This whole week I have been reading about the prophecies of Christ in Isaiah and in The Book of Mormon. I really am fascinated by the prophecies about the gospel of Jesus Christ will be an Ensign to the nations. For those of you who don't know what the word ensign means, don't stress, fear, or worry I looked it up. Ensign means a flag or standard. This is very interesting to me. I think that the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly a flag to those who believe in His word. He wants us to come to Him so He provides a way with His gospel. (For those of you who keep up with my study I study out of the King James version of the Bible, and out of the Book of Mormon.)
The first scripture I read was Isaiah 5:26. This verse of scripture is talking about how Christ is preparing His people for when He will come again. The verse of scripture reads "And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth : and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:" This is kind of hard to understand but I am going to break it down. He lifts up an ensign which we discovered before was a flag or a standard. This ensign is Christ's teachings, His gospel. He is able to lift it up because of the technology that we have today. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is able to be brought to all nations and kindreds through missionary work which is also describing the second part. I hope this is making sense!
The next scripture that I read was Isaiah 11:12. This verse is describing the mission of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). It is also describing the last dispensation of time, how the Lord will gather Israel. I also really like this verse because it is talking about the Kingdom of God. All these references that I have listed are referencing to the ensign, the standard or flag. Us as members of the Church are trying to gather Israel through missionary work, and trying to get everyone to come unto the Kingdom of God.
Isaiah 18: 1-7 is the next scriptures that I read. I will be honest with you, this one was a little confusing to me. The verse that had the word 'ensign' in it said this though, "3. All ye inhabitants of the world , and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet hear ye." So, the first part is pretty self explanatory. The second part has dual meaning. This could mean the missionary work that is being brought forth today, it could also mean the House of the Lord, which we as members of the church believe is the temple. I think it could also mean how we are able to broadcast our teachings and sermons on television, and internet. Then as the verses go on I am not sure what they mean... maybe someday I will study them a little bit more and tell you viewers what my interpretation of them is.
This next part is a commentary of one of the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints about Isaiah 5: 26-30. It came from a manual that we as members use to study the Old Testament. Here is the quote:
Elder LeGrand Richards provided this modern-day application of the prophet’s words: “Since there were neither trains nor airplanes in that day, Isaiah could hardly have mentioned them by name. However, he seems to have described them in unmistakable words. How better could ‘their horses’ hoofs be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind’ than in the modern train? How better could ‘their roaring … be like a lion’ than in the roar of the airplane? Trains and airplanes do not stop for night. Therefore, was not Isaiah justified in saying: ‘none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken’? With this manner of transportation the Lord can really ‘hiss unto them from the end of the earth,’ that ‘they shall come with speed swiftly.’” (Israel! Do You Know?, p. 182.)
I really like the quote because it makes reading those verses so much more simpler. Elder LeGrand Richards is able to explain what those verses mean in words that I could not even voice. Elder LeGrand Richards is explaining how great and vast the missionary work has become. He has interpreted the words of Isaiah. Isaiah is explaining something that he has never seen before. Elder LeGrand Richards is able to take the things that Isaiah has said and interpret it into modern language.
I am going to switch gears a little bit. I would like to share a hymn's lyrics called "High on a Mountain Top" Here are the lyrics:
High On A Mountain TopLyrics High on the mountain top A banner is unfurled. Ye nations, now look up; It waves to all the world. In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land, On Zion's mount behold it stand! For God remembers still His promise made of old That he on Zion's hill Truth's standard would unfold! Her light should there attract the gaze Of all the world in latter days. His house shall there be reared, His glory to display, And people shall be heard In distant lands to say: We'll now go up and serve the Lord, Obey his truth, and learn his word. For there we shall be taught The law that will go forth, With truth and wisdom fraught, To govern all the earth. Forever there his ways we'll tread, And save ourselves with all our dead. Text: Joel H. Johnson So, now I would like to point out two themes that are very apparent in the verses of scripture and in this song. First, in the verses of scripture they were talking about an ensign, or standard. This standard is the gospel of Jesus Christ. This standard is His teachings. In the song it is talking about "Truth's standard would unfold." What is truth's standard? It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what we as people, as children of God should look up to. A second theme that I found in the verses of scripture and this song is the call to missionary work. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have been called to bring all people unto the Lord. As Isaiah saw in his vision (Isaiah 5:26-30) the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are able to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ a lot more swiftly than was possible. In the hymn it is saying how in the latter days more and more people will be looking for the standard of the nation which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord extends His merciful hand to the nations through missionary work, through Christ, and His gospel. He is hastening the work because He wants us to be able to return to Him. As members of the Church we have been called to help in His work. |
No comments:
Post a Comment