Book of Mormon – Old Testament connection series: The prophets

Recently I read Bradely Kramer\’s book: \”Beholding the tree of life – A rabbinic approach to the Book of Mormon\”. The second half of the book focuses on one characterisation of the rabbinical approach, which is to connect the law and the prophets (that is, the first 5 books of Moses with the books of the prophets in the latter part of the Old Testament). There are passages in the law that have a common theme, a counterpoint, a similarity, a reference, etc in a passage in the prophets. This calls for a deeper study of the two together to enhance learning. 

Kramer argues that there are similar connections between the Old Testament and The Book of Mormon. In fact, they are connected chiastically as I outlined in a previous post. I will attempt to make a series of posts going a bit more into these connected pairs.

Today we will have a look at the last part of the Old Testament and the first part of the Book of Mormon: the prophets. The books of the prophets in the Old Testament are well defined. Kramer defines the small plates as the books of the prophets in the Book of Mormon or at least those that are connected with the prophets of the Old Testament. Thinking about all the Isaiah quotes in the first two books of Nephi makes this connection rather obvious. But there is more. I cannot repeat everything Kramer brings up in his book, but I will bring up a some of his points and a few I have pondered myself.

• The Book of Mormon starts out in a period where there were many prophets in Jerusalem. Lehi is one of them and becomes the first Book of Mormon prophet. What is an endpoint in the Old Testament in many ways with the destruction of Jerusalem and the first temple, is the turning point in the Old Testament-Book of Mormon chiasmus when Lehi leaves Jerusalem and establishes a nation in America and Nephi builds a temple there.
• Lehi\’s vision and prophetic call in 1 Nephi 1 has many similarities to Ezekiel\’s vision and other Biblical and apocryphical visions. More information in this article.
• The hallmark phrase of the Old Testament prophets, \”thus saith the Lord\” is found 36 times in the Book of Mormon. 22 of those are found in the first three \’prophet\’ books in the Book of Mormon.
• A trademark theme of Old Testament prophets is warnings to the people that they will be destroyed and scattered if they don\’t repent, but also prophecies of a future gathering of Israel. The scattering and gathering of Israel is a very prevalent theme in the first three books in the Book of Mormon, especially in 2 Nephi.
• In 2 Nephi 11:2-3, Nephi mentions Isaiah, his brother Jacob and himself as witnesses of Christ, creating a trio of witnesses that spans across the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament.
• Etc

The point of this is not really to merely identify connections but to use them to enhance learning from the scriptures. I must admit I feel a bit inadequate here, since I lack that detailed knowledge of the Old Testament writings. But one point I can think of, is how the Book of Mormon explains one particular aspect of the prophets in the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophets\’ message often seem gloomy and stern. \”Repent or suffer the consequences\” which are presented without filter. The \’prophets\’ section of the Book of Mormon explains and elaborates on this aspect.

Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin. (2 Nephi 9:48)

1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us. (1 Nephi 16:1-3)

7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;

8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.

10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God. (Jacob 2:7-10)

There are probably numerous other ways that a reading of the \’prophets\’ sections of the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon together can enhance learning and understanding. This is only a starting point: establishing the connection and giving one example. But it\’s an interesting approach to scripture study that is somewhat new to me. Considering the fact that in these latter days, there is a gathering of scripture along with the gathering of Israel, this approach makes sense.