Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35

Consider beginning by introducing the skill “Looking for Contrasts in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills. You might also ask a few questions like these:

• What are some examples of ideas, events, or people in the scriptures that provide interesting contrasts?

• How can it be beneficial to identify contrasts in the scriptures?

Explain that in Isaiah 13–14, Isaiah prophesied of the destruction of Babylon. These events can be seen as a symbolic foreshadowing of the destruction of the wicked that will take place at the Second Coming of the Savior (see “Isaiah 13:1–5. What is the ‘burden of Babylon’?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament). Isaiah also prophesied of the downfall of Babylon’s king and compared this to the fall of Lucifer, or Satan (see “Isaiah 14:4–20. Who was ‘Lucifer, the son of the morning’?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament).

Point out that it can be helpful to contrast the events Isaiah described with other passages in the scriptures. To help students practice looking for contrasts, distribute the handout titled “Learning from Contrasts in the Scriptures.” You could divide the class in half and assign one of the study options to each half of the class.

After sufficient time, invite students to record insights they gained from their study with a partner or small group. You might also discuss questions like the following together as a class:

• What truths did you learn from your study? (Examples of truths students could identify include these: When the Lord comes again, He will preserve His righteous followers and destroy the wicked. Satan will lose his influence and power over mankind. Jesus Christ humbly submits to the will of Heavenly Father.)

• How can remembering these truths help you today?

Testify of the truths you have discussed today. Encourage students to continue exploring contrasts as they study the scriptures.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

You could display or read the following self-assessment for students to complete. For each statement, invite students to rate themselves on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Students could record their ratings in their personal notes.

1. When I’m waiting for answers to my prayers, I trust the Lord’s timing.

2. I recognize that trials or waiting periods in my life can help me grow and learn important lessons.

3. I find peace in knowing that the Lord is guiding me, even when I don’t receive the answers I expect.

After the self-assessment, encourage students to consider blessings they are hoping to receive from the Lord. Invite them to ponder how they could better trust in the Lord in their circumstances as they study Isaiah 25–26.

To help students understand the context for the verses they will study today, explain that in Isaiah 24, Isaiah prophesied of a time when the wicked would be destroyed. Chapters 25 and 26 contain poetic celebrations of the blessings the Lord will give to the righteous.

Invite half of the class to read Isaiah 25 and the other half to read Isaiah 26:1–9, 12, 20–21. Encourage students to mark words or phrases that are meaningful to them.

After sufficient time, you could allow students to share the phrases they marked. You could also ask a question like the following:

• What did you learn about the Lord’s character and attributes from the verses you read?

Consider drawing students’ attention to the phrases “waited for him” (Isaiah 25:9) and “waited for thee” (Isaiah 26:8), and then ask:

• What do you think it means to wait for the Lord? (As needed, you could share the following statement by Elder Robert D. Hales.)

What does it mean to wait upon the Lord? In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. (“How to Wait on the Lord,” New Era, June 2015, 48)

• According to Isaiah 25:9, what blessings are associated with waiting for the Lord? (Help students identify a truth like this one: Those who wait for the Lord will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.)

• What can make it difficult to wait for the Lord?

To help students more deeply understand this truth, you could give each student a piece of paper. On one side of the paper, instruct them to write down an example of a circumstance where a young adult is “waiting for the Lord” and seeks counsel and advice. (Examples might include desiring the Lord’s help with a mental or physical illness, waiting for answers to an unanswered question, seeking a specific blessing from the Lord, and so on. Encourage students not to write down anything that is too personal to share.)

Invite students to pass their paper to another student. Give them time to read the situation and then write a response on the back of the paper. The response should offer ideas about what someone in that situation can do as they wait for the Lord. Invite students to include counsel from Isaiah 25–26, other scriptures, statements from Church leaders, or other advice that could help. Students can pass the paper a few times to receive additional responses from others in the class. Once finished, allow students to collect their original paper and read the responses of their peers.

Discuss together what stood out to them in the responses they received. You could also ask questions like this:

• What experiences have you had with waiting for the Lord? What did your experience teach you about Him?

As part of your discussion of the previous questions, consider showing the videos “Christ Heals That Which Is Broken” (watch from time code 7:31 to 9:31) or “Answers to Prayer” (watch from time code 7:14 to 10:43).

10:39

12:39

Invite students to reflect on anything they learned or felt today that they would like to remember about waiting for the Lord. You could give them time to record any thoughts or impressions they received from the Holy Ghost in their personal notes. Consider sharing your testimony of Jesus Christ and the blessings that come from waiting for Him.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”

Create a list together of a few things the young adults in your class use daily. (Examples might include an electronic device, water, toothbrush, food, and so on.) Ask students to think about and share what their life would be like without these things.

Display the following question, and invite students to write a response in their notes or personal journal:

• What would my life be like without the restored gospel of Jesus Christ?

Encourage students to write down any additional thoughts or impressions they have about this question as they study today.

Explain that in Isaiah 29, Isaiah warned the people of Jerusalem of the judgments that would come upon them if they did not repent. Many of Isaiah’s prophecies parallel events that will occur in the latter days.

Invite students to create a table like the following in their notes.

Invite students to study Isaiah 29, along with the entries for Isaiah 29 in Scripture Helps: Old Testament, and complete the chart.

After sufficient time, you could ask questions like the following:

• What stood out to you most from your study? Why?

Consider writing the following truth on the board: The Restoration of Jesus Christ’s gospel is a marvelous work and a wonder. To help students deepen their understanding of this truth, you could ask the following questions:

• What are some aspects of the Restoration that could be considered a “marvel” or a “wonder”? Why?

If needed, you could have students look for answers to the previous question in Elder Ulisses Soares’s message titled “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 32–35) or Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s messages titled “Right Before Our Eyes” (Liahona, May 2025, 13–17) or “Fulfillment of Prophecy” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 75–78). You could also show several images depicting events from the Restoration or blessings that resulted from it, such as the following:

As students share aspects of the Restoration that could be considered a “marvel” or “wonder,” you might follow up by asking a question like this:

• What do these aspects of the Restoration reveal about the nature and character of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

You could remind students of the question they pondered at the start of the learning activity. Consider giving them time to write additional insights about what their life might be like without the Restoration. Then consider concluding by inviting a few volunteers to share their testimony of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel.

Return to “Learning Activity Options.”