Reading Assignment for Sunday, February 7

We will be combining lessons 5 and 6 next Sunday so we stay in sync with the Sunday School calendar for lessons.

The following is from the Class Member Study Guide:

Lesson 5: “If Thou Doest Well, Thou Shalt Be Accepted”, Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 4–5

Moses 5–7

Study the following scriptures:

• a. Moses 5:16–41. Cain loves Satan more than God and obeys Satan’s command to make an offering to the Lord (5:16–19). The Lord rejects Cain’s offering and commands Cain to repent (5:20–25). Cain covenants with Satan and kills Abel (5:26–33). The Lord curses Cain, and Cain is shut out from the presence of the Lord (5:34–41).

• b. Moses 6:26–63. Enoch, a fourth great-grandson of Adam, is called by the Lord to preach repentance (6:26–36). Enoch obeys the Lord’s command (6:37–63).

• c. Moses 7:13, 17–21, 23–47, 68–69. The faith of Enoch is so great that mountains are removed, rivers change course, and all nations fear (7:13, 17). The Lord and Enoch weep over the wickedness of the people on the earth (7:23–47). The people in the city of Enoch are of one heart and one mind with the Lord, and the entire city is taken to heaven (7:18–21, 68–69).

• • How did Cain respond when the Lord asked where Abel was? (See Moses 5:34.) What does it mean to be our brother’s keeper? (See 1 John 3:11, 17–18.)

• • Why did the Lord call Enoch and his people Zion? (See Moses 7:18.) What does it mean to be “of one heart and one mind”? What can we do to become of one heart and one mind with the Lord? in our families? in the Church?

Additional reading: Moses 5:42–55; 6:10–23; 7:14–16, 59–64; 2 Nephi 2:25–27; Genesis 4:1–16.

Lesson 6: “Noah … Prepared an Ark to the Saving of His House”, Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 5

Moses 8:19–30; Genesis 6–9; 11:1–9

Study the following scriptures:

• a. Moses 8:19–30; Genesis 6:5–22; 7:1–10. Noah preaches the gospel, but the people do not listen (Moses 8:19–25). Because of the people’s wickedness, the Lord declares that he will destroy all flesh from the earth (Moses 8:26–30; Genesis 6:5–13). The Lord commands Noah to build an ark and take his family and two of every living thing into it (Genesis 6:14–22; 7:1–10).

• b. Genesis 7:11–24; 8; 9:8–17. It rains for 40 days and 40 nights (7:11–12). All people and creatures that are not on the ark die (7:13–24). When the waters recede, Noah, his family, and the animals leave the ark, and Noah offers sacrifice to the Lord (8:1–22). The Lord sets the rainbow as a token of his covenant with Noah (9:8–17).

• c. Genesis 11:1–9. A few generations after the flood, the people try to build a tower to heaven. The Lord confounds their language and scatters them over the whole earth.

• • What was the world like when the Lord called Noah to preach the gospel? (See Moses 8:20–22.) What similarities can you see between the people of Noah’s day and the people of our day?

• • How could the people of Noah’s day have avoided destruction? (See Moses 8:23–24.) How can listening to and following the prophets help us avoid spiritual and temporal destruction?

• 

  • Why did Noah build the ark? (See Hebrews 11:7.) What “arks” do we have today that can help save us from the evil around us? (You may want to refer to the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth [34285] to answer this question.) How can we help others find refuge in these “arks”?

Additional reading: Hebrews 11:7; Moses 7:32–36.

The Fall - One of Three Pillars of Eternity (Lesson 4 - January 25, 2010)

Creation - The Fall - The Atonement



“Because of My Transgression, My Eyes are Opened”
Lesson 4 – Moses 4; 5:1-15, 6:48-62 January 24, 2010 Sherwood Hills Ward



