Come, Follow Me: Old Testament - Introduction
Well it is that time of year where many LDS members (and perhaps prospective members) start the year off with the chosen scripture of the year. For 2022 we will be looking at the Old Testament (with bits of the BoM linked in). I am not a great fan of the Old Testament because the violence and immoral acts were undertaken by the God of the Bible are justified by Latter-day Saints.
They claim that “there is no inconsistency in the nature of God. He is always perfectly merciful and loving, but He is also perfectly just and will not ‘look upon sin with the least degree of allowance’” (D&C 1:31). They also deny that the Old Testament teaches/demonstrates crude theological concepts and ethics, they claim that “those who see religion as revealed theology and a divine code of ethics with absolute truths and eternal rights and wrongs, such an estimate of the Old Testament is neither logical nor acceptable”. I was not able to find an explanation as to why this was “neither logical nor acceptable”, so I am still in the dark as to how this conclusion was met.
In the Introduction to reading the Old Testament they ask learners to:
Find Personal Meaning: “These writings come from an ancient culture that can seem foreign and sometimes strange or even uncomfortable. And yet in these writings we see people having experiences that seem familiar, and we recognize gospel themes that witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His gospel”.
“If you wonder whether you and your family can find personal meaning in the Old Testament this year, keep in mind that Lehi and Sariah’s family did. Nephi shared stories about Moses and teachings from Isaiah when his brothers needed encouragement or correction or perspective. When Nephi said, “My soul delighteth in the scriptures” (2 Nephi 4:15), he was talking about scriptures that are now part of the Old Testament”.
Seek the Savior: “If you wonder whether you and your family can come closer to Jesus Christ through studying the Old Testament, keep in mind that the Savior Himself invites us to do so. When He told the leaders of the Jews, “The scriptures … testify of me” (John 5:39), He was talking about the writings we call the Old Testament. To find the Savior in what you read, you may need to ponder patiently and seek spiritual guidance”.
“If you seek greater faith in the Savior as you study the Old Testament, you will find it. Perhaps this could be the aim of your study this year. Pray that the Spirit will guide you to find and focus on passages, stories, and prophecies that will bring you closer to Jesus Christ”.
Divinely Preserved: “Don’t expect the Old Testament to present a thorough and precise history of humankind. That’s not what the original authors and compilers were trying to create. Their larger concern was to teach something about God—about His plan for His children, about what it means to be His covenant people, and about how to find redemption when we don’t live up to our covenants”.
“These are just a few things to keep in mind as you read the Old Testament this year. Maybe God preserved these ancient writings because He knows you and what you are going through. Maybe He has prepared a spiritual message for you in these words, something that will draw you closer to Him and build your faith in His plan and His Beloved Son. Perhaps He will lead you to a passage or an insight that will bless someone you know—a message you can share with a friend, a family member, or a fellow Saint”.
It is going to be interesting to see how the God of the Old Testament is portrayed in these lessons, and how his acts are justified to learners. If I was to give any advice to someone reading the Old Testament this year it would be to read it with an open mind, read to learn and analyse the text to see if this is something you believe and condone. Are you comfortable worshipping a God that condones slavery? Or one that thinks nothing of killing thousands of people? As you read try to think about what you believe and why you believe it. Do you have good reasons for these beliefs? How do you know they are true? These questions are legitimate and are important in discovering if your beliefs are actually true.
