Journal Entry

Just a passing note here:  Last week I finished reading the Old Testament.  I had a goal that on our mission I would read all four standard works and was joyous to have completed the last book just two months before we go home.  I left the OT for last and confess that I’ve never really enjoyed it much.  In the early years of seminary teaching I taught the course a couple times and then often taught selective parts through the years of teaching institute.  But truth be known, I just don’t like the book all that much and have avoided teaching it as much as possible.  Though I think it’s true (though I can’t find it written), I heard once that one of the apostles said something to the affect that: “I read the Old Testament once, and I hope the Lord will forgive me!”  I’ve used that quote as my rationale for not reading and teaching the OT over the years, though of course I’ve done a lot of selective subject research in all the standard works, including the Old Testament.

A few observations from reading the Old Testament, and really studying it this time:

1) I absolutely loved many of the books, particularly the five books of Moses.  I found them very interesting and inspiring.  They strengthened my testimony of the role of prophets and of the Lord’s endless patience with his continually wayward children.  It is also apparent that God chooses prophets from among mortals who have significant flaws and who are not delivered from their own “less than ideal humanity” only by virtue of the call.  They were a work in progress – just as all of us are who serve in the Church.

2) I saw in the wayward, inconsistent, and “primitive” nature of the OT peoples (both of the House of Israel and their neighboring Gentiles), many similarities to the clan nature of Fijians with their superstitions and lack of spiritual maturity.  So many were briefly “convinced” by miracles and followed God but then were swayed by the “old ways, and old gods” and waffled back and forth between righteousness and rebellion.  They were not developed or educated societies and superstition and tradition often ruled them – similar to much of what we experience in Fiji.

3) The constant and unpopular role of the prophets was to preach repentance – condemnation and commands to repent dominate the last half of the OT, or maybe more.  The message of nearly every book is easily summarized as: a) God chose the Children of Israel and covenanted with them that if they obeyed him, He would bless and protect them; b) Israel forsook their covenants and went “whoring” after the world and neighboring gods and protection from countries of political and military might.  They continually sought protection in the arm of the flesh rather than the promises of God.  They broke their covenant promises, changed the ordinances, and would not hearken to the prophets sent to call them back from their wicked ways; c) As a result, God withdrew His protecting hand from them and other neighboring tribes and countries repeatedly conquered, humiliated, killed, and scattered the children of Israel; d) If they would repent, God would forgive them and “gather them home” again, both spiritually and physically to the lands of their inheritance.

4) I’m still baffled and uncomfortable with the language of much of the OT in its portrayal of a seemingly brutal and retributive God, and a primitive warring people.  It has been said that at this time, “flesh was cheap,” and so much of brutality and war characterized both the people of God, and most alarmingly, God himself.  It just doesn’t seem right.  If it is right, it doesn’t seem good.  On this issue, I’m disappointed in my own lack of understanding of culture, history, and divinity that inhibits me from appreciating this period better.  I personally know that, as stated in 2 Nephi 26: “God doeth nothing save it be for the benefit of the world, for He loveth the world.”  Because I know that to be true of His nature, I check my judgmental self while reading the OT and confess that God is just and if I understood better, I would see his loving hand and just ways in all these things.  I think that maturity will have to await the full growth I hope to experience in the next world when all these things we so poorly understand now will be made manifest to us.  So this is one of those things I’ve put on my “troubling” shelf until I can take it off under a better light and more mature vision of history and godliness.

5) Thank goodness for Joseph Smith’s Translation of the Bible, which makes more sensible, informative, and inspiring many of the otherwise troubling passages.  Just wish he had done more!