Lesson 3 - Moses
1:27-42; 2-3
How much information would
you give if a preschool child asked, “How does an airplane stay in
the air?”
or, “How does a TV
work?”
Typically, we might answer in broad generalities with few details
because we would try to suit the answer to our perception of the child’s
limited understanding. What does that
have to do with today’s lesson? Well, as we review the scriptures concerning
the Creation, we will see that the Lord has revealed only the portion of truth
that is suited to our mortal understanding and the level of detail that we need
to know to gain salvation on this earth.
Moses’ vision of the Creation. Moses 1:27-42.
Moses was the author of the Creation account found in
Genesis (Moses 1:40; 2:1).
Moses 1:40-41 tells us his reason for writing the account. Moses was commanded to write it by God, so
that even when some of the material had been taken from the Genesis account,
another prophet could restore the knowledge that had been given to Moses by his
Heavenly Father.
Moses 1:27-39 teaches us that God’s power is
essentially immeasurable and incomprehensible to man’s understanding. Innumerable worlds have been created—some
that have “passed away” and some that “now stand”. But while more worlds have been created than we can comprehend,
God assured Moses that He knows them all.
He impressed upon Moses that there was no end to his works and then gave
us scriptural assurance that man is important to our Creator. He sums up His
purpose for being in simply saying that, “…this is work and my glory—to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man.”
The fact that we are the central focus of his life and that our
progression is his work, when coupled with the knowledge that He knows each of
us individually, should assure us that God loves us as our Father. In spite of the vast numbers of his
creations, Father does know you as an individual. [As our local High Priests Group Leader said not long ago about
this point…(paraphrased)…”…With millions…billions of worlds in many universes,
yes, God does care about what you watch on TV.”]
When you read and compare the Creation accounts found in Genesis,
the Book of Moses, and the Book of Abraham, it is obvious that
each differs in certain respects from the others. This is because Moses and Abraham recorded what they saw in
visions concerning the organization of this earth. Each of them chose to
include slightly differing details. The
Old Testament account of the Creation found in Genesis was originally the
record of Moses, but later, some of his personal account was lost. The Book of Moses in The Pearl of Great
Price restores the fullness of his original account.
Moses learned that God created all things. Moses 2:1-25; 3:1-4.
Because it is important for us to know who created this
earth for us, the following scriptures answer that question: Moses 1:32;
2:1; John 1:1-3, 14; Hebrews 1:1-2; Mosiah 3:8; D&C 14:9.
Revelations about the purpose of the Creation include the
following: Moses 1:39; Abraham 3:24-25; 1 Nephi 17:36; 2 Nephi 2:11-15.
The creation was necessary to provide a place where Heavenly
Father’s spirit children could possess a physical body and then be tested to
see if they would willingly obey the Father’s commandments even when they were
not in the direct presence of the Father.
The earth then, is the place of testing for mortals who kept their first
estate but who must prove their worthiness here to merit eternal life rather
than immortality. The faithful who use
their agency properly, prove obedient to the commandments, and develop
Christ-like natures will receive the blessing of eternal life. Note: The
purposes and importance of the Creation are only explained in latter-day
revelation.
Mortality, or this earth life, prepares us for eternal life
by:
·
Allowing us to receive physical bodies
·
Giving us the opportunity to exercise free agency and
thereby, learn to use it properly
·
Letting us gain knowledge from experience and being taught
by others
·
Forming family units that may continue on into the
eternities if we so chose and live worthily
·
Receiving the priesthood ordinances necessary for salvation
and exaltation
·
Allowing us to make covenants that edify and inspire us to
achieve our full potential
As God reviewed the Creation, he spoke about the results
thereof:
Moses 2:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31; and 3:2 all show
that God judged his creative work to be “good”. We may profit by reviewing this creation around us and noting
those elements that we individually consider “good”. Some items in our
environment are beautiful, some functional, some impressive, and some are such
that we regularly ignore them. Much of our appreciation (or lack thereof) for
this earth and its features and benefits is not so much a function of the
earth’s characteristics as it is a reflection of our attitudes and values.
Abraham 3:24; 4:1.
Here the scriptures teach that the earth was not created from nothing,
but rather was organized from existing matter.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The word create came from the [Hebrew] word baurau
which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as
man would organize materials and build a ship.
Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of
chaos—chaotic matter” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith
[1976], 350-51).
Moses learned that men and women are created in the
image of God. Moses 2:26-31; 3:7,
15-25.
Moses 2:26-27 teaches that man, both male and
female, were created in God’s image.
The First Presidency said: “All men and women are in the similitude of
the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of
Deity” (Improvement Era, Nov.
1909, 78).
The knowledge that we are
indeed created in the image of God should affect the way we live our lives and
the relationships we create with others.
Moses 7:30 teaches us something about God’s
individual care for each of us—that He is just, merciful, and kind in his dealings
with us while we endure testing here on this earth.
Moses 2:26 says that man was to be given
dominion over the creations on this earth.
If we take this responsibility seriously as stewards, we will show
respect for the earth and we will care for His creations just as if we could
see Him here watching how we care for the earth, the fowls, the fishes, and
every living creature found on the earth, in the air, or in the seas.
= = = = =
Length of the Creation
Some decades ago, the Council of the Twelve Apostles was
asked to settle the controversy about the time required for the Creation and
the length of a “day” in the
Creation. Some members of the Church
took the position that a day was a 24-hour period; some believed that a day
was an indeterminate period of time designated by accomplishment of events
rather than a particular duration of set time measurements; and others were of
the opinion that a day in the Creation was the same as stated in Peter
3:8 where Peter said that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years” (See also
Abraham 3:4). The decision of the
Quorum was that the Lord had not revealed the length of the Creation—therefore,
a Latter-day Saint may chose to believe any of those definitions since no
“doctrine” has been given which binds faithful saints to accept one definition
over another. *Also see Old Testament Student Manual - Institute/Church Educational System (CES) - Religion 301, 3rd ed., pgs. 28-29 "How Old is the Earth?"
Lessons are
posted on the Internet at http://www.neumanninstitute.org/