Three Pillars of Eternity or Salvation according to Elder McConkie

The Creation, the Fall, and The Atonement

Summarize the Fall of Adam (sealed portion of the Bible) – Bible Dictionary

First Reading: BIBLE DICTIONARY, Fall of Adam
The process by which mankind became mortal on this earth. The event is recorded in Gen. 2, 3, 4; and Moses 3, 4. The fall of Adam is one of the most important occurrences in the history of man. Before the fall, Adam and Eve had physical bodies but no blood. There was no sin, no death, and no children among any of the earthly creations. With the eating of the “forbidden fruit,” Adam and Eve became mortal, sin entered, blood formed in their bodies, and death became a part of life. Adam became the “first flesh” upon the earth (Moses 3: 7), meaning that he and Eve were the first to become mortal. After Adam fell, the whole creation fell and became mortal. Adam’s fall brought both physical and spiritual death into the world upon all mankind (Hel. 14: 16-17).
The fall was no surprise to the Lord. It was a necessary step in the progress of man, and provisions for a Savior had been made even before the fall had occurred. Jesus Christ came to atone for the fall of Adam and also for man’s individual sins.
Latter-day revelation supports the biblical account of the fall, showing that it was a historical event that literally occurred in the history of man. Many points in latter-day revelation are also clarified that are not discernible from the Bible. Among other things it makes clear that the fall is a blessing, and that Adam and Eve should be honored in their station as the first parents of the earth.
Question: What do we learn from the Book of Moses, the Book of Mormon, and from Latter-day Prophets about the Fall that is not discernible from the Bible?

Read 2 Nephi 2: 14-26 (Tells the story of the Fall)






I. The Fall of Adam and Eve & Its affects on them and us

List:
◊ They could become parents (Moses 5:11)
◊ They brought physical death to all of us (Moses 4:25)
◊ We would all experience spiritual death (Moses 4:29)
◊ We would experience misery and woe (Moses 6:48)
◊ We would have free agency and opposition (choices) (Moses 6:49)
◊ We would work because ground is cursed (Moses 4:23-25)
◊ We could learn to distinguish between good and evil (Moses 4:28)
◊ We could have joy (Moses 5:10)
◊ We could experience the joy of redemption (Moses 5:11)
◊ It is possible to obtain eternal life (Moses 5:11)

Question: Why is it important to understand that Heavenly Father foresaw the Fall & that it was a necessary part of His plan for our salvation

Learning by questions:


Second Reading: Joseph Smith - I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I inquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable? (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 276-277)
Here is an example of some fun learning by questions:
Moses 4:1 – Why does the Lord say “that Satan” and not just Satan?
Why does Satan say “I will be thy son.”
Verse 3 – When did Satan rebel? Why does the Lord speak of it in the past tense?
Verse 4 – What does it mean “he became Satan?”
Verse 5 – What does it mean to say “the serpent was subtle?”
Verse 6 – What did Satan put in the heart of the serpent? Who are the many Satan had drawn away? What does it mean to say that Satan did not know the mind of God? What is the connection between not knowing God’s mind and seeking to destroy the world?
Verse 10-11 – What is the serpent saying when he says “you shall not surely die? What kind of doubt is he trying to plant?
Verse 12: What does does the woman see when she looks at the tree that she did not see before? What makes her think the fruit is good to eat? Why is it good to eat? What does it mean that it is pleasant to the eyes?

Verse 13 – What does it mean that their eyes were opened?
Verse 15 – The Lord asks “Where art thou?’- in Genesis. In Moses he asks “where goest thou?’ (He obviously knows where Adam and Eve are? When does the Lord ask us where we are going?
Verse 17 – The Lord asks two questions of Adam. What is the answer to the first?
Verse 18 – Which question does Adam answer? Why doesn’t he answer the other one?
Verse 23- Why is the ground cursed? Note the first hind that Satan was wrong – doing field work all the days of his life…eating the fruit does bring death.
Verse 28 – Why does the Lord say “the man is like one of us? Is this a type?


II. The Atonement of the Savior saves us from physical and spiritual death.

Third reading:

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The plan of redemption must start with the fall of Adam. In the words of Moroni, “by Adam came the Fall of Man. And because of the Fall of Man came Jesus Christ…and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.” (Moroni 9:12) Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ. No one adequately and properly knows why he need Christ until he understands the doctrine of the Fall and its effects upon all mankind.” Ensign, May 1987, p 85

Question: How are we saved from physical death? How can we be saved from spiritual death?

