Isaiah 13-35

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BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE DOES

ICEBREAKER

As an icebreaker to this week’s lesson I’d like to begin with a little movie trivia. According to the Library of Congress, what is considered to be the most viewed movie of all time? Do you have any guesses as to what that might be? Star Wars? Titanic? E.T.? Nope. The answer is “The Wizard of Oz.” And I’m willing to bet that most of you out there have seen or are familiar with this movie released way back in 1939.

One of the most recognizable songs from that production is the title track, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. And from that song, do you remember the reason Dorothy and her companions gave for why they were “off to see the wonderful wizard?” Because, because, because, because, because . . . because of the wonderful things he does. That’s why they made their journey down the yellow brick road.

TRANSITION

Now why would I be referencing this song and movie in a lesson about Isaiah in the Old Testament? Last week you may remember that we discussed some of the Savior’s nicknames or titles from Isaiah chapter 9. And one of those titles was “Wonderful.” Jesus is referred to as “wonderful”.

This week we’re going to dig a little bit deeper into the meaning of that title. And, just like the wonderful wizard of Oz, why does Jesus get that title? Why do WE call him “wonderful”? Because of the wonderful things he does!

Evidence of this? Turn with me to Isaiah 25:1. There Isaiah says:

“O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”

And wonderful is not the only word Isaiah is going to use to describe the works and counsels and character of Jesus Christ. Do a quick search of the following two verses and let’s add two more awesome adjectives that define our Savior .

Isaiah 28:29

29 This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

What word can we add? Excellent. He is excellent in working. Last week we found that same word in Isaiah 12:5. He hath done excellent things. And then in Isaiah 29:14

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Our other word? Marvelous. Jesus will do marvelous works amongst his people. Well that’s going to be the major theme of today’s lesson. Isaiah chapters 13-35 are going to describe many of the wonderful, excellent, and marvelous things that Christ does. And we’re going to do our best to find them. Once again, remember what Nephi said about Isaiah. “But that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their redeemer, I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah.” (1 Nephi 19:23) Nephi understood that this was a key part of Isaiah’s purpose for writing these prophesies. To persuade people to believe in the Lord their redeemer. So it shouldn’t surprise that we’ll find example after example of wonderful things about this wonderful counselor.

THE FIRST WONDERFUL THING

SEARCH

The first wonderful thing that we’re going to focus on this week is found in Isaiah chapters 13 and 14. But I find that the best introduction to the idea of those chapters is actually found in the first verse of chapter 27. What is the wonderful thing that we learn about Christ there?

27:1

In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Now who do you think this verse is talking about? Who is this crooked serpent, this dragon, the sea monster, leviathan that the Lord is going to slay with great and strong sword? It’s Satan, right? The first wonderful thing we’ll learn about Christ this week is that He will overcome Satan’s kingdom. He will destroy all evil, all wickedness and all oppression from off the face of the earth. At this time, the adversary may have free reign in the world, but it won’t remain so forever. The day will come when the whistle will blow and the game will end—the trump will sound, and the war will be over. And what will be the final outcome of this conflict? Christ wins, Satan loses. It’s just that simple. Isaiah chapters 13-14 are going to describe the defeat of that kingdom and its captain.

First. His kingdom. In chapter 13, Isaiah is going to use the historical description of the actual fall of Babylon to represent the eventual fall of Satan’s kingdom. What’s described here is really going to happen. Babylon will fall to the Persians in just one day in 539 BC. Verse 1 tells us that this chapter is going to describe the “burden” or the fall of Babylon. But we know from verse 11 that Isaiah is talking about much more than just the historical fall of Babylon. It says, “And I will punish “the world” for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity. Babylon is often used in the scriptures as a symbol for the world. And what’s going to happen to it?

Here's how I would mark this chapter, labeled “The fate of Satan’s Kingdom”. I won’t read everything I’ve marked here, but just mention some highlights.

:5 it will be destroyed.

:7 all hands will be faint, and all hearts will melt

:8 they shall be afraid, pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them, their faces shall be as flames

:11 the arrogancy of the proud will cease, he will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

:14 they will flee

:20 and Babylon “shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.”

So the future of Babylon doesn’t look very bright, does it? It will eventually fall, just like Sodom and Gomorrah did before it.

And what about all the people that Babylon oppressed during its reign of terror? What wonderful thing will the Redeemer do for them?

