Connections - LDS and Jewish Theology - Series
An Overview of History: Moses to Malachi
Edward J. Brandt, “An Overview of History: Moses to Malachi,” Ensign, Oct. 1973, pg12
What is the Old Testament and what does it contain? How could a record of things so
long past be of any value today? Of what worth are its pages to the Latter-day Saints?
For many, the bulky size of the book is an almost impassable block. The strange
names, laws, and customs seem to support the notion of its rumored difficulty. For
others, the multiplicity of its books is an insolvable puzzle.
In proper perspective, however, the Old Testament is a valuable work of scripture. It
forms a panorama of the history of God’s covenant people, from the Creation down to
a period just prior to the coming of Christ in the meridian of time. Its pages do not
contain a detailed chronicle of historical data, but, instead, they testify of divine
superintendence over the destiny of mankind and of significant events in the history of
the house of Israel. The thrust of the record is to preserve narrative, testimony, and
prophecy that teach principles and truths of the gospel and its covenants.
The Old Testament deals with five major gospel dispensations or periods of revelation
and covenant. The dispensations of Adam, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham are treated in
an abridged fashion, with only selected events presented. These dispensations are all
recorded in the book of Genesis, where over 80 percent of the book is concerned with
the dispensation of Abraham and the establishment of the covenant people of Israel.
More than 90 percent of the remainder of the Old Testament provides an extensive
account of the fifth gospel era, the dispensation of Moses. This dispensation begins with
the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt and concludes with the people of Judah as a
provincial state to the Persians in the Promised Land. The historical scope of this
portion of the record may be arranged in nine major periods, each of which contains a
part of the story of the Old Testament.
First is the era of Moses. Beginning with a brief account of Moses’ early life, the books
of Exodus through Deuteronomy record the trials and blessings, the obedience and
disobedience of the children of Israel, from the time of their sojourn in Egypt until their
eventual preparation to enter the Promised Land. Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Jethro, and
Joshua emerge as the major characters during this 120-year period. (See page 30.)
Most of the narrative covers less than four years of this interim in any detail, but the
revealed covenants, commandments, and ordinances are extensively enumerated. The
patient concern of the Lord for his children as he attempts to provide them with the
blessings of his kingdom, according to their responsiveness to him and his prophets, is
well illustrated during the scriptural reports of this time. (See page 36.)
Next follows the period of the conquest of the land of Canaan as summarized in the
book of Joshua. This approximately 20-year span tells of Joshua’s miraculous
conveyance of Israel across the river Jordan and the ensuing campaigns to secure
inheritances for the tribes of Israel. As this era drew to a close, Israel’s compromise
and partial compliance with the commandments of the Lord left them in a state of
apostasy. (See page 46.)
Third, the era of the Judges is reported in an abbreviated form in the book of the same
name. During this period of many decades, the rebellion of the Israelites had served to
cut them off from continued assistance from the Lord in their establishment in the land
of promise, independent of all other peoples. (Judg. 2:20-23.) Without prophet or
king, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judg. 17:6; Judg. 21:25.)
During this interval and as circumstances and the needs of the people arose, the Lord
called individuals as judges to assist in the affairs of the tribes. Others would come forth
to assume the right to judge among the people for power and their own gain. Some
were leaders among their tribe; some over regions encompassing a number of tribes.
Of the 15 judges mentioned, only eight have stories, even in part, of their judgeship.
Deborah and Gideon are examples of righteous individuals called to assist their people.
The story of Abimelech is one of wickedness and the seeking of power. Samson’s
story is one of dedication to the Lord, but also of his failure to righteously fulfill his
opportunities. During this span of Old Testament time is also found the story of Ruth,
the dedicated convert from Moab who was the paternal grandmother of David and a
direct ancestor of Jesus Christ.
The era of the Judges concludes in the early chapters of 1 Samuel with the accounts of
Eli, the priest and judge, and with Samuel established as priest, judge, and prophet in
all Israel. The people, unwilling to accept the kingdom of God according to the divine
pattern, rejected this long-needed prophet and sought for a king after the manner of the
nations of the world.
The remainder of the book of 1 Samuel recounts the fourth period of the dispensation
of Moses, the reign of Saul. The 40-year regency of Israel’s first monarch is the story
of the lifting up of a humble servant and the demise of a proud and jealous man, who
was disobedient in his stewardship and finally forsaken by the Lord. This era also
witnesses the anointing of another to be king, David. His experiences as a champion of
faith in the victory over Goliath and as a true “brother” to Jonathan are among the
classic stories of the scriptures.