III. Adam and Eve began life as mortals, bore children, taught them the gospel, and to worship and obey God.

The Book of Moses teaches us how to have an eternal marriage in a fallen world.

Moses 5: 1 – And Eve his wife, did labor with him. (Work together)

Moses 5: 2 – They began to multiply and replenish the earth (Have children)

Moses 5:5 – They should worship the Lord their God (Worship together)

Moses 5:12 – They made all things know unto their sons and their daughters (Teach their children)

Moses 5:27 – Adam and his wife mourned before the Lord because of Cain and his brethren (Mourned and as well has experienced joy together).

Eve’s testimony of the Fall –

Moses 5:11 “Were it not for our transgression, we never should have had seed, and never should have know good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.”

Question: How can we show our gratitude for the Fall and the Atonement?





According Elder Gerald Lund, Lehi taught 5 fundamental truths about the Fall:


Fundamental 1: “The Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” (2 Ne. 2:4.) This is a significant point, especially for Jacob, who lived six centuries before the Messiah came to earth to work out the infinite atonement. It does not matter, in terms of redemption, whether one is born before the Savior’s coming to the earth or afterward. It does not even matter whether one is born on this earth, or on another. In Moses 1:33, we are told that by the Only Begotten Son “worlds without number” were created. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, commenting on that verse, wrote: “Now our Lord’s jurisdiction and power extend far beyond the limits of this one small earth on which we dwell. … the atonement of Christ, being literally and truly infinite, applies to an infinite number of earths.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966, p. 65.)

Fundamental 2: “The way is prepared from the fall of man.” (2 Ne. 2:4.) The fact that the plan of redemption was prepared long before the Fall took place is clearly taught in many places in the scriptures. (See, for example, D&C 124:33, 41; D&C 128:5; D&C 130:20.) The Fall was part of a plan laid down in the very beginning.

Fundamental 3: “Salvation is free.” (2 Ne. 2:4.) This is a profound and important concept. The best single commentary we have on 2 Nephi 2 is 2 Nephi 9—Jacob’s own commentary on the doctrine taught by his father in chapter two. [2 Ne. 9] Of the concept that salvation is free, Jacob writes, quoting Isaiah 55:1–2: [Isa. 55:1–2]
“Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.
“Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.” (2 Ne. 9:50–51.)

Fundamental 4: “Men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil.” (2 Ne. 2:5.)
We know from other places in scripture that the medium or the means by which “men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil” is known as the Light of Christ. Moroni, citing the words of his father, Mormon, said, “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.” (Moro. 7:16; see also Moro. 7:15–19.)
In latter-day revelation, the Prophet Joseph refers to this Spirit of Christ, as Mormon calls it, as “the light of Christ.” (D&C 88:7.)

Fundamental 5: “By the law no flesh is justified.” (2 Ne. 2:5.) In that simple statement lies the primary reason there must be a Redeemer, and so we must examine Lehi’s fifth fundamental at greater length.

Gerald N. Lund, “The Fall of Man and His Redemption,” Ensign, Jan 1990, 22

For reasons that have not been revealed, this transition, or “fall,” could not happen without a transgression—an exercise of moral agency amounting to a willful breaking of a law (see Moses 6:59). This would be a planned offense, a formality to serve an eternal purpose. The Prophet Lehi explained that “if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen” (2 Ne. 2:22), but would have remained in the same state in which he was created.
Dallin H. Oaks, “‘The Great Plan of Happiness’,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 72







