The Old Testament in 2026
A Prelude to our Study of the Old Testament (and the Pearl of Great Price) in 2026
In 2022, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints studied the Pearl of Great Price and the Old Testament as part of the Come Follow Me Curriculum. As part of my personal study of these books of scripture in the LDS Standard Works, I started a blog called “The Torch,” and I began to record my own thoughts on the scriptures. I also gathered a group of friends together each Sunday to discuss what we learned in our study.
My original blog “The Torch” contains posts on a wide variety of topics, but as an introduction to our study of the Pearl of Great Price and the Old Testament again this year, in 2026, I would like to list my posts on the Pearl of Great Price and the Old Testament from 2022 as a prelude to a renewed study of the same books of scripture again this year, in 2026.
Nothing can replace direct, personal contact and engagement with the pure word of God. These thoughts (like my chapter by chapter commentary on the Book of Mormon and my section by section commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants) are only meant to supplement and enhance our study.
These are my reflections (in chronological order) on the Pearl of Great Price and the Old Testament from my blog “The Torch” in 2022:
“By an Electric Light” (An introduction to and invitation to study the Old Testament in 2022)
“Make Time for the Lord” (Thoughts on Moses’ vision of God)
“The Majesty of His Touch” (Thoughts related to the previous post)
“Tell Me Why?” (On Moses and Abraham)
“God Seeds – Musings on Creation” (Thoughts on the Creation)
“The Magnificence of Man” (Thoughts on the creation of man)
“Repentance and Types of Christ” (Thoughts on Moses, Abraham, and Genesis)
“The Living Word” (Thoughts on the Fall of Adam and Eve)
“The Choice Made in Eden” (More thoughts on the Fall of Adam and Eve)
“Adam, Eve, and Points to Ponder” (Even more thoughts on the Fall of Adam and Eve)
“A Similitude in a Similitude” (Thoughts on Adam and Eve and sacrifice)
“The Animal in Us” (On sacrifice)
“Agency and God’s Plan” (On agency)
“Why Did Eve Partake of the Forbidden Fruit?” (More thoughts on the Fall)
“Wherefore Am I Thy Servant?” (On Enoch)
“A Great Benefit” (More thoughts on Enoch)
“Notwithstanding Weakness” (Even more thoughts on Enoch)
“This Is the Way” (Thoughts on the Doctrine of Christ)
“Approaching Zion” (Thoughts on Enoch’s Zion)
“Establishing Zion” (On Moses 7)
“Every Bit of Intelligence” (More on Enoch’s Zion)
“Questions, Questions” (Thoughts on Enoch’s Theophany)
“Seek Zion and Escape the Scourge” (More on Moses 7)
“Into Their Bosom” (More thoughts on Enoch and Zion)
“The Heart and the Focus of Our Lives” (Thoughts on Enoch and Noah)
“Ponder the Parallels” (Thoughts on Noah and the Flood)
“Accentuate the Positive” (More thoughts on Noah)
“The Ark and the Temple” (Thoughts on Noah’s Ark as a Temple)
“Gabriel, Tsohar, and the Rainbow” (On Noah as a Type of Christ)
“Babylon the Great is Falling” (Thoughts on the opposite of Zion)
“Covenants, Abraham, and Us” (On God’s Covenant with Abraham)
“The Father of the Faithful” (On the Life of Abraham)
“Stagger Not” (Thoughts on Abraham’s Faith)
“The False Gods We Worship” (Thoughts Abraham and Idolatry)
“This Promise is Yours Also” (Thoughts on the Blessings of Abraham)
“Majestic Forces” (Thoughts on Abraham and Sariah)
“Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?” (Thoughts on the Lord’s Question to Sarah)
“Stories from the Life of Abraham” (A Story about Abraham)
“Love and Chastening” (More thoughts on Abraham)
“The Salt of the Earth” (Thoughts on Lot and his wife)
“Rebekah Smoked?” (Thoughts on Isaac and Rebekah)
“Quick to Obey” (Thoughts on Rebekah)
“The Best Setting” (More thoughts on Isaac and Rebekah)
“To Trap, Noose, or Entrap” (Thoughts on Rebekah’s name)
“Honest People Repent” (Thoughts on Jacob and Esau)
“Prime the Pump” (Thoughts on Isaac’s wells)
“Reconciliation” (Thoughts on fraternal conflict in the Old Testament)
“The Pillar at Beth-el” (Thoughts on Jacob’ vision)
“The Stone of Israel” (Thoughts on Jacob and Rachel)
“The Heavens are Higher than the Earth” (Thoughts on Jacob and his wives)
“Jacob’s Family” (More thoughts on Jacob’s family)
“Jacob Leaves Laban” (Even more thoughts on Jacob and his family)
“We Got to Pray” (Jacob confronts Esau)
“Wrestling with Wrestling” (Thoughts on Jacob’s prayer)
“Hurrah for Israel!” (Thoughts on Jacob’s new name)