The book of 2 Samuel contains the next period of history—the reign of David, who
ruled as chieftain among the people of Judah for seven years and then, after winning
the support of all Israel, held the scepter as the second monarch over the Lord’s
people. David unified the nation and established Jerusalem as the great capital of the
nation of Israel. At the height of his greatness, he succumbed to temptation and passion
and, finally, murder in the affair with Bathsheba. Tragedy followed within his family as
the prophet Nathan had prophesied. With the hope of an eventual redemption, the
ironically glorious, yet personally tragic reign of David ended. (See page 62.)
The Golden Age of Israel, under the reign of David’s son Solomon, is the next chapter
in the Old Testament story. In the first half of the book of 1 Kings are recorded some
of Solomon’s successes and failures. He constructed and dedicated Israel’s first temple
to the Lord. Elaborate palaces, government buildings, and military fortifications were
also erected as Israel blossomed as a power among the nations.
Her place as a trade center and economic power, while enriching the nation, brought
decided foreign influences among the people. Political compromise and treaty through
intermarriage of royal households sowed the seeds of Solomon’s fall from favor with
the Lord and eventually the division and fall of the nation.
After the death of Solomon the period of the divided kingdom begins. The concluding
half of 1 Kings and all of 2 Kings records the gradual fall of a divided nation. The
power struggle that followed Solomon’s death resulted in the tribe of Judah, along with
the assimilated Simeonites of that region and half of the tribe of Benjamin, uniting to
form a southern monarchy called the kingdom of Judah. The remaining ten and
one-half tribes in the north founded a kingdom called Israel, or sometimes Ephraim,
after the tribe that dominated in leadership among the others.
The scriptural record of this era is difficult to follow, for it is a seesaw account, dealing
for a time with one kingdom and then with the other. Time lapses also occur in the
story, as significant events in the lives of only a few of the kings are contained in these
writings. The interwoven chronicle of the northern kingdom of Israel covers two
centuries, with some 20 monarchs named as reigning for periods varying from a few
months to 40 years. Jeroboam, Ahab, Jehu, and Hoshea are among the most well
known.
Prophets raised up by the Lord to this nation included Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea.
From her inception until her fall, this nation was an idolatrous and immoral people,
warring almost continuously with either her sister country, Judah, or her neighbors. In
722 B.C. the final conquest against rebellious Israel came to an end at the hands of the
Assyrians, who carried captive to their homeland almost the entire population of the
northern tribes. Their later escape from bondage and migration into uncharted northern
regions has resulted in their additional identification as the “lost tribes” of Israel.
In comparison, however, the southern kingdom of Judah endured nearly three and
one-half centuries under the rule of 21 reigning monarchs. Rehoboam, the son of
Solomon, first occupied the throne of Judah. Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Hezekiah,
Josiah, and Zedekiah are among the best known of this kingdom’s rulers who followed.
The prophets Joel, Isaiah, Micah, and Jeremiah, among others, were the Lord’s
consecrated representatives in Judah.
The twin evils of idolatry and immorality similarly brought the eventual downfall of the
southern kingdom, but some of the kings who were righteous and strong leaders were
successful in forestalling the overthrow of the people and in effecting some reforms. In
587 B.C., during the reign of King Zedekiah, the wickedness of the people of Judah
finally caused the destruction of Jerusalem, and they were taken captive by the
Babylonians.
Note: The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are primarily a parallel, but also a
supplementary, account of the story contained in 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings.
The transport of the masses of Judah to the north to Babylon began the eighth period
of the Mosaic dispensation or the exile of Judah. The scriptural account of this era is
very incomplete. Only through the records of the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel, and later
Queen Esther, do we experience with them in part their bondage.
In time, the vassalship over Judah changed from Babylon to Persia. The decree of
King Cyrus of Persia proclaiming the return of Judah to the land of promise introduced
the final chapter in the story of the Old Testament. The books of Ezra, the
record-keeper, and of Nehemiah, the appointed governor of his people, relate the
struggles of the restoration of this people.
Assisted by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the nation first rebuilt the temple and
then continued on to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the land. This final recorded century
of the people of Judah in the scriptures concludes with the warnings of the last
prophet, Malachi, who reechoed the message of the preceding prophets that had been
sounded to their forefathers. But apostasy harnessed the people of Judah until the
Messiah should come.
The dispensation of Moses spanned almost a millennium of time. And the reason that it
was named after Moses was because the revealed covenant and law of God to this
people was the law of Moses—the “schoolmaster” of performances and ordinances to
bring Israel to Christ. Their rebellions against the Lord prevented their reaping the
blessings and benefits of the law. Their experiences and the revealed messages of the
prophets remain as a testimony of the importance of true and righteous principles.
Of the value of the Old Testament, Nephi wrote, as he was instructed in vision: “The
book … is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he
hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the
holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of
brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord,
which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth. …”
(1 Ne. 13:23. Italics added.)
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