The Sure Mercies of David
What about the correlation between c and c'? In c, Christ spoke of himself; in c', he spoke of his "servant." What might this mean? Earlier in 3 Nephi 20, in verse 23, Christ mentioned Moses' prophecy. Moses spoke of a prophet like unto himself, admonishing, "...Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people." (3 Ne. 20:23.) After citing this prophecy, Christ then declared, "I am he of whom Moses spake...." Picking up this theme again in the next chapter, he quoted the last part of 20:45 in 21:8. Speaking of his "servant" (21:10), he states, "Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles..., (it shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant" (21:11, parenthesis in original).
How is it that in one chapter Christ declares that He is that one like unto Moses, but in the next chapter indicates that his servant is that prophet? Might this prophecy have multiple fulfillments: Moses, Christ, Joseph Smith , the Davidic Servant, the tow prophets to be raised up in Jerusalem? In any of these cases, couldn't we also say it is Christ we are really talking about? for all the others serve merely as spokesmen and types. Mormon provides the answer to this question, saying, "Whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not receive them at the last day." (3 Ne. 28:34.) The context of Moroni's statement coincides with the context in 3 Nephi 21. Both are speaking of the "great and marvelous work" that will be wrought "among the Gentiles..., before that judgement day." (28:31-33; 21:9.)
An important concept contained in 3 Nephi 20 is the differentiation between the Savior's mission when he came in the meridian of time and his latter-day mission. Concerning his first coming, He said, "The Father...raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities...." (3 Ne. 20:26.) This mission enabled God's children to obtain spiritual/individual salvation. He then said, "And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham," confirming that His latter-day mission will be more a temporal/national mission.(1) (20:27.) Part of this mission, for example, entailed making the Gentiles "mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel." (20:27,15.) But then, as Christ said, "When [the Gentiles] shall have received the fullness of my gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father. And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people...." (20:28,29,15.)
As Christ did in 3 Nephi 20, Isaiah makes reference to both Christ's first and second coming within the same context. Looking at the layout of prophecy in the portion of the book of Isaiah surrounding chapter 52, reveals that chapter 52 was not meant to stand alone. Isaiah 52 (which Christ quotes in speaking of his second coming) immediately precedes Isaiah 53, which is probably the most important discourse by Isaiah pertaining to Christ's first coming. The following passages are familiar to many Christians: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.... He was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities..., and with his stripes we are healed"? (53:4,5.) Isaiah 53 has been referred to by many prophets of God as a substantial prophecy of Christ's atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection. (Jer. 11:19; Mosiah 14:1-12; Mark 15:28; Luke 22:37; John 12:38; Rom. 4:25; 10:16; 8:34; 1 Pet. 2:22-25; D&C 1:14,15.)
In the next chapter, 54, Isaiah addressed again the temporal/political realm. By traversing back and forth between the two -- prophecies concerning temporal salvation and those concerning spiritual salvation -- Isaiah emphasized the interrelation of the two.
Christ quoted Isaiah 54 as well, in 3 Nephi 22, but this time with virtually no alteration. Therefore -- to step back and take a look at what is developing in this region of Third Nephi -- we observe that Christ quoted Isaiah 52 (3 Ne. 20), omitted 53 (3 Ne. 21), and then quoted 54 (3 Ne. 22). In lieu of quoting 53 in 3 Nephi 21, Christ expounded further on the themes of Isaiah 52. By so doing, Christ brought out -- through omission -- the same correlations presented above: between himself and his servant, the spiritual and the temporal, his first coming and his second.
Several consecutive chapters (48-54) in this general section of Isaiah are quoted in their entirety in the Book of Mormon. (Isa. 48 = 1 Ne. 20; Isa. 49 = 1 Ne. 21; Isa. 50 = 2 Ne. 7; Isa. 51 = 2 Ne. 8; Isa. 52 = 3 Ne. 20; Isa. 53 = Mosiah 14; Isa. 54 = 3 Ne. 22.) Each of these speak extensively along the theme of the redemption of the house of Israel and the general degeneration of the Gentiles who do not repent. Even verse 54 holds an indirect application. Each has reference to the Lord's servant; hence, to the Lord. (For instance, 48:15; 49:6; 50:4-9; 51:16; 52:13-15; 53:1-3; 54:10.) After this series of quoted chapters, Isaiah 55 then speaks plainly of David: "I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people." (Isaiah 55:4.) Inviting his sheep to come under the protection of this latter-day vassal, the Good Shepherd beckons, "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (55:3.) Christ also made reference to his latter-day servant in 3 Nephi 20. His quote from Isaiah 52:43 declares, "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high." (3 Ne. 20:43.)
Though Isaiah 55 is not quoted in its entirety in the Book of Mormon, a portion of it is quoted in 2 Nephi 9 -- after the two chapters that quote Isaiah 50 and 51 (2 Ne. 7,8). Second Nephi 9, for the most part, speaks of individual/religious salvation: atonement from the fall, resurrection, judgement, faith, repentance, baptism. There are also several references interspersed that tie firmly into the political realm. Verse 9, for example, shares five entire phrases with Ether 8:25, which warns of a secret combination to come in the latter days that seeks "to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries." Second Nephi 9:47 has two phrases in common with Ether 8:24, which commands us, the Gentiles, to awaken "to a sense of [our] awful situation." Once again we see the mingling of political and religious principles, indicating their intended and destined interconnection. The one sheds light on the other and vise versa so that the humble seeker will develop an enhanced paradigm at each viewing until ultimately he perceives as God perceives.
