The Zodiac in LDS Theology

The masterpiece we refer to as the 88th. Section of the Doctrine and Covenants has some interesting connection to what I propose is the Zodiac. I know this makes some LDS folks recoil just a bit, but if we can free our minds and just see truth, truth will pour itself into us. I am not here supporting Astrology or any type of divination by looking at the cosmos. 

“Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:46)

Staring in verse 52 a parable is given to us, to help us understand these kingdoms and the people who reside in them.

The complete meaning of this parable is not completely understood by me, but a few points are observable and we can see some hints of the underlying truths. We see in the parable the Lord visits different people of different kingdoms in 12 different hours. This parable may raise more questions than it answers, and that may be it’s purpose.

We read in verse 47:

“Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.”

The above must mean more than what someone could see with a telescope in their backyard. What a person can view from the backyard may whisper at God’s majesty, however, to really see God moving in His majesty a person needs to see this with spiritual eyes like Moses or Abraham did. In modern temples we receive a very short representation of this understanding of that we are to run with and expand, it should expand to where we understand that same thing, via a little different route, that Abraham and Moses received.

Even back to ancient Egypt the idea existed that man, in at least one stage is associated with the 12 part Zodiac, and passed through the Zodiac in his eternal journey. This association of the number 12 with the Tree of Life, and the many variation of the plan of salvation as found among the many peoples of the earth is distinct.

We see in the Sefer Yetzirah that a similar description of kingdoms is connected to the 12 stations of the Zodiac (At least in some versions). The Sepher Yetzirah is a commentary on the creation and the redemption. This commentary uses the Tree of Life as the backdrop for this explanation (like Solomon’s temple), and employs images of ten “Sephiroth” or number and twenty- two letters as the building blocks of creation.

(Ten are the numbers of the ineffable [or intangible] Sephiroth, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven. Learn this wisdom, and be wise in the understanding of it, investigate these numbers, and draw knowledge from them, fix the design in its purity, and pass from it to its Creator seated on his throne.” Sepher Yetzirah 1:4.)

The family used as the prototype of salvation is Israel. When a convert receives the gospel they are grafted into the Tree of Life - the House of Israel. Towards the end of the Book of Genesis we see that God set up the House of Israel to rule and reign on this earth. It is true that Israel has often struggled with it’s own periods of apostasy, yet between such periods it is Israel that has been the custodians of the rites of salvation and sanctification. A primary characteristic of the House of Israel is that it is divided into 12 tribes, the descendants of the 12 son’s of Jacob. But this employing of the number 12 did not start or end with Israel’s children. I would suggest that this usage was calling on a larger imagery less know to modern theologians. This larger imagery is the cosmos with all of it’s “worlds” and the people who inhabit them. The cosmos can be represented in shorthand with the Zodiac. The Zodiac can be thought of as a kind of Hypocephalus.

The visiting of the Lord to each kingdom is the millennial reign of Christ in each respective kingdom. Each earth or world receives it’s reign of Christ in it’s proper time. Joseph Fielding Smith spoke about this:

“During the millennium, the Savior will spend one thousand years here which is one day according to the Lord. In D&C, Section 88, it is written that the Savior will do the same thing in other worlds, visiting each in its turn.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:212.)

So, if this is speaking of other worlds or earths, are we to accept that there are a total of 12 of these earths, of which our earth is one? Abraham and Brigham Young taught us that there are millions of earths. So why the connection to the number 12? I suspect that it is using a related imagery in the macro; the cosmos (crated under the direction of the council of the gods). The next panning in towards the micro is the Tree of Life - the House of Israel (Jacob 5:3) with it’s 12 tribes. Further panning in is the 12 apostles that run the church, the custodians of salvation - the Tree of Life in our day and in the original church.

Just as the apostles have less to do with the actual number 12 than what that number represents, this holds true at each progressive level, micro or macro. We should not get stuck on 12 kingdoms, but embrace the understanding that we are part of a larger plan that includes many worlds, each of which will be visited in their time. This understanding will draw us to investigate the pre-earth life and the plan of all these kingdoms. It is likely this imagery of 12 apostles extends to each of these worlds, and that each world has it’s 12 custodians of salvation (at any given time).

Even keeping in mind my earlier discourses on Revelation 22:2 we see the correspondence between the number 12 and the 12 fruit and the Tree of Life in Revelation 22. A possible, at least partial explanation of the 12 different types of fruit people eat is that the 12 fruit are for the 12 divisions of the cosmos, which is consistent with Doctrine and Covenants section 88. If this is true, the symbol of the Tree of Life in the Book of Revelation is enriched to include a symbol of salvation not only for our world but as a shared source for all the cosmos. If we take that understanding and logically extend it to the rest of our Tree of Life images, all kinds of interesting possibilities begin to show themselves. For example, we could easily hang a Zodiac as a wreath on our Tree of Life.

