These chapters are massive in scope and depth and importance, so I have not designed a specific lesson plan. First I will just give notes from my sources on these particular scriptures. Then I will share some lesson ideas for each of the two major points of these chapters, from which you can choose (with the Spirit) how to arrange your lesson.
CHAPTER 50
This chapter is the same as 2 Nephi 7, and Jacob gives wonderful commentary on it in 2 Nephi 9. It begins with rhetorical questions about who has abandoned who? It is not the Lord who has left the House of Israel, but the reverse.
vs. 4-9 are a "servant song," and the servant is Jesus Christ (Parry, p. 441). It's strange to read Jesus Christ saying that "the Lord God" has done all these things for him, but if you look closely at the King James Version, you can see that every time "Lord" comes up in these verses, it is with a capital "L" and lower case "ord." In the King James Version, Jehovah, who is Jesus Christ, is written as Lord with all four letters capitalized, such as in verse 10. (See a previous entry for the reason why.) So we can assume that Jesus Christ is calling his Father, "Lord God," with Lord meaning the sovereign leader.
v. 7 "I set my face like a flint." Bruce R. McConkie wrote, "The course of his life was toward the cross and he was steadfast and immovable in his determination to follow this very course" (quoted in Parry, p. 441).
v. 8 "Who will contend with me? Let us stand together." In ancient civil court, the opponents stood together in front of the judge. In criminal court, the accuser personally charged the defendant (Parry, p. 445)
v. 10 "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" It is a rhetorical question. The obvious answer to the reader is "no one; it is impossible." The words "Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God" are not found in the Book of Mormon account.
v. 11 Those who "kindle a fire" or "compass themselves about with sparks" are those who are living by their own light, and not by the light of Christ.
CHAPTER 51
This prophecy is also found in 2 Nephi 8:1-25, and includes the first two verses of Chapter 52. The meaning is fairly straightforward, so I didn't add any notes here.
CHAPTER 52
This chapter is highly significant. It has been quoted by Jacob, Abiniadi, Jesus Christ, and Moroni in the Book of Mormon (for examples, see 2 Ne. 8:24-25; Mosiah 12:20-25; 3 Ne. 20:36-37; and Moro. 10:31), and in the D&C (for example, D&C 113: 7-10). Paul also quoted from it (for example, 2 Cor. 6:17). Victor Ludlow says John the Revelator did as well, but I haven't found it myself (Ludlow, p. 432, 438).
Note that prophetic future tense (also called prophetic perfect tense) is used in this chapter, meaning that the time sequence is all mixed up in the grammar: sometimes the writer is speaking using past tense, sometimes he uses future tense, sometimes he uses present tense. This is common among prophetic writings. It shows the great faith and vision of the prophet, and illustrates the fact that the Lord operates outside of time. All things are present to him, so our literary tools of past, present, and future tense are not relevant, and are therefore interchangeable.
v. 1-3 were quoted by Christ to the Nephites in 3 Ne. 20:36-38.
v. 7 was quoted by Christ to the Nephites in 3 Ne. 20:40.
v. 10 In 3 Ne. 20:35 (Christ's quote of this verse to the Nephites) it says "Father" for both "Lord" and "God," and adds the phrase, "and the Father and I are one."
v. 11-15 were quoted by Christ to the Nephites in 3 Ne. 20:41-45.
v. 13-15 Victor Ludlow thinks this servant is Joseph Smith, rather than Jesus Christ, since's Christ's commentary on the prophecy in 3 Ne. 21:7-11 refers to the restoration and Joseph Smith. I don't know whether I agree, but it's an interesting thought.
CHAPTER 53
This entire chapter is another "servant song" of Jesus Christ.
v. 1 The writer is amazed at how few have listened to the prophets testify of Christ!
v. 2 "For he [Jesus Christ] shall grow up before him [Heavenly Father]."
v. 3-6 are all used as lyrics for Handel's Messiah. (See previous entry.)
v. 4 This prophecy of Christ was quoted by Matthew, one of 14 quotes he included in his gospel to convince the Jews that Jesus Christ was the Jehovah of the Old Testament. (See Matt. 8:17)
v. 5 "Bruised" can be translated as "crushed." (See Gen. 3:15 footnote.)
v. 10 "It pleased the Lord" means it was God's will; it was a part of God's plan.
v. 11 "...by his knowledge" means through the knowledge of him (see Hosea 4:1; 6:6)
CHAPTER 54
"Isaiah 54 and 55 are beautiful chapters of encouragement; chapter 54 portrays the glory of Zion in the last days, and chapter 55 extends an invitation to all people to partake of the gospel. Building upon the prophecy of the Messiah (chapter 53), these two chapters promise special blessings from the Savior's mission...
"[Chapters 54-58 lay] a foundation for the following eight chapters concerning the great blessings of a Zion society, a millenial reign, and a new heaven and new earth in the last days (chapters 59-66)" (Victore Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer and Poet, p. 458).
