Scripture Study

As we begin a year of study in the Old Testament, we are opening both an ancient and foundational record — a volume of scripture which has shaped faith for millennia and continues to speak with power to those who approach it thoughtfully and prayerfully. For Latter-day Saints, the Old Testament is not merely background material for the New Testament or the Restoration; it is a vital witness of God’s long and patient work with His children.

The Old Testament was written in a world far removed from our own. Its language, customs, and laws can feel unfamiliar, even challenging. Yet the questions at the heart of its narratives are timeless — Who is God? How does He communicate with His people? What does it mean to live faithfully in a fallen world? The men and women of the Old Testament wrestle with fear, doubt, obedience, hope, and repentance in strikingly recognizable ways. Their struggles are our own, even when their circumstances differ.

One of the defining features of the Old Testament is its honesty. It does not present a sanitized history of perfect people. Instead, it offers a record of covenant relationships tested by human weakness. Prophets hesitate. Kings fail. The covenant people repeatedly forget who they are. And yet, again and again, God reaches out, calls, corrects, forgives, and renews. This pattern of falling and returning teaches us God’s work unfolds over long stretches of time and His patience is greater than our inconsistency.

Central to the Old Testament is the concept of covenant. From Adam and Eve, to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Israel as a nation, the Lord establishes binding promises defining identity and purpose. These covenants are not merely contracts; they are relationships. They teach us that belonging to God involves responsibility, sacrifice, and trust. For modern readers, covenant language helps frame our own baptismal and temple commitments as part of a much older and ongoing story.

As Latter-day Saints, we approach the Old Testament with unique advantages and responsibilities. We affirm its divine inspiration while also recognizing it has come down to us through centuries of transmission. The Book of Mormon stands as a second witness, confirming many of the Old Testament’s teachings and clarifying others. Modern revelation, including the Doctrine and Covenants and the Joseph Smith Translation, sheds additional light on passages which might otherwise seem obscure or incomplete. These sources do not replace the Old Testament; they invite us to read it more deeply and with greater charity.

 Importantly, Christ stands at the center of the Old Testament, even when He is not named explicitly. The law of Moses, with its sacrifices and rituals, points forward to Him. The psalms give voice to His suffering and trust. The prophets testify — sometimes plainly, sometimes symbolically — of a Redeemer who will heal, judge, and restore. Seeing Christ in the Old Testament requires spiritual attentiveness, but it rewards us with a richer understanding of His mission and character.

The Old Testament also teaches us how God educates His people. He works through law, story, poetry, prophecy, and ritual. He adapts His instruction to the capacity of His children, meeting them where they are and guiding them forward incrementally. This can help us be more patient with both scripture and ourselves. Growth in discipleship, like revelation in scripture, is often gradual rather than dramatic.

There will be moments this year when our study feels immediately uplifting — stories of deliverance, faith, and divine power resonate easily. There will also be passages that feel distant, confusing, or troubling. In those moments, we can understand that difficulty does not signal failure. Wrestling with scripture has always been part of faithful study. Instead of asking only, What does this mean historically? or Why is this here? we might also ask, What does this teach me about God’s nature? and How does this refine my own faith and obedience?

The Old Testament invites us into a long view of discipleship. It reminds us God’s promises are sure, even when fulfillment takes generations. It teaches faithfulness often consists of small, repeated acts of trust rather than dramatic triumphs. And it assures us God remains present even in silence, exile, and uncertainty.

Hopefully, as we embark on this year of study, we do so not merely to gain information, but to deepen relationships — with God, with scripture, and with the covenant community of believers across time. If we approach the Old Testament with humility, patience, and a willingness to listen, it can become not just an ancient record, but a living guide. May our study draw us closer to the God who speaks, who remembers His promises, and who continues His work in our own day.