14:3

3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

What about their captain, though? Lucifer, referred to here as the King of Babylon. What will be his fate? This being that brought so much pain, and suffering, and violence, and fear to our world. What’s going to happen to him? And oooh, Isaiah is really going to lay into him in this chapter. Let’s pick it up in 14:4

"4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon,"

A proverb in this sense is a taunt or a satirical song as it says down in the footnotes. Like when your team is up 50 to 0 and the crowd starts to sing “Nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, goodbye!” That’s the spirit of these next verses. It’s a taunt to the opposing side. This is the “in your face, Lucifer, you’ve lost” song. And what are the words:

“How hath the oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased!

5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepters of the rulers.

6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth into singing.

8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebanon, saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us."

Here, everybody is rejoicing that Satan is gone. This being who ruled with anger and persecution is no more. Our Lord has ridded the world of his influence. And now we, like trees, begin to rejoice, because nobody is coming to try and chop us down anymore. There is no “feller” or person who cuts things down to come up against us. And so we rejoice. And what happens to Lucifer?

"9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations."

So Satan here is sent to hell, and who is there to greet him, to welcome him? The chief ones of the earth. All the evil leaders of history. So who do you picture might be there to welcome him? I picture Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Genghis Kahn, King Noah, Caligula, Osama Bin Laden, and all the other evil leaders of history you can think of. They all line up to welcome Satan into the underworld. But are they sympathetic and friendly to him? Are they rejoicing at his coming? Nope.

"10 All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?"

O, poor Satan, you couldn’t hold on to your kingdom either, eh? You lost your power just like we did. You see, there’s no love lost here between tyrants. They’re still just as self-centered and narcissistic as ever.

"11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols (or violins) is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee."

There’s no party to welcome him or celebrate his existence. Instead of the red carpet, a carpet of worms is spread out for him. Instead of a royal robe, they place a robe of worms around his shoulders. And they say.

"12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

This, of course, has reference to the pre-mortal world. Satan had such high aspirations. He was filled with pride and demanded the throne of God. But instead of a throne, now he wallows in the pit, and instead of heaven, he inherits hell. The really ironic thing about that whole pre-mortal scene is that if Satan had just been willing to follow the plan, he would have gotten what he wanted eventually. He wanted to be like God, to sit in his throne, which is exactly the blessing that following God’s plan is going to provide the faithful. We will become like God. But Satan wanted it right then, without the work, without the endurance, without the opposition. And isn’t that exactly what he tempts us to do as well? Always trying to get something for nothing. To cheat the system. Money without work. Sex without commitment. Success without honesty. Happiness without righteousness. Sadly, none of these strategies work in the long run, and this rebellion in the premortal world didn’t work out for Lucifer either.

And then we get this scathing verdict. What will people say when they finally see Satan for what he really is.

"16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee,

(how do you look narrowly at someone? Eyes kind of squinting, a furrowed brow, an expression of incredulity and astonishment)

and shall consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?"

This is the being that caused so much trouble, and heartache, and pain in my life? This worm covered loser? How did I ever fall for his tricks? Is this the man?

"17 And made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory, every one of them in his own house."

What’s he talking about here? Let’s take a little time to get what these verses are expressing. Many powerful leaders over time have built great monuments to themselves, mausoleums, or tombs in an effort to always be remembered. Death comes to all, but their egos just couldn’t stand the fact that one day they may be forgotten and wipe away the memory of their greatness. So they erect these great structures to stand the test of time. As a quick activity, can you identify these structures as examples of this phenomenon? You could even do this with your class as a handout? What are these places called?

The Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt

Lenin’s Tomb in Russia

The temple of the Great Jaguar in Tikal, Guatemala

The Terra Cotta Soldiers of Emperor Qin, in China

The Taj Mahal in India

The Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome

Thousands of tourists flock to these sites every day to admire these amazing works of architecture or to honor the people they were erected to venerate. All the kings of the nations, lie in glory, every one of them in his own house. The question Isaiah is asking here is: “Will Satan get one of these? Will there be a monument or memorial to him?” in the end. Answer: verse 19-20.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people; the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned."

So no, no monument, no memorial. No sun-burned tourists snapping selfies around his grave. I can assure you that during the millennium, nobody will be sitting around reminiscing about the good ol’ days when Satan was is power. He’ll be forgotten. A distant unpleasant memory from the past.

One of the most wonderful things our wonderful counselor will do for us is defeat Lucifer. He will slay that dragon and send him off to the oblivion of outer darkness. That will be wonderful for us.