This chapter was quoted by Christ to the Nephites (3 Ne. 22).
v. 1 The places and peoples that were previously unfruitful in the gospel will produce a great harvest: "More are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife."
v. 2-3 "In the last days, or the time in which we now live, the Lord will bring many people to Zion. They will be so many that they cannot all fit in one place. Rather than there being only one land of Zion, she will be established in many stakes" (Parry, et.al, p. 479). The stakes will spread all over the earth, "on the right hand and on the left," and cities that previously had no Latter-day Saints ("the desolate cities") will now be inhabited with them.
v.4-10 Although the House of Israel suffered a temporary "widowhood," or being abandoned by the Lord because of their sins, the Lord is still her "husband" and will not permanently forsake her. It is just as with the flood at the time of Noah: the Lord promised he would never drown the earth again, and he did not. So also he has promised that he will not be angry with the House of Israel forever, and he will not. His love and "the covenant of his peace" are more solid than the very mountains.
v.11-14 Despite the troubles the people have been through, partly because of their wickedness, the Lord will prepare an astonishingly beautiful city for them, in which their children can be taught of the Lord--"taught by the Lord" and/or "taught about the Lord." (New Revised Standard Version and New International Version both translate this as "taught by the Lord.") The result of this teaching is great peace for the children.
v.14-17 Evil people will still conspire, but it will not affect those who are near the Lord, who fall under his protection. The Lord is in total control.
v. 17 President Ezra Taft Benson carried this verse in his wallet (Ensign, July 1994, p. 32).
CHAPTER 55
According to Victor Ludlow (p. 463), this chapter is in chiastic form. (For more on chiasm, see Should I Not Spare Ninevah? in a previous entry.)
v. 1-3 Invites all to receive the everlasting gospel.
v. 4-5 Promises help.
v. 6-7 Requests a turning back to the Lord.
v. 8 States that God's plans and ways are not
man's plans and ways.
v. 9 Testifies that the heavens (spiritual
plans) are above the earth (mortal
designs).
v. 9 States again that God's plans and ways are
not like man's.
v.10-11 Declares that some things have already returned
back to God.
v. 12 Promises that we can be led back to God's presence.
v. 13 Invites us to become God's everlasting sign.
CHAPTER 56
v. 1-2 Blessings to those who are obedient to the Lord.
v. 3-8 This is a beautiful passage about how the Lord desires to gather "the outcasts of Israel". Those who have previously been excluded from the church, eunuchs (castrated slaves) and strangers (foreigners or Gentiles) (see Deut. 23:1-3) are now welcomed and afforded every privilege, even temple privileges, if they will keep the Sabbath and "take hold" of their covenants. Much more detail is available about keeping the Sabbath in chapter 58.
v. 5-8 "Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people," the Lord says. Note the many, many references to temples in this passage: "mine house," "within my walls," "a place (sometimes translated 'hand') and a name better than of sons and daughters," "an everlasting name," "my holy mountain," "my house of prayer," "burnt offerings and sacrifices," and "mine altar." (If you have access to pictures of temples, or can print them off the Internet (see link later in this entry), each time one of these temple phrases is read in the passage, post a picture of one of our latter-day temples, so that the board will be covered with pictures of 8 or 10 temples as you read this verse. If you plan to do the "Stakes of Zion ABCs" game, you may want to post the pictures of the temples refered to in the game.)
v. 9-12 "A short rebuke to the wicked of the time" (footnote 9a).
LESSON FOCUS ONE: THE ATONEMENT
Certainly, the greatest message of these chapters of Isaiah is the central gospel message, that of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Elder Bruce C. Hafen wrote one of the best short treatises on this topic, which makes it highly personal and applicable to all, and which dispels many misunderstandings about the Atonement. He writes, "It is unfortunate when we convey incorrect ideas to [those not of our faith]; but it is worse when we, by our limited doctrinal understanding, deny ourselves the reassurance and guidance we may desperately need at pivotal moments in our lives." This article, called "Beauty for Ashes," and published in the April 1990 Ensign, can be found at this link.
If you want to focus on the Atonement for those lesson, you could...
LESSON FOCUS TWO: MISSIONARY WORK
The title of this lesson refers to the work of spreading the gospel: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace" (Isa. 52:7).
Abinidi commented on this scripture, asking who were the children of Christ: "Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
"And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
"And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished. (Mosiah 15:13-19)
If you choose to focus on the importance of sharing the gospel of the Atonement with others as the topic of your lesson, you could...
Sources:
Parry, Parry, and Peterson, Understanding Isaiah.
Victor Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Poet, and Seer.
"Isaiah 54 and 55 are beautiful chapters of encouragement; chapter 54 portrays the glory of Zion in the last days, and chapter 55 extends an invitation to all people to partake of the gospel. Building upon the prophecy of the Messiah (chapter 53), these two chapters promise special blessings from the Savior's mission...
"[Chapters 54-58 lay] a foundation for the following eight chapters concerning the great blessings of a Zion society, a millenial reign, and a new heaven and new earth in the last days (chapters 59-66)" (Victore Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer and Poet, p. 458).
