Lesson 115: Ecclesiastes; Song of
Solomon
Introduction
The book of
Ecclesiastes was written by an individual who called himself “the Preacher” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). The Preacher taught that the
conditions of our mortal life are temporary and that God will bring all our
works into judgment.
The Song of
Solomon is a collection of poetry and songs of love and affection. The Joseph
Smith Translation manuscript contains the note that “the Songs of Solomon are
not inspired writings” (Bible Dictionary, “Song of Solomon”; see also the note found above Song of Solomon 1:1,
footnote a).
If there is
time at the end of class, we will look at some of the verses in Ecclesiastes.
Lesson 116: Isaiah 1–2
---Why study
Isaiah? Great are the words of Isaiah.
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the
importance of studying Isaiah’s writings:
“If our
eternal salvation depends upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah
as fully and truly as Nephi understood them—and who shall say such is not the
case!—how shall we fare in that great day when with Nephi we shall stand before
the pleasing bar of Him who said: ‘Great are the words of Isaiah’? (3 Ne. 23:1.) …
“For that
matter, why should either Nephi or Isaiah know anything that is withheld from
us? Does not that God who is no respecter of persons treat all his children
alike? Has he not given us his promise and recited to us the terms and
conditions of his law pursuant to which he will reveal to us what he has
revealed to them?”
---Listen
for indicators of the spiritual condition of the young man and the young woman
in these scenarios.
1. A young man attends church every Sunday
and regularly attends seminary. He also frequently uses foul language, watches inappropriate
media, and is cruel to his younger brothers and sisters.
2. A young woman never misses a day of
seminary, always attends church, and recently earned her Personal Progress
Award. However, she does righteous things primarily to please her parents and
to receive recognition from others. When she is at school, she and her friends
make fun of people they see as being different from them.
---What indicators suggest this
young man and young woman may be struggling spiritually, even though they both
regularly attend church and seminary?
---What problems may result from
the choices of this young man and young woman?
---Like the
young man and young woman in these scenarios, the Israelites in Isaiah’s time
were performing outward acts of righteousness but were inwardly sinful and
unrepentant.
---As we
study Isaiah 1 to look for principles that can
help you avoid going through the motions of being righteous but without real
intent.
---Refer to
the handout “The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah at a Glance” (see lesson 102) and to locate “Isaiah” on the
handout.
---Isaiah
ministered in Jerusalem for about 40 years. He died approximately 100 years
before Lehi and his family departed from Jerusalem. Jesus Christ taught: “Great are the words of Isaiah. For
surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the
house of Israel” (3 Nephi 23:1–2). Many of Isaiah’s teachings
pertain directly to our day.
John Bytheway VIDEO
---Read Isaiah 1:1–4 aloud and look for words and phrases
that describe the Israelites’ spiritual condition in Isaiah’s time.
---What words or phrases did you
find that indicate the Israelites’ spiritual condition?
---Isaiah
often recorded the Lord’s words in a poetic form called parallelism.
Parallelism occurs when a writer expresses an idea and then repeats or
contrasts the idea using a similar sentence structure with different words.
---What example of parallelism
did you find? (Students may mention the phrase “Hear, O heavens, and give ear,
O earth.”)
---What idea did Isaiah express
through these words? (He invited all people everywhere to listen to the words
the Lord had given him.)
---Isaiah
also used images to illustrate ideas.
VARIOUS PICTURES demonstration
---Recognizing
Isaiah’s use of poetic parallelism and images can help us better understand his
words.
---What images did Isaiah use?
(Explain that a crib is a feeding trough where an animal receives food from its
master.)
---What did Isaiah contrast the
ox and donkey with? (He contrasted them with the rebellious Israelites, who did
not know the Lord and were not aware of the physical and spiritual nourishment
He had provided for them.)
---Read Isaiah 1:5–9 aloud and look for how the
people were affected by their wickedness. (You may want to explain that the
phrase “daughter of Zion” in verse 8 refers to Jerusalem and its
inhabitants.)
---What do you think Isaiah was
saying about the spiritual condition of the people by describing them as being
covered with “wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores” (Isaiah 1:6)?
---What wicked cities did Isaiah
compare the Israelites to?
