The priests of Noah ask Abinadi the interpretation of Isaiah's prophetic words:
And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth; . . . (Mosiah 12:20-24)
According to Dana Pike, given that the fullness of the prophecy of Isaiah in Mosiah 12:21-24 involves some future event or events through which a message of hope and comfort will be delivered, the reader should ask three questions:
1. Is the herald in this passage a specific individual in the latter days, or should he be viewed as a type representing many people?
2. Should Jerusalem (the destination of the herald) be understood as a type, depicting any city or group of people receiving glad tidings?
3. What is the content of the message?
With this in mind, it is interesting that this messenger imagery of Isaiah (from Isaiah 52) is found in the Book of Mormon mainly in five different circumstances:
1. In 1 Nephi 13:35,37 where the Lord teaches Nephi concerning the latter-day restoration of the gospel.
2. In Mosiah 12:21-24, Mosiah 13-15 where Abinadi explains the meaning of this imagery in depth.
3. In Mosiah 27:35-37, which contains the post-conversion account of Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah, and how they "did publish peace" and "did publish good tidings of good."
4. In 3 Nephi 16:18-20 where the Savior describes the future events that would take place in the Americas.
5. In 3 Nephi 20:29-46 where Jesus reminds his audience that "the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled" when latter-day Israel had been gathered.
While Abinadi declares that whoever has or will receive and proclaim the true gospel of Jesus Christ, including and especially the Lord himself, was, is, or will be a messenger with "beautiful feet," Jesus is the "founder of peace" (Mosiah 15:18).
It is interesting that Jesus' arrangement of this Isaiah imagery in 3 Nephi suggests that Isaiah's prophecy will not be fulfilled until he comes again. Jesus' reference to himself in 3 Nephi 20:39 -- "I am he that doth speak" -- is also found in Isaiah 52:6. It is very informative that in 3 Nephi 20:40 the Savior begins to quote the very next verse (Isaiah 52:7 -- "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them . . . which saith, Thy God reigneth!") which suggests to Dana Pike that Jesus Christ is the primary messenger who will announce deliverance to Israelites who have gathered to Jerusalem at the last day. They will know his name and will say how beautiful are his feet.! [Dana M. Pike, "How Beautiful upon the Mountains": The Imagery of Isaiah 52:7-10 and Its Occurrences in the Book of Mormon," in Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, pp. 259-271]