Getting through this large block of Isaiah material is notoriously challenging. But back in 1 Nephi 11–14, Nephi developed a framework which has been called "the Nephite prophetic view," which can be a great aid in understanding what Isaiah is saying. Taking Nephi as your guide is your best chance of success. Nephi’s four stages are apparent as the four chapters, 1 Nephi 11, 12, 13 and 14, divide naturally into these four stages:
Stage 1: Christ’s coming (1 Nephi 11)
Stage 2: his rejection and the scattering of the Jews (1 Nephi 12)
Stage 3: the day of the Gentiles (1 Nephi 13)
Stage 4: the restoration of Israel and the ultimate victory of good over evil (1 Nephi 14)
In 2 Nephi 12–14, Nephi uses Isaiah as a witness to the visions of the future that he had also received from the Lord. Nephi will then interpret these Isaiah passages in 2 Nephi 25–30, following this same four-stage pattern. But in Isaiah’s case, elements of these four stages are scattered among Isaiah’s recorded sayings. Many of Isaiah’s prophecies were short sayings, several of which have been combined into one long scrapbook of the words of Isaiah, which was only divided into chapters much later.
Watch for the development of these same four stages in Nephi’s selection of Isaiah prophecies. As a handy guide to Isaiah 2–14, notice how the following statements by Isaiah can be easily clustered under each of Nephi’s four stages:
| 7:10–16 | A sign is given of the birth of Immanuel (see also 1 Nephi 11:13–18), but the land will be forsaken |
| 7:17–25 | The land of Judah will be desolate, filled with briers |
| 8:1–8 | "As this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah" (v. 6) they will be overrun |
| 8:9–40 | Those who counsel against God will come to naught |
| 8:11–18 | The Lord will be a "sanctuary" for some, but "a stone of stumbling" for others (v. 14); "I will look for [the Lord]" (v. 17) |
| 9:1–7 | A "great light" has shined, "for unto us a son is given" (v. 6) |
| 9:8–17 | The proud will be devoured, for they do not seek the Lord; their leaders "cause them to err" (v. 16; see also 2 Nephi 10:5; Isaiah 3:12), and they that follow them are destroyed (cf. 2 Nephi 10:6) |
| 3:1–4:1 | The stay will be taken away from Judah; Jerusalem will be ruined; proud men and women will fall |
| 5:1–25 | "What could I have done more [for] my vineyard?" (v. 4); "my people are gone into captivity" (v. 13); the anger of the Lord is against his people, but he will still lift up an ensign for them (vv. 25–26) |
| 6:1–12 | How long will they not understand? Until the land is "utterly desolate" (v. 11) |
| 8:18–22 | Those with no light in them will be driven to darkness |
| 9:18–21 | "No man shall spare his brother" (v. 19); all will be against each other (see also 1 Nephi 12:21); but the Lord’s "hand is stretched out still" (v. 21) |
| 5:26–30 | He will "lift up an ensign to the nations" (v. 26); "they shall come with speed" (v. 26) |
| 6:13 | A portion will return |
| 10:20–23 | The remnant of Israel will return |
| 11:10–16 | An ensign will stand for the Gentiles; the Lord will recover the remnant a second time from the islands of the sea and from all the nations |
| 2:6–9, 11 | Idolatry in the land will be destroyed |
| 2:12–22 | The lofty "shall be brought low" (v. 12) |
| 10:1–19 | In the day of visitation, God will punish the wicked and will "burn and devour [them] in one day" (v. 17) |
| 10:24–34 | The Lord will "stir up a scourge" (v. 26) and lop off the haughty bough with terror (see v. 33) |
| 13:1–22 | "The day of the Lord is at hand" (v. 6); he will destroy the sinners and cause arrogance to cease (see v. 11); God will destroy the wicked speedily |
| 14:9–28 | "Hell … is moved" (v. 9); Lucifer is fallen, cast out like a great and "abominable branch" (v. 19); See Book of Mormon Central, "Why Did Lehi ‘Suppose’ the Existence of Satan? (2 Nephi 24:12)," KnoWhy 43 (February 29, 2016). |
| 2:1–5 | The Lord’s house and peace will be established; See Book of Mormon Central, "Has the Prophecy of the Lord’s House Established in the Mountains been Fulfilled? (2 Nephi 12:2)," KnoWhy 41 (February 25, 2016). |
| 2:10–11 | "The Lord alone shall be exalted" (v. 11) |
| 4:2–6 | The branch of the Lord will be beautiful; a tabernacle will be in Jerusalem, "cloud … by day" and a "fire by night" |
| 11:1–9 | "A rod [will grow] out of the stem of Jesse" (v. 1) and will judge the earth with righteousness; the wolf and the lamb shall dwell in peace, and "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord" (v. 9) |
| 12:1–6 | The righteous will be comforted; "God is my salvation"; "with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" |
| 14:1–8 | "the Lord will have mercy" and choose Israel; they will return to their lands (v. 1); "the whole earth is at rest" (v. 7) |
| 14:29–32 | Zion is established |
Studying 2 Nephi 12–24 this way, see how many more words of Isaiah you can relate to Nephi’s four main prophetic stages. This approach offers power in not only interpreting the words of Isaiah, but also analyzing the prophetic outlook of all writers in the Book of Mormon who follow in Nephi’s tradition. The writings of Isaiah are puzzling for all modern readers, but the fact that Isaiah’s complicated overall scheme goes hand in hand with Nephi’s world-view adds additional credence to Nephi’s testimony that he and Isaiah were talking about the same things. In 2 Nephi 25–30, Nephi’s use of Isaiah in light of his prophetic overview will make coherent sense of these impossibly difficult passages. That is no small feat. See if using this interpretive tool doesn’t make your reading of these Isaiah chapters your best time through them ever.
John W. Welch, "Getting through Isaiah with the Help of the Nephite Prophetic View," in Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, ed. Donald W. Parry and John W. Welch (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1998), 19–45.
Book of Mormon Central, "What Vision Guides Nephi’s Choice of Isaiah Chapters? (2 Nephi 11:2)," KnoWhy 38 (February 22, 2016).
Book of Mormon Central, "Who Are the Witnesses of Christ in 2 Nephi? (2 Nephi 11:2–3)," KnoWhy 37 (February 19, 2016).