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Searching other scriptures helps to understand Isaiah

The Savior declared: "Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently, for great are the words of Isaiah." (3 Ne. 23:1.)

Further, He commanded, "Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things." (3 Ne. 23:5.)At a symposium on "Isaiah and the Prophets" held at Brigham Young University on March 19-20, 1983, Monte S. Nyman said, "Despite

theT emphasis on Isaiah, a study of his writings alone is insufficient." A search of the writings of other prophets "will furnish a second witness of Isaiah's great teachings concerning the house of Israel."

Brother Nyman said that many of the prophets ministered around the time of the captivity of the ten and one-half tribes of Israel by the Assyrians. (750-700 B.C.) In addition to Isaiah, prophets in that period included Micah, Hosea and Amos.

"The next time period of the prophets is that of the captivity of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, when many Jews were carried into exile in Babylon.

Approximately 607-587 B.C.T Ezekiel and Daniel were the two prophets raised up to guide the captive Jews while they were separated from their homeland. Included in Ezekiel's extensive visions was the restoration of the two nations of the house of Israel, Judah and Ephraim (or Northern Israel), to one fold under one shepherd through the coming of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. He also foresaw many other aspects of the Restoration, as well as the great battle of Gog and Magog in the last days."

Also speaking at the symposium, Gerald N. Lund said: "Considering the length of his book, we know surprisingly little about Ezekiel the man. His name means God strengthens,' or, as one scholar translated it,God will prevail,' or `whom God has strengthened.'

"We know from his own record that he was the son of Buzi (unfortunately we don't know who Buzi was), and that he was a priest. (Ezek. 1:3.) Almost certainly he was carried away captive into Babylon in the second group of captives taken by Nebuchadnezzar. Some scholars have speculated that he may have served in the temple in Jerusalem before he was taken captive in Babylon, because in the later chapters (see Ezek. 40-44) it is obvious that he is intimately familiar with the temple rituals and other things that took place there. But he himself makes no mention of it, so that is merely speculation.

"Josephus says that Ezekiel was carried away when he was young, . . .

"In two or three places in Ezekiel, we learn that while he was in exile, the elders of the Jews came to his home to counsel with him. Most often they rejected his counsel, but it is interesting that he functioned as a prophet in a very personal, face-to-face setting. It was for this reason that one scholar referred to him as a `pastor as well as prophet.' "

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