The Book of Mormon
~AD 34

3 Nephi 22

Jesus quotes Isaiah 54, beginning with the barren woman called to sing and enlarge her tent. The prophecy speaks of breaking forth with descendants inheriting nations. Promises of comfort follow past shame, as the Maker becomes husband and redeemer. After brief forsaking comes everlasting kindness. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with precious stones and established in righteousness.

A Promise of Hope

Then what was written will come true: 'Sing out, you who were childless and barren! Burst into joyful song, you who never felt labor pains! Because the woman who seemed abandoned will have more children than the woman with a husband,' says the Lord.

Make your tent bigger. Stretch out the curtains of your home—don’t hold back! Lengthen the ropes and drive the stakes in deeper. You’re going to spread out in every direction. Your children will inherit the nations and bring life back to cities that were left empty.

No More Shame

Don’t be afraid. You won’t be humiliated or disgraced anymore. The shame of your younger years will fade away, and you’ll forget what it felt like to be a rejected widow. Your Maker is your husband—the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. He’ll be called the God of the whole earth. The Lord has called you back, like a wife who was abandoned and heartbroken, like a young bride who was rejected, says your God.

I left you alone for a brief moment, but with deep compassion I’m bringing you back. In a flash of anger, I turned away from you. But with love that lasts forever, I will show you mercy, says the Lord your Redeemer. This is like the days of Noah to me. Just as I promised that Noah’s flood would never cover the earth again, I promise I won’t be angry with you. Even if the mountains crumble and the hills collapse, my love for you will never fail. My promise to my people will stand firm, says the Lord who shows you mercy.

Rebuilt with Beauty

You’ve been beaten down, battered by storms, with no comfort in sight. But listen—I’m going to rebuild you with beautiful stones and lay your foundation with sapphires. I’ll make your windows from sparkling agates, your gates from brilliant rubies, and all your walls from precious stones.

All your children will be taught by the Lord. And your children will know deep peace. You’ll be built on what’s right and good. Oppression will be a distant memory—you won’t have to fear it. Terror won’t come near you.

If anyone attacks you, it won’t be because I sent them. Whoever comes against you will fall because of you. Look—I created the blacksmith who stokes the fire and forges weapons for war. And I created the destroyer who tears things down. No weapon made to harm you will succeed. Every accusation thrown at you in court, you’ll prove wrong. This is what those who serve the Lord can expect. Their vindication comes from me, says the Lord.

Influences

  • 22:1 — Isaiah 54:1 (KJV)
    Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
  • 22:2 — Isaiah 54:2 (KJV)
    Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
  • 22:3 — Isaiah 54:3 (KJV)
    For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
  • 22:4 — Isaiah 54:4 (KJV)
    Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
  • 22:5 — Isaiah 54:5 (KJV)
    For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
  • 22:6 — Isaiah 54:6 (KJV)
    For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
  • 22:7 — Isaiah 54:7 (KJV)
    For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
  • 22:8 — Isaiah 54:8 (KJV)
    In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
  • 22:9 — Isaiah 54:9 (KJV)
    For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
  • 22:10 — Isaiah 54:10 (KJV)
    For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
  • 22:11 — Isaiah 54:11 (KJV)
    O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
  • 22:12 — Isaiah 54:12 (KJV)
    And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
  • 22:13 — Isaiah 54:13 (KJV)
    And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
  • 22:14 — Isaiah 54:14 (KJV)
    In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
  • 22:15 — Isaiah 54:15 (KJV)
    Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
  • 22:16 — Isaiah 54:16 (KJV)
    Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
  • 22:17 — Isaiah 54:17 (KJV)
    No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
3 Nephi 213 Nephi 23