The Two Omitted Verses

Ironic though it may seem, the Lord apparently omitted the two verses for the purpose of accentuating their significance. They point firmly to the causal situation that requires the redemption of which other verses of the chapter speak. Surely the resurrected Jehovah of the Old Testament, who dictated these words to Isaiah in the first place, did not forget that these two illuminating verses were there. They shed valuable light on other significant prophecies, and they attract the correlating light of similar passages. As with his use of parables, perhaps Christ intended that only those earnestly seeking to understand might find this "missing" signal.

The first of these verses (Isaiah 52:4) verifies the parallel between the deliverance of the children of Israel from the Egyptians anciently and their deliverance from the Assyrian in the latter days. (Isa. 10:24-27.)

"My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause." (Isa. 52:4.)

This verse, standing alone, would not be accurate as a recitation of history. It was apparently designed to serve another purpose. Recall that the Lord said, "...The last shall be first, and the first, last." (Matt. 20:16; 1 Ne. 13:42.) Following this sequence, the last salvation anciently, which was spiritual/religious, through Jesus Christ, was the first brought about in the latter days through Joseph Smith. The first salvation of the house of Israel, which was temporal/political, through Moses, will be the last salvation, through the instrumentality of the Davidic servant. Anciently the captivity came via the Egyptians. In the latter-days, it will come via the "Assyrian." (Isa. 8:7; 10:5,6,24; 14:25; Micah 5:5; 7:12.)

The second omited verse, Isaiah 52:5 holds yet other important links to additional important prophecies. Note the mention of "blasphemy" in the context of the Lord's people being oppressed "for nought."

"Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people [house of Israel] is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed." (52:5.)

"Blasphemy" is not mentioned frequently in prophecy, but when it does appear, it is usually in highly significant contexts. Daniel and John both spoke of a ten-horned beast that would tread down all the earth, make war against the saints of God, and prevail against them for forty-two months.⁽¹⁾ A distinguishing feature of this beast was its blasphemy of God and his throne.⁽²⁾ (Rev. 13:6; Dan. 7:25.) This imagery indicates that Satan's kingdom will be established temporarily on the earth. (1 Ne. 22:22.)

Unfortunately, this sin of blasphemy is not just "out there" in the "heathen" world. Doctrine and Covenants 112:26 specifically mentions this as the very reason that the Lord's arm of vengeance will fall first upon His house -- speaking of the latter-day saints who, as the Lord said, "Have professed to know my name and have not known me and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house." (D&C 112:24-26; 1 Pet. 4:17.) The members of God's church were ordained to be the salt of the earth and the saviors of men. (Matt. 5:13; Mark 9:49,50; Luke 14:35; 3Ne. 16:5; D&C 101:39,40; D&C 103:10.) Had they been such, they could have prevented the kingdoms of the world from ever prevailing. (D&C 103:6,7; Dan. 7:18.) This was a "decree" of the Lord. (103:5,6.) Instead, the lives of innumerable devout saints around the world have been terrorized, and many are even losing their lives; all because those who were ortained to be the salt of the earth have lost their savor. The blood of those saints must and will be avenged. (Ether 8:22,24; D&C 87:7.) The salt will be cast out and trodden under foot. (D&C 103:10; 3 Ne. 16:15.) Therefore, Ezra Taft Benson has said, "There is a cleansing coming. ...I look forward to that cleansing; its need within the Church is becoming increasingly apparent."⁽³⁾ Blaspheme against God in his house and hiding the light that we are ordained to eminate, causes the Lord's anger to be kindled.

These two verses in Isaiah 52 bring in a most sober element of caution to this otherwise encouraging chapter. The Lord's intentional omission of these two verses seems to serve as a type and warning. The Isaiah verses he quotes are filled with optimism -- hope of salvation in the latter days -- while the omission focused on the deplorable cause of the calamities from which the Lord's people will be delivered. So it is with us if we focus only on the pleasing aspects of the gospel and chose to ignore the reason redemption is needed in the first place. Such unballanced exclusion of reality is probably what leads to the complacent and damning exclaimation, "All is well!" (2 Ne. 28:25.) Ironically, those who fit this category are usually the very ones who point the finger of scorn at those who study the prophecies, calling them unballanced, or extreme. If we carefully search and heed the scriptures we will know that all is not well. We will be well aware of why it is that the saints of God will prevail only through the interposition of the Holy One of Israel. Knowing the causes of the downfall, we can be more effective in our endeavor to align with God and not contribute to the destructive spiral.

Another of the prophetic keys presented in 3 Nephi 20 is the understanding that the redemption of Zion and the redemption of Jerusalem, though occurring at separate times, follow the same pattern.⁽⁴⁾ This is in accordance with the concept that the principles of salvation that apply to one nation or civilization also apply to another. Zion will be redeemed in the same fashion as Jerusalem, but not at the same time. This concept is seen in all fifty-five verses in the standard works which mention both "Zion" and "Jerusalem."⁽⁵⁾

Christ presented this truth by using what we will define here as a "parallel intersection." At first, he spoke about the redemption of Zion, but then he shifted to speaking of the redemption of Jerusalem, which parallels Zion's redemption. He began the prophecy speaking of the redemption of Zion, which will culminate in the building of the New Jerusalem. (20:12-22.) He then cited principles that are central to both the redemption of Zion and Jerusalem, namely that these are to the fulfilling of the Abrahamic covenant, which is what Christ's second coming is all about. (20:23-26.) After speaking of these principles common to both Zion and Jerusalem, Christ then went back to the same starting point as he did in speaking of the redemption of Zion: that is, he spoke about the Gentiles as having been raised up as a mighty nation but then hardening their hearts. (20:27,28; compare 20:15.) From this common point -- the "intersection," as it were -- Christ then shifted to speaking of the redemption of Jerusalem. (20:29.) The parallel histories do not intersect in actuality; the Gentiles who scattered the house of Israel (Lamanites) in America and the Gentiles who scattered the Jews do not coincide, either in time-frame or identity. We call it an "intersection" because the flow of the writing is as if one event was giving rise to the next, but the events are in actuality, separate. It is an intersection of patterns, not time. This phenomenon occurs often in the scriptures and is an important tool for discovering and expanding parallels themes.

Endnotes:

1. See "Temporary Bondage" section of "Chapter Seven: Again the Second Time."

Feedback:

"Would God that ALL the Lord's People Were PROPHETS"

Free Energy News • Patriot Saints • Inter-Continental Congress