“Jacob and Esau Reconciled” (Thoughts on the reconciliation of brothers)
“Joseph, Master of Dreams” (Thoughts on Joseph as a visionary man)
“Joseph, Jesus, and Joy” (Thoughts on Joseph and his trials)
“Grow into the Principle of Revelation” (Thoughts on Joseph’s dreams)
“Joseph’s Patience in Adversity” (More thoughts on Joseph’s trials)
“Seek Christ in Every Thought” (Thoughts on Joseph’s resisting of temptation)
“Dream Pairs: Food for Thought” (More thoughts on Joseph’s dreams)
“Joseph and Gathering” (Thoughts on Joseph’s name)
“The Book of Joseph” (Thoughts on Joseph as a type of Christ)
“Joseph’s Tests” (More thoughts on Joseph as a type of Christ)
“Joseph as a Similitude of Jesus Christ” (Even more thoughts on Joseph as a type of Christ)
“Jacob’s Blessings to Judah and to Joseph” (Thoughts on Jacob’s patriarchal blessings)
“The Plates of Brass, Joseph in Egypt, and Joseph Smith” (Thoughts on the record of Joseph)
“Moses: A Choice Seer” (Thoughts on Moses)
“Moses as a Type of Christ” (Thoughts on Moses as a type of Christ)
“Moses at the Well” (Thoughts on Moses and Zipporah)
“Moses and the Burning Bush” (Thoughts on Moses’ Theophany)
“Moses Was Very Meek” (Thoughts on Moses’ character)
“Jehovah and the Calling of Moses” (Thoughts on Moses’ apprehension about his calling)
“The Lord Prepares Moses” (Thoughts on the Lord’s encouragement of Moses)
“Moses’ Mission and the Name of the Lord” (Thoughts on Moses’ mission)
“Softening Hearts” (Thoughts on Moses, Pharaoh, and the Lord’s ability to soften hearts)
“The Passover and the Lamb of God” (Thoughts on the symbolism of the Passover Lamb)
“The Passover and the Sacrament” (Thoughts on the connection between the Passover and the Sacrament)
“The Lord Parts the Red Sea” (Thoughts on the miracle of the deliverance of the children of Israel)
“Accomplishing the Impossible” (More thoughts on the Lord’s miracles for the children of Israel)
“He Rebuked the Red Sea” (Even more thoughts on the Lord’s miracles for the children of Israel)
“Not by Bread Alone” (Thoughts on the purpose of the Lord’s miracles)
“Healed Waters and Heavenly Bread” (More thoughts on the symbolism of the Lord’s miracles)
“Water from the Rock” (Thoughts on the symbolism of the miracle at Horeb)
“Wilderness Patterns” (Thoughts on the connections between the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon)
“For Our Profit and Learning” (More thoughts on the connections between the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon)
“Jesus Christ Lives” (On Easter)
“A Peculiar Treasure” (Thoughts on Moses and Jethro)
“The Lord Loves Effort” (Thoughts on Moses and the Ten Commandments)
“The Gift of Inquiry” (More thoughts on Moses and Jethro)
“Smoke and the Refiner’s Fire” (Thoughts on Sinai)
“What is Our Ultimate Priority?” (Thoughts on the Ten Commandments)
“A Type of Christ and a Theophany” (Thoughts on the Law of Moses)
“Inside the Tabernacle” (Thoughts on the symbolism of the tabernacle)
“The Breastplate, Urim and Thummim, and Seers” (Thoughts on ancient and modern seers and seership)
“Wrath and Mercy” (Thoughts on the tabernacle and the Atonement of Jesus Christ)
“Provocation and the Lesser Law” (Thoughts on Moses’ wrath)
“The Schoolmaster” (Thoughts on Abinadi and the Law of Moses)
“More Holiness Give Me” (Thoughts on Exodus and Leviticus)
“How Great the Wisdom and the Love” (Thoughts on Moses and sacrifice)
“The Least Understood Revealed Truth” (Thoughts on the Atonement of Jesus Christ)
“Prophetic Patterns” (Thoughts on the Book of Numbers and Moses leading the Israelites through the Wilderness)
“Pitiful Prayer” (Thoughts on the prayer of Moses and other earnest prayers)
“Follow the Prophet” (Thoughts on Moses’ desire for all to be prophets)
“The Spirit of Optimism” (Thoughts on Joshua and Caleb)
“Don’t Mess with the Lord’s Prophet” (Thoughts on Moses and Aaron)
“Just Speak to the Rock” (Thoughts on the disobedience of Moses and Aaron)
“Look to Christ, and Live” (Thoughts on the brass serpent)
“Healing in His Wings” (More thoughts on the brass serpent)
“Balaam and the Conversion Process” (Thoughts on Balaam and Balak)
“Inheriting the Promised Land” (Thoughts on Phinehas’ zeal)
“Reminders of the Great Commandment” (Thoughts on the Book of Deuteronomy and the Shema)
“The Lord’s Promises to Covenant Israel” (Thoughts on prophetic farewell speeches)
“Commandments and Laws for Covenant Israel” (More thoughts on the Book of Deuteronomy)
“The Prophet of Whom Moses Prophesied” (Thoughts on Moses’ prophecy of Jesus Christ)
