One reason the words of Isaiah were not to be understood until the last days is because many of his prophecies didn’t pertain to former times, or solely to former times. Many of the events in Isaiah’s timeline, especially, could not be applied to previous ages and therefore could not have been fully understood. His timeline, which is detailed in the next four pages, comprises Isaiah 2-14, or the long block of Isaiah in 2 Nephi. Far from being a stumbling block to readers of the Book of Mormon, when understood, this section becomes a springboard to clearer, sharper latter-day revelation. The timeline supports one of the resurrected Lord’s keys to understanding Isaiah: “And all the things that he spake have been and shall be” (3 Ne. 23:3). In other words, all that Isaiah spake shall yet be.
Implied in Isaiah’s timeline is the idea that many of his prophecies still have not been fulfilled. When we read of the Lord’s vineyard being laid waste (Isa. 5:6), or of the daughters of Zion suffering terrible privations after their men have been killed (Isa. 3:16-25), or of a righteous remnant being preserved while entire nations are being destroyed (Isa. 10:17-22), we are reading of a time still in the future, a time when the Lord will perform “his whole work upon mount Zion” (Isa. 10:12). The timeline gives us a perspective of when these things will happen, something heretofore mostly hidden. Of course, Isaiah’s timeline will not give additional perspective to anyone who doubts that “all” of his words pertain to the last days.
Isaiah’s Latter-Day Timeline
A chronological sequence of events as revealed in Isaiah chapters 2-14
Isaiah 2
This is the beginning of “the day of the Lord of hosts” (v.12). “In the last days” (v. 2) devastating earthquakes will rock the earth (v. 19-21). These earthquakes will occur when the land of the covenant people “is full of silver and gold” and there is “no end of their chariots” (v. 7). The people will have fallen into a reliance on the arm of the flesh and will be guilty of worshiping “the work of their own hands” (v. 8). These massive earthquakes won’t occur, however, until “after your testimony,” meaning after the Latter-day Saint missionaries are recalled from their fields of labor (D&C 88:88-90). The earthquakes will be so severe that the economy will collapse, rendering silver and gold worthless, causing the coin of the realm to shift from money to food. After that sudden calamity, the wealthy will cast their gold and silver “to the moles and to the bats,” meaning, among other things, to those who are still blind enough to trade food for money (v. 20).
Isaiah 3
“The whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water” will be taken away (v. 1). Because of the economic collapse caused by the devastating earthquakes, food and water will become scarce. As the people grow desperate, they will gather into family clans for sustenance and safety (v. 6-7). Internecine wars will break out across the land, and many covenant men will “fall by the sword” (v. 25). Because of these privations, and because of pride and haughtiness, the “daughters of Zion” will be sorely afflicted (v. 16-26).
Isaiah 4
“Seven women shall take hold of one man” (v. 1). Partly because of the loss of men “in the war,” and partly because of a new order instituted by God, some degree of plural marriage will evidently be reinstituted. Also, those who have followed the promptings of the Spirit to leave early will find themselves in Zion-like refuges where they become “holy” and enjoy “a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night” (v. 2-6).
Isaiah 5
“The vineyard of the Lord,” which is the house of Israel (v. 7), will be humbled further. Because of Israel’s wickedness, “the anger of the Lord is kindled against his people” (v. 25), and his vineyard is purged by fire (v. 24). At about this time, a powerful leader, a wicked “ensign,” will be lifted up among “the nations from far” and will “come with speed swiftly” (v. 26). This will be the Assyrian king, an anti-Christ who will send forth an enormous and seemingly unstoppable army to conquer the world. His anger and brutality will rage like a fire around the globe.
Isaiah 6
Isaiah uses his anointing as a prophet as a type of the calling of a great latter-day servant. The counterfeit ensign came first, in chapter 5, and now the true ensign, the servant of the Lord, is called (see Isa. 1:12; D&C 113:3-6). Like Isaiah, he will be caught up to the throne of God where he will be purified, called, and taught the truths he must bring back to his people. This is the “messenger, the Lord’s servant,” who will gather the righteous remnants of Israel from the four corners of the earth and establish Zion (JST Isa. 42:19-20; Isa. 11:1-12).
Isaiah 7
As the covenant people who remained behind are threatened by the Assyrian’s armies, they are invited to form an alliance with other threatened people. But they are not to join forces with them, as the Lord’s servant, of whom the Lord himself was a type, will soon step forth in power to lead the righteous to safety (v. 14-16).
Isaiah 8
The Assyrian’s armies flood in over the land of the covenant people (v. 7-8). Many cities are destroyed and left desolate (Isa. 6:11), but the faithful, many of whom have fled to places of refuge, are told to “wait upon the Lord” and let him be their “sanctuary” (v.14-17). At this desperate time, many who have lost their faith begin to gravitate toward those “that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep” (v. 19). This will be a time of great “trouble and darkness” (v. 22).
Isaiah 9
A terrible holocaust envelopes the land; however, the righteous will experience peace and safety through the power of God, who calls his servant to shoulder the weight of a new government. (Again, the Savior himself serves as a type of this servant.) But while the righteous are led away to build New Jerusalem, wicked people left behind will try to rebuild their wasted cities, boasting that they will create even greater cities than before (v. 9-10). These attempts will be in vain, however, as warfare will increase until the land is fully engulfed in violence.
Isaiah 10
The Assyrian king is at the height of his power. Used as the Lord’s “rod,” this anti-Christ and counterfeit ensign will smite the world, erasing borders of nations and depopulating the earth (v. 7, 13). In time, however, this “ax” who boasts himself the supreme ruler of heaven and earth, will himself be hewn down (v. 15-19). Until that time, however, the terror and destruction wrought by this man will be unlike anything before known (Mark 13:19).
Isaiah 11
As the counterfeit ensign reached the pinnacle of his power initially, now the true ensign, the servant of Christ, reaches the pinnacle of his power. This man, known as the “rod” or “Branch,” will have power to judge righteously, smite the earth, slay the wicked, and gather the righteous remnants of Israel to the lands of their inheritance (v. 4, 12). Because of his work under the authority of Christ, the conditions of the Millennium begin to spring forth in the Zion (v. 6-9).
Isaiah 12
As Zion, the New Jerusalem, grows in power and beauty, its inhabitants sing praises to Christ, who serves as the “king of Zion” and makes his abode with his holy people (Moses 7:53, 62-64).
Isaiah 13
As Zion grows in glory, the world descends into violence. A great division has separated the people (2 Ne. 30:10), and the two sides summon their forces, one to eternal power and joy, and the other to a hellish finale of fire and death. As Zion continues to grow and flourish, Babylon falls to ruin, ultimately vanishing like Sodom and Gomorrah, never to rise again (v. 19).
Isaiah 14
The end of the conflict. The tribes of Israel have been established in the lands of their inheritance and will rule over all their former oppressors. The Assyrian king, who is likened to Lucifer, is finally vanquished. The Lord has used both of his hands, his two ensigns, as brooms to sweep the world clean (v. 22-23). Any pockets of “Philistines” (the wicked) who remain must melt away or be destroyed, for “the Lord hath founded Zion” (v. 32).