TRUTH

In the end, Christ will win, and Satan will lose. THEREFORE, choose Christ and win with him.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

In battle, opposing armies often wear very distinct armor or uniforms to more easily identify who is friend or foe. When you look down at your spiritual uniform, which army do you feel you’ve chosen?

What indicators would lead you to that conclusion? The way you dress, the language you use, the thoughts you entertain, the things you do, the places you spend time, the people you spend time with—do they reflect Christ, or do they reflect the world?

CONCLUSION

Before we leave this thought, combine what we just learned about Satan and his Kingdom with what we learned last week about Christ and his. Hasn’t Isaiah made it pretty clear as to which side we should choose. If you got to choose which army to fight with, and you already knew which side was going to win, which would you choose? The winning side of course! Choose Jesus as your leader, your captain, and he will lead you to victory. Perhaps this would be an appropriate time to sing that great triumphant hymn: Behold a Royal Army. One of the things I love about that hymn is that deep resounding refrain of the chorus. Victory, victory, through him that redeemed us. Remember that that victory is certain, guaranteed from the foundations of this world. So choose your army wisely.

MORE WONDERFUL THINGS

Something that you’re going to notice pretty quickly about trying to teach Isaiah. There’s a tough balance that you have to strike because, if you really want to understand him, you almost have to go verse by verse, because he weaves many different ideas and pictures together into an integrated, holistic message that builds little by little on previous verses and chapters. And oh, I wish I could do that with you. That would be so fun to just walk hand in hand with you through each and every one of these chapters. They’re so rich! But you can’t do that as a teacher. Your time is limited. So instead, I find it more effective to just highlight a theme and then pull out some of the images and symbols that stand out most and give my students a taste of Isaiah’s message. I sometimes refer to this as the “stringing pearls” method of teaching. This is when you give your students the “string” or a theme that ties and connects various ideas and insights together. And then you just start stringing pearls. You pick and choose the shiniest ones you can find and examine as many as you can in the time allotted. So for the remaining chapters this week, we’re just going to string some pearls. And I’ve already given you the string. It’s “the wonderful things he does”.

ICEBREAKER

Before we get into that “stringing of pearls”, allow me to give you one more icebreaker type activity that you could do with your classes to add some variety as you study Isaiah together. In the scriptures, Jesus has been compared to many different objects and also types of people. We’ve seen him compared to a shepherd, a healer (or a doctor), a captain of an army, or even our advocate or lawyer. Now you think of a profession, maybe your profession, or the profession of your parents, and come up with one example of how Jesus is like a good example of that vocation. If you’re in construction, how is Jesus a good builder? If you’re a coach, in what ways is Jesus a good coach? If you’re a repairman, how is Jesus a good repairman? You see how this works. Some might be a little more difficult than others. If you’re an insurance adjuster, how is Jesus a good insurance adjuster? I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you could come up with something that relates to or compares to the attributes and character of Christ. Because he is the essence of all that is good. And this one is easy for me because I’m a teacher-a gospel teacher. And how is Jesus like a good teacher? Well, he’s the greatest teacher of all time. And one specific quality of a great teacher that I know he possesses? A great teacher cares about their students, not just their subject. And we know, through the life he lived and the sacrifice he made just how deeply Jesus cares about each of us.

TRANSITION

Well that is a good example of the kind of thing that Isaiah loved to do. He wanted his people and all of us to better understand the character of the future Messiah. He loved to take things that the people would already be familiar with and compare them to Christ. So we’re going to continue to look for “the wonderful things he does” and Isaiah will give us some more great symbols for and attributes of Jesus.

SEARCH

We’ll do this as a search activity. On the board, or a piece of paper, write in nice lettering, “The Wonderful Things He Does”. Remember, that’s our string. And then assign each student a scripture reference to study. You can count them off from 1- 10 and show them their assignment. They are to read their reference looking for something wonderful that Christ does in their verses. Why would we give him that title according to what they read. Then, once they’ve found something, they’re to come up to the board and write that thing somewhere around the title. We could already add the one that we just discussed. He will overcome Satan and his kingdom. When the activity is complete, you’ll have this powerful visual of many of the wonderful things Christ does and a better awareness of who he is. You could then spend the rest of the class either allowing your students to explain how and where they found those things. Or you could choose, as the teacher, which qualities you would like to focus on and discuss on a deeper level with your class.

