Who knew there was cool stuff in Isaiah?

Ok, so does anyone still read my blog? If not, oh well. I'll keep writing posts anyway.

So I'm taking this Isaiah class this semester, and oh my word, is it cool. Isaiah is amazing. I mean, yeah there's still parts where he goes on for chapters predicting the destruction of Damascus by the Assyrians and all that, but then there's stuff that just blows my mind. Isaiah talks so much about the temple and about Zion and the Restoration and the Savior it's just incredible. His writing is layers and layers of meaning. We've spent entire class periods on one verse. My understanding of the temple has increased exponentially. Every time we go to the temple, I learn so many things and have so many questions that I just want to start a session over again as soon as we finish. Just wow. If you haven't studied Isaiah, you should. Jesus said to.

My teacher gives us a method of study before class that is really helpful. He's amazing, and I always learn a ton in class, but these study tools have really helped unlock some of Isaiah's code. I'll give an example below of how I studied Isaiah 15-19.

Definitions (I make a list of all the words or terms I don't know, and then go back and look them up.)

Ar of Moab The city of Ar is named in a snatch of ancient song (Numbers 21:15), literally "the site of Ar." It is identical with "Ar of Moab" (Numbers 21:28; Isaiah 15:1). This is probably the place called the City of Moab in Numbers 22:36, where the Hebrew is `ir mo'abh. It is probably also intended by "the city that is in the middle of the valley" (Deuteronomy 2:36; Joshua 13:9,16; 2 Samuel 24:5). It lay "on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border" (Numbers 22:36). A possible identification might be the ruin noted by Burckhardt, in the floor of the valley, on a piece of pasture-land below the confluence of the Lejjun and the Mojib. Buhl however thinks that not a city but a Moabite district somewhere in the region south of the Arnon may be intended (GAP, 269).W. Ewing (From BibleStudyTools.com)
Mete To apportion by measure; to assign in portions; to portion or deal out; esp. to allot (punishment, praise, reward, etc.). Also intr. Now usually (in trans. use) with out.

Topics (Chapter headings are pretty useful, but sometimes there's other things he talks about too.)
Destruction: Chapters 15, 16, 17; I saw that all three chapters used a similar example of a field or crops. It seems to be both literal and figurative, since there will be physical destruction, but the footnote in chapter 17 tells us that the few grapes left on the vine represent the remnant of Israel left after the conquest of Assyria. So I'm confused when all this destruction is happening. Is this the last days? or is it current to Isaiah and just a foreshadowing of the last days?
Missionaries: 18: 1-3; I tried to find out where Ethiopia is, but all the answers were fuzzy. But that's ok, because it just means a land far away. Could this mean America? What could sending ambassadors by the sea in vessels of bulrushes mean? The footnote says bulrushes are papyrus. So is Isaiah being literal or figurative? If it's literal, that doesn't make very much sense, because we definitely don't sail in paper boats. So he must be figurative. Papyrus is used for writing and scrolls, which could refer to the scriptures, or even just the letter containing a mission call.
Ensign: 18:3; Why does he say "all ye inhabitants of the world" and " dwellers of the earth"? Don't those mean the same thing? Unless world means both sides of the veil, which is possible. Lifting up an ensign on the mountains could mean building a temple, unless the mountains are temples... Maybe it just means that we stand in a high and obvious place. We don't hide our standard.  Trumpets are used to call together assemblies, direct troops, or announce things. So we should be ready to listen to God's call to assemble, go somewhere, or start an event.

Doctrine: God loves His children.
Principle: He shows His love by sending His righteous children to help the ones who are lost.
Application: Go on a mission! Actually, for me right now, it would be to support my brother, grandparents and cousin who are serving in Peru, Samoa, and St. Louis. I can write letters.

(Note: Identifying the difference between doctrines, principles, and applications has been really enlightening as a whole. Often the Lord gives a principle like "Keep the Sabbath day holy" and then allows us to follow the Spirit and decide how to apply it for ourselves and our family. When people debate about things in Sunday School, it's always application, which is always a pointless discussion because the Lord intended for it to be individual. Notice how the Spirit is always stronger in a class that discusses doctrines and not applications. Also, when the prophets give application guidance, it's usually because we're being stupid.)

Scriptures.byu.edu (This is a super cool website where you can look up all the General Authority quotes that reference a certain verse.)
America was discovered because the Lord willed it. The gospel was restored in America, rather than in some other land because the Lord willed it. This is the land "shadowing with wings" spoken of by Isaiah that today is sending ambassadors by the sea to a nation scattered and peeled, which at one time was terrible in the beginning (Isa. 18:1-2). Now that nation is being gathered, and once again they shall be in favor with the Lord. Joseph Fielding Smith, Apr. 1966 Gen. Conf.
Aha! I was right! It is talking about America.

BlueLetterBible.org (This is another cool website that allows you to read other translations of the bible. Sometimes reading the New International Version really helps me understand which kingdom is mad at which kingdom, or the Young's Literal Translation, which is the literal meaning from the Hebrew, sheds light on strange wording. Of course, it's always important to be sensitive to the Spirit, and we always use only the KJV in class.)
That is sending by sea ambassadors, Even with implements of reed on the face of the waters, -- Go, ye light messengers, Unto a nation drawn out and peeled, Unto a people fearful from its beginning and onwards, A nation meeting out by line, and treading down, Whose land floods have spoiled. 18:2, YLT
This translation says with implements of reed instead of in vessels of bulrushes. This makes way more sense because an implement is a tool or piece of equipment. It can also refer to ecclesiastical vessels. Sounds like scriptures to me.

Doing all of these things usually takes me about two hours, but those two hours fly by. It's so interesting. I've learned more really amazing things, and I'll share some more soon. If you want. Well, I will even if you don't want. Too bad for you.