The idea that the life and mission of the Messiah was foretold in the Old Testament writings is not new to Latter-day Saints. Books and articles detailing the prophecies and types of the Hebrew scriptures are readily available, and some of them are quite good.

Skinner's newest book takes a different approach, focusing on the lives and works of the Old Testament worthies, and how these, when studied in the context of the gospel, display a remarkably consistent pattern that can be matched to the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ.

The cast of characters is impressive: Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph of Egypt, Moses, Joshua, Boaz, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Cyrus, Esther, Deborah and Huldah. In many cases, the parallels are explicit and sometimes quite remarkable.

While some of these parallels may be familiar, others will be new material for some readers. Skinner is careful to document his impressions with cites from scripture, and even clarifies some passages by appealing to later scholarship. But he occasionally draws conclusions that are not obvious to me.

An example can be found on page 56, where he compares the life of Moses to that of Jesus. In clear, precise prose, the author shows the many links in the two stories, demonstrating a remarkable similarity in their lives. Later, he observes:

In studying Moses' experience with Satan, it becomes clear that the great prophet-deliverer was conscious that he was a living similitude of Jesus Christ. It is exciting to see how this knowledge became not only a spiritual anchor to Moses but also a tool of discernment that he used when confronted by the adversary and his temptations. (p. 56)

He then notes that Jesus used Moses' words when rebuking the devil in the wilderness. I wondered whether this idea that Moses, and perhaps others, had some insight that their lives and works had some prophetic meaning that would come to full flower many hundreds of years later, wasn't something of a stretch.

His chapter, "Joseph in Egypt," is quite remarkable in his coverage of the similarities between Joseph and Jesus of Nazareth. Some are quite insightful, and provide a helpful framework for the student studying these likenesses. It also demonstrates to the student of the scriptures how such study can be both rewarding and inspiring.

Prophets, Priests, and Kings is a nicely done study of an important subject. Despite his occasional reaching, in my opinion, Skinner has a good grasp of the material and offers it in a readable, and quotable, format.

Students of the Bible will appreciate this book. It merits a reading by those interested in this intriguing aspect of the Old Testament.

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Jeff Needle
December 10, 2005