2 Nephi 21

(All of my own thoughts are in red type.5/20 Green 2/21 Orange 5/22 Brown 2023)

Chapter 21

The stem of Jesse (Christ) will judge in righteousness—The knowledge of God will cover the earth in the Millennium—The Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel—Compare Isaiah 11. About 559–545 B.C.

I'm going to go "Isaiah" here, and pull another possible fulfillment beside the millennium. Isaiah did that, right? The prophesies could be for his day and the latter days, so why not a third "day"?

 1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, Gileadi- this suggests an connection with the Gentiles who interact with ethnic Israel lineages as "kings and queens" that help restore them to the "tree" and a branch shall grow out of his roots. This is a "person" and he either has literal descendants or the 'branch' is more like a legacy that comes from his teachings or works. Avraham: The assimilation of many Israelites into the Gentile nations following Israel’s ancient exile has led to two kinds of end-time lineages of Jehovah’s people: (1) ethnic; and (2) assimilated. The wild nature of the shoot suggests an identity with Israel’s assimilated lineages. While these keep the tree alive, in the end they bear no fruit and are mostly cut off so that the sprig may be grafted in. In that case, the assimilated lineages who are cut off represent Jehovah’s people who are destroyed in his Day of Judgment, while the assimilated lineages who sustain the graft are the kings and queens of the Gentiles.

The identity of the shoot, stock, and branch appears from clues in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory. The words “of Jesse” (vv 1, 10) yield a Davidic and messianic identity for all three individuals. The sprig that is grafted into the shoot—which becomes the fruit-bearing branch—is Jehovah’s end-time servant who represents Israel’s ethnic lineages (vv 10-12; Isaiah 4:2). The shoot into which the sprig is grafted—that does not, in the end, bear fruit—is a servant of Jehovah who represents Israel’s assimilated lineages. The stock is Jehovah, who represents his people Israel as a whole (cf. Isaiah 53:2).
  2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; Does Christ possess a "fear of the Lord"? It could be a respect for the Father, or this could be evidence that the 'rod' figure is not Christ. Avraham:Although all three messianic individuals in Isaiah’s olive tree allegory evidence the divine attributes here listed, grammatically they apply to the last one mentioned—the branch—Jehovah’s end-time servant. Word links confirm that identity: “My servant whom I sustain, my chosen one in whom I delight, him I have endowed with my Spirit; he will dispense justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1); “He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, One Mighty in Valor” (Isaiah 9:6); “Because of his knowledge, and by bearing their iniquities, shall my servant, the righteous one, vindicate many” (Isaiah 53:11).
  3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.
  4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Is this one of the prophets that will go to Jerusalem? Or the Davidic Servant?
  5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. This 'rod' figure has priesthood power. Although Jehovah’s servant is still the subject of the passage, in the context of Jehovah’s millennial reign of peace (vv 2-9) several candidates exist for those who “judge.” First is Israel’s God: “Jehovah is our Judge, and Jehovah our Lawgiver” (Isaiah 33:22). Second is Jehovah’s servant: “In loving kindness shall a throne be set up in the abode of David, and in faithfulness a judge sit on it who will maintain justice and expedite righteousness” (Isaiah 16:5). And third are Jehovah’s millennial judges: “I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as in the beginning” (Isaiah 1:26).

Because the servant is a forerunner to Jehovah’s coming to reign on the earth, the roles of Jehovah and his servant are closely intertwined. Their judging the nations is therefore likewise intertwined. Isaiah compares them to two arms—righteousness and salvation—who judge the peoples: “My righteousness shall be at hand and my salvation proceed; my arms shall judge the peoples” (Isaiah 51:5; emphasis added). In short, Jehovah’s arm of righteousness—his servant (Isaiah 41:2; 46:11-13)—prepares the way before the arm of salvation, who is Jehovah (Isaiah 33:2; 40:10-11; 46:13; 62:10-11).

He will judge. Because of many parallel roles of Jehovah and his servant, the subject of the above passage may switch back and forth between the two. On one level, for example, the servant—unlike the reprobate judges of Jehovah’s people—judges the people “with righteousness” or “righteously” (besedeq). On another level, Jehovah judges the people “with righteousness” (besedeq)—that is, through his servant who personifies “righteousness” (Isaiah 41:2; 46:11-13). As the servant emulates Jehovah in ministering justice, moreover (Isaiah 9:6-7; 42:1-4), so others who judge emulate the servant.