“Moses as a Type of Christ and His Continuing Ministry” (More thoughts on Moses as a type of Christ)
“Moses and the Keys” (Thoughts on priesthood keys)
“Joshua and Encouragement” (Thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“Joshua, Rahab, and Fulfilled Promises” (More thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“Crossing over Jordan” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“Joshua and Jericho” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“Achan and Accursed Things” (Thoughts on Joshua and Achan)
“Ambush” (Thoughts on conquering the city of Ai)
“The Continuing Conquest of the Promised Land” (More thoughts on Joshua)
“Joshua’s Final Counsel” (Final thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“Joshua, Alma the Younger, and Gathering Together All Things in One in Christ” (More final thoughts on the Book of Joshua)
“The Stubbornness of the Rising Generation” (Introductory thoughts on the Book of Judges)
“Unlikely Heroes: Deborah, Jael, and Gideon” (More thoughts on the Book of Judges)
“The Lord Employs the Unlikely” (Thoughts on Gideon)
“Samson” (Thoughts on Samson)
“Samson as a Type of Christ” (Thoughts on Samson as a type of Christ)
“Ruth: A Virtuous Woman” (Thoughts on Ruth)
“Types of Christ in the Story of Ruth” (Thoughts on Ruth as a type of Christ)
“Hannah: The Lord’s Handmaid” (Thoughts on Hannah)
“The Lord Revealed Himself to Samuel” (Thoughts on the calling of Samuel)
“Samuel Rescues Israel” (More thoughts on the prophet Samuel)
“The Children of Israel Reject their True King” (Thoughts on the foolishness of the people of Israel)
“Samuel Anoints Saul” (Thoughts on the calling of King Saul)
“The Kingdom is Rent from Saul” (Thoughts on King Saul’s foolishness)
“Conquering Our Goliaths” (Thoughts on the calling of David)
“Learning from Tragedy: Saul, David, and Solomon” (Thoughts on the kings of Israel)
“King David’s Continuing Rise to Power” (Thoughts on King David)
“Dancing David” (More thoughts on King David)
“Jesus Christ, the Son of David” (Thoughts on Jesus Christ as a descendant of David)
“The Gentle Slope of Sin: The Tragedy of David and Bath-Sheba” (More thoughts on King David)
“Solomon Sought the Spirit” (Thoughts on King Solomon)
“The Rise and Fall of Solomon and of Israel” (More thoughts on King Solomon)
“Elijah and Jehovah vs. the False Prophets and Baal” (Thoughts on the prophet Elijah)
“Elijah and the Delicate Promptings of the Holy Spirit” (More thoughts on the prophet Elijah)
“Elijah, Elisha, and the Still, Small Voice” (Thoughts on Elijah and Elisha)
“Bad News for Ahab, Jezebel, and Ahazia” (Thoughts on Ahab, Jezebel, and Ahazia)
“Don’t Mock Bald Prophets” (Thoughts on the prophet Elisha)
“Elisha and a God of Miracles” (More thoughts on the prophet Elisha)
“Elisha as a Type of Christ” (Thoughts on the prophet Elisha as a type of Christ)
“Faith to Heal and Be Healed: How Elisha, Naaman, Servants, and a Little Maid Point Us Toward Jesus Christ” (Even more thoughts on the prophet Elisha)
“Elisha’s Miracles Continue” (Even more thoughts on the prophet Elisha)
“Forgetful Israel” (Thoughts on the scattering of Israel)
“Hezekiah and Isaiah” (Thoughts on Hezekiah and Isaiah)
“King Josiah Discovers the Word of God” (Thoughts on King Hezekiah and King Josiah)
“Nebuchadnezzar” (Thoughts on King Nebuchadnezzar)
“Chronicles” (Thoughts on the Books of Chronicles)
“The Lord Stirred Up the Spirit of Cyrus” (Thoughts on King Cyrus)
“The Teachings of Ezra” (Thoughts on Ezra)
“Ye Solid Rocks Weep for Joy” (More thoughts on Ezra)
“Sheshbazzar, Ezra, the Temple, and the Law” (Even more thoughts on Ezra)
“Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem” (Thoughts on Nehemiah)
“Ezra Reads and Interprets the Law” (More thoughts on Ezra and Nehemiah)
“Queen Esther” (Thoughts on the Book of Esther)
“Esther, the Star” (More thoughts on the Book of Esther)
“Haman’s Wrath” (Thoughts on Haman)
“Haman is Hanged” (Final thoughts on the Book of Esther)
“The Mission of Elijah” (Thoughts on the calling of the prophet Elijah)
“Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath” (More thoughts on the prophet Elijah)
“A Call to Repentance after the Death of Elisha” (Thoughts on the forgetfulness of the children of Israel)
“Job’s Integrity” (Thoughts on the Book of Job)
“Job and the Purpose of Suffering” (More thoughts on the Book of Job)
“Questions on the Book of Job” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Job)
“More Questions from the Book of Job” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Job)
