“Verse 2 is a prophecy regarding the establishment of the LDS Church in Utah and the building of the temple in Salt Lake City.

If I remember correctly, verse 3 expands on this and speaks of all those who come to the LDS temples to be taught in the ways of the God of Jacob and walk in his paths. The last line speaks of Zion, which will be established in North America, from which the world shall be governed in temporal matters, while Christ himself shall rule from Jerusalem in spiritual matters.”

Can you believe this? Mormons actually think Isaiah is prophecying about North America and the Mormons! Isaiah was speaking to the Jews in Israel about Israel. How do I know this you ask?? READ VERSE 1 right before it:

“THE WORD THAT ISAIAH THE SON OF AMOZ SAW CONCERNING JUDAH AND JERUSALEM.”
-Isaiah 2:1

Joshua I cannot stop saying this to you: please read your Bible in it’s context and stop cherry picking verses to fit into Mormonism before I die of laughter. Read and know your Bibles people lest false prophets deceive you! Of the Mormons I know who have come out of Mormonism, there was always 1 key factor in what led them out of the church…they started reading the Bible! Really reading it, in it’s context. Especially the New Testament.

In this you would have an argument. On one hand you’ll have those who’ll say is doesn’t matter what type of goat. On the other, you’ll have those that will argue it has to be unblemished and male.

How do you know for certain? It’s by searching the Scriptures. Not all of the answers are found in a single passage, but the answer is there.

If one needs an external source in the immersion of suffering I mentioned earlier, then one can refer to the writings of the first century saints.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (1 Cor. 15:13-18)

Otherwise, what will those do who are Immersed for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they immersed for them? (1 Cor. 15:29)

Why are we also in danger every hour? I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. (1 Cor. 15:30-32)

In context, Paul was talking about those who suffer in preaching the Good News. He makes a point that if Christ did not rise from the dead then there is no resurrection. If there is no resurrection then those who undergo the immersion of suffering do so in vain.

Consider the conversation Jesus had in Mark chapter 10. He speaks of the cup of suffering and the immersion of suffering. His message to the disciples is that they will follow His example.

As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord (James 5:10)
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21)

Then read Philippians chapter 3.

There are two ways I can see for the Bible to interpret itself;

1. Explicitly
2. Contextually

Explicit interpretation itself can happen in two ways. First, the person speaking or writing can explain what they mean. Second, someone else writing or speaking in the Bible can explain what someone else writing or speaking in the Bible meant. We see this happen multiple times when Christ explains scriptures to the Pharisees that they had misunderstood and were trying to use against him.

Contextual interpretation would be that which we can assume we understand correctly, based on the context in which the words are used.

The problem that arises is that both explicit interpretation and contextual interpretation are subject to personal, or subjective, interpretation. That is, even if we read a passage where Christ is explaining what another scripture means, we can disagree on what Christ means when he’s explaining that scripture. And when it comes to contextual interpretation, it’s even more difficult to come to agreement.

Now, there are parts of the scripture where there is little room for doubt. When the Bible says “kill two goats” we could probably get representatives of every Christian faith imaginable and get them to all agree that what is really meant is that “two goats should be killed”.

But then you read something like 1 Cor 15:29 “Otherwise what are they to do, who have themselves baptized on account of the dead? If the dead are not really raised, why are they baptized on account of them?” and you get all sorts of different interpretations. Mormons say this is proof that baptism for the dead was an ordinance practiced by the church Christ established, and other Biblical scholars say it’s not any such thing, and that Paul as actually ridiculing those who baptized for the dead. Both perspectives can find evidence to back up their claims, but the Bible does not interpret itself in this instance. Nowhere else in the Bible is the practice of baptism for the dead mentioned, but neither is it ruled out.

Without a source of information external to the Bible, there are many parts of it that cannot be understood correctly, or at least we don’t know if we’re understanding them correctly or not. This is part of why modern-day prophets and apostles, of the same nature as those who lived anciently, are important. They can tell us what these words mean because they can go to God directly to get the answers, and because only they have authority to speak on behalf of God.

At some point in time Jesus is coming back. When that happens all creation will be destroyed with intense heat.

Those who are in Christ will be with the Lord for eternity. Those who did not know God or obey Him will be destined for the lake of fire and brimstone for eternity.

So when Jesus comes He is taking His saints with Him. Therefore, the church will be taken from the earth.

Q: What is the layout of the tabernacle recorded in the Biblical OT?
A: It was built exactly as Moses was told to.
a) there is an outer wall with only one entrance.
b) after you enter the only way in there is the alter of sacrifice.
c) after the alter of sacrifice is the laver.
d) after the laver is the entrance to the holy place. (Only a Levite priest may enter)
e) within the holy place is the showbread, lampstand, and altar of incense.
f) then there is the veil.
g) after the veil is the Holy of Holies.
h) within the Holy of Holies is the Ark of the Covenant. (Only the High Priest may enter)
i) the Ark of the Covenant has on it the Mercy Seat.
j) within the Ark is the Law of Moses (the one God carved out), Aaron’s budded rod, and a pot of manna.

Q: What does this mean?
A: The Kingdom of God and Heaven
a) Outside the walls are the sinners.
b) There is only one way to get to heaven. However, the path is narrow and only few find it.
c) Only the sacrifice of a pure lamb needs to be made. That sacrifice was Jesus,the pure, unspotted lamb.
d) before entering the Kingdom of God (aka the church) is by being washed. Therefore, one must be immersed for the forgiveness of sins and receive the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) before entering the Holy Place.
e) the Holy place is the Church (aka the body of Christ, and Kingdom of God). Only a priest can enter here (when a person passes from sinner to saint they become a priest unto God).
f) the show bread is the Passover Bread (communion bread)that a saint is to take in remembrance of the body that was broken (Christ), the alter of incense is prayer, the lampstand is the Bible.
g) the veil (aka Abraham’s bosom) that separated man from heaven no longer exists. It was torn by the Anointed’s sacrifice. The waiting period no longer exists when one falls asleep in Christ.
h) now the saint can see the Lord face to face. In the Holy of Holies (aka Heaven), the Lord sits on his throne (aka the Mercy seat or Judgement throne).
i) The Law still stands; for His word remains (BTW, He was getting the message of the law of Liberty, or Agape, across to us). The budded staff is the priesthood (all saints are priests in Christ). These priests,like Aaron, were chosen by God to be a holy people unto Him. The manna is there too. For the Lord Jesus is the true Living Bread.

This is only scratching the surface.