Knowing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would eventually be distorted by the precepts of men, the Lord foretold of a great and marvelous work which He would bring forth through a book.  A book which would help the blind to see and the deaf to hear.  A book which would restore the Gospel to the earth.

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The Lord promised Isaiah that this book would come forth in a day when the people would draw near unto Him with their words but not their hearts. “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder.” [Isaiah 29:14]. God also told Isaiah when He would proceed to do this work and what it would entail, saying, “Is it not yet a very little while [this is a point of reference], and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.” [Isaiah 29:17-18]. 

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The words of the book were to come forth that the people might learn the plain and precious doctrine of Jesus Christ.  However, has the prophecy been fulfilled?  We know through the third and fifth chapters of Jeremiah that the Lord stopped the rains due to the wickedness of the people, thereby turning the fruitful fields of Lebanon into a desert [Jeremiah 3:2-3].  History explains that Lebanon remained that way until the former and latter rains returned around the early nineteenth century, which helped to spur a migration of Jews to the Holy Land.  It was during this time that the Book of Mormon came forth.

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The point of reference given in the prophecy found in Isaiah, chapter twenty-nine, was that not long after the sealed book came forth, Lebanon would again become a fruitful field.  Through both the Scriptures and history, we know that at some point the former and latter rains ceased and did not return until the early 1800’s.  Moreover, we know that the first copies of the Book of Mormon were printed in 1830.  The question then becomes, what other sealed book came forth during this time frame, which marked the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy?  The answer is none.  If we believe in the Scriptures, then we must also acknowledge that the sealed book has come forth, for the sign of its coming has already occurred. The truth is there is only one book that claims to be this sealed record, the Book of Mormon.  And with it, came important restored Gospel truths:

• Free will (agency)

• Faith and works

• Repentance

• Baptism (we must be born again)

• Paid Ministry

• Priesthood of all believers