Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Title Page
Introduction to the Teacher Manual
Lessons 1–2
Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 1–2
  Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 3–6
  Moses 1; Abraham 3
- Lessons 7–9
  Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
- Lessons 10–12
  Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5
- Lessons 13–15
  Genesis 5; Moses 6
- Lessons 16–18
  Moses 7
- Lessons 19–21
  Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
- Lessons 22–24
  Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
- Lessons 25–28
  Genesis 18–23
- Lessons 29–32
  Genesis 24–33
- Lessons 33–34
  Genesis 37–41
- Lessons 35–37
  Genesis 42–50
- Lessons 38–40
  Exodus 1–6
- Easter
- Lessons 41–44
  Exodus 7–13
- Lessons 45–47
  Exodus 14–18
- Lessons 48–51
  Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34
- Lessons 52–55
  Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19
- Lessons 56–57
  Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27
- Lessons 58–60
  Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
- Lessons 61–64
  Joshua 1–8; 23–24
- Lessons 65–67
  Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16
- Lessons 68–70
  Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7
- Lessons 71–73
  1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16
- Lessons 74–76
  1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7
- Lessons 77–80
  2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11
- Lessons 81–82
  1 Kings 12–13; 17–22
- Lessons 83–85
  2 Kings 2–7
- Lessons 86–89
  2 Kings 16–25
- Lessons 90–91
  2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30
- Lessons 92–93
  Ezra 1, 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
- Lessons 94–96
  Esther
- Lessons 97–99
  Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42
- Lessons 100–103
  Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
- Lessons 104–106
  Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
- Lessons 107–108
  Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150
- Lessons 109–112
  Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12
- Lessons 113–116
  Isaiah 1–12
- Lessons 117–118
  Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35
- Lessons 119–122
  Isaiah 40–49
- Lessons 123–125
  Isaiah 50–57
- Lessons 126–129
  Isaiah 58–66
- Lessons 130–133
  Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
- Lessons 134–137
  Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3
- Lessons 138–141
  Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47
- Lessons 142–145
  Daniel 1–7
- Lessons 146–148
  Hosea; Joel
- Lessons 149–151
  Amos; Obadiah; Jonah
- Lessons 152–154
  Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
- Lessons 155–157
  Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14
- Lessons 158–160
  Malachi
Lessons 166–170
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Lessons 166–170
  Scripture Study Skills
- Lessons 171–176
  For the Strength of Youth Guide
- Lessons 177–180
  Building Self–Reliance
- Lessons 181–187
  Physical and Emotional Health
- Lessons 188–191
  Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Lessons 192–195
  Succeed in School
- Lessons 196–200
  Missionary Preparation
- Lessons 201–204
  Temple Preparation
- Lessons 205–208
  Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

Isaiah 58:13–14: “Call the Sabbath a Delight”

“Isaiah 58:13–14: ‘Call the Sabbath a Delight,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)

“Isaiah 58:13–14: ‘Call the Sabbath a Delight,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Isaiah 58–66: Lesson 127

Isaiah 58:13–14

“Call the Sabbath a Delight”

South Africa. Members attending church on Sunday, young woman listening in Sunday School class.

The Savior taught that the Sabbath was given to bless His people (see Mark 2:27). What blessings have you seen by honoring Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath day? In Isaiah, we learn that if we honor the Father and the Son on Their holy Sabbath, the day will be a blessing to us. This lesson can help students honor the Lord on the Sabbath day.

Student preparation: Invite students to reflect on what they already know about worshipping Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath. They could make a list of things they feel they are doing well to make the Sabbath day holy.

Possible Learning Activities

How do you feel on the Sabbath?

Giving students time to ponder their feelings about gospel truths can invite the Holy Ghost to help them identify things they do well and areas they might need to improve.

Take a moment to think about how you feel on Sunday. Invite the Holy Ghost to help you remember some things you do on Sunday that may contribute to your feelings about the Sabbath. Then, answer the following questions in your study journal.

How would you describe your current feelings about the Sabbath?
What are some things you currently try to do (or not do) on the Sabbath?
Do you feel that what you usually do on Sunday is helping you feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

As you study Isaiah 58:13–14 today, invite the Holy Ghost to help you recognize the blessings Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have promised as you worship Them on Their holy day.

Honoring the Lord on His Sabbath

Isaiah 58:13–14 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.

During the seventh creative period, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ rested from all Their labor. They blessed this day and established it as a time of sacred rest from earthly “work” (see Moses 3:3). Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have invited all of us to follow this pattern (see Exodus 20:8–10 and Deuteronomy 5:12–14). Through His prophet Isaiah, the Lord again commanded His people to dedicate the Sabbath day to Him.

Help students identify some of the invitations the Lord gives us regarding the Sabbath by writing the following incomplete statement on the board: We keep the Sabbath day holy by …

When the Lord gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, He commanded that the Sabbath be set apart as a holy day to worship Him.

Read Isaiah 58:13, marking words and phrases that stand out to you.

What are some ways the Lord has asked us to make His Sabbath a holy day?

Help students use their own words to explain phrases in verse 13 that complete the statement of truth. You might help them identify phrases like:

not pursuing our interests or desires
seeing the Sabbath as a day of joy (delight)
honoring Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ each Sabbath day

The following activity could be done individually by students.

Select a phrase in verse 13. Think carefully about what it might look like to apply this phrase in your life. You might want to record a few of your thoughts in your study journal. As you ponder, invite the Holy Ghost to help you have a greater understanding of things you can do.

