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Wow! What can I say? Today's class went long and we still covered about 30% of the material for Lesson 4. Thankfully, Bill Kostrewski, noting the frustration on my face at forcing myself to end class today, suggested that we continue the same lesson next week (Feb. 14th). So that's what we will do. The reading assignment stays the same (we will also cover the lesson 5 readings: Moses 5-7). Next week we will finish discussing the content of Robert J. Woodford's Ensign article: "In the Beginning: A Latter-day Perspective" [from the January 1998 issue; see http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=b12557b60090c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD]
Below are some highlights from this material:
"The first three chapters of Genesis contain an account of the Creation, life in the Garden of Eden, the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the beginning of life outside of the Garden. We of all people should be able to read this forepart of Genesis with knowledge that allows us to accept what is written in good faith. We know the account of the Creation is not a myth as is supposed by many. We know Adam and Eve are real, historical people. We also know there was a purpose in the Fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
Even so, some events related in Genesis 1–3 may be figurative in nature. For example, President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “ ‘And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.’ [The story of the rib, of course, is figurative.]” We have another example in the term used to describe the six creative periods. In the book of Abraham, the phases of creation are not called the “day” (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13) but “the second time,” “the third time” (Abr. 4:8, 13; emphasis added), and so forth. We therefore learn that periods of time for the Creation may have lasted 24 hours each, 1,000 years, or even millions of years. The periods of time are indeterminate in length; as one phase of the creation was finished, the next began. Therefore the age of the earth before Adam and Eve could have been great indeed.
These figurative components invite us to think through those events and bring to our reading what we know from other sources. We may not be able to comprehend everything now, but the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that he will make all things related to these events known when he comes again (see D&C 101:32–34). Thus faith is introduced into our study; if we have faith in God and trust his word, all of the unanswered questions about the forepart of Genesis are of no great concern.
“All things not only are not known but must not be so convincingly clear as to eliminate the need for faith. That would nullify agency and defeat the purpose of the plan of salvation,” President Boyd K. Packer has said."
Upon completion of Brother Woodford's article, we will invite an open discussion about everybody's favorite General Conference talks on the Fall and the Atonement, immediately followed by a viewing of the Old Testament DVD Presentation: The Fall [Elder Russell M. Nelson teaches that Fall is part of the plan of salvation, 7:21, excerpts from his October 1996 General Conference talk, "The Atonement"].
As many of you have asked for links to today's lesson material, I have included it here. The last remaining item is the quote from Hugh Nibley's Old Testament and Related Studies, p. 77. I have included it in its entirety:
"Let us consider our Adam. What kind of being is he? The same kind as ourselves -- but what is that? He plays a surprising number of roles, each with a different persona, a different name, a different environment, a different office and calling: (1) he was a member of the presidency when the earth project was being discussed; (2) he was on the committee of inspection that came down from time to time to check up on the operation; (3) then he changed his name and nature to live upon the earth, but it was a very different earth from any we know; it had to be a garden place specially prepared for him. (4) When he left that paradise, he changed his name again and for the first time began to reckon the passing of time by our measurements, becoming a short-lived creature subject to death. (5) In this condition, he began to receive instructions from heavenly mentors on how to go about changing his condition and status, entering into a covenant that completely changed his mentality and way of life. "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit," when "that which is natural" became spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:45-46.) The man Adam passes from one state of being to another, and so do we: "as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Corinthians 15:49.) (6) In time he died and became a spirit being, the head of all his spirit children in the waiting-place, according to common Christian tradition as well as our own. (7) Then he became, after Christ, the firstfruits of the resurrection and returned triumphantly to his first and second estates (8) to go on to glory and eternal lives. In these seven or eight Adams, we have another fundamental teaching that sets Mormonism off from all contemporary religion and science. The one views man's life on earth as a one-act drama: Adam fell, Christ redeemed us, and that is the story. Before Adam, there was nothing. Science tells us that the drama is pointless, because there is really nothing after it. We, on the other hand, see an ongoing epic of many episodes, each one a play in itself -- a dispensation."
Below are some highlights from this material:
"The first three chapters of Genesis contain an account of the Creation, life in the Garden of Eden, the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the beginning of life outside of the Garden. We of all people should be able to read this forepart of Genesis with knowledge that allows us to accept what is written in good faith. We know the account of the Creation is not a myth as is supposed by many. We know Adam and Eve are real, historical people. We also know there was a purpose in the Fall of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.
