24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.
Nephi’s immediate audience is his family, who are a remnant
of Israel that is a branch broken off as prophesied. But his ultimate audience
is those of us in the latter days, who are also a remnant of Israel. Even
Gentiles who are baptized adopt the heritage of Israel, so Nephi makes a point
of saying these words of the prophet “were written unto all the house of Israel” (emphasis added), which includes us,
whether direct descendant or adopted in. So we should liken these words unto us
just as much as Nephi’s family should have. And so Nephi introduces us to the
words of Isaiah.
- Genesis 49: 22 (22–26)
- 1 Nephi 15: 12 (12,16)
- 2 Nephi 3: 5 (4–5)