“Be Still and Know” (Thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“The Psalms Point Us to Christ” (More thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Psalms, the Temple, and the Voice of the Lord” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Messianic Psalms and Jesus Christ, the Everlasting Father” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“The Lord is My Shepherd” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“The Psalms and the Lord’s Presence” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Be Still, Trust in the Lord” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Ready to Forgive and Plenteous in Mercy” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“The Greatest Achievement” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“He Far Surpasses” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Ye Are Witnesses” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“A Lamp and a Light” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Psalm 119 and the Covenant Path” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Hineh Ma Tov” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“The Great Hallel and Trusting in God’s Mercy” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“Let Every Thing That Hath Breath Praise the Lord” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Psalms)
“If Any of You Lack Wisdom” (Thoughts on the Book of Proverbs)
“The Fixed and the Fleeting” (Thoughts on the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes)
“The Fear of the Lord” (More thoughts on the Book of Proverbs)
“Proverbs: Wisdom and Proving Contraries” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Proverbs)
“Rebuke a Wise Man” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Proverbs)
“A Few Favorite Proverbs” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Proverbs)
“The Conclusion of the Whole Matter” (More thoughts on Ecclesiastes)
“Fair as the Moon, Clear as the Sun” (Thoughts on the Song of Solomon)
“That Ye May Have Hope” (Thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah Forgiven and Called” (More thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Words of Isaiah Are for Us” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Mountain of the Lord vs. Modern Idolatry” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah, the Music of the Gospel, and our Spiritual Foundation” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah’s Dire Warnings” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Woes and ‘Whoas’ in the Fifth Chapter of the Book of Isaiah” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah Invites Us to Come Unto Christ” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Immanuel and Foreordination” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Waters of Shiloah Go Softly” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Mighty God” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Stem, the Rod, the Root, and the Branch” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Ensign, the Gathering, and an Highway” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Jehovah, Differences in Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, and the Inhabitants of Zion” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Fall of Babylon and the Calamities of the Last Days” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Light of the World and the Sure Foundation” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“The Rise and Fall of Lucifer and the King of Assyria” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Moab, Egypt, Assyria, and Israel” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Egypt” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah’s Apocalypse” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Isaiah’s Hymns of Praise” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Pride and the Drunkards of Ephraim” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Line upon Line, a Tried Stone, and the Lord’s Strange Work” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“He that Diligently Seeketh Shall Find” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Run Along and Pick Marigolds” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“What Were You Born to Do?” (Thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“This Gathering Should Mean Everything to You” (More thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Hunters and Fishers” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“The Mission for Which You Were Sent to Earth” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Perfectly Centered on the Wheel” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Where Are the Lost Tribes of Israel?” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Don’t Be a Naughty Fig” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“As a Hen Gathers Her Chickens” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“What is the New and Everlasting Covenant?” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Don’t Burn Books” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah)
