2 Nephi 25

Nephi now interprets the Isaiah chapters for his people because he knows they do not understand them. The reason they don't is because they don't understand the way that the Jews prophesied. Nephi says the words weren't plain to them and we can certainly identify with them on that. In this chapter, the verses through verse 20 have Nephi relating the words of Isaiah to the Jews at Jerusalem specifically since the majority of his people would not have ever known Jerusalem or what it was like. And what Nephi does is show how the words of Isaiah were fulfilled. Beginning in verse 21, Nephi relates them to the Nephites and Lamanites. I picked out seven things in verses 1-20 that Nephi speaks to show the prophecies have been fulfilled with the Jews.

1. Verse 10. The Jews were destroyed and taken captive into Babylon.
2. Verse 11. After this, they were returned from Babylon and restored to their lands and Jerusalem.
3. Verses 12-13. They have many wars until the Savior comes who they reject because of their wickedness and crucify him.
4. Verses 14-15. The Savior will rise from the dead and Jerusalem is destroyed again, this time completely and the Jews are scattered among all the earth.
5. Verse 16. They will remain scattered among all the nations and persecuted by them until they believe in Christ and don't look forward to a different Messiah or believe in false ones.
6. Verse 17. The Lord will set his hand a second time to restore his people by doing a marvelous work and a wonder.
7. Verse 18. He will bring forward new scripture that will convince them that Christ is the true Messiah.

The last verses of the chapter contain Nephi's poignant plea for his people to keep the Law of Moses but to look to and believe in Christ. He tells them that the only way to live is to believe in him, not half way, but with full commitment, "with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul." Verse 23 is used a lot but misunderstood in my mind. It says we are saved by the grace of Christ after all we can do. I don't think it means were saved by his grace after doing everything we can. I think it is saying regardless of everything we could possibly do, the only way we are saved is by his grace. Nothing we do saves us, it only qualifies us for some level of exaltation. That is why Nephi says "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ... that our children (and us) may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."