Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 19:18-19

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 19:18-19
"In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD."

Six times in this chapter “In that day” is used. I read that it suggests future fulfillment. Elder McConkie gives the meaning behind some of those locations.

"Elder Bruce R. McConkie used a quotation that shows why Isaiah may have used such neighbors as Egypt, Moab, and Babylon to describe the wicked of latter days. Speaking of the world, he said: “‘Babylon marks its idolatry, Egypt its tyranny, Sodom its desperate corruption, Jerusalem its pretensions to sanctity on the ground of spiritual privileges, whilst all the while it is the murderer of Christ in the person of his members.’ ([Robert Jamieson and others, Commentary on the Whole Bible, ] p. 577.)” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:510.)
(Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, "A Voice of Warning to the Wicked" (Isaiah 13-23)

Day 3976

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 18:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 18:3
"All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye."

I pondered on how the Lord has always warned people before destruction comes. We know we are near the end of the world, the time with Jesus Christ will come again. All the wicked will be destroyed. God won't destroy people unless he has warned them. That is the role of prophets. There are prophets on the earth today raising the warning voice. They have lifted up the ensign to the nations, and are blowing the trumpet. It is up to us to hear them.

"And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.
Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear:
Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 1:4-5, 11-12)

Day 3975

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 14:12-15

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 14:12-15
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

This is how Lucifer became Satan, the devil. It was vanity and pride, he felt he should be exalted higher than God. Pride is the ultimate tool that Satan uses to destroy man. It is by pride that man will stoop to all the imaginations of his heart and no longer feel after God. As I was pondering on this it was the first time I realized that in the pre-existence we all had weaknesses. No wonder both God and the devil know us so well.

Day 3974

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 11:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 11:9
"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

The only way the wicked will stop hurting and destroying others is if they came to a knowledge of the Lord, and truly know Him. Sadly, when the Lord comes the second time those individuals will not be here. I say sadly because they were to late in repenting and turning their hearts to him. Only those that will live a terrestrial or celestial law will remain. People of every nationality and faith that are of a good heart will remain. All that remain will eventually be converted as they come to know Jesus Christ. That would be an incredible thing to witness.

“There has never been a time in the history of the world when knowledge of our Savior is more personally vital and relevant to every human soul. Imagine how quickly the devastating conflicts throughout the world—and those in our individual lives—would be resolved if we all chose to follow Jesus Christ and heed His teachings.”
(Russell M. Nelson, "Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation", Oct 2021 General Conference)

Day 3973