He will smite. Multiple applications of the above passage similarly apply to the terms “rod,” “mouth,” “breath,” and “lips.” On the one hand, Jehovah’s servant—his rod, mouth, breath, and lips (Isaiah 48:3; 49:2; 51:16; 57:18-19; 62:1-2)—is its subject. On the other, Jehovah is its subject in the sense that he appoints the servant as his instrument of punishment and deliverance. On a third, possible level, the king of Assyria/Babylon—Jehovah’s rod, mouth, breath, and lips (Isaiah 9:4, 12; 10:5, 15; 30:27-28; 33:11-12; 59:3)—is its subject when Jehovah appoints him as his instrument of punishment.

His intuition will be [guided] by the fear of Jehovah. Like Israel’s God, his exemplar, Jehovah’s servant knows intuitively the justice or injustice of the cases he judges. Imbued with Jehovah’s Spirit and the fear of Jehovah (v 2)—having followed his counsel to “sanctify Jehovah of Hosts, making him your fear, him your awe” (Isaiah 8:13)—he is equal to the task. As Moses judged Jehovah’s people, but also appointed additional judges to judge them (Exodus 18:19-26), so the servant and other judges arbitrate equitably for the poor and lowly in the land (Isaiah 16:4-5; 28:5-6; 32:1; 42:1-4; 60:17-18).
  6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den.In contrast to the trees (people) whom the archtyrant hews down (Isaiah 10:15, 33-34)—who identify with the part of the shoot or watersprout that is cut off (v 1)—those who are grafted in, or who remain with the olive tree to sustain the graft, enjoy the millennial peace that ensues when Jehovah commences his reign on the earth. Now bringing forth good fruit, Jehovah’s millennial people enjoy an abundance of covenant blessings that spread abroad and touch all creation. With justice and righteousness established throughout the earth, there exists no more cause for enmity among God’s creatures.

Ritually clean animals, ones that divide the hoof and chew the cud (Leviticus 11:3)—“lambs,” “goats,” “calves,” “cows,” and “oxen”—live in harmony with the unclean: “wolves,” “leopards,” “lions,” “bears,” “adders,” and “vipers” (Isaiah 65:25). Symbolizing the disharmony that existed on the earth between the natural and assimilated lineages of Jehovah’s people and the nations, enmity in the animal kingdom disappears as all creatures become tame. The “youngster” who “leads” them symbolizes Jehovah’s servant who leads his people in the new exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 42:16; 58:8; 63:11-14).
  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. This is always attributed to the millennium, but it could also refer to the condition of Zion. We are taught that in Zion they will live at least a terrestrial law, if not celestial. In the millennium the earth will be in a terrestrial state, so why would not the lion/lamb situation not also exist in Zion? Notice they do not hurt or destroy 'in all my holy mountain' which is an expression that fits with Zion and suggests that outside the 'holy mountain' they DO hurt and destroy. We know Zion will be a refuge from all that 'hurts and destroys'.

It's also a prophecy that 'righteousness and truth will sweep the earth as with a flood' and this verse says 'the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea' which is the same visual. In order for God to execute is final end-time judgment, it seems that people have to be in open rebellion against God, which means the earth must be "full of the knowledge of the Lord". I believe THIS is the great gathering that "fired the imagination of past prophets". This great 'unveiling' of the Lord to all the people of the world. I believe that THIS is the meaning of the "ongoing Restoration" of the church. The Restoration of God's children that was promised to their fathers/prophets.

If all this is the interpretation, then this 'rod' figure could be the Davidic Servant, the prophet, John the Revelator or one of the three Nephites. I believe that it refers to John the Revelator. He is a cousin to Jesus (their mother's were sisters) so if Christ is from the "stem of Jesse" then John would be too. He wrote Revelations and asked if he could live to the end of the world. He would be the Senior Apostle on the earth today. When he appears, he may look like he comes from without the ranks of the leaders of the church, when in fact he is very much within the ranks of the leaders of the church. I think it very possible that when all the apostles and the prophet dedicated the Rome Temple, that they met him there and received instruction from him.
  10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. So we have a 'rod' out of the stem of Jesse and a branch out of his roots (whose roots? the 'rods' roots or Jesse's roots. I lean towards it being the 'rod's roots) In the first reference it sounds like the 'rod' is a person and the 'branch' are a group of people.