When John concluded the book of Revelation, he too quoted Isaiah 55 (see below). (Rev. 22:18.) The book of Revelation has as one of its most prevalent themes a description of Satan's kingdom which will be set up for a brief moment until "the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever; even for ever and ever." (Dan. 7:18; Rev. 21:7; 20:4.) A beast "in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth" will make "war with the saints" and overcomes them -- excepting those "whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb." (Rev. 13:1,JST; 13:7,8.) As we have seen, the verse John quotes from Isaiah 55 is given in the context of speaking of David. Solidifying this connection, the previous verse (17) in Revelation 22 also mentions David.
Second Nephi 26 also quotes a portion of Isaiah 55 (see below) in the context of secret combinations, "even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things...; and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever." (26:22.) Reference to the religious realm of God's kingdom are interspersed in this political context. Nephi spoke of the Lord, who "doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him." (26:24.) In the next verse (26:25) he began his quotation of a portion of Isaiah 55.
Below is a listing of the correlations between Isaiah 55:1-3, 2 Nephi 9:50,51; 2 Nephi 26:25, and Revelation 22:17.
{"55" = Isaiah 55; "N" = 2 Nephi; "R" = Revelation}
55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth
N9:50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth
R22:18 And let him that is athirst come55:1 come ye to the waters
N9:50 come ye to the waters55:1 and he that hath no money
N9:50 and he that hath no money55:1 come ye, buy, and eat
N9:50 come buy and eat55:1 yea, come, buy wine and milk
N9:50 yea, come buy wine and milk
N26:25 buy milk and honey55:1 without money and without price
N9:50 without money and without price
N26:25 without money and without price
R22:18 let him take the water of life freely55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
N9:51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth55:2 and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not?
N9:51 nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy55:2 hearken diligently unto me
N9:51 Hearken diligently unto me
R22:18 And let him that heareth say, Come55:2 and eat ye that which is good
N9:51 and feast upon that which perisheth not neither can be corrupted55:2 let your soul delight itself in fatness
N9:51 let your soul delight in fatness55:3 Incline your ear
N9:40 give ear to my words
N9:51 remember the words which I have spoken55:3 and come unto me
N9:51 come unto the Holy One of Israel
N26:25 Come unto me all ye ends of the earth
R22:18 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come
The last of the above sets of phrases is the bottom line -- a theme of all scripture: "Come unto Christ."
The three verses cited above from Isaiah 55 contain admonitions and a promise. The admonitions extend from verse one through the beginning of verse three; then is extended the promise of the "everlasting covenant." (55:3; D&C 45:9.) Every admonition of these three verses is quoted by the above sources except one -- the last -- which says simply, "Hear." (Isa. 55:3.) This is the bottom line of how we come unto Christ. This is yet another omission that focuses on the thematic point of the admonitions. If we will hear, our "soul shall live." (Ibid.; 3 Nephi 21:11)
These references to the Davidic servant within the context of these prophecies indicate the significance of his role as a vassal for the Lord, Jesus Christ.(2) When the Gentiles reject their Messiah in the latter-days, they will not directly injure the resurrected, glorified personage of Jesus Christ, but they will do so by proxy in marring his servant.(3) (3 Ne. 20:44 = Isa. 52:14; 21:10; 3 Nephi 28:34,35.) The frequent allusions to this individual in the contexts in which they occur, suggests that he will play a primary role in the Lord's great and marvelous work of bringing about the covenant which Jehovah made to Abraham. As Paul said, "...So all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." (Rom. 11:26,27.) The context of this statement is in speaking of the natural and wild olive branches being "graffed in" or "cut off," according to whether or not they "take heed." (Rom. 11:23,22,21.)
In His chiasm in 3 Nephi 20 (APPENDIX K), Christ omitted from the structure, one of the Isaiah 52 verses he quoted. This verse does not hold a counterpart with the earlier segment of the chiasm. The verse he omits is 3 Nephi 20:44, which says, "As many as were astonished at thee -- his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men." Again, by the tool of "omission," Christ punctuates the importance of the concept omitted. This verse verifies that the Gentiles will mar the Lord's servant, hence fulfilling the Parable of the Pounds.
The unprofitable stewards, the "enemies" of the "nobleman," "which would not that [He] should reign over them," will be brought before the nobleman and slain before him. (19:27,12,) The reason Jesus gave this parable was "because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear." (Luke 19:11-27.) They did not realize that the political kingdom, which they expected to be set up then, would not be established until the latter days. The Gospel was taken from them and given to the Gentiles as a result. Now that we live in that day when God's kingdom will be established, the Gentiles are missing the mark by focusing only on that portion of Christ's mission that pertained to his first coming. As a result, the gospel will be taken back to the house of Israel. Thus the Lord grieved, "In that day when I came unto mine own, no man among you received me, and you were driven out. When I called again there was none of you to answer...." (D&C 133:66,67.)
Therefore, by omission -- consistent with the latter-day theme of veiling pearls with parables -- Christ expounds one of the most vital precepts pertaining to our generation. By rejecting the Lord's servant, the Gentiles will vicariously reject the Holy One of Israel. Only those who prayerfully search the scriptures and apply the messages contained theirein as dictated by the Holy Spirit will recognize the Lord's servant when he comes among them. Those who fail to do so, will become like unto those at the time of Christ who did not recognize him when he came, and crucified the Messiah.
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Endnotes:
1. See Table 2 in "Chapter 3: The Kingdom of God is Both Religious and Political."
2. For a key to understanding this concept, see James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1974, pp. 508,509. See also Avraham Gileadi's chapter on "Priesthood, Patriarchy, and Proxy Salvation," in The Last Days, Covenant Book, 1991.
3. We will not elaborate on this concept in this work, but in this context it should be brought out that the "two prophets" will apparently be to Jerusalem what the Davidic servant is to Zion.
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