I read this about ten years ago. It's pretty solid. It is a very in depth commentary to the first part of the Old Testament from Adam to Abraham. It brings some pretty good insight and Skousen has some pretty creative interpretations. Most of the time I was thinking that the connections he made were pretty sweet but at the same time remaining guarded about some of the conclusions realizing that he is just presenting his interpretations as a scholar and not as a church authority. He references the scriptures and uses them as the starting point for his arguments. Sometimes he would even present a few alternatives of what he thinks could have happened and openly states that he does not know the answer to a particular question but presents the alternatives in order to provoke the student to ponder more about the scenario being discussed. I enjoyed the book and it helped me get more into the Old Testament and to understand it much better. I'd recommend reading it while at the same time probably not recommend citing it too often as part of a Sunday School lesson or anything just to be safe.
Quotes:
"History confirms the wisdom of God in refusing to excite the human imagination concerning matters which have no immediate bearing on life here, and would only distract the human race from the business of making life more profitable on our own planet."
"Everything that existed in the Garden of Eden was endowed with the capacity to live forever."
"Just as soon as a man looks upon his office in the Priesthood as a token of his superiority over his fellow men then priestcraft replaces Priesthood."
"When Satan was ultimately cast out it was Michael and his angels who did it. It even describes how they did it: 'by the word of their testimony.'"
"Peace is the parent of prosperity."
"Sarah...is the only woman in the Bible whose age, death and burial are distinctly noted."
"[Christ's] suffering was His proof that He had to have us with Him in order to be happy."
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