There's more to cover than we could possibly cover, so I invite you to think of some of your favorite chapters of verses within a chapter to highlight things and lets see what we talk about - One thing, showing multiple fulfillments - Isaiah 13&14 - talking about Babylon but clearly talking about Satan.
Christ vs. Satan
Good vs Evil
Zion vs. Babylon (short lived empire, less than 100 years and it's gone)
Lamb vs. Beast
Virgin vs. Harlot
My favorite part of study this week were these thoughts shared on Real Talk, which I try to transcribe a little bit below (though I have not proof read yet)
There might be an idea to not talk about Satan - we don’t want to talk about Lucifer and the bad things... we don't want to talk about darkness cause that’s inviting the dark. But in a popular Seminary video about that Moses encounter ("I Am A Son of God"), Elder Holland says the same thing as he narrated and just says we need to have a healthy respect right for his reality, the reality of darkness & evil. (Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence) Holland: "I acknowledge the reality of opposition and adversity, but I bear witness of the God of Glory, of the redeeming Son of God, of light and hope and a bright future. I promise you that God lives and loves you, each one of you, and that he has set bounds and limits to the opposing powers of darkness. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the victor over death and hell and the fallen one who schemes there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true."
So if one idea is don't talk about Satan and darkness, then the opposite side of the pendulum is if it swings over to being hyper focused that: everything is evil! Which the reality is, and I think Isaiahs really showing us this cycle - that the opposition is real, the eneny is real, and if we allow the thought to be over here on this side that somehow "Satan is way more powerful than us" because he’s got this big army of his minions, I just think we need to know, like Moses, where our glory is and our power! We have bodies! We have access to priesthood power through our covenant men and women have power to that to bring into their homes to battle against Lucifer, so KNOW your power, KNOW your glory, and then KNOW the enemy. It's all of that. When we let him be anonymous, he has power. When we call him out but know our power, he’s weakened.
Isaiah 14 versus 15 -17, where Isaiah looking forward sees the ultimate destiny of Satan and darkness and evil, he says, speaking to Lucifer, "Satan thou shall be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit they that see the shall narrowly look upon thee so there’s a squinting in disbelief - and I consider the saying "is this the man that made the earth to tremble and did shake kingdoms of the earth..." THAT's what I was scared of!?!?! Now I want you to think about the way you perceive the earth right now. You may look around and it's like "Oh, Satan's Winning!! Yep." That's never come out of the mouth of a Christian who believes and studies the words of Isaiah! Satan is NOT winning! He’s never winning! He’s never won! and he WON'T win!!!! That’s that’s the miracle in the glory of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice! AMEN! They say this in verse 17 "he that made the world open not the house of the prisoners" prisoners like those who are taken by sin right this is the guy that refused to let go and see my child who is struggling and mortality chains of addiction - who, by implication, this means at this point time, in the future, healing has taken place. Everything is fine! We already know the end. So this reality of the overall victory over darkness and evil through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is just a matter of time. And it is universal. Isaiah 14 again 25 through 27 then shall lucifer's yoke depart from off them (whom?) this event for redemption peace he goes on the same 26 and 27 for the whole earth upon all nations. Not just a little selective group that knew this or knew that or has access to this or that... The destiny is ALL. ALL experience this healing. (Better be writing hope by that verse!)
So a question to consider as we continue to move through this: who do you know that is currently in a prison of darkness, a prison of their own choices that have put them in the prison. Remember Isaiah (this is a beautiful beautiful thing you’ll see an Isaiah too…) he often emphasizes the self inflicted nature of our suffering “you did it to yourself” Other times he talks about how our suffering comes from outside sources (or just the effect of mortality) Suffering comes from all different places but in those situations where our suffering is self-inflicted, through our bad choices, the promise of eventual healing and comfort is exactly the same. It does not change. We love to attach conditions… “hello you got yourself there so God‘s not gonna help you…” <- false! We love to attach conditions to the healing, to Gods Grace… Granted we’ve got to consider all doctrine‘s together - we will never move farther on the path towards God then then WE will allow him to take us, BUT we also have a God who will never stop offering to take us as far as we want to go! So, think about people who are in despair, in sin, who are struggling, and think “that persons healing is just a matter of time” Lucifer’s yoke vs yoke of Christ
Nephi spend so much time of Isaiah Nephi from my perspective OK at this point my life he seems have gone through a transition in his life in terms of his perception of God and God‘s plan of salvation changes and stewardships right in the role of Jesus Christ please have the outcome of it seems to me that early on in the face like his per his Jesus forecast for salvation we have been a little narrow perhaps you know like on your select group will get there for like a better face but by the end of his life when he has now quoted to us Isaiah Isaiah Isaiah humbled by a life long in a collection of experiences he is still in Isaiah commentary mode in second he 533 when he’s finishing everything up and this is what he says he says hi glory in plains hi glory and truth hi glory and my Jesus for he hath redeemed my soul from hell. Think of 2Ne 4- the psalm of Nephi remember what Where is like I’m a piece of garbage… 2 Ne 33:6 position versus a seven and 12 if I said this instead of this uncharacteristic optimism I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ that I shall meet you at 12 I actually pray specifically to the father in the name of Jesus Christ that many of us if not all will be saved in the kingdom of the great last day
I think that optimism of server abroad or for a forecast of eventual healing and exaltation comes in large part because of his immersion in the words of Isaiah he’s a student of the good news is her to know what you can hear them all right right. Already know what about Sacha Sacha group Were never going to deny the doctrine of Agency but we just need to understand that Agency is eternal and it is and if the atoning grace of Jesus Christ is infinite and eternal again the only thing that will limit us in our progression now and forever is us and so a lot of the strikes to our perception of humanity some people just don’t think that certain people are good at their core. I I believe that everyone on earth that chose Jesus before they came here by the way when they could see clearly I think everybody has that I need to find sparked a fire within the light of crimes and my personal life experiences to prove this to me I didn’t want light when I was 18 I didn’t want Jesus at my center but guess what he came to me and he woke me up and so here I am today if you can do that for me and so many others for everybody and what hopeful message when you start to look at each other yes and your family members and your coworkers your interactions so we getting the message so again listen to our prophesied responses
Is he says you’re gonna you’re gonna look back on this one day and that’s what you’re gonna say Isaiah 20 50 Lord our my God I will exalt thee I will praise the name Flower has done wonderful things die councils of all our faith honest and true verses seven through nine he will destroy this mountain (meaning millennial earth I think in this context specifically or celestial earth moving forward) he’s in the future here he will destroy on this earth the face of the covering cast over all people and the veil that is spread over all nations he will swallow up death and victory in the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth for the Lord has spoken and it shall be said that day low this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us! This is the Lord! we have waited for him! We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation now the problem is I think that a lot of us in traditional Christianity say that the only people waiting for Jesus are the perfectly righteous awake ones you know in the line of truth if you don’t think that those we traditionally label as wicked evil and in darkness if you don’t think that they are waiting waiting for healing waiting for comfort waiting for joy you have not spent much time in darkness cause I can tell you as someone who’s been there in your moment alone there’s nothing you want more and it’s my testimony that Christ will come and give that healing one day. That’s Isaiahs message over and over