Then we have a 'root' of Jesse. This sounds like it can either be a person from the 'branch' that came from the from the root of the person that was the rod from the stem of Jesse, or it could be a person directly from the root of Jesse and not from the rod who was from the stem of Jesse, not the root. Sounds perfectly clear... right? THIS person, whoever he is, stands for an ensign of the people. "ensign" means: standard bearer, symbol, token, sign, a banner that indicates nationality, an office of authority. All of these definitions would fit a "person" who is "raised" for all to see. Our church magazine is called the "Ensign". It was just changed to “the Liahona”  To "it" this person, shall the Gentiles seek. If I take this expression literally, the person who ends this current pandemic speaks in a manner that it's unmistakably connected to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And the Gentiles in particular, "seek" the gospel. Didn’t happen. We’re one year in to the pandemic and there has been no miracle. In fact, not only has the prophet NOT ended the pandemic, he’s gone full steam along with it. sigh. 2023, and still no retraction from the prophet about the pandemic. They still support the jab and have not acknowledged all the injuries from it. We're on the verge of economic collapse/change and major flooding when the massive amounts of snow we've received melt. We need divine intervention!

The appearance of the millennial passage (vv 2-9) between twin predictions of a descendant of Jesse (vv 1, 10) infers that he is instrumental in preparing the way for Jehovah’s millennial peace. The “sprig,” “root,” or “graft” (sores) of Jesse—which represents the early or grafting phase of the branch that bears fruit (v 1)—serves as Jehovah’s “ensign” (nes) to the “peoples” or “nations” (‘ammim) in rallying the “nations” or “Gentiles” (goyim) to Jehovah’s standard. For the branch to bear fruit and the millennial peace to begin, a righteous people of God must first be born (Isaiah 55:3-5; 66:7-12).

While the sprig of Jesse—Jehovah’s servant and son—inherits a “throne of David” on the model of King Hezekiah (Isaiah 9:6-7; 16:4-5), he does so only after restoring Jehovah’s people. The restorative events in which he is instrumental—their release from bondage, new exodus to Zion, wandering in the wilderness, and conquest, inheritance, and rebuilding of promised lands—typify all prophecies that deal with Jehovah’s servant (Isaiah 7:14-15, 21-22; 9:1-7; 11:10-16; 41:2-20, 25-27; 42:1-7; 43:2-8; 44:26-28; 45:1-4, 13; 46:11-13; 48:13-16; 49:1-26; 50:4-11; 51:9-11; 52:7-15; 55:3-5, 12).

His rest shall be glorious. Upon fulfilling his mission as Jehovah’s ensign to the nations—rallying the scattered remnants of Jehovah’s people to repent of transgression and return from dispersion—the servant receives as an inheritance a glorious “rest.” That rest is Jehovah’s rest (Deuteronomy 12:9-11), the place where Jehovah dwells (Isaiah 66:1)—Mount Zion (Psalm 132:13-14; Isaiah 8:18; 24:23). While the wicked of Jehovah’s people refuse to enter into his rest (Isaiah 28:12; 57:20-21; Hebrews 3:11, 18), those whom the servant gathers to Zion do enter into his rest (Isaiah 12:6; 32:16-20). 
  11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. THIS is the GREAT GATHERING that is prophesied. It also brings great persecution, which ends with the coming of the Ten Tribes referred to in the rest of these verses.
  12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.   A remnant of Jehovah’s people, of both Israel and Judah, returns from throughout the earth (Isaiah 43:5-6; 49:12) when Jehovah raises up his servant—his hand and ensign—to form a new nation of his people “in that day” (vv 10-11)—Jehovah’s Day of Judgment (Isaiah 55:3-5; 66:7-8).
  13 The envy of Ephraim also shall depart, This sounds like when the “day of the Gentiles ends. The US has been the envy of the world, but when she falls, no one will envy her...and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Ephraim is the birthright tribe and Judah is the ruling tribe. 
  14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. As David united the northern and southern tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-5), so does Jehovah’s servant. Growing into one nation in Jehovah’s hand, they exist no more as a divided people (Ezekiel 37:15-28). When empowered by Jehovah’s hand of deliverance, they conquer their enemies who surround them (Isaiah 41:10-16; 49:17) as Israel did anciently under David (2 Samuel 8:11-14).
  15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod.
  16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. This “highway” sounds like the return of the Ten Tribes....After the archtyrant—the Sea and River (Isaiah 5:30; 8:7)—has served Jehovah’s purpose of punishing the wicked, Jehovah empowers his hand (vv 11, 14)—his mighty wind—over him. As Moses had power over Pharaoh to lead Israel out of Egypt (Isaiah 63:11-14), so the servant leads a remnant of Jehovah’s people in an exodus out of Assyria and out of all countries where they were scattered (vv 11-12; Isaiah 10:21-22; 43:16-17; Ezekiel 34:11-24). As Jehovah dried up the tongue of the Red Sea to let Israel pass over (Exodus 14:21-22; Isaiah 51:9-11), so he dries up the Assyrian tongue (Isaiah 54:16-17).