“Thy Mercies Are New Every Morning” (Thoughts on the Book of Lamentations)
“New Every Morning, Again” (More thoughts on the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations)
“The Salvation of a Single Soul” (More thoughts on the Book of Lamentations and the Book of Isaiah)
“When Thou Walkest Through the Fire” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Nephi’s Message from Isaiah” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Who is the End-Time Servant and Who Are the Two Witnesses?” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“An Acid Trip, or Ezekiel’s Vision by the River” (Thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“The Voice of Warning” (More thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“You Say Honey Is Sweet” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“Ezekiel the Watchman” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“The Gift of a New Heart and a New Spirit” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“Ruminations on God’s Greatness, Goodness and Grace” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“A Valley of Dry Bones, Two Sticks, and David the Prince” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“Mr. Gog, Mr. Magog, and More” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“Living Waters and the Lord’s Healing Virtue” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Ezekiel)
“Daniel and His Friends Are Blessed with Wisdom” (Thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Almost Roasted Alive” (More thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Nebuchadnezzar, the Tree” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Who Through Faith… Stopped the Mouth of Lions” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Like Crabs in a Bucket” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“To Babes and Sucklings” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“The Spirit of Elias and the Abomination of Desolation” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Daniel, You’re a Star” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Daniel)
“Hoshea Reveals the Tender Mercies of the Lord” (Thoughts on the Book of Hoshea)
“The Thrill of Being Merciful” (More thoughts on the Book of Hoshea)
“Joel and the Day of the Lord” (Thoughts on the Book of Joel)
“Wonderful Things Are Ahead” (More thoughts on the Book of Joel)
“He Reveals His Secret unto His Prophets” (Thoughts on the Book of Amos)
“A Babe upon Its Mother’s Lap” (More thoughts on the Book of Amos)
“Seek the Lord, and Ye Shall Live” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Amos)
“Woe to Them that Are at Ease in Zion” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Amos)
“The Prophet as a Plumbline” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Amos)
“Saviors on Mount Zion” (Thoughts on the Book of Obadiah)
“The Day of Vengeance” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Isaiah)
“Jonah as a Type of Christ” (Thoughts on the prophet Jonah as a type of Christ)
“Jonah’s Attitude Problem” (More thoughts on the Book of Jonah)
“Jesus Christ Quotes Micah” (Thoughts on the Book of Micah)
“Reflections on Remnants” (More thoughts on the Book of Micah)
“Micah’s Messianic Prophecies and the Last Days” (Even more thoughts on the Book of Micah)
“Nahum, Gloom, and Doom” (Thoughts on the Book of Nahum)
“Habakkuk, or He That Embraces” (Thoughts on the Book of Habakkuk)
“Zephaniah and the Second Coming” (Thoughts on the Book of Zephaniah)
“Zephaniah and the Meek” (More thoughts on the Book of Zepheniah)
“Haggai: Consider Your Ways and Return to the Temple” (Thoughts on the Book of Haggai)
“Haggai and the Cataclysmic Shake-Up” (More thoughts on the Book of Haggai)
“Zechariah, Turning, and Returning” (Thoughts on the Book of Zechariah)
“Who Shall Abide the Day of His Coming?” (Thoughts on the Book of Malachi)
