The Old Testament is the "First Testament of Jesus Christ."

Its 39 books contain a treasure trove of prophetic records carrying a central mission: "In the Old Testament, from Adam until Malachi, the prophets were testifying of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, October 1966 general conference.)

One aspect that makes the writings of the Old Testament treasures to be cherished in our day is that they record the Lord's communications to His servants. Collectors of documents sometimes assign monetary values to the writings of notable men and women throughout history. With scriptural records, we are more concerned with spiritual values. Any communication from the Lord is of inestimable value.

That the Lord communicated with His chosen servants affirms His love for His sons and daughters and His interest in their spiritual welfare.

"Lack of communication between human beings is responsible for much of the distress in the world. But when communication breaks down between God and man, even worse situations arise," said Elder Mark E. Petersen of the Quorum of the Twelve, in the October 1972 general conference. (Ensign, January 1973, p. 116.) "Anciently the Lord showed His willingness to speak to the people by raising up a long series of inspired men who served as His spokesmen, from the days of Adam to John the Baptist. We are familiar with their names, such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Moses and Zechariah, to mention just a few. Their writings make up the Old Testament, one of the grandest collections of literature and revelation known to man."

The Lord's revelations in the Old Testament were given millennia ago, but messages and lessons found therein apply to our day. From its pages, for example, we learn the roles of faith and obedience in a righteous life. We see how prophets had faith, how righteous people relied on faith in the face of trials and bent their wills to the Lord's. Can anyone read of Moses leading the children of Israel from Egyptian captivity and not find examples of faith and obedience? What greater account of faith and obedience is there than that of Abraham taking his son Isaac to the place the Lord directed? Can we not see how Esther walked in faith and obedience and, as a result, her people were spared?

Many in the Christian world give scant attention to the Old Testament. Latter-day Saints, however, recognize it as an important part of scripture. At the October 1964 general conference, President N. Eldon Tanner, then a counselor in the First Presidency, said: "We as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . . . accept the Old Testament and the New Testament and also the Book of Mormon as the word of God, as well as the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. These are accepted as the standard works of the Church.

"There is no conflict between the teachings of the Old and the New Testament or between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, all of which contain the gospel message as given by God through His prophets from Adam down to Joseph Smith, and by Jesus Christ Himself as He visited the Old and the New World."

President Tanner said that all of these scriptures provide us with irrefutable documented evidence and testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.

"One of the greatest evidences that He is the Son of God and that He was chosen by God as the Savior of the world is the fact that His coming was foretold centuries before His birth and mission here upon the earth," President Tanner said. "His coming was seen in vision and foretold by Adam, Enoch, Moses, Job, David, Zechariah, Isaiah, Micah, Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Alma, Abinadi, Samuel, and many others, including Mary, the mother of Jesus."

As we begin a new year, we begin a new study of the Old Testament in Sunday School. We return to the roots, as it were, of the Lord's communications to His sons and daughters on earth.