Sabbath Devotional :: Isaiah with Fresh Eyes

*Returning from the Fields*, by Jules Breton

General Conference last April gave me fresh eyes for Isaiah. Many of the talks seemed to echo and elaborate upon Isaiah’s words. His writings are a book of poetry like Psalms or Proverbs pointing us to Jesus Christ and in many places, Isaiah wrote to women specifically,

Isaiah prophesied of the great things that latter-day women will do. Isaiah 4 says “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by a spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.”

These verses used to hurt a little; I thought Isaiah was singling women out as “filthy.” Now I see in these verses the promised blessings that will come to the whole world through the righteousness of the women of Zion.

In 1979 President Spencer W. Kimball wrote:

“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different — in happy ways — from the women of the world.”

In the April 2022 General conference, we were told by President Russell M. Nelson: “My dear sisters, you who are our vital associates during this winding-up scene, the day that President Kimball foresaw is today. You are the women he foresaw! Your virtue, light, love, knowledge, courage, character, faith, and righteous lives will draw good women of the world, along with their families, to the Church in unprecedented numbers!

“We . . . need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices. The kingdom of God is not and cannot be complete without women who make sacred covenants and then keep them, women who can speak with the power and authority of God! . . .

“. . . Whatever your calling, whatever your circumstances, we need your impressions, your insights, and your inspiration. “. . . I thank you, my dear sisters, and bless you to rise to your full stature, to fulfill the measure of your creation, as we walk arm in arm in this sacred work. Together we will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”

Isaiah 11:12 prophesies “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel.” It now seems clear to me that the daughters of Zion are an important part of gathering in the outcasts. Among righteous women across all time and all cultures there is at least one commonality – that women acting as mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, teachers, neighbors, and friends, show a soul his or her worth. As we gather in the outcasts of Israel, what could be more powerful than showing each and every person their worth?

Isaiah has specific counsel for us to bring this glory upon Zion:

Isaiah 52:1-3 “Awake, awake; put on thy strength O Zion; and put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust: arise and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.”

He tells us we are captive because we have sold ourselves for nought. It is so easy to assume that others see the worst in us and to see ourselves that way either through comparing ourselves or by looking at what we lack rather than what we have. There are other ways we sell ourselves for nought through sin and worldliness but ignoring our own abilities and blessings is an important one.

Isaiah, Moroni, Nephi and Jesus Christ all tell the daughters of Zion to put on beautiful garments. Temple covenants are an easy association to make here, and that’s not wrong, but there are other words Isaiah used that probably more accurately describe them, like “foundations of sapphire”. Temple covenants are also sacred and not on display, whereas beautiful garments are what we wear and show others. After extensive consideration, the young women’s values are the best match I can find. When we are clothed with faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity and virtue, we will not sell ourselves as nought and we will be beautifully clothed for all the world to see.

In chapter 3, Isaiah said that the daughters of Zion would need to repent of haughtiness. He specifically talked about clothing and jewelry, but haughtiness goes beyond that. It includes thinking that we are better than the teachings and counsels of God, or of our Priesthood leaders, thinking that we are better than each other, either in how we look, in our righteousness, our means, our social skills, our marital status, or the children we do or do not have. When we justify ourselves in any form of wrongdoing or rudeness, that is haughtiness.

Jesus Christ wants us to have faith and hope that every person can be saved through His atonement and He wants us to treat each person with the great kindness, patience, and forgiveness that will help them want to come unto Him. Who are the people we want to be with? Those who are kind and welcoming to us. Those who praise and include us. Those who see the best in each of us.