60. The Old Testament, the beginning of this world!
I think tonight I'll talk a bit about the Old Testament. That is what we will be studying this year in Sunday School. I have always loved the story about Adam and Eve, especially since I began going to the Temple. It is interesting that human nature is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Of course the culture and circumstances we find ourselves in are different, but there are always people who are kind, or not kind, are congenial, or argumentative. There are people who want to ignore the wisdom from our Heavenly Father, and try to "prove" their own ideas are better, etc. etc. Also, there are always people who want to be obedient, and are reaping the blessings that come with it. Yes, that choice group of people often have unusual challenges and adversities, but the peace of the Gospel supports them in all aspects of their lives.
Painting of Adam and Eve
I can't remember where I got a book I have! I may have bought it (cheap) at a garage sale -- you can get wonderful books that way! "It is called New Insights to the Old Testament". I've read many interesting things in it, and I'm down to the chapter called "The Flood, an act of love." Why would it be called that? I haven't read it yet, but I think I know why that chapter is named that. In that day and age, a child couldn't be born, and be taught correctly, because everyone was corrupt. Remember, a number of years before that, Enoch and his city of righteous people were taken up to the Lord. So after they were gone, it wasn't fair to the innocent children who were being born into a violent world. I'll have to tell more about that later.
I like a statement in the Church News by Brother Matthew O. Richardson of the Sunday School general presidency, saying that stories in the Old Testament can give modern readers insights into the day-to-day challenges they encounter in their own lives.
"These were inspiring stories, in many cases. They are heart-wrenching stories in other cases. We're seeing the pinnacle of man and also the lowest elements of man. And we see those things in our lives today. The question is, how do we take these stories and apply them to benefit our lives?"
Brother David M. McConkie added, "We're an Old Testament church. This is illustrated by the fact that the powers and keys we profess to have today were returned to the Prophet Joseph Smith by Elijah, Elias, Abraham, and Moses. The story that runs through the Old Testament and connects everything is the story of a covenant people, of God's covenant with them, and how it affected their lives and what happened when they violated those covenants."
This painting is depicting Moses and sons building the ark.
And Noah and the ark! A fascinating story!
I love the fact that the Priesthood that our sons and husbands and fathers have is the same Priesthood that Adam, and all the Old Testament Prophets had. That makes so much sense, and helps us understand that our Heavenly Father has been the same. It helps us trace the history of the world, in light of people just beginning our civilization, and after Noah, how the different countries and peoples developed different cultures. It is so fascinating, -- especially about the ten tribes, and many things which we will see culminated in the days to come before the Second Coming of our Savior.
Moses parting the Red Sea.
We will start studying the Old Testament tomorrow. For those of you who get the Latter Day Devotion, they print each day of the year, a suggestion of what to read so we can read both the Old Testament and the Book Of Mormon in the coming year. We are trying to keep up with it, and have done for 4 days!
I can't remember where I got a book I have! I may have bought it (cheap) at a garage sale -- you can get wonderful books that way! "It is called New Insights to the Old Testament". I've read many interesting things in it, and I'm down to the chapter called "The Flood, an act of love." Why would it be called that? I haven't read it yet, but I think I know why that chapter is named that. In that day and age, a child couldn't be born, and be taught correctly, because everyone was corrupt. Remember, a number of years before that, Enoch and his city of righteous people were taken up to the Lord. So after they were gone, it wasn't fair to the innocent children who were being born into a violent world. I'll have to tell more about that later.
I like a statement in the Church News by Brother Matthew O. Richardson of the Sunday School general presidency, saying that stories in the Old Testament can give modern readers insights into the day-to-day challenges they encounter in their own lives.
"These were inspiring stories, in many cases. They are heart-wrenching stories in other cases. We're seeing the pinnacle of man and also the lowest elements of man. And we see those things in our lives today. The question is, how do we take these stories and apply them to benefit our lives?"
Brother David M. McConkie added, "We're an Old Testament church. This is illustrated by the fact that the powers and keys we profess to have today were returned to the Prophet Joseph Smith by Elijah, Elias, Abraham, and Moses. The story that runs through the Old Testament and connects everything is the story of a covenant people, of God's covenant with them, and how it affected their lives and what happened when they violated those covenants."
I love the fact that the Priesthood that our sons and husbands and fathers have is the same Priesthood that Adam, and all the Old Testament Prophets had. That makes so much sense, and helps us understand that our Heavenly Father has been the same. It helps us trace the history of the world, in light of people just beginning our civilization, and after Noah, how the different countries and peoples developed different cultures. It is so fascinating, -- especially about the ten tribes, and many things which we will see culminated in the days to come before the Second Coming of our Savior.
We will start studying the Old Testament tomorrow. For those of you who get the Latter Day Devotion, they print each day of the year, a suggestion of what to read so we can read both the Old Testament and the Book Of Mormon in the coming year. We are trying to keep up with it, and have done for 4 days!
Comments