Bloggernacle Back Bench: Old Testament resources

Like an overeager Sunday School student, the Bloggernacle begins preparing for and studying the next year's Gospel Doctrine curriculum months in advance. So even though most church members do not begin the Old Testament curriculum in Sunday School until January 3, 2010, the Bloggernacle already offers resources, study helps, discussions and even a guide to getting (or giving!) a free Bible.So get your bookmark tool ready...First you need a Bible. You may say \"A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible,\" (sorry, couldn't resist) but do you have the web edition? Or in audio format? Or for your family, do you have the Old Testament Stories? You can even Google your handheld device or phone's name and the LDS scriptures, and likely find a Bible app, perfect for browsing, marking, note-taking and referencing in class.If you haven't checked out the new Old Testament Visual Resource DVDs, I have three words for you: Christmas is coming. And for information on how to get a free print version (available in various languages) see my Techie Tip below.Rachel Bruner recently highlighted the wonderful The Holy Bible topic page on lds.org, and explained that she is \"very excited about this and have already begun my study by reading the Books of Moses and Abraham in The Pearl of Great Price, which is what led me to create a chart of the Lineage of Adam. Clicking in you can find other great lineage charts she has produced. Nice!Why is the study of the Bible important to LDS members? \"Is the Old Testament 'Old,' and thus not as relevant as other scriptures?\" So asks (and refutes) this blogger who is beginning a series titled  \"Time to Study the Old Testament.....Again.\" He goes straight to the Old Testament Gospel Doctrine's Teacher's Manual for the answer: \"The Old Testament is an account of God's dealings with his covenant people from the time of the Creation to a few hundred years before the Savior's birth. The Old Testament provides powerful examples of faith and obedience. It also shows the consequences of forgetting, disobeying, or opposing God. Its prophecies bear witness of the Messiah's birth, redeeming sacrifice, second coming, and millennial reign.\" Looking for a book to supplement your Old Testament study? By Common Consent has recently reviewed \"Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament.\" Kevin Barney explains \"The book is a large format coffee table book. The main text walks the reader through the OT itself, offering lots of historical context from the contemporary ancient Near East along the way. Every page features either pictures or sidebars, or both, explaining particular issues, texts and concerns. I really like this format, as the text is sufficiently broken up that it is not overwhelming to the casual reader.\" He then proceeds to take a page-by-page look at some of the sidebars and pictures featured throughout.The

FAIR Blog just reviewed the same book, and explained that \"Large color