Awake, Awake: Comfort, Strength, and the Unconfounded Messiah in 2 Nephi 8

I have a stack of reclaimed wood in my shop that came from a barn that was falling apart. The boards were weathered gray and split at the ends and most people would have burned them. But once I stripped away the damaged surface the wood beneath was beautiful and strong. The piece that looked cast off was worth saving.

2 Nephi 8 is a short chapter about the wood that is worth saving. Jacob quotes Isaiah to say that Zion will be comforted and redeemed. The call goes out to awake and put on strength. The Messiah will not be confounded.

Meaning of Awake Awake in 2 Nephi 8

The chapter opens with a repeated call. Awake, awake. Put on strength. The people have been in a spiritual sleep and the command is to wake up. Not to try harder but to remember who they are and whose strength they are supposed to rely on.

Isaiah asks who fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant. Those who walk in darkness and have no light are told to trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon their God.

The promise is that those who walk in darkness will not be abandoned. The Lord will comfort Zion and make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found there with thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

2 Nephi 8:7

I think about the call to awake when I feel spiritually drowsy. The command is not to manufacture energy but to remember what is true. The Lord is still in control and the covenant is still intact.

Is Israel Cast Off Forever

The chapter answers a question that must have weighed heavily on the Nephites. Has God abandoned his people? The answer is no. The Lord has not cast off Israel forever. The scattering was real but it is not permanent.

The comfort of Zion is the promise that the Lord will return to his people. He will make the wilderness flourish and bring joy where there has been mourning. The redemption is not just a future event. It is a process that has already begun.

This connects to an earlier reflection about salvage wood in 2 Nephi 7. That chapter established that Israel is not cast off. This chapter shows what the restoration looks like.

What Does It Mean for the Messiah to Not Be Confounded

The Messiah will not be confounded. To be confounded means to be confused or defeated or put to shame. Jesus faced the worst that humanity could do and did not break. He set his face like a flint and trusted the Father.

I think about this when I feel like I cannot hold steady. The Messiah went through worse than I will ever face and did not waver. The same stability that sustained him is available to me.

How to Put On Spiritual Strength

The command to put on strength is active. It is not a feeling that arrives passively. It is a choice to rely on the Lord rather than on my own resources.

Isaiah describes the garment of righteousness and the robe of salvation. Strength is something we put on like clothing. We choose to wear it.

The chapter closes with the call to awake and put on strength and prepare for the redemption that is coming. The Messiah is not confounded and those who trust in him will not be confounded either.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Jacob use Isaiah words to teach about Zion?

Isaiah is the great prophet of the Old Testament and his words on the restoration of Israel are authoritative. Jacob connects the Nephite experience to the broader history of Israel.

What does it mean to awake spiritually?

Spiritual awakening is moving from indifference to active awareness of Gods presence. It is the moment you stop existing in the world and start intentionally seeking the Lord.

Why is the Messiah described as not confounded?

To be confounded is to be overwhelmed or thrown into disorder. Christ possesses perfect knowledge of the Fathers will and cannot be derailed by the chaos of the world.

How can I put on strength in my daily life?

Putting on strength is about connection rather than willpower. We put on the Lords strength by engaging in the ordinances of the gospel and maintaining daily communication through prayer and study.

Closing

The reclaimed wood in my shop looked ruined on the surface but the heartwood was sound. The same is true of Israel and the same is true of anyone who feels cast off.

Awake, awake. Put on strength. The Messiah is not confounded and the redemption is coming. The wood that looked like waste is worth saving.

— D.