Great spiritual learning and strengthening can be achieved in studying the Old Testament.
The Old Testament takes us back to the beginnings where God defines the purposes of His creations. Individual stories occur within a larger framework, wherein “the scriptures teach, ‘Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). Truth looks backward and forward, expanding the perspective of our small point in time,” said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (“The Eye of Faith,” April 2019 general conference).
Recognizing the lens through which to view the Old Testament — God’s work “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life” of His children (Moses 1:39) — can bring purpose to our studies and help us better comprehend the relevance of the Old Testament today.
Through the sometimes-difficult events we encounter within its pages, this lens can help us focus on what God is now and has always been trying to accomplish with His children.
As we approach the Old Testament by “study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118), the following are a few things that can help put us in a better position to experience spiritual growth.
Context
Viewing the Old Testament within its own historical and revelatory settings — seeking to understand the context of revelations, teachings and instructions, as well as authorial intent — can open new avenues of understanding and allow the Spirit to speak to us and confirm truth.
The cultural, linguistic and historical distance that can make the Old Testament difficult to understand is very real. It was perhaps partially in this light that the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith during his translation of the Bible, “And, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:53).
With angels quoting Old Testament scriptures (see Joseph Smith — History 1:36–41) and the appearance of Old Testament prophets “declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:21), it seems imperative to better understand these ancient prophets and their prophesying. Because understanding this background is so important, the Church has produced new resources for our study of the Old Testament this year, now translated into 15 languages (Scripture Helps: Old Testament).
Seek the Spirit
Seeking the guidance of the Spirit, along with the teachings of the scriptures and living prophets, is invaluable and essential in our approach to the Old Testament.
As we attempt to learn more about the circumstances of scripture, we can ask questions such as:
- When were revelations delivered?
- By whom and to whom?
- What precipitated the revelation?
- What was the larger picture that drew out the revelation?
- And, from God’s perspective, what might have been the desired outcomes and intent of the revelations?
These questions can lead to personal revelation as the Spirit explains and testifies of truths revealed in scripture and by prophets.
Read with sensitivity
Reading the Old Testament with sensitivity to both the highs and lows — spiritually uplifting moments as well as the absolutely devastating episodes — and attempting to experience the positive and negative emotions alongside the participants can produce compassion for all those involved and allow revelation to touch us through a variety of experiences.
Through my study of the Old Testament, I have had my faith strengthened as I have pondered both the spiritually uplifting and the most tragic events found within its pages. Working through the challenges people experienced — their uncertainty amid trials and discouragement, danger and derision, sorrow and tragedy — can humanize our experience with the Old Testament.
The pain experienced by peoples throughout the Old Testament — particularly the suffering or neglect of widows or of women such as Ruth, Hannah or the women in the book of Judges — cannot be minimized, marginalized or set aside, and sensitivity to this can bring compassion and a desire to right the wrongs we encounter today.
Through this process, we can feel the power of God’s revelations, His guidance, His awareness and His compassion. We can feel the weight of justice and injustice and the relief of mercy and hope.
Reflection
My faith and trust in God have been strengthened as I have pondered His tender interactions with Eve and Adam, as He asked them questions that would lead them back to Him, even as their inclination was to hide from Him. His gentle and inviting voice, “Where goest thou?” (Moses 4:15) when they were “afraid” has given me courage to approach, see and hear Him when I am troubled, feel lost or need direction or comfort.
I have been strengthened by the compassionate and joyful response of God to send a Savior, His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem all humankind. This response caused Eve and Adam to rejoice as they experienced “the joy of [their] redemption, and the eternal life” (Moses 5:11) which God had given. These passages have given me the courage and strength to roll out of bed each day with more hope and deliberate purpose.
My relationship with God and His Son has been strengthened as I have read and felt the Spirit as Enoch witnessed God weeping over the floods that were coming, causing Enoch to reflect, “How is it that thou canst weep?” (Moses 7:28–29).
Although our perception of the God of the Old Testament may initially lead us to feelings of a harsh God with little compassion, the stories witness something different if we take a deep enough dive into their contexts. Viewing God’s emotions took Enoch from weeping and refusing “to be comforted,” (Moses 7:44) to visions of the Savior’s salvation and redemption wherein he “received a fulness of joy” (Moses 7:67). That sequence of events has strengthened my faith to seek answers from God and to trust in the mission of Jesus Christ to bring me peace through my tears and questions about life.
My testimony in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, has been strengthened by the comfort they brought to Sarah, Hagar, Rachel and Joseph. My faith has been strengthened by Ruth, who declared to Naomi, “Whither thou goest, I will go; ... thy God [shall be] my God” (Ruth 1:16). The influence of Ruth is incalculable. I stand amazed at her response to a life that would face challenges as an outsider, a widow and a foreigner. Yet she pursued a path of righteousness that would bind a community together.
I have felt God’s love through Hannah’s sorrow, pain and eventual relief. Her pain was continually exacerbated by harsh treatment and mischaracterizations from others but healed in her faith and appeals to God.
I have gained confidence from reading the experiences and revelations of Sarah and Abraham that would prepare them for the horrors of Egypt and the altar of Jehovah-jireh (see Genesis 22:14), the place where Abraham demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his own son, the name of which reflects God’s appearance or provision of the rescuing ram in the thicket. The adversities individuals and peoples faced, and the peace God delivered to them, continue to bless my life today.
Perspective
While stories in the Old Testament can be difficult to understand and may even lead us to feel negative feelings toward them, something that has helped strengthen my faith, and not stymie it, has been approaching seemingly incomprehensible episodes with this mindset: If there is something I don’t understand, it is my imperfection of knowledge, not God’s.
I don’t blame God or attribute human weakness, wickedness or disregard to Him. I have grown to love our omniscient Heavenly Father, and what I don’t understand is my deficit, not His.
When questions arise, which they inevitably will, I choose not to allow what I don’t know to define faith, but to follow the counsel of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (“Come, Join With Us,” October 2013 general conference).
I don’t try to sanitize difficulties; I seek to inquire and understand the good and the bad with faith in Jesus Christ. When I encounter passages that don’t make sense to me, I try to declare, “That which I see not teach thou me” (Job 34:32).
It is in that inquiry that I have found God, and Old Testament stories have become opportunities to find simplicity on the other side of complexity (see Steven C. Harper, “How I Became a Seeker,” Brigham Young University devotional, June 8, 2021). These approaches have led me closer to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and given me direction in my life and my journey of faith. Studying the Old Testament has strengthened my faith in God and in His Son in numerous unexpected ways and opened ways for me to better hear them.
— Aaron Schade is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University.
