Isaiah 1:1 - The Great Vision of Isaiah
ISAIAH 1:1 - The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
"The Vision of Isaiah"
Near the beginning of the world, Enoch established a holy
city that the Lord called Zion “because they were of one heart and of one mind,
and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them” (Genesis 7:23 [Moses
7:18]). Now, almost 6 thousand years later we still look with hope for that city
that was claimed by God. This is the vision of Isaiah: a prophecy foretelling
the restoration of that hope, where man can walk with God and peace covers the
earth, and what will happen prior to that time.
The Vision of All
The vision of Isaiah is not simply a dream, but a grand vision of all things from beginning to end. Enoch,
too, had this vision, and though perhaps it was slightly different in
presentation to him for his benefit and learning, it was overall the same.
“And it came to pass, that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of
the earth” (Genesis 7:27 [Moses 7:21]). The Lord subsequently showed Enoch what
would happen throughout the history of the world until the coming of Christ.
When Enoch saw the wickedness of the world, even that they would crucify their
own God, he pleaded to the Lord: “Wilt thou not come again upon the earth”
(Genesis 7:66 [Moses 7:59])?
“The Lord said unto Enoch, As I live, even so will I
come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfill the
oath which I made unto you concerning the children of Noah. And the day shall
come that the earth shall rest. But before that day the heavens shall be
darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall
shake, and also the earth. And great tribulations shall be among the children
of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteousness will I send down out of
heaven, and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine
Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection
of all men.
“And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the
earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of
the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare; an holy city, that my people may
gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there
shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion; a New Jerusalem.
“And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shalt thou and all
thy city meet them there; and we will receive them into our bosom; and they
shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our
necks, and we will kiss each other; And there shall be mine abode, and it shall
be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and
for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest” (Genesis 7:67-72 [Moses
7:60-64]).
Moses also had this same vision as he spoke face to face with the Lord. He pleaded to the Lord to know “concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens” (Moses 1:36), and the Lord responded, “I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak” (Moses 1:30). And thus he became the great historian writing the things that the Lord showed him and told him.
Moses also had this same vision as he spoke face to face with the Lord. He pleaded to the Lord to know “concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens” (Moses 1:36), and the Lord responded, “I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak” (Moses 1:30). And thus he became the great historian writing the things that the Lord showed him and told him.
Multiple people had the same vision, including John the Revelator, Nephi, Moroni, Paul, and others. Yet precious few were given the privilege of writing down the events of the last days. Nephi saw in his vision that one of these was John.
"Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been; and he shall also write concerning the end of the world; wherefore, the things which he shall write, are just and true; and, behold, they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written, were plain and pure, and most precious, and easy to the understanding of all men. And, behold, the things which the Apostle of the Lamb shall write, are many things which thou hast seen; and, behold, the remainder shalt thou see; but the things which thou shalt see hereafter, thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the Apostle of the Lamb of God, that he should write them." (1 Nephi 3 [14:21-25]).
Nephi also saw that others had also been "shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up, to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the House of Israel" (1 Nephi 3 [14:26]). Isaiah also saw the great vision of the world and he wrote a portion of what he saw, that which was pertinent to his mission, sealing it up to the last days. “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned…. 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” (Isaiah 29:11-12, 18).
Obtaining the Second Comforter
The visions of these ancient prophets is part of their callings and elections. Joseph Smith declared that when Isaiah and others saw the vision, it was after receiving the Second Comforter. This is a process which we all can seek and obtain.
“Now what is this other Comforter? It is no
more or less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself & this is
the sum & substance of the whole matter, that when any man obtains this
last Comforter he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him or
appear unto him from time to time. & even he will manifest the Father unto
him & they will take up their abode with him, & the visions of the
heavens will be opened unto him & the Lord will teach him face to face
& he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
& this is the state & place the Ancient Saints arrived at when they had
such glorious vision Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos,
St Paul in the third heavens, & all the Saints who held communion with the
general Assembly & Church of the First Born &c.”[1]
"Concerning Judah and Jerusalem"
Isaiah writes “concerning
Judah and Jerusalem” (Isaiah 1:1). In a cursory reading of Isaiah's vision, we immediately conclude that he is seeing a vision of ancient Israel. However, Isaiah uses a profound network of imagery
and symbolism to illustrate his prophetic vision. He is not only speaking to ancient Israel, but using them as a way to speak to us. Just like a great tapestry is
interwoven with intricate threads of different color and patterns, so Isaiah interweaves symbols and imagery to convey meaning to us. Since he is
speaking to people anciently and in modern times, he had to use characters,
locations, nations, customs, and objects familiar to his time as symbols to project
meaning to a culture and time very different from his own.
One example is his use of cities, nations, and people, such as Zion, Jerusalem, Judah, Israel, Jacob, etc. He is
using ideas composed from these ancient people and places to cascade meaning to us. For example,
Zion is the pure in heart, Jacob is the covenant son, the King of Babylon is
the Anti-Christ, etc. Even Isaiah himself becomes a symbolic feature of this
prophetic vision.
At the core is Jesus Christ, the center of all things, and closest to
him is his right arm, the end-time servant, also symbolized often by Isaiah
himself. The cities and nations represent people and spiritual states, and it
goes out from there. Each portion building upon another; each layer of
spirituality overlaps another. There is not any piece that is unaffected by
another. For example, along the perimeter of Israel in this diagram are Egypt,
Arabia, Edom, etc., all of which are firmly seated within Babylon, symbolic of
greater Babylon, including Israel and even Judah, yet overlap each other in a
way that suggests all these aspects are interrelated and interconnected.
Nothing in Isaiah’s prophecies act independent of another. And as a people or
individual draws closer to the center, coming closer to Christ, that person becomes
purer and whiter, being in the midst of Babylon, but not being part of it.
There are many other ways to extrapolate or diagram the symbolic portions of Isaiah
that may give greater understanding, but perhaps this will help in some
degree.
When the Lord speaks of Judah, he is symbolic referring to
the Lord’s covenant children, those who have made a covenant with him anciently,
who were the chosen people of God. But also, in our day, it symbolizes the
chosen people of God who have made anew a covenant with God.
When he speaks of Jerusalem, he is really referring to a spiritual class of
people who are more refined than the covenant people at large, those who have progressed
to a higher level of spirituality.
In short, Isaiah is saying that this vision of all centers on a story from beginning to end of the covenant children of God, and what he saw is a prediction and forewarning to us. His prophetic words are not meant for the world at large, but rather a vision for those who have covenanted with God (Judah) and those who have sought to be the chosen people of God (Jerusalem). Isaiah's vision in its entirety is meant for you and for me.
In short, Isaiah is saying that this vision of all centers on a story from beginning to end of the covenant children of God, and what he saw is a prediction and forewarning to us. His prophetic words are not meant for the world at large, but rather a vision for those who have covenanted with God (Judah) and those who have sought to be the chosen people of God (Jerusalem). Isaiah's vision in its entirety is meant for you and for me.
[1]
Ehat, Andrew, and Lyndon Cook, compilers and editors. The Words of Joseph Smith. Religious Studies Center Brigham Young
University, 1980.