1) there will be peace

4 And he shall ^ajudge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

2) formerly chosen groups will have gone astray in this time

6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto ^asoothsayers like the ^bPhilistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

9 And the mean man ^aboweth ^bnot down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not.

3) Those who don't trust in God and worship him will be humbled:

11 And it shall come to pass that the ^alofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Therefore, don't trust in man, who is weak compared to God.

22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?

It appears that Nephi wants people to know the final outcome; Christ will come and bring peace and the wicked/non-believing will be humbled. In this world, we're so easily distracted and focused on things other than God. Nephi warns us to change by using Isaiah's words of prophecy about our time.

Nephi is also a witness for Isaiah. By using his words again, and by emphasizing their importance, he gives his witness that Isaiah's words are both true and important.

2 Nephi 10 and 11 - Nephi delights in showing Christ will come

Nephi purposefully chose to use Jacob's words to teach about Christ because Jacob was an eyewitness of Christ. So was Isaiah; Nephi talks about the need to use witnesses to prove things and that God has done that abundantly regarding Christ.

Here's verses explaining Nephi's thinking:

2 And now I, Nephi, write ^amore of the words of ^bIsaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily ^csaw my ^dRedeemer, even as I have seen him.

3 And my brother, Jacob, also has ^aseen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of^bthree, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more ^cwitnesses, and he proveth all his words.

Also, I think Jacob's conclusion to his 4 chapters on Isaiah is great - reconcile your actions with the way God wants you to live (as it brings happiness, joy, etc.), but then it's only through Christ's grace that you're saved:

23 Therefore, ^acheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are^bfree to ^cact for yourselves—to ^dchoose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^areconcile yourselves to the^bwill of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the ^cgrace of God that ye are ^dsaved.

Great verse, similar to 2 Nephi 26:25 that talks about grace being the way we're saved.

2 Nephi 9 - why God employs no servant at the gate of heaven

2 Nephi 9 is a great chapter that goes through a lot of detail about the plan of salvation God has for his children. I thoroughly enjoy it. There's one phrase that caught my eye when mentioned in the book the Infinite Atonement. It is 2 Nephi 9:41, which talks about the gate in front of the Celestial Kingdom/heaven. It says, "he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate."

This could be taken to mean that no one will slip by who hasn't earned the right to enter. However, there is another conclusion made by Elder Maxwell. He suggests that Christ employs no servant there because he wants to be the one to embrace those who make it. I love this interpretation and trust Elder Maxwell's opinion on the matter. Christ will be there to love all those who tried to follow him.

2 Nephi 8 - God will take care of Zion; trust in God more than man

God wants to have a set of people (as large as possible) that follow him and who He can protect.

15 But I am the Lord thy God, whose ^awaves roared; the Lord of Hosts is my name.

16 And I have ^aput my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art my ^bpeople.

It's important that we don't focus on fearing men more than we fear God:

12 ^aI am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be ^bafraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto ^cgrass?

13 And ^aforgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath ^bstretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the ^coppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?

Joseph Smith was told the same thing after the incident with the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript that were lost. D.C. 3:

7 For, behold, you should not have ^afeared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and ^bdespise his words—

8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and ^asupported you against all the fiery ^bdarts of the^cadversary; and he would have been with you in every time of^dtrouble.

Analogies of God's power - 2 Nephi 7

Isaiah speaks using analogies and prophecy, and 2 Nephi 7 contains both of these.

2 Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I ^acalled, yea, there was none to answer. O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I ^bdry up the ^csea, I make their ^drivers a wilderness and their ^efish to stink because the waters are dried up, and they die because of thirst.

Why does Israel appear to have lost faith in God and his power? They should not have because he still has all power, enough to make rivers disappear at the sound of his voice.

7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ^aashamed.

8 And the Lord is near, and he ^ajustifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will ^bsmite him with the strength of my mouth.

9 For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall ^acondemnme, behold, all they shall ^bwax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up.

I think having a face set like a flint is to be extremely firm (like a rock). Those who follow Him will not be ashamed. Also, consider Christ's need to follow his Father's will. He certainly knew a lot, being a God, but he also must have had incredible faith and patience that God's plan would work out and that the suffering would be worth it. He showed us the way in being set "like a flint."

Also, always remember that the Lord God will help us. These verses are messianic in that they represent Christ speaking about himself, but it's important to remember that he's the perfect example for us, and his attitudes and desires are things we should emulate. God will help us just as God helped Christ; in fact, God gave us Jesus in order to help us.

Have a good day.