The New and Old Testament Church

We often speak of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Christ’s New Testament Church restored to the earth again. But we shouldn’t let that statement discount the fact that the restored Church is also founded in the Old Testament. We might equally say that it is the Old Testament Church restored again, at least in the sense that the teachings and commandments and prophecies of the Old Testament are integral to the Church and its doctrine. In Doctrine and Covenants 65 we see one example of how the New Testament and the Old Testament teachings and prophecies are inseparable with modern revelation. Every verse of this short revelation is connected to or derived directly from either Old or New Testament passages. In verse 1 we read, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” This idea comes straight from Isaiah: “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3). It was also quoted by the gospel writers in reference to John the Baptist: “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Matthew 3:3). In verse 2 of section 65, the Lord declared: “The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth.” The Savior said something similar in the meridian of time to Peter, the chief apostle: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Also, verse 2 quotes from the Old Testament prophet Daniel: “From thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.” Daniel interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar with these words: “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands…. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Daniel 2:34, 44-45). The Lord clearly connected this ancient prophecy with the Church He established in our dispensation. And as Daniel foresaw, we continue to work for the full accomplishment of these words.

               The remaining four verses in Doctrine and Covenants 65 likewise reference both Old and New Testament passages. In verse 3 we read, “Yea, a voice crying—Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom.” This reminds us of the revelation of John in which he foresaw this latter-day supper of the Savior and said, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The reference to making ready for the Bridegroom brings to mind the parable of the ten virgins in which only the five wise were ready: “The bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10). The words of the next verse of section 65 are perhaps a quotation or paraphrase from the psalms: “Pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people.” A verse repeated multiple times in Psalms reads similarly: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8) Verse 5 from Doctrine and Covenants 65 reminds us that the Son of Man will come some day in the future: “Be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth.” The Savior similarly prophesied of His coming in these words in the New Testament: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven… and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Finally, the last verse of section 65, which is a prayer, is clearly linked to the Lord’s prayer that He gave in the Sermon on the Mount: “Wherefore, may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thine enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever.” Compare that to these words: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever" (Matthew 6:9-10, 13). Surely the Lord was expounding on what He had already revealed in the meridian of time. Doctrine and Covenants 65 is just one section among many that highlights the strong connection between the revelations of the Lord’s Church in the last days and the Bible, both New and Old Testament.