Hineni - "Here I am." (Make up lesson)

Isaiah's sins are purged.

We learned today about the calling of Isaiah as a prophet of God.  Hineni - "Here I am." was the response of the patriarchs and prophets to the call of God. It signals total dedications and commitment to serving God.  Please watch this short video to understand this calling more.

We also learned some symbolism in regards to Isaiah's calling that I thought you might like to see  visual images for:

Tabernacle by night

Tabernacle by day

Veil of the Temple looking through to the Holy of Holies and the Ark of  the covenant.

When Isaiah described the actions of the Lord’s covenant people in his day, he also described some people in our day. This is an illustration of the principle of Dualism and esoteric terms. As is often the case in prophetic declarations, some of Isaiah’s writings have a dual meaning. That is, they can apply to more than one situation or may be fulfilled at more than one time. He also at times combined dualistic phrases with terms that were intended for or understood by only a certain group. Such esoteric language brings to mind religious concepts that only those who have the proper religious background readily understand without further explanation. For example, Isaiah 2:2/ 2 Nephi 12:2-5 refers to the “mountain of the Lord’s house” being “established in the top of the mountains.” President Harold B. Lee said that the phrase “mountain of the Lord’s house” referred to both “a place as well as a definition of a righteous people” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” Ensign, Nov. 1971, p. 15). The establishment of the “mountain of the Lord’s house in the top of the mountains” has been fulfilled by the coming of the pioneers to establish the Church and temple in the tops of the mountains in Utah (see Lee, “The Way to Eternal Life,” p. 15) and will be further fulfilled by the return of Judah to Jerusalem, where the Lord’s house will be built (see D&C 133:13). It applies generally to those places where God’s power and authority reside and where He communicates with His people. The phrase “all nations shall flow unto it” (read Isaiah 2:2) can refer both to the early gathering of the Saints to the valleys of the mountains in Utah and also to the general gathering of Saints to Zion. The term Zion (v. 3), as well, has several applications. It refers to the New Jerusalem in America, the Jerusalem of Judah, and also the Lord’s people or their places of gathering in all parts of the world. By using such terms as these, Isaiah conveys profound spiritual meaning to those who understand the special significance of his language. 

The Mountain of the Lord

President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that 2 Nephi 12:2–5 refers to the Salt Lake Temple:

“Ever since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah … as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from across the world have said in effect, ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in His paths’” (“An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 2003, 82).

President Gordon B. Hinckley speaks of the significance of temples:

“These unique and wonderful buildings, and the ordinances administered therein, represent the ultimate in our worship. These ordinances become the most profound expressions of our theology. I urge our people everywhere, with all of the persuasiveness of which I am capable, to live worthy to hold a temple recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the house of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein” (“Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 53).

Another example of dualism occurred when Isaiah foresaw the consequences for the extravagant dress and actions of worldly women in his own day and in the future. 2 Nephi 13:16–26 describes what he saw. Although Isaiah specifically addressed “the daughters of Zion,” his words also apply to men. The way that we dress and portray ourselves has a profound impact upon the society in which we live.  Women in particular have a powerful affect on others in their association. 

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that Isaiah’s warning to the “daughters of Zion” applies to men as well as women: “The standards expressed by the General Authorities of the Church are that women, as well as men, should dress modestly. They are taught proper deportment and modesty at all times. It is, in my judgment, a sad reflection on the ‘daughters of Zion’ when they dress immodestly. Moreover, this remark pertains to the men as well as to the women. The Lord gave commandments to ancient Israel that both men and women should cover their bodies and observe the law of chastity at all times” (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 5:174).

For credit as a makeup lesson, answer the following questions and turn them in to Sister Colvin by 10/31.  They will also count as 10 points/question for the team competition.

A. Isaiah then tells us about a group of people who kept their covenants in 2 Nephi 14:2–6. Look for Isaiah’s description of this group of people.

1. What words or phrases indicate that this group was different from the other groups we examined? 
2. Identify the three specific places Isaiah mentioned that would provide spiritual protection to the righteous and what those places might be for us today. 

B. The “cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night” refers to the protection and guidance that Moses and his people received from the Lord in the wilderness (see Exodus 13:21–22). These words remind us of the protection and guidance we can receive from the Lord. Also point out that Isaiah likened the temple to a protective shelter from the heat and a “covert,” or shelter, from storms and rain.

1. When have you felt the Lord’s protection or guidance in your home or at church?
2. When have you found spiritual relief or protection in the temple?
3. What kind of people will dwell in the homes and worship in the churches and temples described in verses 5–6? See also Moses 7:18
4. What can we do to make our homes and branches or wards places of defense against the world?

In chapters 12–15 of 2 Nephi we learn that keeping our covenants brings blessings of spiritual protection, while breaking covenants leaves us without the Lord’s protection. You can create in your own lives an environment like that described in 2 Nephi 14:5–6.

C. Read 2 Nephi 15:26.  The phrase, the Lord will “lift up an ensign to the nations" refers to a standard, flag, or banner that is used as a rallying point or as a signal to assemble, especially in battle.  President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “That ensign [is] the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was established for the last time, never again to be destroyed or given to other people. It was the greatest event the world has seen since the day that the Redeemer was lifted upon the cross and worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It meant more to mankind than anything else that has occurred since that day” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:254–55).

1. In what ways is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “an ensign to the nations”?
2. Think about all the blessings you have received and the truths you have learned as a member of the Church. What is one truth you could share with others that might help them gather to the “ensign to the nations”?

I testify that the Lord has blessed us with great help to live successfully in the last days. He will bless and sanctify those who choose to come unto Him. As we make and honor covenants with Him, He will help us to walk in His ways, and he will help us to be an ensign to the nations.  Please finish your lesson today by listening to the message given by Elder Jeffery Holland in General Conference 2011.