1 Nephi 20

Isaiah is hard to read and one thing that helps me is to focus on or look for three themes. One theme is the wickedness of Israel, their rejection of Christ, and in spite of their wickedness, their eventual gathering and redemption by the Savior. The second theme is prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, and third, prophecies related to Joseph Smith and the restoration in the latter days.

This chapter is about Israel. First, the Lord condemns them for their wickedness. Notice what he says in these verses:

1. They make mention of God, swear or make oaths in his name, but they don't do this truthfully or righteously.
2. They say they are of the holy city or Jerusalem. That's like saying, "I'm righteous because I live in Utah."
4. They are obstinate, hard headed, and prideful.
5-6. The Lord fulfilled prophecies before they were supposed to happen so the people couldn't say the false gods and idols performed the miracles.
8. He condemns them for their lack of knowledge, for not hearing his words. He says from their creation as a nation (from the womb), they have been transgressors.

Then in the following verses, he makes these declarations and promises:
10. He will bring them out of their afflictions and make them a chosen people so his name will not be dishonored.
12-13. The Lord tells Israel he is the pre-mortal God, the Messiah, the Creator, and for his own reasons he will not abandon Israel in spite of their wickedness.
14-16. He loves is prophets. He has not spoken in secret, but openly through them and will bring his word to the people through the prophets.
17. He will lead his people in the way they should go.
18-19. He tells them of Abraham's covenant, that had they been righteous, their peace would have been as a river, their righteousness like the waves of the sea, their offspring as many as the sands of the sea, and they would not have been cut off and destroyed (scattered).
20-22. Then at the end of the chapter, he tells them to flee from the wicked influence of other nations, to remember that he lead Israel out of Egypt through the deserts and gave them water that flowed from rock, and yet they are still wicked and not at peace.

All of this is about ancient Israel, but in Isaiah, there is dualism. What he says about the people in one time, can also apply to people in another time. So this could apply to ancient Israel, or Israel at the time of the Savior, or the latter-days. Nephi says we should liken Isaiah's words unto ourselves. Can you see how this can also apply to our own time?