"An ensign to/for the nations"

"An ensign to/for the nations"

This phrase shows up twice in the Book of Mormon, both times in quoted Isaiah passages.

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them. (2 Nephi 15)

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. (2 Nephi 21)

"Ensign" could also be translated "banner," "standard," or "sign," and comes from the Hebrew root "nes." These are both clear references to the work of gathering of Israel. The verse in 2 Nephi 21 comes directly after we are told "the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people." 

Elder Holland speaks of a time when early church leaders felt that this prophecy was being literally fulfilled:

As has often been told from this pulpit, Brother Brigham led a handful of leaders to the summit of that hill and proclaimed it Ensign Peak, a name filled with religious meaning for these modern Israelites. Twenty-five hundred years earlier the prophet Isaiah had declared that in the last days “the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains,” and there “he shall set up an ensign for the nations.”
Seeing their moment in history as partial fulfillment of that prophecy, the Brethren wished to fly a banner of some kind to make the idea of “an ensign for the nations” literal. Elder Heber C. Kimball produced a yellow bandana. Brother Brigham tied it to a walking stick carried by Elder Willard Richards and then planted the makeshift flag, declaring the valley of the Great Salt Lake and the mountains surrounding it as that prophesied place from which the word of the Lord would go forth in the latter days. (source)

As I try to understand the symbols used in Isaiah, I look at other instances in the bible where these same words are used. I noticed this verse in Exodus 17:

15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. (NIV)

Interestingly, all three of these chapters contain military language. Since a "banner" can refer to a flag raised to rally troops, this detail caught my attention.  Notice the symbolism in Exodus 17, when Moses is commanded to raise his staff and hold it aloft while the army of the Israelites battles the Amalekites, who had attacked them.  When he is weary, he sits upon a stone and others support his arms until the battle is won. In commemoration of the victory, Moses builds the altar and names it "The Lord is my Banner." We have a staff, a stone, and an altar, all associated with a prophet.

As for the military imagery, we get a lot of that in Isaiah, and for me it indicates that the intended effect of the work of gathering is to invite all men to come unto Christ and be become a new creature through priesthood ordinances.  This creates a certain amount of carnage as a by-product.

More about staffs and the power of the word in the near future. 

A Highway of Holiness for the Remnant -- Part 3

In the last few posts we've been looking at Isaiah's mention of a highway in the latter days.  In part 1, we connected the meaning of this symbol to the temple.  In part 2, we looked at how Isaiah, Joseph in Egypt, and Lehi prophesied that the recovery of the remnant would take place in the latter days.

In this post, we'll look at a few more references to this highway, and try to connect related symbols to the latter-day work of restoring the Everlasting Covenant.

Connecting other symbols

As we study this symbol of the Highway -- the Road to Being Holy -- it is worth taking note of the other symbols found in these passages.  So far, we've seen mention of an "ensign to the nations" and seen the symbol of going over water on "dry shod." More about both of those in future posts.

If we look at other mentions of this highway in Isaiah, we see several other interesting symbols, too. I've highlighted phrases and words that indicate a symbol (positive or negative) associated with the covenant. Some of these are self-explanatory, but others (in bold) are detailed below:

8 Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 And then, O house of Israel, behold, these shall come from far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not. (1 Nephi 21/Isaiah 49)

"to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages" 

I have to admit, this wording made very little sense to me, so I looked at other translations, which include one that makes much more sense to me:

You will bring back the people to the land [L …to restore/rebuild the land] and ·give the land that is now ruined back to its owners

In the context of the creation-covenant connection, this verse suddenly makes much more sense. I  like this translation.  The restoration of the covenant realigns humanity with the purposes of the creation.

"They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places"

Here is the NIV translation of this section:

“They will feed beside the roads

    and find pasture on every barren hill.

We continue with this theme of restoring the creation to its bounteous state through the creation of a covenant people.

"by the springs of water shall he guide them"

He who has compassion on them will guide them

    and lead them beside springs of water. (NIV)

For me this evokes the time when Moses was commanded by the Lord to strike the rock with his staff and cause water to gush forth (see Exodus 17 or Numbers 20).  These are symbols to which we'll return.

"I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted"

The way of life is a path which elevates and exalts.

"the feet of those who are in the east shall be established"

Interestingly, this phrase is only found in 1 Nephi 21, not in Isaiah 49.  "Feet" as a symbol, represent

"a symbol for the traveling and effort required in bringing the Good News to others. "

Thus, the restoration of the covenant (as symbolized by the mountains and highways) are connected to the work of salvation.

"break forth into singing, O mountains"

The work of redemption brings about joy in heaven and on earth.  Doctrine and Covenants 84 contains many important teaching about the building of Zion, missionary work, and even includes a "new song" of redemption:

98 Until all shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together sing this new song, saying:99The Lord hath brought again Zion;The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,According to the election of grace,Which was brought to pass by the faithAnd covenant of their fathers.100The Lord hath redeemed his people;And Satan is bound and time is no longer.The Lord hath gathered all things in one.The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.101The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength;And truth is established in her bowels;And the heavens have smiled upon her;And she is clothed with the glory of her God;For he stands in the midst of his people.102Glory, and honor, and power, and might,Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,Justice, grace and truth, and peace,Forever and ever, Amen. (D&C 84)