2 Nephi 11-25

2 Nephi 11

After sharing Jacob’s words, Nephi publicized

That Jacob and he saw the Lord with their own eyes!

Isaiah had also seen Jesus; He’s the third.

God has said by three witnesses He proves His word.

Nephi took delight in proving that Christ would come,

And that, without Him, to death we would all succumb.

So he chose to quote from Isaiah’s words again.

He hoped those who read would liken the words to them.

2 Nephi 12

This chapter exhibits how Hebrew poetry

Expresses a thought or idea repeatedly.

In his dream, Isaiah saw the house of the Lord.

We call this the temple, where truths have been restored.

Anyone who entered would learn our Father’s ways.

How we need the temple in these, the latter days!

So many are proud.  They are lost or gone astray.

They will be humbled when it comes to judgment day!

At His Second Coming, when the Lord shakes the earth, 

We’ll see that a humble heart is of greater worth.

Those whose hearts are set on their silver or their gold

Will learn it’s worthless!—It’s impossible to hold!

Believe it or not, we call this idolatry—

If we don’t love God as much as our property. 

2 Nephi 13

Afterward, Isaiah saw how Jerusalem

For its many sins would be punished and condemned.

Even all the mighty and those who had excelled

In the end had rewarded evil to themselves.

Because all their doings had been against the Lord

Their people would suffer and perish by the sword.

This promise came true around 600 BC

When the Jews were taken into captivity.

We, too, will be punished, of that we can be sure

If we’re wicked and if we don’t care for the poor.

Isaiah foresaw how our time would be obsessed

With our worldly goods, with our looks and how we dress.

We need to watch out.  The Lord isn’t pleased with this

If we get too caught up in all this worldliness.

All these worldly assets that we set our hearts on

Are ever so fleeting—they will, one day, be gone!

2 Nephi 14

Then Isaiah shared what a future time would hold.

God would purge the wicked out, as had been foretold.

Then would come a great day for the righteous left behind.

God would protect every home and give them peace of mind.

He’ll defend them all the time and, like the Israelites,

He will be a cloud by day, a flaming fire by night.

2 Nephi 15

Then Isaiah likened the house of Israel

To a fruitful vineyard that God had tended well.

Though He cared for His vineyard like it was His child,

All the grapes that it produced were sour—they all were wild!

We know that this story is symbolic and it meant

That, despite His care, God’s children would choose to sin.

Heavenly Father wondered what more He could have done

He had worked so hard to grow grapes in His garden.

He felt all His work for the vineyard was in vain.

So He ceased His efforts and even stopped the rain!

The Jews’ wicked fruit—their pride and iniquity

Led to their destruction and their captivity.

There are still some today who twist the truth and would 

Lie, saying that good is evil and evil’s good.

Though the Lord is angry and finds sin offensive,

His hand is stretched out—He’s still willing to forgive.

After all the Jews’ trials and tribulations

God would lift an ensign to gather the nations.

Just as men use ensigns as flags to gather men

Men are drawn to God’s church, now that it’s here again.

Missionaries go forth and, like young lions, roar—

Testifying that God’s Gospel has been restored.

2 Nephi 16

Next, Isaiah testified that he had been shown 

God, surrounded by angels, sitting on His throne.

These angels (called seraphs) had wings that symbolize

How we ought use our pow’r to act throughout our lives.

Two wings covered their faces to show reverence.

Two covered their feet, meaning we need to repent. 

The last two were used to fly, to show us that we should 

Always try to be engaged in causes that are good.

Isaiah felt unclean—he thought he wasn’t whole

So a seraph cleaned his mouth by means of a coal.

Afterward, God asked who his next prophet would be.

Isaiah replied, “Here am I; [you can] send me.”

He was called to tell God’s people that they must repent.

But was warned that they’d reject him wherever he went.

After many years wasted in iniquity,  

A remnant would come to the truth eventually. 

2 Nephi 17

Isaiah foresaw that his home would be attacked

By Israel, from the North, and by Syria, in fact.

Isaiah told Ahaz—king of Jerusalem—

That he and his people had no need to fear them

When they were threatened by the King of Syria.

These foes would be overcome by Assyria.

After this, Isaiah would go on to foretell 

That many would call Jesus Christ “Immanuel.”