So here’s the list:

1. Isaiah 24:22, 42:7

2. Isaiah 25:4

3. Isaiah 25:6

4. Isaiah 25:7-8, 26:19

5. Isaiah 26:3-4

6. Isaiah 27:2-3,6

7. Isaiah 28:15-16

8. Isaiah 29:14, 18-19, 24

9. Isaiah 30:19-21

10. Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7, 10

And we’ll take a look at each together. Let’s identify some more “wonderful things he does”.

Isaiah 24:22, 42:7

22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

When Jesus taught his disciples the principle that “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40) he used a number of examples of Christlike service that we’re encouraged to render. One of those specific examples was “I was in prison, and ye came unto me”. Something I’ve noticed about our Lord is that he never asks us to do something that he’s not willing to do himself. He’s the sublime example of obedience in all commandments. We know that in the plan of Salvation that there a specific location in the spirit world referred to as spirit prison. It’s the place where the souls of the rebellious, disobedient, or deceived rest between death and judgment. But does the Lord forget about them, ignore them, or abandon them there? No, he makes his presence known to them. He’s provided a way for those that are shut up in prison to be visited. To this verse we could add Isaiah 42:7 as well.

7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

One of the most wonderful things about our Lord and Savior is his willingness to offer people many chances to change and to follow Him. Even those who rebelled against him in mortality, are given a chance to be freed from their prison in the post-mortal world. In the plan of salvation, it’s ultimately very few that do not inherit a kingdom of glory. Even the Telestial glory is a place of light and happiness. He doesn’t want any to remain in prison or darkness any longer than they need to.

Isaiah 25:4

4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

One of the wonderful, excellent, and marvelous things he does is provide us with strength and protection. When we feel poor, needy, in distress or when our lives get stormy or we feel the heat of life turning up, we can go to the Savior for strength. The power of his sacrifice is an enabling power that allows him to help us bear up under our burdens. Like the people of Alma in Mosiah 24:14, to whom the Lord promised:

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

God may not always remove our burdens or end them, but he can ease them. Perhaps we should pray for that kind of blessing more often. Instead of asking God to get rid of our problems or halt our challenges or remove our persecutors, perhaps we could ask him to make us stronger so that we can better bear up under those burdens that we have loaded upon our backs.

I also like how Christ is compared to a wall here. When the hurricane force winds of the terrible ones come against us, Christ can stand in the way like a wall and shield us from the tempest.

Isaiah 25:6

6 And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

Here’s another occupation that Isaiah compares Christ to. Here we see Christ as chef or host. And in that verse, he has prepared a great meal for the righteous. A feast of fat things. The wines on the lees well refined would be from grapes grown on the downwind side of the hill, therefore making them juicier, fuller, and better tasting. So this is God giving his people the best he has to offer. And what is this feast that he’s talking about. Is it a literal feast of food and drink? Or is there figurative meaning in there. I read it figuratively. In the scriptures, food and drink are often compared to God’s word or doctrine. So in my mind, I picture Jesus as the host walking up to feast table with one of those covered platters where he then with great fanfare reveals the main course. And what’s on the menu? Truth! He will offer his people his juiciest, fullest, fattest doctrines and truths that he can offer—things that have been hidden from mankind for ages—beautiful truths, inspiring truths, exciting truths. Have you ever heard a talk or a lesson where you just walked away feeling “fed”. Like, “Wow, I really learned something new and exciting and life changing here”. That’s the kind of feast we’re talking about here. Christ can offer that kind of nourishment now, and he will continue to offer it in the future—especially in the millennium. There I believe he will answer all questions we may have and reveal all truth. What makes Christ so wonderful here? He prepares a wonderful meal for his guests. A meal of truth.

Isaiah 25:7-8, 26:19

7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

In Enoch’s vision of Christ and Satan in Moses chapter 7, Enoch beheld Satan with a great chain in his hand that veiled the earth in darkness. In Lehi’s dream of the tree of life, thick mists of darkness covered the pathway of those making their way to the tree holding to the iron rod. What wonderful thing does Christ do here? He destroys that veil of darkness and removes those mists. Christ shines light into dark places. He can bring light to dark lives, he can provide a brightness of hope to the despairing, and he can give the light of truth to the ignorant. AND, he swallows up death. We always say that death swallows everything. In the scriptures and literature death is sometimes compared to a great whale that swallows up everything within its gaping jaws. Sometimes it’s referred to as leviathan. But with Christ we have something that is even greater and bigger. Whereas death swallows all, Christ can swallow death. It’s no match for his greatness and power.