It may be helpful to explain that keeping the Sabbath day holy is filled with personal choices. Avoid discussing the right and wrong ways to keep the Sabbath day holy and encourage students to avoid judging others for their choices.

Blessings for honoring the Lord on His day

Read Isaiah 58:14, marking words and phrases that help us understand some of the blessings the Lord has promised to those who honor Him on His Sabbath.

How would you explain these blessings in your own words?

To help students identify the blessings the Lord has promised, you might need to share the meaning of phrases such as:

“Then shalt thou delight in the Lord” – We will have joy in the Lord.

“I will cause thee to ride upon the high places and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob” – The Lord promises blessings to His covenant people.

It might be helpful to share that “high places” may refer to mountains, hills, strongholds, or holy places. This phrase may mean that “the Lord will bless His covenant people to rise above all obstacles, be protected and out of the reach of danger, be victorious over enemies (see Deuteronomy 33:29), and be closer to the Lord.” (“Line upon Line: Isaiah 58:13-14,” New Era, Feb. 2016)

You could invite students to add to the board the blessings they found. If students need additional help understanding the principles of Sabbath worship, you could invite them to look for additional blessings, such as those found in Ezekiel 20:20 and Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–13.

Why might someone struggle to see that it is a “delight” to keep the Sabbath day?
What obstacles might they be facing?

President Russell M. Nelson shared the following about what helped him overcome an obstacle he faced when making decisions about how to honor Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on Sundays.

14:47

The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day! Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so.

How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear. (“The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2015, 130)

How might Isaiah 58:13–14 and President Nelson’s message help someone who is struggling with the obstacles you identified?

Students could share appropriate experiences when they have felt blessed by their efforts to focus on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on Sunday. The following questions could help students share their experiences.
What have you found has improved your ability to honor the Lord on the Sabbath? What blessings have you seen from your efforts?

What sign do you want to give to God?

To help students make a plan to improve their Sabbath experience, display the following instructions.

Take a moment to ponder what you have learned and felt today about the invitation in Isaiah 58:13–14 to set aside personal desires and honor Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath. Invite the Holy Ghost to help you as you answer the following prompt in your study journal.

To honor Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath, I will .

Memorize

You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase for Isaiah 58:13–14 is, “Turn away … from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”

Additional Resources

What blessings might come from improving our Sabbath worship?

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

15:36

[H]onoring the Sabbath is a form of righteousness that will bless and strengthen families, connect us with our Creator, and increase happiness. The Sabbath can help separate us from that which is frivolous, inappropriate, or immoral. It allows us to be in the world but not of the world.

In the last six months, a most remarkable change has occurred in the Church. This has been in the response of the members to renewed emphasis on the Sabbath by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and to President Russell M. Nelson’s challenge to make the Sabbath a delight. Many members understand that truly keeping the Sabbath day holy is a refuge from the storms of this life. It is also a sign of our devotion to our Father in Heaven and an increased understanding of the sacredness of sacrament meeting. Still, we have a long way to go, but we have a wonderful beginning. I challenge all of us to continue to embrace this counsel and improve our Sabbath worship. (“Shipshape and Bristol Fashion: Be Temple Worthy—in Good Times and Bad Times,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 42)

Why should we make the Sabbath a holy day?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

After God created all things, He rested on the seventh day and commanded that one day each week be a time of rest to help people remember Him. The Sabbath is God’s time, a sacred time specifically set apart for worshipping Him and for receiving and remembering His great and precious promises. …

[O]n the Sabbath we worship the Father in the name of the Son by participating in ordinances and learning about, receiving, remembering, and renewing covenants. On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.

An additional purpose of the Sabbath is to elevate our vision from the things of the world to the blessings of eternity. Removed during this sacred time from many of the regular routines of our busy lives, we can “look to God and live” by receiving and remembering the great and precious promises whereby we become partakers of the divine nature. (“Exceeding Great and Precious Promises,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 92)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Jesus Christ honored Heavenly Father on the Sabbath

Students might benefit from studying how Jesus Christ honored Heavenly Father by His actions on the Sabbath. One way to do this is to provide some or all of the following passages. Invite students to study the accounts, looking for actions the Savior performed on the Sabbath.

You could display the following questions for students to discuss:

How were the people in these accounts blessed by the Savior’s service?
What are some ways we can follow the Savior’s example of ministering to others on the Sabbath day?

Recharging our spiritual power on the Sabbath

To prepare students for learning, you could display an image of a cell phone with a dead battery. Invite students to share how they feel when they see this and what they would do to solve this problem.

How might a cell phone battery be compared to our spiritual lives?
What do you do to recharge when you are feeling spiritually drained?

If students do not mention it, you could share that just like a drained cell phone battery, we need to be connected to a power source consistently to help renew our spiritual and physical battery.

After they identify the truth from Isaiah 58:13–14, you might ask students how receiving the blessings of the Sabbath they identified could be spiritually recharging for us.

We can focus on the blessings of the Sabbath

To help students recognize more of the blessings of honoring the Sabbath, you could show the video, “Upon My Holy Day – Honoring the Sabbath” (1:30). In the video, President Jeffrey R. Holland teaches us to focus on the blessings of obedience to honor the Sabbath instead of seeing only limitations.

1:30

Then, consider providing one of the following options:

Give students a copy of President Russell M. Nelson’s talk, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 129–132.
Students could review the Sabbath day section from Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 87–88.
Students could search “Sabbath Day” in the Topics and Questions entry in the Gospel Library and find a short quote from Church leaders about the Sabbath.

Following their study activity, students could share how what they found helped them feel the power of the blessings the Lord has promised.