First Reading: BIBLE DICTIONARY, Fall of Adam
The process by which mankind became mortal on this earth. The event is recorded in Gen. 2, 3, 4; and Moses 3, 4. The fall of Adam is one of the most important occurrences in the history of man. Before the fall, Adam and Eve had physical bodies but no blood. There was no sin, no death, and no children among any of the earthly creations. With the eating of the “forbidden fruit,” Adam and Eve became mortal, sin entered, blood formed in their bodies, and death became a part of life. Adam became the “first flesh” upon the earth (Moses 3: 7), meaning that he and Eve were the first to become mortal. After Adam fell, the whole creation fell and became mortal. Adam’s fall brought both physical and spiritual death into the world upon all mankind (Hel. 14: 16-17).
The fall was no surprise to the Lord. It was a necessary step in the progress of man, and provisions for a Savior had been made even before the fall had occurred. Jesus Christ came to atone for the fall of Adam and also for man’s individual sins.
Latter-day revelation supports the biblical account of the fall, showing that it was a historical event that literally occurred in the history of man. Many points in latter-day revelation are also clarified that are not discernible from the Bible. Among other things it makes clear that the fall is a blessing, and that Adam and Eve should be honored in their station as the first parents of the earth.
Second Reading: Joseph Smith - I have a key by which I understand the scriptures. I inquire, what was the question which drew out the answer, or caused Jesus to utter the parable? (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 276-277)
Third Reading: President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The plan of redemption must start with the fall of Adam. In the words of Moroni, “by Adam came the Fall of Man. And because of the Fall of Man came Jesus Christ…and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.” (Moroni 9:12) Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ. No one adequately and properly knows why he need Christ until he understands the doctrine of the Fall and its effects upon all mankind.” Ensign, May 1987, p 85

Fourth Reading: Dallin H. Oaks For reasons that have not been revealed, this transition, or “fall,” could not happen without a transgression—an exercise of moral agency amounting to a willful breaking of a law (see Moses 6:59). This would be a planned offense, a formality to serve an eternal purpose. The Prophet Lehi explained that “if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen” (2 Ne. 2:22), but would have remained in the same state in which he was created. (“‘The Great Plan of Happiness’,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 72)

Reading Assignment for Sunday January 24, 2010

I ended up posting my lesson outline for Lesson 3 after Bro. Robision posted the reading assignment for Lesson 4. Please click on the link below to see the reading assignment.

Reading Assignment for Sunday January 24, 2010

Lesson 4 - Because of My Transgression, My Eyes Were Opened

Old Testament Lesson 3: The Creation - Outline

What do you want to say you have done at the end of 2010?

What do you want to have become during 2010?

What differences would you want others to notice in you at the end of 2010?

“Lesson 3: The Creation,” Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 9

1. Introduction

a) Clarify Importance of Doctrine

i) Two weeks ago, a question was asked about whether there were many Christs or only one Christ

ii) I danced around the answer a bit because there is no clear doctrine on the subject.

iii) Fundamental Principles

(1) Brother Robison and I have a solemn duty to teach only true doctrine in this class.

(2) True doctrine is salvational.

(3) Anything that we teach that is not true doctrine is of no lasting benefit to members of the class and may detract from their understanding of the correct doctrine that we teach.

iv) Tests to apply to statements that you have heard or read that are not included in the fundamental doctrines you hear constantly in the Church.

(1) Was it spoken or written by a prophet or apostle?

(a) If a third party reports a statement, is that third party a reliable recorder?

(2) Has more than one prophet or apostle taught this doctrine?

(3) Have recent living prophets or apostles confirmed this doctrine?

(4) If we visualize the doctrines of the Church as a giant tree, is this doctrine close to the trunk or is it out on the tips of the branches?

v) ASK – Has the Lord revealed everything there is to know about heaven or all the earths that Heavenly Father has made?

(1) Joseph Smith Statement – "Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 324.)

(2) ASK - In our present condition, could we understand all that we saw?

vi) To conclude, although I have personal opinions, they are not doctrine. I am not aware of any doctrine regarding the one Christ or many Christs issue.

(1) We do know that Christ, acting under the direction of Heavenly Father, has created so many world that they are innumerable unto man – Moses 1:35.

b) OPTIONAL – Story of President Bateman teaching in the temple

2. The Creation

a) Will be studying the Creation today.

b) ASK – How many accounts of the Creation do we have?

i) Genesis 1-2

(1) Written by Moses

(2) Not necessarily translated correctly.

ii) Moses 1:27-42, 2-3

(1) Vision given to Joseph Smith in which Moses' vision is recorded.

iii) Abraham 4-5

(1) Vision given to Abraham recorded on papyri that came into possession of Joseph

iv) Creation account given as part of the temple ordinances

(1) Direct revelation given to Joseph Smith

(2) Not to be discussed outside of the temple

c) Vision Given to Moses

i) Reading 1 – Moses 1:27-29

27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the spirit of God.

