Welcome to the Old Testament!
We are thrilled to study the Old Testament with you this year! To help visualize the stories, themes, and lessons of this remarkable book, we're sharing artworks from our permanent collection and visiting exhibitions to accompany each week's Come, Follow Me readings. You can also subscribe to get email reminders when new artworks are ready or follow along weekly on Instagram or Facebook. We hope that art-lovers everywhere will be inspired by these artworks as they complement their gospel study, family discussions, and church classes with fine art from around the world.
December 29 - January 4
Look at these pages from the Old Testament. Does your copy look like this? What do these designs suggest about the owner? How do you think she felt about the words she marked?
This Bible belonged to Veda Epling, a woman who, while experiencing homelessness, turned to reading and highlighting copies of the Bible with extraordinary patterns. Each color had its own significance, and each page became a work of art. When artist Harrell Fletcher discovered her work, he helped her get photos of her Bibles in galleries and eventually facilitated the acquisition of these photos by the MOA. She spent none of the money she earned from her designs on herself. Instead, she decided to help her daughter buy a car. She not only loved the Bible; she fully embraced the lessons it taught her.
This year, Latter-day Saints around the world will be studying the Old Testament, a work of scripture many find daunting. But if we read these words like Veda did, with hearts, minds, and eyes open to the beauty in the pages, there’s no limit to the wonders we will find.
Every month, we’ll be sharing an artwork either from our collection or a visiting exhibition to accompany that week’s reading from the Come, Follow Me program. We hope these artworks will help our followers feel the magnificence of these texts, and we invite you to use these images in any way you find helpful as you explore this first testament of Jesus Christ.
January 5-11
When was the last time you felt alone? It probably isn’t an enjoyable memory. The prophet Moses was once "left unto himself” (Moses 1:9) and experienced a harrowing encounter with Satan. Moses remained steadfast in his trust in God, who rewarded him with the promise "I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days” (Moses 1:26).
This J. Kirk Richards painting depicts a child wrapped in the arms of an angel soaring upward. The lower parts of the work are covered not only with dark paint, but literal dirt. Meanwhile, the pair ascends to the light above. It’s a reminder that none of us are ever truly alone. The Lord has promised that he "will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).
January 12-18
"In the beginning” is a phrase familiar to everyone who’s ever started the Old Testament (which, let’s be honest, is a lot more of us than have ever finished it). The words carry a sense of wonder and their own gravitas. Like “Once upon a time,” they invite us to take part in a story. Creation, sin, and salvation are all about to unfold.
This painting may not seem like it has much to do with the Book of Genesis. There’s no basketball in the Bible, but the artist, Ernie Barnes, chose to give this painting the title ‘In the Beginning.’
Look closely at the painting, its subject, the details. Why do you think the artist chose this title?
January 19-25
The serpent coils his way around the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, his mouth open, as if to strike. This is the being that “rebelled against [God], and sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). In anticipation of this, the Lord gave Adam and Eve an opportunity to use the very agency that the serpent sought to destroy. He told them that “thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” (Moses 3:17). He knew that they (and we) would make mistakes, but that, over time and with the help of the Savior, we could use those decisions to learn, grow, and return to Him.
What is a blessing you’ve received after a difficult decision?