---Summarize
Isaiah 1:10–15: Even though the Israelites were
wicked at this time, they continued to offer sacrifices at the temple and they
outwardly observed sacred occasions such as the Passover and other religious
feasts.
---Display a
clean, clear glass with water in it and add one or two drops of red food
coloring to the water.
---How is the water like the
intentions of the Israelites’ hearts at this time? (The intentions of their
hearts had become contaminated by sin.)
---How is the glass like the
outward behavior of the Israelites? (It is clean on the outside.)
---Scan Isaiah 1:11–15, looking for words or phrases
that describe how the Lord felt about the Israelites’ insincere offerings.
---What words or phrases in
these verses show how the Lord felt about the Israelites’ insincere offerings?
(Possible responses include “what purpose,” “I delight not,” “no more vain
oblations,” “I will hide mine eyes.” You may need to explain that “vain
oblations” are religious offerings given without real intent.)
---If the people were doing some
righteous things outwardly, why did the Lord reject those offerings?
---What is more meaningful to
the Lord than an outward display of devotion?
Our outward acts of devotion to God are more
meaningful to Him when the intentions of our hearts are pure.
---Mark SM Isaiah 1:18 if
you have not already done so.
---Read Isaiah 1:16–19 aloud looking for the invitation
the Lord offered to those who were suffering because of their sins.
---What did the Lord invite the
Israelites to do?
---How does the Savior help us
become clean? (Through the power of His Atonement.)
If we sincerely repent, we can be purified of
all of our sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
---Add about
1 tablespoon of bleach to the glass of water, and stir it gently
---How is the Atonement of our
Savior Jesus Christ similar to the bleach? (The Savior’s Atonement, like the
bleach, has the power to purify, but we must choose to apply the Atonement in our
lives by exercising faith in Christ and repenting of our sins.)
---Read
again the two scenarios presented at the beginning of the lesson.
---Explain
what the young man and young woman could do to repent and become clean through
the Savior’s Atonement.
---Share
your testimony of the power of Jesus Christ’s Atonement to help us become pure.
---Ponder
for a moment what they feel they need to do to become pure, and encourage them
to act on the promptings they receive.
---Summarize
Isaiah 1:20–24: The Lord told the people if they
would not change they would continue to suffer. However, as recorded in verses 25–31, He promised that in the latter
days, He would again redeem His people.
---Give each
student a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Ask students to read Isaiah 2:1–5 silently and draw a picture of
what Isaiah described.
---You may
want to invite one or two students to display and explain their drawings to the
entire class.
---How do you think these verses
are being fulfilled in our day?
---Isaiah
prophesied of many events of the latter days, and he often used symbolism in
expressing his prophecies. As is often the case in prophetic declarations, some
of Isaiah’s writings have dual or multiple meanings. That is, they can apply to
more than one situation or may be fulfilled at more than one time. This is
sometimes called dualism.
---Why do you think Isaiah
called the temple “the mountain of the Lord”?
---What can we learn from these
verses about what happens as we attend the temple?
As we attend the temple, the Lord will teach
us of His ways.
---During
the dedication of the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on October 8, 2000,
President Gordon B. Hinckley quoted Isaiah 2:2–3, 5 and stated: “I believe that
prophecy applies to the historic and wonderful Salt Lake Temple. But I believe
also that it is related to this magnificent hall. For it is from this pulpit
that the law of God shall go forth, together with the word and testimony of the
Lord”
---Listen
for blessings promised to us when we attend the temple found in the following
quote:
Pres. Boyd K. Packer:
“The temple
is a great school. It is a house of learning. In the temples the atmosphere is
maintained so that it is ideal for instruction on matters that are deeply
spiritual. … If you will go to the temple and remember that the teaching is
symbolic, you will never go in the proper spirit without coming away with your
vision extended, feeling a little more exalted, with your knowledge increased
as to things that are spiritual.”
---How has attending the temple
or studying about the temple helped you learn about the Lord’s ways?
---Invite
students to seek to learn about the Lord and His ways as they attend or prepare
to attend the temple and participate in sacred ordinances there.
---Summarize
Isaiah 2:6–22: In Isaiah’s time the Israelites
had become obsessed with wealth and idolatry. Isaiah prophesied that at the
time of the Second Coming, the proud and powerful would be humbled for their
transgressions.