28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.

29 And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.

(1) Verse 27 - Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the spirit of God

(a) Orson Pratt said that the Lord showed Moses "every particle of the earth, inside and outside." (JD, 16:337)

(b) Suggests a very intimate knowledge that comes from creating the earth.

(2) Verse 28 - And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God

(a) Suggests intimate knowledge of each individual person on the earth

d) ASK – Who created the earth?

i) Two part creation – spiritual first, then physical

(1) Moses 3:5 - For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.

ii) Reading 2 – Moses 1:31-32, Moses 2:1

31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.

32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.

1 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou standest.

iii) Reading 3 – John 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

(1) Remember Moses 1:32, where God identifies Jehovah as " by the word of my power, have I created them "

iv) Reading 4 - Elder James E. Talmage wrote: "The Father operated in the work of creation through the Son, who thus became the executive through whom the will, commandment, or word of the Father was put into effect. It is with incisive appropriateness therefore, that the Son, Jesus Christ, is designated by the apostle John as the Word; or as declared by the Father 'the word of my power.' The part taken by Jesus Christ in the creation, a part so prominent as to justify our calling Him the Creator, is set forth in many scriptures. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews refers in this wise distinctively to the Father and the Son as separate though associated Beings: 'God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.' Paul is even more explicit in his letter to the Colossians, wherein, speaking of Jesus the Son, he says: 'For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.' And here let be repeated the testimony of John, that by the Word, who was with God, and who was God even in the beginning, all things were made; 'and without him was not anything made that was made'." (Jesus the Christ, pp33-34)

v) READ - Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said: "Truly Christ is the Creator of the future abode of the spirit children of the Father. But he does not work alone. The Creation is an organized venture; each of the other noble and great spirits plays his part. And the earth is created from matter that already exists. Truly the elements are eternal, and to create is to organize." (quoted in Studies In Scripture, 2:81)

e) ASK – What is the purpose of this creation?

i) Reading 5 – Moses 1:39, Abraham 3:24-25

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

1. Moses 1:39 – The purpose of God's works are to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

2. The way that God does his work is

a. we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

b. we will prove them herewith

c. to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them

3. Earth is a testing ground, a proving ground for us.

ii) God is pleased with the results of His creative work:

(1) Moses 3:2 And on the seventh day I, God, ended my work, and all things which I had made; and I rested on the seventh day from all my work, and all things which I had made were finished, and I, God, saw that they were good;

f) Details of Creation

i) Do we know all the details about the Creation?

(1) No

ii) Creative periods

(1) Genesis' use of the term, "day" regarding the periods of creation has caused lots of consternation for Christian and non-Christian for many years.

(a) Called a "day" in Genesis and Moses

(b) Called a "time" in Abraham's creation account

(2) In the Hebrew bible, the word in Genesis that is translated to "day" is the Hebrew word yom. Yom can be translated as “day,” “time,” or “period.”

(a) The word translated "day" in Genesis 1:5 is the same word that was translated "season" in Genesis 40:4 and "process of time" in Judges 11:4.

(3) Reading 6 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said: "As the work goes forward we see the fulfillment of that which God spake to Moses in the Ten Commandments: 'In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day' (Ex. 20:11). It is of the creative events that took place on each of these 'days' that we shall now speak.

"But first, what is a day? It is a specified time period; it is an age, an eon, a division of eternity; it is the time between two identifiable events. And each day, of whatever length, has the duration needed for its purposes. One measuring rod is the time required for a celestial body to turn once on its axis. For instance, Abraham says that according to 'the Lord's time' a day is 'one thousand years' long. This is 'one revolution . . . of Kolob,' he says, and it is after the Lord's 'manner of reckoning' (Abr. 3:4).

