2 Nephi 14

(All of my own thoughts are in red type.5/20 Green 2/21 5/22 Brown 2023 I admit I really know nothing about what Isaiah's trying to say. I will just be looking for possible interpretations that could happen before the Second Coming, or as Sister Nelson put it, "as part of his Second Coming.) Gileadi's interpretation will be in brown from Isaiahexplained.com

Chapter 14

Zion and her daughters will be redeemed and cleansed in the millennial day—Compare Isaiah 4. About 559–545 B.C.

1 ^aAnd in that day,what day? Ours? Now or soon? seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name to take away our ^breproach. Seven is the number for "complete". Could this mean that women have become "whole" as a group and the "one man" they take hold of is a man with authority to give them their "new name". They eat their own bread and wear their own apparel so we don't take this to literally mean seven women will be seeking to marry one man. Reproach is correction for having sinned. That comes through repentance. There is a temple ordinance where woman are pronounced clean again. This could be an expression that more women come in to the church than men, which would fulfill Pres. Kimball's prophecy that “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 … will be drawn to the Church in large numbers". (Gileadi) "That day" is Jehovah's Day of Judgement. Because of the great war, there are more women than men who have survived. It could also mean women are more righteous than men, perhaps even 7 to 1.  These women are not under covenant curse and have prepared sufficiently of food and clothing in anticipation of the evil time.  They think it a "reproach" not to raise their own families and appeal to the men who remain to marry them. 
  2 In that day shall the ^abranch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them that are escaped of Israel. One of the scriptures footnoted for "branch" is this one: 2 Nephi 3:5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. Nephi’s day... And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; The Nephite’s were this “righteous branch”.  The Gentiles are mostly from the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph. There is a DVD put out by the Joseph Smith Foundation where they show evidence that some of the Nephites were led to Europe before their extinction. If so...than then it’s possible that the “believing blood” of Europe may actually be literal descendants of the Nephites. That would be cool. Then all the promises to Lehi’s seed would apply to us too...! We are a branch and need to yet be made righteous so that we can carry the gospel to the Jews not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord more and more I get the feeling that the 'covenant' that keeps being referred to over and over in the Book of Mormon, is the covenant to gather Israel, to bring people to the knowledge of their Redeemer and His Gospel. Is the great "spiritual season" that Pres. Ballard prophesied of, the great conversion of the Gentiles that is about to begin? "The coming weeks will usher in a spiritual season with general conference, Palm Sunday and Easter, said President Ballard. “The Lord Jesus Christ loves us with a love beyond our ability to comprehend,” he said. “The kingdom of God will continue to roll forth.” Then he added, “Everything is going to be just fine as we turn our hearts to our Father in Heaven and look to Him and to the Savior as the Redeemer of all mankind.” that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. This doesn't sound "Millennial" to me. It sound like now. The Messiah will be made manifest to the Gentiles with power and it will bring us out of darkness (which is bondage) into freedom. The "hidden" darkness could be the exposing of the Gadiantons. Or their true heritage This miracle would be the most wonderful manifestation of the love of our Savior which Pres. Ballard said was "beyond our ability to comprehend". I just have a hard time believing that the millions of Americans that are "in the dark" are going to suffer under Satan's rule and die in their sins and are going to feel the Savior manifested this love unto them if this doesn't happen. I just believe we are going to need some divine intervention soon. But, it will undoubtedly, light the biggest fire of opposition from Satan that we've ever seen as well! Talk about opposition in all things! Another possibility...Joseph Smith is said to be a descendant of Joseph. He could be the one that the Messiah was made manifest to in the latter days. The Restoration brought us out of darkness into the light. (Gileadi) Those whom Jehovah exalts compare to the "plant" and "firstfruit" (Jehovah's servant and his fellow servants) and are the ones that He spares. They are saviors of His people under the terms of the Davidic Covenant and seek and obtain Jehovah's protection in the Day of Judgment.
  3 And it shall come to pass, they that are ^aleft in Zion and remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy, Is this two different places? every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem— (Gileadi) These are literally places of safety in the Day of Judgment. These who are "called holy" have their names written in the Book of Life and are the elect. These holy men are the ones the sruviving women seek to marry. This expression, "left" may mean, that though millions convert, there are billions that still don't. There are currently 7.8 billion people on the earth 7.9 billion and approx. 16 million 16,805,000 baptized members. You could theoretically have one billion join the church and still less than 1/5 of the world would be converted. If a billion converted, every member of record, active or not, would need to help teach about 62 people. Wouldn't a large conversion like this be thrilling? Wouldn't it be a fulfillment of this statement by Joseph Smith?

Joseph Smith (President)

The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory, ... a work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past; that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets; a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, the glory of God, and the salvation of the human family. (History of the Church, 4:609-610)

In this Bicentennial Year of the First Vision, I think the Lord has a "new" vision for each of us. Not the one that says things things have already come to pass with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, or that the Latter Day efforts to preach the gospel to the world are what is referenced either. I think we are to see with "new eyes" the prophecies of the Book of Mormon. Why would I even be "seeing" this if it wasn't coming from heaven? I don't know anything. But it feels so true and right to me. Don't get me wrong. I'm totally fine if this all doesn't come until the Millennium. I trust God and His ways 1,000%. But I just wonder if the scriptures are telling us something else than what we have always thought. One of the magical things about Isaiah, is that he spoke of his own day and ours, showing that the same words can apply to different times. Why can't the same thing apply to the prophecies of the Book of Mormon? They spoke of Joseph Smith's day and also our day. It's not locked in to one fulfillment only. Wouldn't that be an appropriate lesson from Isaiah?  
  4 When the Lord shall have ^awashed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, they repent:) and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of ^bburning. Judgement and burning can be cleansing or condemning. Considering the first sentence, I think it could be cleansing, in this verse. Notice it is the Lord that does it. HE is going to do this work. Not us. And HE IS GOD and can do ALL things, for the benefit of His children. (Gileadi) Among those who do not repent, Jehovah washes away the excesses of Zion's women and brings a cleansing of the men's crimes of bloodshed under the law of justice. The burning refers to the Day of Judgment and the destructive role of the king of Assyria/Babylon. In contract, those who repent hare judged under the law of mercy.
  5 And the ^aLord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a ^bcloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of Zion shall be a defence. We won't need a "defense" in the Millennium. That is another reason I think this is all pre-millennial. The Lord comes to create Zion, just like he did for the Nephites. We have to have Zion BEFORE His final coming. We can't do it without His direct instruction. Sounds like there are many Zion dwellings. The "Cloud" and the "smoke" sound like the constant presence of the Lord.
  6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of ^arefuge, and a covert from storm and from rain. The heat and the storm and the rain are the judgments that will be poured out on the wicked. God will shelter us beneath His wing, if we choose to take refuge with Him. How can there not be places of safety to fulfill these promises?  (Gileadi) Those who sanctify themselves, who participate in Zion's "solemn assembly" enjoy Jehovah's divine protection in the place Zion.  Jehovah's presence makes glorious His holy people and the place they abide.  They are protected under His "canopy" - as in a traditional marriage canopy - denoting his people's renewal of their covenant with him at that time. As Pharaoh's armies were unable to penetrate the cloud when they pursued after Jehovah's people, so in that day will no enemy molest those who participate in Zion's solemn assemblies.  Jehovah will protect His people when they keep His law and word. His divine intervention shows they have completely complied to the terms of His covenant.