This title is a source of hope and happiness 

Its exact translation means that “God is with us.”

2 Nephi 18

God told Isaiah of a son his wife would have

And that they should name him “Maher-shalal-hash-baz.”

This name meant “quick to the plunder” and signified

How their land would soon be conquered and occupied.

The Assyrians took into captivity 

Israelites, who’d stay there till 540 BC.

At that time, they would be freed by Cyrus the Great

Who allowed them to return to their old estate.

Even so, Isaiah was told he shouldn’t fear.

God, our sanctuary, had promised to stay near!

But some will deny Him.  They have no common sense! 

They will see the Savior as a rock of offense.

Rather than listen, they have chosen to discard

Any truth they hear; they will take it to be hard.

They will seek for truth in places that are absurd

From “familiar spirits,” and from and “peeping wizards.”

If you want answers about what comes after death,

Don’t ask men, ask God!  After all, He gave you breath. 

2 Nephi 19

Isaiah went on, saying that in Galilee,

After their afflictions, a great light would be seen.

This came true; Galilee is where Jesus would live.

Thanks to His Atonement, He broke our yoke of sin.

He is that “great light” who has made our joy increase.

He has many titles, such as the “Prince of Peace.”

He was a descendant of David, as foreseen,

And was born in Bethlehem, called “David’s city.”

Though His children sin and leaders cause them to err,

God’s hand is stretched out.  He will never cease to care!

2 Nephi 20

Isaiah then warned that the people should do more

For the fatherless, for the widows and the poor.

For this wickedness the Assyrians would come

And destroy the lands all around Jerusalem.

But when they forgot God and they began to boast.

Thousands of Assyrians would give up the ghost.

And a remnant of Israel would then be restored 

If they learned to trust God—to stay upon the Lord.

This is true for us if we ever feel oppressed.

If we stay patient and we trust Him we’ll be blessed.

2 Nephi 21

Next, Isaiah shared that someday Jesus would come.

This would start an age known as the “Millennium.”

He had seen the knowledge that Jesus would possess

And how He would judge His people with righteousness.

With Jesus in charge, it will be so peaceful that

Kids could play with leopards and lions, just like cats! 

Everyone will be full of knowledge of the Lord

And they’ll gather from the four corners of the world.

2 Nephi 22

At that time we’ll trust God and praise Him all day long

For the Lord Jehovah is our strength and our song!

2 Nephi 23

Isaiah foresaw that within two centuries

His people would be taken in captivity.

He knew tens of thousands of Jews would then be gone—

Taken captive by the Empire of Babylon.

But Isaiah knew that their exile would be brief.

He was right!  After 50 years they got relief.

Because of their pride and their great iniquity

God promised to destroy Babylon speedily.

Though God promised His people would be shown mercy,

The wicked would be punished for their “arrogancy.”

Isaiah had warned of this empire’s future fate:

Babylon fell to Persia’s king—Cyrus the Great.

Babylon’s a symbol; it stands for worldliness.

And, like in the Bible, our world today’s a mess!

Just as Babylon’s fall resulted from its sin

All those who are wicked will fall into ruin.

2 Nephi 24

Isaiah told the Jews that, though they’d be oppressed,

Someday they’d return to their lands where they could rest.

Afterward, of Babylon’s king it would be said

“All your lands and power will be gone when you’re dead!”

Just like Lucifer, the king’s reasoning was flawed:

Lucifer had tried to put his throne over God’s!

That’s why he was cast out and became the devil.

And when the king died, he’d fall to that same level.

2 Nephi 25

Nephi loved Isaiah’s words so much that he yearned

That we’d plainly read them and have a chance to learn.

But he knew Isaiah is hard to understand

If you’re not familiar with Isaiah’s homeland.

He left us a promise: Isaiah’s words would be

Plain if we’re filled with the spirit of prophecy.

Likewise, Nephi wanted to make it understood

That The Book of Mormon was written for our good.

It is of great worth! And he warned us afterwards 

That, at the last day, we will be judged by its words!

He also revealed that he’d seen the Savior’s day

And how all who believe on His name shall be saved.

Though our works show Jesus we love Him—this is true!

Only His grace saves us, after all we can do.

That’s why all the prophets have worked and sacrificed

So they could rejoice, talk, and prophesy of Christ!

© 2020 by N. Noelle Maes