"There is no revealed recitation specifying that each of the 'six days' involved in the Creation was of the same duration." (quoted in Studies In Scripture, 2:81-82)

3. Men and Women Are Created in God's Image

a) Reading 7 – Moses 2:26-31

26 And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so. And I, God, said: Let them have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 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.

28 And I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29 And I, God, said unto man: Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which shall be the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein I grant life, there shall be given every clean herb for meat; and it was so, even as I spake.

31 And I, God, saw everything that I had made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good; and the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

i) Verse 26 - Let us make man in our image, after our likeness

ii) Verse 27 - I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him

iii) Verse 27 - male and female created I them

iv) Verse 28 - I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth

v) Verse 29 - I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which shall be the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat

(1) Some people teach that this earth is an end, not a means to an end, and that somehow, the earth's welfare must predominate over man's welfare

(2) This earth has been created as a means to an end – immortality and eternal life for man.

(3) However, this earth, every particle of it, is a creation of God and should always be respected as such.

vi) Verse 31 - And I, God, saw everything that I had made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good

b) Reading 8 – Moses 3:7

7 And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.

1. all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.

c) Reading 9 - Elder M. Russell Ballard has written: "Families on earth are an extension of the family of God. According to the LDS concept of the family, every person is a child of heavenly parents as well as mortal parents. Each individual was created spiritually and physically in the image of God and Christ (Moses 2:27; 3:5). The First Presidency has declared, 'All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity' (Messages of the First Presidency, 4:203). Everyone, before coming to this earth, lived with Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and each was loved and taught by them as a member of their eternal family." (Our Search for Happiness, p70)

4. Conclusion

a) READ - The prophet Enoch, after seeing his great vision, said, "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever; " (Moses 7:30)

b) READ – President Uchtdorf has said: Let me first pose a question: What do you suppose is the greatest kind of happiness possible? For me, the answer to this question is, God’s happiness.

This leads to another question: What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?

This may be impossible to answer because His ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts [higher] than [our] thoughts.”1

Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children”2 because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”3

Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 117–20)

5.

a) Contrary to apostate doctrine, Heavenly Father is a being with body, parts and passions

b) What is He passionate about? Creation

c) Above all things, Heavenly Father is a creator

d) When he finishes His Sabbath, the thing that He is the most excited about doing next is creating

e) Master creator

i) Master sculptor

ii) Master geographer

iii) Master chemist

iv) Master biologist

f) No accident that, while His Only Begotten Son was on the earth, he was a carpenter, taking rough pieces of wood, then shaping and assembling them just so in order to create a work of beauty and utility.

g) Of all of the infinite numbers of His creations, there is one that stands above all others in His estimate – His children

i) He puts far more effort into the creation of His children than anything else He does

ii) He does not merely father Spirits, he raises them and teaches them, creates them as righteous and mature spirit beings

iii) When those Spirits come to earth, if they are willing, Heavenly Father's great work of creation continues in their lives

(1) Strengthening them

(2) Increasing their faith

(3) Enlarging their ability to love and cherish both their Father and their brothers and sisters.

iv) Unlike all of His other creations, Heavenly Father will not force his children to become what He desires

(1) He may shatter mountains, roll uncountable earths around in the heavens, displace trillions of tons of water to create a dry path across the Red Sea for the Children of Israel, but He will not force them to obey Him.

Reading Assignment for Sunday January 24, 2010

Lesson 4 - Because of My Transgression, My Eyes Were Opened



Moses 4; 5:1–15; 6:48–62

Study the following scriptures:


a. Moses 4; 5:10–11; 6:48–49, 55–56. Satan comes to the Garden of Eden and seeks to deceive Eve. Eve and Adam partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (4:5–12). Having fallen, Adam and Eve are cast out of the garden (4:13–31). Adam and Eve later rejoice in the blessings of the Fall (5:10–11). Enoch teaches about the effects of the Fall (6:48–49, 55–56).


b. Moses 5:14–15; 6:50–54, 57–62. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, mortals are saved from physical death through the Resurrection and may be saved from spiritual death through faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obedience to the commandments.


c. Moses 5:1–9, 12. Adam and Eve begin life as mortals. They teach their children gospel truths (5:1–4, 12). Adam offers sacrifices in similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten (5:5–9).

