Old Testament

The Old Testament of the Bible, is considered part of the official canon of scripture for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Despite common misconception, Mormons believe in and study the Bible (see Article of Faith #8), typically the King James Version when in English. In fact, the Old Testament is considered an "indispensable foundation" to understanding the ordinances and covenants (promises made with God) we make during this life. Put another way, "the Old Testament is like the roots of a great scriptural tree, and one needs to know about the roots to comprehend the tree and its branches" (George A. Horton Jr., “An Indispensable Foundation,” Ensign, Mar. 2002, 38).

Importance of the Old Testament

The Old Testament consists of writings from ancient prophets who testified of Jehovah (Christ) and His ministry yet to come. It contains the records of the Creation, the Fall, and the great flood in Noah's day. It also tells some of the history Abraham and his descendants, as well as the covenant God made with Abraham and his posterity. The Old Testament teaches many important truths that must be understood to have a firm grasp of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It lays the foundation for the ancient covenants which have governed God's people since the beginning. The Old Testament is also important because all of the other official scriptures of the Church are rooted in it. The Old Testament was the history and heritage of those living in New Testament times. It was the contemporary history of much of the Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon not understood. Even the Doctrine and Covenants is better understood in light of the teachings of the Old Testament. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin stated:

We delight in the knowledge of the Lord that we find recorded in the Old and New Testaments. We know that Jehovah of the Old Testament and Jesus of the New Testament are one and the same. We are grateful that this sacred record of God’s dealings with the people of ancient Israel ... has been preserved and passed to us to enlighten our minds and strengthen our spirits. The fragmentary nature of the biblical record and the errors in it, resulting from multiple transcriptions, translations, and interpretations, do not diminish our belief in it as the word of God “as far as it is translated correctly.” We read and study the Bible, we teach and preach from it, and we strive to live according to the eternal truths it contains. We love this collection of holy writ (Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Christians in Belief and Action,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 70).

Books and Divisions of the Old Testament

The books in the Old Testament as we have it today actually come from a Jewish council which met in the third century BC and translated the Bible from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek. This version (known as the Greek Septuagint) was in common use during Christ's time. While the Jews commonly divide the Old Testament into three sections (The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings) the Christian world more often divides it into four sections:

• The Law
• The Prophets
• Historical Writings
• Poetry

The Law

The Law, also known as the Torah or the Pentateuch, consists of the first five books of the Old Testament---Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy---were written by Moses. Genesis is vital because it teaches about the origin of the earth, mankind, different languages, races, and the beginning of the house of Israel. Exodus describes Israel's slavery in Egypt, their exodus, and their religious devotion after leaving. Leviticus explains the priestly duties of the people of Israel, and teaches moral conduct and religious principles through rituals. Numbers tells the story of the Israelites' travels from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab. It illustrates that the people of God need to have faith in Him. Deuteronomy contains Moses' final instructions to the Israelites. Although the book of Deuteronomy tells of Moses' death, Mormons believe this is an error introduced sometime after the original manuscript was completed. Rather, Mormons believe that Moses was translated, meaning that he was taken heaven without ever physically dying.

The Prophets

The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are all books that were written by prophets of the Old Testament time. They all prophesied of the coming Christ and His Atonement. They also warned Israel and called the people to repentance.

=Historical Writings

Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all are historical books that tell events that occurred to the people of Israel.

=Poetry

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations are all poetic books that record some of the wisdom of the prophets.