1 Nephi 21&22 Nursing Fathers and Mothers

1 Nephi 21 and 22 go hand in hand and should always be read together. I love 1 Nephi 22:1. "What meaneth these things which ye have read" is exactly what I asked after I read 1 Nephi 21. This is a good place to start gearing up for Isaiah, because 2 Nephi is just around the corner and worth the read. For the most part, chapter 21 is understandable, but Nephi's explanation of 1 Nephi 21:22-23 in 1 Nephi 22:6-8 is very helpful. Here's the original:

Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will lift up mind hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

1 Nephi 21:22-23

I've heard this scripture a thousand times and have only ever partially understood it until now. 1 Nephi 22:6-7 explains that Israel will be nursed by the Gentiles. The Gentiles will be made great and then scatter Israel (just open any history textbook to get this confirmed). The Lord will bring to pass a marvelous work (Isaiah 29:13-14) among the Gentiles that will be of great worth to the Israelites too. This is when Israel will start to be gathered again and recovenant with God. The Gentiles will carry the Israelites on their shoulders and become their nursing fathers and mothers. This is the latter-day missionary work going on right now! There are a couple of other verses I really like from chapter 21. 1 Nephi 21:13 is so beautiful. All of God's creations rejoice with Him. 

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

1 Nephi 21:13

I testify of the promise in 1 Nephi 21:15. Christ will not forget us. Though we fall short time and time again, we are His family and He will not give up on us.

For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb/ Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

1 Nephi 21:15

I know that 1 Nephi 22:15&26 is a prophesy about the Millennium, but we can do this now on a smaller scale. By staying righteous and following Christ, we can bind Satan in our homes and in our dealings with others.

For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned . . . . And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people. for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.

1 Nephi 22:15&26

I could go on, but really you need to read these chapters for yourself. Isaiah's prophesies are beautiful and relatable because we see them being fulfilled today. If ever there was a more important time to read Isaiah, it is now. And honestly, it's not so hard to understand. :)