49:23 Kings and Queens Nursing Fathers and Mothers

Isaiah 49:23

23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward 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.  Who are these kings and queens? 

They are the governmental leaders of the gentile nations (European and American) who will facilitate the gathering of the Jews to the lands of their inheritance (Jerusalem and Zion).

2.  Who will they nurse?

     The Jews (by facilitating the return of the Jews to the lands of their inheritance.)  

3.  Who will bow down and lick up the dust of whose feet?

The gentiles that unite with the great and abominable church and who fight against Zion will lick up the dust of the feet of the repentant gentiles and Jews who unite with the church of the Lamb and who dwell in Zion.

4.  When will these things happen?

When the Jews come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they will be gathered to Jerusalem and to Zion.  When the wicked gentiles fight against Zion, the lord will cause them to bow down with their face toward the earth and lick up the dust of the feet of the Lord's covenant people.  The licking up of the dust seems to coincide with the Lord's coming in power and great glory.

Scriptural References

Fortunately, there are several Book of Mormon references to this verse which makes the interpretation very plain.

In 2 Nephi 10, Jacob explains that "Christ should ^bcome among the ^cJews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall ^dcrucify him."  He explains that, because of the iniquities of the Jews, the Jews will be scattered among all nations.  When the day comes that the Jews believe that Jesus is the Christ, they will be restored in the flesh to the lands of their inheritance.


1.  Who are these kings and queens? 

     They are the governmental leaders of the gentile nations (European and American) who will facilitate the gathering of the Jews to the lands of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 10:9

9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute?

2.  Who will they nurse?

     The Jews (by facilitating the return of the Jews to the lands of their inheritance.)  

2 Nephi 10:8

8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance.

3.  Who will bow down and lick up the dust of whose feet?

The gentiles that unite with the great and abominable church and who fight against Zion will lick up the dust of the feet of the repentant gentiles and Jews who unite with the church of the Lamb and who dwell in Zion.

2 Nephi 6:13

 13Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ^aashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who ^bwait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.

4.  When will these things happen?

When the Jews come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they will be gathered to Jerusalem and to Zion.  When the wicked gentiles fight against Zion, the lord will cause them to bow down with their face toward the earth and lick up the dust of the feet of the Lord's covenant people.  The licking up of the dust seems to coincide with the Lord's coming in power and great glory.

2 Nephi 6:11

Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to ^aperish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that ^bwhen they shall come to the ^cknowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be ^dgathered together again to the^elands of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 6:13-14

 13Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ^aashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who ^bwait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.

 14And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the ^asecond time to recover them; wherefore, he will ^bmanifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the ^cdestruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him.

Introduction: my fascination with Isaiah

• Most of my familiarity with the words of Isaiah comes from the Book of Mormon.  In my personal and family scripture study, I read over Isaiah's words without understanding much.  Sometimes I can pick out parts that teach that Jesus is the Christ and sometimes I pick out parts that persuade personal righteousness.  More meaning than that has been difficult for me to grasp.  

  
  

  During my full-time missionary service (1996-1998) and since, I attained a strong understanding and testimony of the truths taught in the Book in Mormon; yet, the majority of Isaiah's words continue to befuddle me.  A few scriptures periodically rap at the door in the back of my mind:  

  
  

  2 Nephi 25:7

  7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass.

  This scripture tells me that as Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled, I can know of a surety exactly what Isaiah was talking about; therefore, though it may not be requisite to understand all of Isaiah's words which have not been fulfilled, I should know and understand his words which have already come to pass.

  3 Nephi 23:1

  1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.

  This commandment is from the risen Lord himself to the righteous Nephites who were spared from the great destruction that occurred at the time of His death.  The Book of Mormon was written for our day and for our benefit; is it not wise for us to heed the words of the Lord  and to search the great words of Isaiah diligently? 

  2 Nephi 25:4

  4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me; wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.
  

  I hold the priesthood, so why not be filled with the spirit of prophecy at times?  Why should I not be able to understand ALL of Isaiah's words after diligent searching?  Like Nephi's soul, my soul also delights in plainness.  There have been times when I think I understand Isaiah's words, but then I re-read the same words and my previous understanding is gone from me much like a dream that I forget just seconds after waking.  This blog will be a way of recalling and building on my understanding of the great words of Isaiah.

  This blog  for my personal benefit; although, if others can benefit from it, all the better.  I expect it to be very piece-mealy rather than ordered either by chapters and verses or by chronological fulfillment of prophecy.    I will analyze just one idea at a time in no particular order.  I plan to analyze the pure meaning rather than attempt to draw out spiritual implications of the meaning.  Maybe I will order these notes after I have discovered most of the meaning.