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Teaching Isaiah with a Restoration Focus by Improving Historical Awareness Shon D. Hopkin SHON D. HOPKIN (shon_hopkin@byu.edu) IS CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ANCIENT SCRIPTURE AT BYU.
I
saiah lived and taught over
that [the writings of Isaiah] shall
Along with this Restoration
twenty-seven hundred years
be of great worth unto them in the
focus, I have found that carefully
ago—a prophet from a foreign land,
last days; for in that day shall they
studying and distinguishing what
a foreign culture, and a foreign time
understand them; wherefore, for their
Isaiah’s original audience might have
for all modern readers. Before his
good have I written them” (2 Nephi
understood in their day gives added
words would ever be read in the
25:8, emphasis added).
depth, breadth, and beautiful nuance
latter days, they first had to be intel-
Notwithstanding the ancient
to a Restoration-oriented likening
ligible and applicable to the ancient
date of Isaiah’s teachings, Isaiah
of Isaiah. I’ll give just one example
Israelites that the Lord called him
classes at BYU each semester fill
of how improving our historical
to lead. Isaiah’s body has long since
to overflowing with intelligent,
awareness and reading the scriptures
been placed in the earth, and many
articulate college students who are
in their historical context (a lifelong
Christian readers today consider the
excited to study and learn from his
journey for all scripture readers),
messages of the “Old” Testament to
words. The students feel that way,
increases and enhances a Restoration
be outdated and irrelevant
for the most part, because they have
understanding.
Nephi provided two crucial thoughts that encourage Latter-day Saints to read his words with a focus
learned from Nephi and from the words of the resurrected Christ that “great are the words of Isaiah” (3
Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with other Christians, are
on the powerful truths of the restored
Nephi 23:1). They want to know what
thrilled to read the grand prophecy
gospel. First, he “read unto them that
those ancient words might mean
in Isaiah 7:14, “Behold, a virgin
for them today, believing that those
shall conceive, and bear a son, and
which was written by the prophet Isaiah” to “more fully persuade
“in the last days” shall “understand
shall call his name Immanuel.” This
them to believe in the Lord their
them” (2 Nephi 25:8). The restored
verse points powerfully to the birth
Redeemer,” describing his efforts
gospel—including the teachings of
of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as
to “liken all scriptures unto [them],
the New Testament about Jesus
taught in Matthew 1:22–23, and
that it might be for [their] profit and
Christ—provides a crucial lens by
we should never lose sight of that
learning” (1 Nephi 19:23, emphasis
which we can understand what Isaiah
most important of prophetic fulfill-
added). Second, he declared, “I know
means for us today.
ments. Understanding the historical
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