A core message of the Book of Mormon is that we should study the Bible. Here are a few examples:
- The first prophet, Lehi, sends his sons on a dangerous mission back to Jerusalem to obtain a set of brass plates, which contain much of the content in our Old Testament. (See 1 Nephi 5:10-13.) After examining the plates, Lehi prophesied “That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed” and “that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time” (1 Nephi 5:18-19).
- Lehi’s son Nephi sees an expansive vision with many scenes of future global events, including the coming forth of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. An angel explains, “These last records [the Book of Mormon] … shall establish the truth of the first [the Bible]” (1 Nephi 13:40).
- Nephi’s account of his vision is cut short because the angel tells him that an apostle named John will write the rest (1 Nephi 14:18-28).
- Lehi later shares with his son Joseph a prophecy from the biblical prophet Joseph: “The fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write [the Bible]; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins [the Book of Mormon], and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah [the Bible], shall grow together” (2 Nephi 3:12).
- During His postmortal ministry, Jesus quotes extensively from Old Testament prophets. He urges the people to “search the prophets,” and He “[expounds] all the scriptures in one” (3 Nephi 23:5, 14).
- In Mormon’s final chapter, he testifies that the gospel is set forth “not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews.” Then, he adds, “This [the Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [the Bible]; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also” (Mormon 7:8-9).
So it’s appropriate that the book of Ether, a history of an earlier civilization appended by Mormon’s son Moroni, would continue to emphasize this theme. In particular, notice how the book makes direct reference to the first and last books of the Bible:
Genesis
The book opens with the story of a family at the tower of Babel, an event which is described in Genesis 11:1-9. Moroni sets the context for that story by saying that we should already know what preceded it:
As I suppose that the first part of this record, which speaks concerning the creation of the world, and also of Adam, and an account from that time even to the great tower, and whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that time, is had among the Jews—
Therefore I do not write those things which transpired from the days of Adam until that time.
Ether 1:3-4
Revelation
After describing a vision seen by the brother of Jared, Moroni promises that we can all see what the brother of Jared saw if we will overcome our unbelief. A New Testament author makes an unlikely appearance in the middle of this editorial note:
And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people.
Ether 4:16
This reference to John the Revelator hearkens back to Nephi’s prophecy of John the Revelator. It also emphasizes the importance of the entire Bible to Book of Mormon readers. We are expected to familiarize ourselves with the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, and Moroni underscores that point by referencing both the beginning and the end of the Bible in his account of the Jaredites.
Today, I will search the words of prophets in order to better understand the divine messages God has shared with his children in every age of the world. I will remember that scriptures complement and support one another, and I will strive to synthesize and unify the truths I learn from them.