Add 26:19 to this idea.

19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Christ brings not only light, but life to all. Not even death can hold him back. And his victory over death, his resurrection, has the power to overcome death for all of us. And the next thought in 25:8 flows perfectly from that idea. Isaiah says that Christ will wipe away tears from off all faces. Death is often accompanied by tears. The tears of the mourning. Christ will wipe those tears away. How, because he brings them back to us! There will be no need to cry. And I love that image. It’s a wonderful image of a wonderful god. It’s so personal and so warm. Only within the closest and most cherished types of relationships would wiping away somebody’s tears be appropriate. Spouses, parents to children, or dear, dear friends. That’s how Christ sees us. And he will wipe away all kinds of tears—tears of pain, tears of regret, tears of loneliness, and tears of loss.

How wonderful, excellent, and marvelous!

Isaiah 26:3-4

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

What’s the wonderful thing he does here? He provides “perfect” peace and “everlasting” strength to those who trust in Him. Don’t you just love those adjectives?! That’s the kind of peace and strength he can give. So how’s your level of trust in Him now? How well do YOU trust in his promises, his timing, and his commandments?

Isaiah 27:2-3, 6

These verses present us with yet another comparison of Christ with an occupation. Here we see Christ as gardener. And what kind of gardener will he be?

2 In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

3 I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.

6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

As you would expect, he’s a good gardener. He takes care of his plants. He waters his people with living water “at every moment” and is mindful of their roots. Echoes of Jacob chapter 5 from the Book of Mormon come to mind here with its allegory of the olive trees. There the master of the vineyard prunes and digs and nourishes his trees, doing everything in his power to cause them to bring forth good and not wild fruit. Hopefully we can be good plants and respond to that nourishing. If we do, he can cause us to blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit—the fruit of good works, the fruit of truth, the fruit of godly blessings. What makes him wonderful here? Christ takes good care of his plants.

Isaiah 28:15-16

15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

These are what I would call the “Three Little Pigs” verses. If we were to read Isaiah 28 in its entirety, we would see that it speaks of a great flood or an overflowing scourge that will cover the face of the earth. And so everyone’s “home” is going to be tried or tested by that flood. Will they stand up under the flow? And what have the wicked built their homes of? They’ve made a covenant with death, an agreement with hell, lies are their refuge, and they’re hiding behind falsehood. They are houses of straw and sticks. To the assigned verses let’s just add a few more. Verse 17:

17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet:

(Ah, there are also those who have built with different materials. The bricks of judgment and righteousness. The line and the plummet were measuring tools used to TEST the straightness or levelness of something. So these materials are also going to be tried by the flood)

and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

The houses of lies and falsehood will not stand. The big bad wolf, or in this case, the flood, will huff and puff and blow their house down. BUT, to those that put their trust in God, in the Lord, those that have lived with judgment and righteousness will have “a sure foundation” under them-a precious corner stone, strong, reliable, that has been tried and tested and found sufficient. The flood may rage around those that have built on that foundation, but they shall be able to stand, because of the rock or stone upon which they are built.

That’s a wonderful thing he does. He provides us a sure foundation.

Isaiah 29:14, 18-19, 24

Chapter 29 is a big one—a chapter very important to us as members the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I didn’t include the “Problem” verses in the search activity, but I did assign the “Solution” verses in our search for “wonderful things.” But allow me to point these out to you first here. Isaiah is going to perfectly describe the conditions of the Latter-days.

:8

8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

So the food or water that the world provides has no substance to it. It doesn’t nourish or feed. All Babylon can provide is empty calories. Just think of the entertainment and activities and desires and philosophies of the world. They’re not very nourishing. It’s like eating or drinking in a dream, but when you wake up, you’re still hungry, you’re still thirsty.

:13

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

So there will be a lot of religious talk and lip service given, but there won’t be any heart in it. It will all be very superficial and built upon the precepts of men, instead of God.

:16

16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

The latter days will be a time when everything is turned upside down. Isn’t that a great description of our times? We live in a time of great confusion and disorientation. Up is down, left is right, good is evil, and evil is good. We live in a time when many deny the existence of the maker and framer.

