Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 27:15, 17-18

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 27:15, 17-18

"But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them.

And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed.

Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it." 

Nephi is quoting Isaiah again and I am familiar with this story. It is speaking about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Even down to the part where Joseph Smith copied onto paper some characters from the gold plate, and had Martin Harris take it to some learned men to read it. One of them was Charles Anthon a professor at Columbia College in New York City. Who then gave Martin Harris a certificate stating that the characters and their translation were authentic. Then he asked Mr. Harris how the plates were found. When he learned it was though an angel and a revelation from God, he asked for the certificate back and tore it up. He said there was no such thing as ministering angels. If he was given the plates he would translate them. Martin then told him that part of them were sealed. To which Professor Anthon replied "I cannot read a sealed book." 

I pondered on the timing of this exchange. It was during the time frame when Joseph Smith was translating the 116 pages that were eventually "lost" or stolen. The characters would be from the book of Lehi. That would be the only part of the book that remains. Sadly its not very much of it. Scholars today have looked at those characters and confirm it is written in a reformed Egyptian. That would have been a very had thing to confirm in Joseph Smith's time, much less him making them up or copying from somewhere. Another thing I thought about was how Joseph Smith didn't translate this part of the Book of Mormon I am now reading, until after the event with Professor Anthon took place. How would that feel to know that Isaiah and Nephi both saw Joseph's day and knew this applied to him? It was placed in the Book of Mormon to confirm to us it was written for our day. 

But, the main thing I got out of this is the pattern I am seeing, about the need for prophets in helping us understand the words of Isaiah. It is only in the last days that the words of Isaiah will be understood. This chapter of Isaiah is only understood because a latter-day prophet was able to fulfill them. Knowing this history and their chain of events, this part of Isaiah is very clear to understand.

Day 228 Tami Fitzgerald Harris