Old Testament

The Old Testament of the Bible is considered official scripture of the Mormon Church. The Old Testament is considered an “indispensable foundation” to understanding the ordinances and covenants (promises made with God) we make during this life (see George A. Horton Jr., “An Indispensable Foundation,” Ensign, Mar. 2002, 38).

Why is the Old Testament so Important?

The Old Testament is made up of writings from ancient prophets who testified of Jesus Christ yet to come and His ministry. It contains the record of Abraham and his descendants, and 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. The Old Testament is also important, because all of the other official scriptures of the Church are rooted in the Old Testament. If the Old Testament is not understood, it will be difficult to read and understand the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants.

What books make up the Old Testament and what do these books discuss?

The first five books of the Old Testament–Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy–were written by Moses. Genesis 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 ritual. 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 the last instructions Moses gave to the Israelites.

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. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations are all poetic books that record some of the wisdom of 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 era. They all prophesied of the coming Christ and His Atonement as well as of last-days events. They also warned Israel and called the people to repentance.