KnoWhy #363 - How Can the Old Testament Covenants Help Us Understand the Book of Mormon? (1 Nephi 2:12-13)

There are two major covenants in the Bible, each associated with a holy mountain, that shape much of Old Testament history, narrative, and prophecy: (1) the covenant associated with Mount Sinai, where Moses met God and received the Law; (2) the covenant given to the Davidic monarchy, which is associated with Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where the Temple of Solomon was located. The Book of Mormon appears to support the theology associated with the Sinai covenant rather than Zion theology. The Nephite authors tend to celebrate Moses, the Exodus, and the Ten Commandments (Sinai theology) over King David, his eternal dynasty, and the indestructibility of the city of Jerusalem (Zion theology). These findings suggest that we must understand the covenant at Sinai, if we wish to understand the Book of Mormon.