---Testimony.
Isaiah 2:2. Understanding
multiple meanings in Isaiah: the “mountain of the Lord’s house”
“Dualism and
esoteric terms. As is often the case in prophetic declarations, some of
Isaiah’s writings have a dual meaning. That is, they can apply to more than one
situation or may be fulfilled at more than one time. He also at times combined
dualistic phrases with terms that were intended for or understood by only a
certain group. Such esoteric language brings to mind religious concepts that
only those who have the proper religious background readily understand without
further explanation. For example, Isaiah 2:2 refers to the ‘mountain of the
Lord’s house’ being ‘established in the top of the mountains.’ President
Harold B. Lee said that the phrase ‘mountain of the Lord’s house’ referred
to both ‘a place as well as a definition of a righteous people’ (“The Way to Eternal
Life,” Ensign,
Nov. 1971, p. 15). The establishment of the ‘mountain of the Lord’s house
in the top of the mountains’ has been fulfilled by the coming of the pioneers
to establish the Church and temple in the tops of the mountains in Utah (see
Lee, “The Way to Eternal
Life,” p. 15)
and will be further fulfilled [by the temple that will be built in the New
Jerusalem (see D&C 57:1–3) and] by the return of Judah to
Jerusalem, where the Lord’s house will be built (see D&C 133:13). It applies generally to those
places where God’s power and authority reside and where He communicates with
His people. The phrase ‘all nations shall flow unto it’ (Isaiah 2:2) can refer both to the early
gathering of the Saints to the valleys of the mountains in Utah and also to the
general gathering of Saints to Zion. The term Zion (v. 3), as well, has several
applications. It refers to the New Jerusalem in America, the Jerusalem of
Judah, and also the Lord’s people or their places of gathering in all parts of
the world. By using such terms as these, Isaiah conveys profound spiritual
meaning to those who understand the special significance of his language. …
“This
richness of language and meaning seems to be what Nephi meant when he spoke of
the manner of prophesying among the Jews. There is frequent reference to the
law of Moses and extensive use of imagery,
figurative language, and phrases that have dualistic and esoteric meanings.
Though modern readers cannot fully grasp the culture and times of ancient
Israel, understanding the methods Isaiah used to convey his meaning can give
the reader a far greater understanding of Isaiah” (Old Testament Student
Manual: 1 Kings–Malachi, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual,
2003], 133).
If there’s
time:
---Before
class, write the following phrase on the board:
The purpose of life is …
---Ask
students how they think people without an understanding of the plan of
salvation might finish this statement.
---How do you think your
attitude about life and your choices might be different if you did not
understand the plan of salvation?
---Ecclesiastes
means preacher, which is the self-imposed title of the person who wrote this
book.
---What are some things the
Preacher taught about life? (All is vanity. There is no profit to labor under
the sun.)
---Write the
following on the board:
“All is vanity” and “under the
sun” = …
---What do you think the phrase
“all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) means? (You may want to direct
students to verse 2, footnote
b.)
---The
phrase “under the sun” is another way of saying “during mortality.”
---Then
complete the phrase on the board to read, “All is vanity” and “under the sun” =
everything
is empty, temporary, or meaningless during mortality.
---This
message is a theme throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. The writer of
Ecclesiastes often wrote from the perspective of someone who had little to no
understanding of the plan of salvation. This perspective can help us recognize
that people waste much of their life focusing on pursuits that end when they
die.
---In Ecclesiastes 2, the Preacher describes several
different ways he sought to find purpose in life. He pursued amusement,
pleasure, and laughter. Ecclesiastes 3–10 says that the Preacher wrote that even though
good and bad things happen to all of us and even though one day we will all
die, we can do many things to make our mortal life better before it ends.
---Pass out
worksheet (Answers to handout: 1-f; 2-c; 3-g; 4-e; 5-b; 6-a; 7-d.)
---In Ecclesiastes 12:1–7 the writer reiterated that
everyone will one day die. At the time
of our death, our physical bodies will decay and return to the earth.
---What
truth do we learn from Ecclesiastes 12:7 about the condition of our
spirits after we die? (Students may use different words, but make sure they
identify the following truth: Although we experience physical death, our
spirits continue to live and will return to God.