QUESTIONS:

• What were the results of the Fall for Adam and Eve—and for us? (See Moses 4:22–29; 5:10–11; 6:48–49, 55–56; 2 Nephi 2:22–23; 9:6; Genesis 3:16–23.)

• When prophets teach about the Fall of Adam and Eve, they often also teach about the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Moses 5:10–15; 6:48–62; 2 Nephi 9:6–10). Why is it important to teach the Atonement along with the Fall?

• What was the purpose of the sacrifices that Adam offered? (See Moses 5:7–9.) What similar reminders have we been given?

Additional reading: Genesis 2–3; 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; 2 Nephi 2:5–30; 9:3–10; Helaman 14:15–18; Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–19; 29:34–44; Articles of Faith 1:2; “Fall of Adam,” Bible Dictionary, page 670.

Gospel Doctrine Scriptures and Quotes

Old Testament Lesson 3 - The Creation

Teacher's Manual

"Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 324.)

Reading 1 – Moses 1:27-29

Reading 2 – Moses 1:31-32, Moses 2:1

Reading 3 – John 1:1-3

Reading 4 - Elder James E. Talmage wrote: "The Father operated in the work of creation through the Son, who thus became the executive through whom the will, commandment, or word of the Father was put into effect. It is with incisive appropriateness therefore, that the Son, Jesus Christ, is designated by the apostle John as the Word; or as declared by the Father 'the word of my power.' The part taken by Jesus Christ in the creation, a part so prominent as to justify our calling Him the Creator, is set forth in many scriptures. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews refers in this wise distinctively to the Father and the Son as separate though associated Beings: 'God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.' Paul is even more explicit in his letter to the Colossians, wherein, speaking of Jesus the Son, he says: 'For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.' And here let be repeated the testimony of John, that by the Word, who was with God, and who was God even in the beginning, all things were made; 'and without him was not anything made that was made'." (Jesus the Christ, pp33-34)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said: "Truly Christ is the Creator of the future abode of the spirit children of the Father. But he does not work alone. The Creation is an organized venture; each of the other noble and great spirits plays his part. And the earth is created from matter that already exists. Truly the elements are eternal, and to create is to organize." (quoted in Studies In Scripture, 2:81)

Reading 5 – Moses 1:39, Abraham 3:24-25

Reading 6 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie has said: "As the work goes forward we see the fulfillment of that which God spake to Moses in the Ten Commandments: 'In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day' (Ex. 20:11). It is of the creative events that took place on each of these 'days' that we shall now speak.
"But first, what is a day? It is a specified time period; it is an age, an eon, a division of eternity; it is the time between two identifiable events. And each day, of whatever length, has the duration needed for its purposes. One measuring rod is the time required for a celestial body to turn once on its axis. For instance, Abraham says that according to 'the Lord's time' a day is 'one thousand years' long. This is 'one revolution . . . of Kolob,' he says, and it is after the Lord's 'manner of reckoning' (Abr. 3:4).
"There is no revealed recitation specifying that each of the 'six days' involved in the Creation was of the same duration." (quoted in Studies In Scripture, 2:81-82)

Reading 7 – Moses 2:26-31

Reading 8 – Moses 3:7

Reading 9 - Elder M. Russell Ballard has written: "Families on earth are an extension of the family of God. According to the LDS concept of the family, every person is a child of heavenly parents as well as mortal parents. Each individual was created spiritually and physically in the image of God and Christ (Moses 2:27; 3:5). The First Presidency has declared, 'All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity' (Messages of the First Presidency, 4:203). Everyone, before coming to this earth, lived with Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and each was loved and taught by them as a member of their eternal family." (Our Search for Happiness, p70)

The prophet Enoch, after seeing his great vision, said, "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever; " (Moses 7:30)

President Uchtdorf has said: Let me first pose a question: What do you suppose is the greatest kind of happiness possible? For me, the answer to this question is, God’s happiness.
This leads to another question: What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?
This may be impossible to answer because His ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts [higher] than [our] thoughts.”1
Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children”2 because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”3
Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.
Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.
Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 117–20)