For some the Old Testament is a thick book, murky and difficult to understand. For good reason – the book has been around for thousands of years and during its many translations and re-translations, some conflicts have occurred in the record (see my previous blog, “The Lord Still Calls Prophets Today.”)
But its purpose still remains – to bear witness that Jesus is the Christ and that He still leads His people today as back then. In fact, many of the ancient Biblical prophets actually saw our day and shared warnings and teachings for us now! Is that not stupendous? I find this so exciting and it gives me the drive to study this ancient book, the Old Testament.
As a Mormon (or member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes nickname-called the Mormon church) I love that the Lord still calls prophets today. And this is one beautiful reason why – because modern-day prophets can add clarity to ancient revelation:
” That is, we can be certain that the text of latter-day revelation gives the inferences and understandings that the Lord wishes this generation to have….
“The revelations [for example] given to the Prophet Joseph bear record that the biblical story is essentially correct, although not complete” (Robert J. Matthews, “Modern Revelation: Windows to the Old Testament,” Ensign, Oct 1973, 21).
The Lord is still guiding His children today! And He does so through mouthpieces or prophets, just like He did anciently. Isn’t that exciting to know God cares enough to do so?
We don’t need to stand on the precipice of life and its myriad of choices without an explanation of it all. Isn’t that great news? God still calls prophets today! Those prophets still speak to us as the prophets in ancient times did to the peoples back then. And we still have the choice to hearken to their words – or not – just as ancient people had way back when. (Here is a website compilation of prophetic discourses from the past thirty years, for example. Enjoy studying the modern prophets’ words and feeling the spirit of peace that comes in studying them.)
Oh, it’s so easy to judge the recalcitrant and wayward Israelites in the Old Testament. But are we doing any better today? Regardless of whether we read ancient prophets’ words – as found in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, for example – or regardless of whether we are reading modern prophets’, do we hearken and obey their words of wisdom? I can only hope we do, because the Lord’s blessings for the obedient are mighty and eternal.
So, the Old Testament need not be a difficult book to study nor to understand – not if we use the wonderful resources of modern-day revelation to aid us in studying it. Feel free to read the past thirty years of prophetic utterances from prophets and church leaders from the Mormon church or use the free online study guides. What a treat it will be to finally understand the meaty and wonderful Old Testament!