---Invite a
student to read aloud the following statement concerning the condition of our
spirits after we die:
“Death does
not change our personality or our desires for good or evil. Those who chose to
obey God in this life live in a state of happiness, peace, and rest from troubles
and care. Those who chose not to obey in this life and did not repent live in a
state of unhappiness. In the spirit world the gospel is preached to those who
did not obey the gospel or have the opportunity to hear it while on earth. We
remain in the spirit world until we are resurrected” (Preach My Gospel
[2004], 52).
If we choose to focus on God and keeping His
commandments rather than on worldly pursuits, we will find purpose in mortality
and be prepared for the judgment of God.)
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the
importance of studying Isaiah’s writings:
“If our
eternal salvation depends upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah
as fully and truly as Nephi understood them—and who shall say such is not the
case!—how shall we fare in that great day when with Nephi we shall stand before
the pleasing bar of Him who said: ‘Great are the words of Isaiah’? (3 Ne. 23:1.) …
“For that
matter, why should either Nephi or Isaiah know anything that is withheld from
us? Does not that God who is no respecter of persons treat all his children
alike? Has he not given us his promise and recited to us the terms and
conditions of his law pursuant to which he will reveal to us what he has
revealed to them?”
1. A young
man attends church every Sunday and regularly attends seminary. He also
frequently uses foul language, watches inappropriate media, and is cruel to his
younger brothers and sisters.
2. A young
woman never misses a day of seminary, always attends church, and recently
earned her Personal Progress Award. However, she does righteous things
primarily to please her parents and to receive recognition from others. When
she is at school, she and her friends make fun of people they see as being
different from them
Pres. Boyd K. Packer:
“The temple
is a great school. It is a house of learning. In the temples the atmosphere is
maintained so that it is ideal for instruction on matters that are deeply
spiritual. … If you will go to the temple and remember that the teaching is
symbolic, you will never go in the proper spirit without coming away with your
vision extended, feeling a little more exalted, with your knowledge increased
as to things that are spiritual.”
Isaiah 2:2.
Understanding multiple meanings in Isaiah: the “mountain of the Lord’s house”
“Dualism and
esoteric terms. As is often the case in prophetic declarations, some of
Isaiah’s writings have a dual meaning. That is, they can apply to more than one
situation or may be fulfilled at more than one time. He also at times combined
dualistic phrases with terms that were intended for or understood by only a
certain group. Such esoteric language brings to mind religious concepts that
only those who have the proper religious background readily understand without
further explanation. For example, Isaiah 2:2 refers to the ‘mountain of the
Lord’s house’ being ‘established in the top of the mountains.’ President
Harold B. Lee said that the phrase ‘mountain of the Lord’s house’ referred
to both ‘a place as well as a definition of a righteous people’ (“The Way to Eternal
Life,” Ensign,
Nov. 1971, p. 15). The establishment of the ‘mountain of the Lord’s house
in the top of the mountains’ has been fulfilled by the coming of the pioneers
to establish the Church and temple in the tops of the mountains in Utah (see
Lee, “The Way to Eternal
Life,” p. 15)
and will be further fulfilled [by the temple that will be built in the New
Jerusalem (see D&C 57:1–3) and] by the return of Judah to
Jerusalem, where the Lord’s house will be built (see D&C 133:13). It applies generally to those
places where God’s power and authority reside and where He communicates with
His people. The phrase ‘all nations shall flow unto it’ (Isaiah 2:2) can refer both to the early
gathering of the Saints to the valleys of the mountains in Utah and also to the
general gathering of Saints to Zion. The term Zion (v. 3), as well, has several
applications. It refers to the New Jerusalem in America, the Jerusalem of
Judah, and also the Lord’s people or their places of gathering in all parts of
the world. By using such terms as these, Isaiah conveys profound spiritual
meaning to those who understand the special significance of his language. …
“This
richness of language and meaning seems to be what Nephi meant when he spoke of
the manner of prophesying among the Jews. There is frequent reference to the
law of Moses and extensive use of imagery,
figurative language, and phrases that have dualistic and esoteric meanings.
Though modern readers cannot fully grasp the culture and times of ancient
Israel, understanding the methods Isaiah used to convey his meaning can give
the reader a far greater understanding of Isaiah”
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