This chapter was quoted by Christ to the Nephites (3 Ne. 22).
v. 1 The places and peoples that were previously unfruitful in the gospel will produce a great harvest: "More are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife."
v. 2-3 "In the last days, or the time in which we now live, the Lord will bring many people to Zion. They will be so many that they cannot all fit in one place. Rather than there being only one land of Zion, she will be established in many stakes" (Parry, et.al, p. 479). The stakes will spread all over the earth, "on the right hand and on the left," and cities that previously had no Latter-day Saints ("the desolate cities") will now be inhabited with them.
v.4-10 Although the House of Israel suffered a temporary "widowhood," or being abandoned by the Lord because of their sins, the Lord is still her "husband" and will not permanently forsake her. It is just as with the flood at the time of Noah: the Lord promised he would never drown the earth again, and he did not. So also he has promised that he will not be angry with the House of Israel forever, and he will not. His love and "the covenant of his peace" are more solid than the very mountains.
v.11-14 Despite the troubles the people have been through, partly because of their wickedness, the Lord will prepare an astonishingly beautiful city for them, in which their children can be taught of the Lord--"taught by the Lord" and/or "taught about the Lord." (New Revised Standard Version and New International Version both translate this as "taught by the Lord.") The result of this teaching is great peace for the children.
v.14-17 Evil people will still conspire, but it will not affect those who are near the Lord, who fall under his protection. The Lord is in total control.
v. 17 President Ezra Taft Benson carried this verse in his wallet (Ensign, July 1994, p. 32).
CHAPTER 55
According to Victor Ludlow (p. 463), this chapter is in chiastic form. (For more on chiasm, see Should I Not Spare Ninevah? in a previous entry.)
v. 1-3 Invites all to receive the everlasting gospel.
v. 4-5 Promises help.
v. 6-7 Requests a turning back to the Lord.
v. 8 States that God's plans and ways are not
man's plans and ways.
v. 9 Testifies that the heavens (spiritual
plans) are above the earth (mortal
designs).
v. 9 States again that God's plans and ways are
not like man's.
v.10-11 Declares that some things have already returned
back to God.
v. 12 Promises that we can be led back to God's presence.
v. 13 Invites us to become God's everlasting sign.
CHAPTER 56
v. 1-2 Blessings to those who are obedient to the Lord.
v. 3-8 This is a beautiful passage about how the Lord desires to gather "the outcasts of Israel". Those who have previously been excluded from the church, eunuchs (castrated slaves) and strangers (foreigners or Gentiles) (see Deut. 23:1-3) are now welcomed and afforded every privilege, even temple privileges, if they will keep the Sabbath and "take hold" of their covenants. Much more detail is available about keeping the Sabbath in chapter 58.
v. 5-8 "Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people," the Lord says. Note the many, many references to temples in this passage: "mine house," "within my walls," "a place (sometimes translated 'hand') and a name better than of sons and daughters," "an everlasting name," "my holy mountain," "my house of prayer," "burnt offerings and sacrifices," and "mine altar." (If you have access to pictures of temples, or can print them off the Internet (see link later in this entry), each time one of these temple phrases is read in the passage, post a picture of one of our latter-day temples, so that the board will be covered with pictures of 8 or 10 temples as you read this verse. If you plan to do the "Stakes of Zion ABCs" game, you may want to post the pictures of the temples refered to in the game.)
v. 9-12 "A short rebuke to the wicked of the time" (footnote 9a).
LESSON FOCUS ONE: THE ATONEMENT
Certainly, the greatest message of these chapters of Isaiah is the central gospel message, that of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Elder Bruce C. Hafen wrote one of the best short treatises on this topic, which makes it highly personal and applicable to all, and which dispels many misunderstandings about the Atonement. He writes, "It is unfortunate when we convey incorrect ideas to [those not of our faith]; but it is worse when we, by our limited doctrinal understanding, deny ourselves the reassurance and guidance we may desperately need at pivotal moments in our lives." This article, called "Beauty for Ashes," and published in the April 1990 Ensign, can be found at this link.
If you want to focus on the Atonement for those lesson, you could...
- discuss the wonderful concepts contained in Elder Hafen's article.
- ask 2 or 3 class members, several days ahead of time, if they would be willing to comment on the role of the Atonement in their lives. (Be very prayerful in your choice of speakers, and be very specific in the time limit you give them.)
LESSON FOCUS TWO: MISSIONARY WORK
The title of this lesson refers to the work of spreading the gospel: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace" (Isa. 52:7).
Abinidi commented on this scripture, asking who were the children of Christ: "Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
"And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
"And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished. (Mosiah 15:13-19)
If you choose to focus on the importance of sharing the gospel of the Atonement with others as the topic of your lesson, you could...
- open or close the lesson with a musical number such as "O, That I Were an Angel," sung by an individual, or a hymn such as "Go Forth With Faith," sung by the class (particularly if there is a piano in your room and access to hymnbooks).
- ask 1 or 2 class members who are converts to share their conversion stories, and 1 or 2 class members who are returned missionaries or exemplary member missionaries to share their missionary stories.
Sources:
Parry, Parry, and Peterson, Understanding Isaiah.
Victor Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Poet, and Seer.