Even so, some events related in Genesis 1–3 may be figurative in nature. For example, President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “ ‘And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.’ [The story of the rib, of course, is figurative.]” We have another example in the term used to describe the six creative periods. In the book of Abraham, the phases of creation are not called the “day” (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13) but “the second time,” “the third time” (Abr. 4:8, 13; emphasis added), and so forth. We therefore learn that periods of time for the Creation may have lasted 24 hours each, 1,000 years, or even millions of years. The periods of time are indeterminate in length; as one phase of the creation was finished, the next began. Therefore the age of the earth before Adam and Eve could have been great indeed.
These figurative components invite us to think through those events and bring to our reading what we know from other sources. We may not be able to comprehend everything now, but the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that he will make all things related to these events known when he comes again (see D&C 101:32–34). Thus faith is introduced into our study; if we have faith in God and trust his word, all of the unanswered questions about the forepart of Genesis are of no great concern.
“All things not only are not known but must not be so convincingly clear as to eliminate the need for faith. That would nullify agency and defeat the purpose of the plan of salvation,” President Boyd K. Packer has said."
Upon completion of Brother Woodford's article, we will invite an open discussion about everybody's favorite General Conference talks on the Fall and the Atonement, immediately followed by a viewing of the Old Testament DVD Presentation: The Fall [Elder Russell M. Nelson teaches that Fall is part of the plan of salvation, 7:21, excerpts from his October 1996 General Conference talk, "The Atonement"].
As many of you have asked for links to today's lesson material, I have included it here. The last remaining item is the quote from Hugh Nibley's Old Testament and Related Studies, p. 77. I have included it in its entirety:
"Let us consider our Adam. What kind of being is he? The same kind as ourselves -- but what is that? He plays a surprising number of roles, each with a different persona, a different name, a different environment, a different office and calling: (1) he was a member of the presidency when the earth project was being discussed; (2) he was on the committee of inspection that came down from time to time to check up on the operation; (3) then he changed his name and nature to live upon the earth, but it was a very different earth from any we know; it had to be a garden place specially prepared for him. (4) When he left that paradise, he changed his name again and for the first time began to reckon the passing of time by our measurements, becoming a short-lived creature subject to death. (5) In this condition, he began to receive instructions from heavenly mentors on how to go about changing his condition and status, entering into a covenant that completely changed his mentality and way of life. "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit," when "that which is natural" became spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:45-46.) The man Adam passes from one state of being to another, and so do we: "as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Corinthians 15:49.) (6) In time he died and became a spirit being, the head of all his spirit children in the waiting-place, according to common Christian tradition as well as our own. (7) Then he became, after Christ, the firstfruits of the resurrection and returned triumphantly to his first and second estates (8) to go on to glory and eternal lives. In these seven or eight Adams, we have another fundamental teaching that sets Mormonism off from all contemporary religion and science. The one views man's life on earth as a one-act drama: Adam fell, Christ redeemed us, and that is the story. Before Adam, there was nothing. Science tells us that the drama is pointless, because there is really nothing after it. We, on the other hand, see an ongoing epic of many episodes, each one a play in itself -- a dispensation."
Oh, and I almost forgot...we will read much together from Moses 4-7, hopfully to include the teachings of Enoch regarding the Atonement, Cain's unacceptable offering and subsequent fall into a life of secret combinations and sin, and the story of the City of Enoch. Have a great week and remember who you are!
Hey Rob, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your testimony during sacrament on Sunday. I could very much relate to what you said. I also feel very blessed in my life. Even during times of great trial I felt so very loved by The Lord. I know that he knows me. During the last few months I have definitely felt the “warm blanket” around me and my family as we morn the loss of our son. Feelings of sorrow come less and less as we look back on the three months we spent with Parker. We are in love! We are happy! We are a family! I asked Lance last night what he will say when someone asks him how many kids he has and he said, “Three, we will see Parker again.” I am comforted knowing that Parker is in the Celestial Kingdom. I am proud of him! What a blessing it is to know that we are not held accountable for Adam’s transgressions. AMEN!!!
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