Sunday, October 6, 2019

Isaiah in the Book of Mormon Mosiah 14 Isaiah 53


Isaiah 53 or Mosiah 14
By Jeffrey Bushman Aug. 2017
Chapter 14
Isaiah speaks messianically—The Messiah’s humiliation and sufferings are set forth—He makes His soul an offering for sin and makes intercession for transgressors—Compare Isaiah 53. About 148 B.C.
Ludlow divides this chapter into 4 parts: 1. His mortal life, verses 1-3,       
1A. Suffering-Despised
1 Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath abelieved our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?  Here Abinadi is using Isaiah’s writings to prove his point.  The prophets have all borne testimony of Christ, but very few have believed their words.  The arm may represent a servant of God and most of the brethren have stated that this servant is Christ, and who he is has to be revealed from God by the spirit.
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty (HEB it is not for his appearance) that we should desire him.  .  Christ shall grow up before Heavenly Father as a gardener would care for a tender plant, even at 12 Jesus was about his father’s business having come to a knowledge of who is father really was.  A root out of dry ground may reference 1.) the arid conditions of his country, or may show that he progressed and learned his knowledge through the spirit and not from the wisdom of man, 2.) but grew in knowledge even though Judah was a dry sterile land of apostasy, but was taught from on high.  He also was not what the people were expecting as their Messiah who was some great glorious being, but he was just a normal looking person that begged no one’s attention.
3 He is adespised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  .  Jesus blessed the lives of many and in so doing was acquainted with grief and sorrows, but was still rejected by most of the people who didn’t consider him worthy of their time.  Or they hid their faces when he was around so others wouldn’t think he meant something to them. Most people didn’t think that he was worth their time.  Judas, an apostle love by the Lord who betrayed him and caused him much anguish, through rejecting him.
2. His atonement, verses 4-6,  
2A. Suffering-Wounded for others
4 Surely he has aborne (HEB from the root nasa which is generally translated as forgive)our bgriefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  Bearing our griefs could be what Christ did for those who came to him to be healed and had evil spirits cast out, and yet it culminated with his suffering in the garden and on the cross for all mankind.   Many of the Jews watching Christ hang on the cross thought that he was suffering because of his wickedness and was enduring God’s punishment for his evil ways.  When Christ healed people, he had the power to not only forgive sins, but he also had the power to heal their bodies having suffered all things for them.
5 But he was awounded for our btransgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are chealed.  .  Christ’s atonement not only meant that he paid for all sin, sorrows and many more things but in completing the atonement he also suffered death and completed the atonement through his resurrection.  Through Christ’s atonement we can receive the peace of forgiveness and be healed through repentance and the resurrection.
6 All we, like asheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.  Romans 3:23 says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but then we are to understand that Christ covered or atoned all of our short comings, and made it possible through following him to come back to the Father of all.
3. His trial and crucifixion, verses    7-9
3A Suffering-by Death
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he aopened not his mouth; he is brought as a blamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.  . This prophecy seems to be best understood was we study about his trials before the Sanhedrin.  He refused to talk to some of the leaders and he allowed himself to be lead to the place of crucifixion.  This verse talks about the suffering endured after the suffering in Gethsemane at the hands of the Jews and Romans
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.  He was denied a lawful trial and was condemned unlawfully.   Abinadi in Mosiah 15:10 talked about those who would declare his generation, as being the prophets and those who would preach his gospel.  Christ died  before the normal life span of man, for the sins of his covenant people who believed in him, even though he had to suffer the sins of all mankind.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the arich in his death; because he had done no bevil, neither was any deceit in his mouth.  He was crucified between two thieves, and he was buried in a rich man’s tomb.  When he was questioned before Pilate, who found no fault in him, Pilate then so declared Christ’s innocence to the Jews.
4. His post mortal glory, verses 10-12
4.A From Suffering-(past tense) to Future Glory
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to abruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his bseed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.  Here we learned that Christ’s atonement was a free will offering not only on his part but also that of his fathers. (See Mosiah 15:8)   He also took upon him the suffering we would have deserved for breaking God’s commandments.  When we take advantage of his sacrifice and follow him, we will declare our willingness to follow him in the waters of baptism and keeping his commandments, then we can become the children of Christ through baptism. (Being born again, see Mosiah 15:11, and D&C 76:22-23)   After Christ’s completes his atonement God will exalt him on high and he will enjoy a long (eternal) life. 
11 He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall abear their iniquities.  God will be pleased with his son’s sacrifice, and as people come to believe in and rely on Christ’s atonement many of his children will be forgiven and attain the Celestial Kingdom. Even those of a lesser kingdom will benefit from Christ’s atonement. 
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the agreat, and bhe shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore (HEB from the same word as in v. 4 forgive) the sins of many, and made cintercession for the transgressors.  God will make Christ and heir of all that he has and Christ will share this with all those who followed his law becoming joint heirs with Christ. (See Romans 8:17-18)  Every blessing that we seem to receive from God comes from the sacrifice and atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who willingly gave his life that we might all live in eternal glory in the presence of the Father.

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