Journey through the Old Testament

Exodus 14–18 follows the Israelites' transition from the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea to the daily challenges of surviving in the wilderness. For Latter-day Saints, these chapters illustrate the pattern of divine deliverance followed by personal testing and the need for organized leadership. 

Exodus 7–13 recounts the epic confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh, the ten plagues of Egypt, and the institution of the Passover. For Latter-day Saints, these chapters are not just history but a powerful type and shadow of Jesus Christ's power to deliver us from the "Egypt" of sin and death. 

Easter is the celebration of the most consequential event in human history: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event represents the victory of life over death and the fulfillment of Heavenly Father's plan of happiness.

In the opening of Exodus, the narrative shifts from the favored status of Joseph’s family to the brutal enslavement of a nation. As the Israelites multiply despite Pharaoh's genocidal decrees, God prepares a deliverer, Moses, through a series of unlikely events: a royal upbringing, a self-imposed exile in Midian after a desperate act of violence, and a decades-long "waiting period" as a shepherd.  The turning point occurs at the Burning Bush, where God reveals His eternal name, "I AM WHO I AM," and declares His intent to rescue His people. This begins a tense cycle of divine commission and human hesitation; Moses offers five distinct excuses for his inadequacy, all of which God answers with promises of His presence and miraculous signs. The initial attempt at deliverance seemingly fails when Pharaoh mocks God’s authority and intensifies the Israelites' labor, causing the people to turn against Moses. However, the section concludes with God's resolute promise to act with an "outstretched arm," shifting the focus from Moses' weakness to God's sovereign power to fulfill His ancient covenant.  The Gospel Coalition Course on Exodus  

Genesis 42‑50: The last nine chapters of Genesis shift the focus from the patriarchal origins of Israel to the dramatic climax of Joseph’s life in Egypt. After a severe famine strikes Canaan, Jacob sends his sons to buy grain (Gen 42), where they encounter the man who once sold them into slavery—now a powerful Egyptian official, Joseph, who has risen to second‑in‑command. The brothers, unaware of his identity, are tested through a series of humiliating demands: they must bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, and a silver cup hidden in a sack (Gen 44‑45).

We’ve all had those "Joseph moments." You receive a promise from the Lord—a Patriarchal Blessing, a spiritual prompting, or a dream for your future—only to watch your life head in the exact opposite direction.

Abraham was promised that the Melchizedek Priesthood would continue through his lineage, giving his descendants the right to administer the Gospel and its saving ordinances to all nations.

 These chapters recount pivotal moments in the life of Abraham, beginning with the theophany at Mamre, where the Lord appears to Abraham and reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant—a promise of posterity, land, and spiritual blessings. Abraham’s intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18) teaches powerful lessons about compassion, justice, and the Lord’s willingness to spare the righteous. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) underscores the consequences of unrepentant wickedness while also highlighting God’s mercy in saving Lot and his family. In Genesis 20, Abraham’s interaction with Abimelech reminds us of the importance of truth and trust in divine protection. The birth of Isaac (Genesis 21) fulfills God’s long-promised blessing and symbolizes the miracle of covenant faithfulness. 

In Genesis 12 God summons Abram from the familiar confines of Ur-Kalḫa and Haran to “go forth from your country, your people, and your father’s house” (12:1). The call is accompanied by a remarkable promise: a mighty nation will arise from Abram, he will be blessed, his name will become a source of blessing, and through him all the families of the earth will be redeemed. Abram obeys, taking his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and every possession he owns, and he sets out for the land of Canaan, which God designates as an “everlasting possession” (12:7). The journey is marked by cycles of famine, divine rescue, and human frailty—Abram’s sojourn in Egypt (12:10‑20), his rescue of Lot from the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah (14), and the troubling episode at Hebron where he lies about Sarai’s identity (17).

The biblical book of Genesis 6–11 recounts pivotal events in early human history, culminating in the Great Flood and the Tower of Babel. Genesis 6–8 introduces the Nephilim, descendants of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men" (Gen 6:1–4), which scholars often interpret as a union between spiritual beings (possibly angels or other divine figures) and humanity, resulting in a corrupt and violent generation. God, upset by how bad people are, decides to flood the world and save only Noah, his family, and pairs of animals in a huge ark. Post-flood narratives in Genesis 10–11 trace the repopulation of the earth and the infamous Tower of Babel, where humanity’s hubris in building a city to "make a name" for themselves leads God to confuse their languages and disperse them (Gen 11:1–9).

When I first opened Moses 7 in the Pearl of Great Price, I felt like I was stepping into a backstage pass to the very beginning of everything we know. In this short but luminous chapter, the prophet‑author Moses is granted a vision that pulls back the curtain on the pre‑mortal council where God the Father, His Son, and the Holy Ghost convened “in the heavens” to discuss the creation of a world that would become our home. I love how the text paints the scene with a kind of reverent awe: God the Father is described as “the great and the most glorious and the most high” who “was and is and shall be forever,” while His Son, “the only begotten,” is “the Father’s only begotten.” The narrative then moves to the moment when the Father asks His Son to bring forth the world, and the Son, in perfect obedience and love, says, “Let us create.” From there, the “spirit of truth” is organized, the “great and spacious building” is erected, and the “earth” takes shape—each step accompanied by a gentle, almost musical cadence that makes the whole process feel less like a distant myth and more like a lovingly choreographed dance.

Enoch leads Zion with divine presence