:21

21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

Now that’s an accurate description of what the world does nowadays—especially to the prophets. They’ll take their words and twist them. They’ll search, with a fine-toothed comb, for any possible opportunity to discredit, or mock, or distort their teachings to make them look foolish, old-fashioned, or offensive. A good example of “making a man an offender for a word” would be what happened recently with the talk that Elder Holland gave at BYU regarding the university’s policies supporting the proclamation on the family.

And to this let’s add some verses from chapter 30. Verses 9-11.

9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

People don’t always want to hear the truth. They want prophets that speak smooth things. They cry out, “Don’t challenge us! Don’t teach us anything that doesn’t go with the flow of the rest of the world. Stop emphasizing these commandments and counsels that are difficult to live or contrary to the social pressures of society around us. President Nelson, we’re tired of you always putting God in front of us”.

The situation is dire indeed.

So in this world of spiritual famine, and insincerity, and confusion, and scorning of truth, what wonderful thing will the Lord do?

Isaiah 29:14

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Then 18-19

18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

And :24

24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

What is all this referring to? What is this book that shall bring understanding and joy and teach true doctrine? What is the marvelous work and wonder? It’s the restoration! It’s latter-day scripture. The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and all the teachings and counsels of the prophets from Joseph Smith to Russell M. Nelson. This will be the way the Lord will overcome the lies, and hypocrisy, and criticism of the world. And indeed, many have been brought out of darkness and misunderstanding through their words. The spiritually blind have seen, and the spiritually deaf have heard. True doctrine has once again been taught throughout the world.

Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7, and 10

Last one. Now trust me when I say that this entire chapter is great and you should read it. But here are some of the highlights.

:1-2

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

:6-7

6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

:10

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

What’s the wonderful, excellent, marvelous thing here? Jehovah can bring blossoms and fountains to deserts and wildernesses. I know that these verses are sometimes interpreted as referring to the Jews making a thriving home out of the deserts of Palestine, or the Saints creating a stronghold in the wilderness of Utah and the intermountain west. And they can certainly be read that way. But poetically, Isaiah is saying that Christ can do this kind of thing with our lives. He can make OUR wildernesses, OUR solitary deserts (we all have them) to blossom and bud. He can make them fertile areas of growth and nourishment. He can cause our sorrows and sighing to flee away. Have you ever seen him do this for you? Can you think of times of adversity and challenge that have eventually yielded blessings and growth in your life? Can you look back at those seeming deserts and recognize the pools of water that now spring there? Perhaps you’ll even rejoice and give thanks for those places that were at one time wildernesses but now are filled with fruit and flowers.

TRUTH

Now look back at that list that we’ve created! Do you understand HIM better now? Do you understand why Isaiah gave Christ those titles? Do you understand why we call Him “Wonderful”, and “Excellent” and “Marvelous”? Because he is! He has done so many wonderful, excellent, and marvelous things.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

What “wonderful things” from this list have you seen him do for you? How?

CONCLUSION

Before we conclude our lesson, I’d like to point out one more thing. We don’t want to only focus on the things that Christ does, but we also need to understand OUR part in all of this. What does Isaiah think WE should do in light of all those wonderful things. Go with me to 30:18

18 And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

We’ve got to remember that these wonderful, excellent, and marvelous things do not always come immediately. We’ve got to wait on the Lord, patiently. The rewards he has to offer us are in many cases, future rewards. They may not come as soon as or at the time that we wish them to or would prefer them to. We may have to endure through the wilderness, push through the mists of darkness, or stand up under the persecution for a time. We’ve got to FACE that opposition for a time before our Deliverer delivers us, our Redeemer redeems us, or our Savior saves us. But he will!

Until then. Wait! Blessed are all they that wait for him. And if we do, I’m positive that we will one day exclaim the words of perhaps my favorite verse of this whole block of scripture this week.

Isaiah 25:9

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

There’s such triumph and conviction in that declaration. I hope that I could say it in that way. Lo, this is our God. This is the kind of God we worship. So you can keep your false idols, you can have your smooth sayings, you can hold on to your philosophies of men, but this is our God, we have waited for HIM. And we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Well just like Dorothy and her companions, we too are on a great adventure or journey, but through mortality, not Oz. There is certain to be many dangers, and joys, and challenges, and friendships along the yellow brick roads of our lives. But if we’re diligent, if we keep pushing through and enduring to the end, one day we will arrive in the presence of that wonderful, excellent, and marvelous being. And it won’t just be a man behind the curtain, it will be the very Son of God that we encounter who will reward us with all we have ever dreamed or hoped for.