“The Lord God Shall Commence His Work”

Brant Gardner

Narrative: Verse 8 is a transition linking Nephi’s specific prophecy with the Isaiah texts that he is about to quote. This verse also creates an abrupt shift in the chronological context. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon and its redemptive effect on the Jew (of both the Old and New Worlds) is part of the “restoration of his people” (v. 8). Thus, the idea that the “Lord God shall commence his work” does not sequentially follow the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. This verse is not meant to create a sequence, but rather to connect the coming forth of the Book of Mormon with Isaiah’s prophecy about the redemption of the righteous remnant.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

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