Liken all scriptures unto us – Come, Follow Me Ponderize – 1 Nephi 19:23
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
I love how Nephi bears testimony of the prophet Isaiah and his teachings to testify more powerfully about Jesus Christ and his role as our Redeemer. We should read, understand, internalize, and love these great words. If the testimony of Nephi is not enough to cause us to study the words of Isaiah more fully and completely, hopefully the testimony of the Savior of the world will stir us to action.
3 Nephi 23:1
Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.
One way that we internalize the words of Isaiah and all scripture is to liken them unto ourselves. I recently read a powerful book by Avraham Gileadi called, Isaiah Decoded, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It puts the whole book of Isaiah into such great clarity that it is much easier to liken it unto ourselves. In simplicity he talks about how our lives and the lives of all men are put into a state to either ascend or descend, as if on a ladder, similar to Jacob’s ladder. We ascend to be more and more like God or we descend to be more and more like the adversary. His method of teaching is to use people, places, and events of the past as types, patterns, and models for us to follow and ultimately to prophesy of end time events. This life is our proving ground to see how far we will ascend or descend, thus sealing our own fate based on what we will choose, desire, and the way we live our lives.
Elder Spencer J. Condie in his talk, Claim the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises, explained some of the great rewards given to those who liken the scriptures unto themselves.
“Divine guidance and inspiration are promised to those who “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3) and who “liken all scriptures” unto themselves (1 Nephi 19:23).”
In this our day, even the last days, we need more than ever this divine guidance and inspiration if we are to learn from the past how to pattern ourselves after Christ, and become more like Him. The scriptures are replete with story after story and person after person who likened the scriptures unto themselves and knew that if the Lord could appear unto and teach the great ones of old, He could appear unto and teach them as well. Our temples teach this in every endowment session, that we can approach the Lord and the veil can be opened and we can be taught at the feet of the Lord himself. When will we truly liken the scriptures unto ourselves and overcome by faith our doubts and fears and part the veil?
Craig
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