In 2 Nephi 6–10, Jacob encourages the covenant people always to remember God, just as He always remembers us. Jacob teaches from the words of Isaiah to help his people learn about God’s promised blessings and glorify His name. Today, as we study these passages, we’ll discuss how we can fulfill those words as well.
Links:
Search Diligently the Words of Isaiah by Don Parry
Preserved in Translation by Don Parry
Segment 1
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 9:8-20 (God is great)
Words of the General Authorities:
Brothers and sisters, let us live in the spirit of “hallelujah,” ever praising the Lord God Jehovah. (Russell M. Nelson, “Come, Let Us Adore Him”, 2023 First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional)
Hebraism:
Hallelujah = Praise Jehovah, praise the Lord
Segment 2
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 6:4 (Read Isaiah to learn and glorify God)
2 Nephi 6:6-7 (The promise of the Lord)
CR: 1 Nephi 21:22-23
CR: 2 Nephi 10:9
CR: Isaiah 49:22-23
Isaiah 49:13-17 (Graven on the palms of His hands)
Segment 3
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 9:1 (Understanding covenants)
Isaiah 49:26, 1 Nephi 21:26 (Divinity of Jesus)
2 Nephi 7:1, Isaiah 50:1 (The bill of your divorcement)
CR: Deuteronomy 24:1-4
CR: D&C 133:66-69
Segment 4
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 8:1-3, Isaiah 51:1-3 (Hearken and wait)
Genesis 17:1 (Walk and be perfect)
2 Nephi 6:5 (Liken the words of Isaiah)
2 Nephi 8:9,17,24 (Awake awake)
D&C 113:7-8 (The strength of Zion is the priesthood)
Words of the General Authorities:
What does it mean to have access to priesthood power? It means that we can receive revelation, be blessed and aided by the ministering of angels, learn to part the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father, be strengthened to resist temptation, be protected, and be enlightened and made smarter than we are; all without any mortal intermediary. (Sheri Dew, “Women and the Priesthood: What One Latter-day Saint Woman Believes”)
Segment 5
Hebraisms:
Chiasmus in Book of Mormon
2 Nephi 9:20 ex. ABBA
2 Nephi 9:38 ex. ABBA
2 Nephi 9:28 ex. ABCCBA
Repetition
Zephaniah 1 ex. Day
Helaman 5 ex. Remember
Alma 27 ex. Joy
2 Nephi 9 ex. Wo
Use of “and”
Helaman 3:14 ex. This and this and this instead of our modern list and comma form
Antithetical Parallelism
2 Nephi 9:39 ex. Carnally-minded is death / spiritually-minded is life eternal
Synonymous Parallelism
2 Nephi 9:52 ex. Pray by day / give thanks by night
Word Pairs
2 Nephi 9:52 ex. Day & Night
Alma 29:5 ex. Good & Evil
Revelatory Speech Forms:
2 Nephi 9:27-38 ex. Wo form
2 Nephi 9:16 ex. Oath form “as the Lord liveth”
CR: 1 Nephi 4:32
Words of the General Authorities:
Isaiah described the spirit of the Book of Mormon as “familiar.” It resonates with people who know the Old Testament, especially those who are conversant with its Hebrew language. The Book of Mormon is rich with Hebraisms—traditions, symbolisms, idioms, and literary forms. It is familiar because more than 80 percent of its pages came from Old Testament times. (Russell M. Nelson, “The Exodus Repeated”, BYU Speeches September 7, 1997)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 10:3 (Christ will be his name)
Words of the General Authorities:
But the ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind.
Nephi described three manifestations of the ministering of angels when he reminded his rebellious brothers that (1) they had “seen an angel,” (2) they had “heard his voice from time to time,” and (3) also that an angel had “spoken unto [them] in a still small voice” though they were “past feeling” and “could not feel his words”. Most angelic communications are felt or heard rather than seen. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament”, October 1998 General Conference)
View transcript here.