BOM 2 Nephi 8

In today’s reading, 2 Nephi 8 (= Isaiah 51-52:1-2), Jacob continues to cite the writings of the prophet Isaiah.

I would like to focus, very briefly, upon one verse, 2 Nephi 8:6:

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.”

I’ve been working intermittently on a book manuscript about the Qur’an’s view of the physical cosmos: how it came to be, how it’s presently configured or structured, and what it can tell us about God, independently of revelation.

The Qur’an is replete with statements remarkably similar to this one, as are the four scriptural standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The point of them is to show that the things we normally count on — the firmness and stability of “solid ground,” for example — aren’t really stable or reliable at all.  (Those who’ve experienced significant earthquakes can verify that one of the many unnerving aspects of such events is the fact that what has always seemed immoveable suddenly begins to move.)

When all else passes away, the prophets of the Abrahamic tradition have consistently taught, the word of the Lord will remain.  It’s the one thing that we can rely on.  Family members may disappoint us, false friends may betray us, even true friends may let us down.  Church leaders will be, as they’ve always been, human and fallible.  Political leaders will be political.  At the very least, even the best and greatest of them will grow old and die.  But the word of the Lord endureth forever, and his promises are sure.  We may violate our covenants with him, but he’ll never violate his covenants with us.