Happy Sunday, friend!

It's time to dive into this week's Come Follow Me reading: Isaiah 13-14; 22; 24-30; 35!​

Is Jesus’ hand “stretched out” in a threatening or friendly gesture?

Don’t miss this week’s "Questions your kids might ask" where we dive into the TRUE meaning behind the phrase “his hand is stretched out still.” This was news to me!​

​Watch this week's video here!​

5 Key Events The fall of Babylon - a symbol of pride and worldliness (Isaiah 13–14) Warnings against trusting in worldly alliances (Isaiah 22; 30) The world in chaos vs. God in control (Isaiah 24) The Lord invites His people to return and trust Him (Isaiah 30:15) A future of healing and restoration through Christ (Isaiah 35)

3 Key Scriptures ​Isaiah 14:12​ ​Isaiah 30:15​ ​Isaiah 35:5–6​ Dive into one or more of these verses all week long with my Verse Mapping Study Guide!

Questions your kids (or church class) might ask: What does “his hand is stretched out still” mean?

Just before this week’s reading, Isaiah repeatedly uses the phrase “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.”

I always thought that meant that Jesus’ hand was always stretched out to help us. But oh, how wrong I was!

LDS Egyptologist John Gee explained the meaning this way, “. . . a stretched out hand, by any careful reading of the English, is a hand administering punishment.”

Bible Scholar J.J.M. Roberts said, “The Hebrew is also clear on the subject. The idiom is yadô neṭūyâ, which means that the hand is hanging over, threatening or bent. It is thus a threatening gesture.”

So COULD these verses mean that God is being generous and reaching out to help us? Sure. But the more likely meaning is that He’s ready to mete out justice on those who deserve it!

Sources:

​https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/why-is-the-lords-hand-stretched-out-still​

This week's conversation starter:

Read Isaiah 30:15 with your teen, then ask: Who is someone you know who is an example of quiet strength? What do you admire about them?

Want to go deeper in your personal study this week? My Verse Mapping for Beginners PDF walks you through exactly how. Get it here!​

Missed previous weeks? You can check out past Weekly Scripture Starter emails here!

AND don't forget to check out the PS section below!

You are awesome!

P.S. When I was teaching EFY I discovered that so many youth thought they'd never felt the Spirit. That's why I decided to make a children's book to help make it CRYSTAL clear what the Spirit feels like - and it's not just warm fuzzy feelings! I only had 2,000 copies of Simon Spots the Spirit printed, and I have a feeling they're going to sell fast. If you want to make sure you get a copy, join the waitlist here!​