“All Things That He Spake Have Been and Shall Be”

Here the Savior essentially says to the Nephites: “You can trust Isaiah. Many of the things of which he prophesied have already taken place; many more shall yet come to pass. His word is true (Jacob 4:13; D&C 93:24) and faithful.” Jesus may also have intended to convey the idea that Isaiah’s words have dual or multiple fulfillment. “Thus the past becomes the key that unlocks the future. As history has its cycles, so prophecies have multiple fulfillments and repeated applications. Isaiah’s prophecies of events now past foretell events yet future. The past is the stage upon which the future is portrayed. The scriptures thus have a timeless value and an eternal relevance.” (Commentary 1:282.)

“The House of Israel”

If we speak of the Gentiles as those who are of Israel (either members of the Church or nonmembers) who line outside the land of Israel, that is, those who are Israelite by descent but Gentile by culture then again the destiny of the Gentiles is inextricably tied to that of Israel.

The gospel comes first to the Gentiles in the last days, and from them it goes to the Lamanites and the Jews. Thus members of the Church (“Gentiles” by Nephi’s classification—1 Nephi 13:3; 1 Nephi 22:7; see also D&C 109:60) read the holy scriptures, particularly the writings of Isaiah, find meaning and direction, and come to identify clearly with his prophetic pronouncements regarding the house of Israel. In short, Isaiah’s words, though directed primarily to Israel, are of everlasting worth to all people, Jew and Gentile alike.

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4

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