Scriptural Redaction

I am taking a really great Old Testament class right now. In this class we have been learning about something called Scriptural Redaction. The concept is pretty simple: Alma writes a whole lot of scriptures, several hundred years later Mormon comes along and sums them up with some quotes from the original text and a little commentary. I just finished a writing assignment were I was supposed to redact 2 chapters from the Old Testament : Exodus 19 and 24. I was assigned to redact these chapters into only 2 paragraphs. This assignment was to get us to really think about how The Old Testament doctrines apply today, the redaction process and to realize the miracles of the scriptures. I really enjoyed the assignment so I decided to share it with you.

Modern Redaction of Ancient Scriptures: Exodus 19 and 24

And it came to pass that in the days of Moses a commandment came from God for the tribes of Israel to cleanse themselves from sin, and to purify themselves from iniquity, through priesthood ordinances whereby they were able to make and keep sacred personal covenants with God. This commandment came from God unto the tribes of Israel that the people might prepare themselves to enter into His Holy presence and see Him as He is, while they still dwelt in the wilderness.

And in those days Moses, an authorized servant of God, went forth declaring repentance unto the people and performing ordinances of salvation among the people; and seventy and two of them came upon Mount Sinai, prepared by obedience to these sacred ordinances and covenants, and they saw the God of Israel, even in his glory did they see Him. And so it is even unto this day that any member of the Lords kingdom upon the earth can see God in His Glory, even while they dwell in the flesh, if they are first prepared by obedience to all of the Laws and Ordinances of Christ's gospel, walking humbly before God.