(Notice that in Rev. 22:2 they eat 12 manner of fruit, one for each month. Months have to do with times or seasons. In Doctrine and Covenants 88:61 “...times, and in its season...” is used to describe the plan.)

Jacob’s Alligory of the Olive Tree does not include or end in the use of the number 12, but it does end in Jacob 6:13 with a reminder that we will meet again before the bar of Christ, which is a millennial setting, which is earth’s (one twelfth) turn for the presence of Christ. A rose by any other name...

In John 15, Jesus spoke to one branch of the 12 tribes, and to the 12 apostles, about the True Vine.

While no cosmic connection is recorded in John, the fact that He was explaining a Tree of Life image to the twelve was more than appropriate.

In short, the number 12 is associated with the work of redemption, be that that the keys of the mysteries of each dispensation are held by the 12 apostles, that the work of a separate unit of the church is lead by 12 disciples, that the work of this world is under the 12 that Jesus ordained, or that this world will have it’s part in the 12 part plan of the cosmos. In Solomon’s Temple and most authorized temples we find a baptismal font on the backs of 12 oxen. The abbreviated, but perhaps not the full explanation is that the oxen represent the tribes of Israel. The pattern of the 12 apostle is based upon the earlier imagery of the 12 tribes, which is based upon the cosmic plan of redemption, that can be represented by the Zodiac. Moving into the holy place of Solomon’s Temple we see the Menorah across from the Table of the Shewbread. Upon that table were 12 loaves of bread, these had a connection to the sacrament, which is a renewing of the lower ordinance of baptism, which in the temple is done on the backs of 12 oxen. The post-apocalyptic new Jerusalem is seen by John coming down out of heaven, and it had 12 gates and at each gate was an angel with his name upon him. The name of these angeles are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (the son’s of Jacob). John’s vision goes on a little further connecting the 12 foundations of the holy city to the 12 apostles. The angel showing these things to John then measures the city, similar to how Ezekiel’s messenger did for Ezekiel. Carrying forth the imagery of the number 12, the city is 12 thousand furlongs (a furlong is 185.2 meters). This is clearly a symbolic measurement, like Ezekiel’s measurements were. Both employed the symbolic number 1,000 which has cosmic implications, as used from earliest times, [1] and right into Jewish and Christian imagery.

That's the way I see it - what say you?

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[1] See the Peril of Great Price, Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2, Explication 4. “Answers to the Hebrew word Raukeeyang, signifying expanse, or the firmament of the heavens; also a numerical figure, in Egyptian signifying one thousand; answering to the measuring of the time of Oliblish, which is equal with Kolob in its revolution and in its measuring of time.”

Agency and Choice

In the pre-mortal world of spirits, the great Michael was chosen to come and represent all of us, and by our signing onto the plan, Michael represented each of us vicariously.



In Hebrew, Adam (אדם) means “man” and means “human.”<1> We are all Adams, following the path of the fall and redemption of our father Adam. In Hebrew the phrase “the man” is the word “the Adam” (חאדם). 

Michael’s spirit was breathed into a body on earth, and his earthly name was Adam. This was true with Adam with his mate Eve. They were introduced into a garden that represented a Terrestrial Glory.



Pursuant to the Covenant of Creation Adam and Eve were given their agency, “...in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency.” (Moses 7:32) God gave this agency specifically to Adam and Eve, and that gift extended to all humanity since they represented all men and women. 



Agency is not the same as free choice. The concept of free choice implies a choice without repercussions. If a person meets a beggar on the street and is asked for charity the person may choose to give or not give, but if the possible donor has made a covenant to give to the poor, he is an agent of that covenant and can’t withhold charity without a violation of the covenant.

God deals with man, and builds a relationship with man, by covenants, one covenant upon another, till a full reconciliation is achieved. 

Adam and the rest of humanity were never given “free choice,” we were given agency, and the choice to choose to keep our covenants, or turn away from them.

We all entered into the Covenant of Creation, and thereby accepted Adam as our representatives before God in the garden. This was a family event, our father Adam and his children.

 Adam was given commandments that defined the limits of his agency. Adam and Eve received the two commandments, one that Adam and Eve remain together, and second, that they do not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

A part of true agency is choice. Within the garden humanity was given agency and the choice to keep the agency or turn away from it. Without the choice to keep our agency or not, the purposes of the Covenant of Creation can not be met.

 “And to bring about his eternal [Covenant of Creation] purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.”

“Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself.

Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.” (2 Nephi 2:15 & 16)

In this life we have choice and agency, and we should understand each.

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<1> Strongs Hebrew #120

Can We Suffer For Our Own Sins?

Today’s Sunday School lesson was on one of my favorite subjects, the “Plan of Salvation.” This topic is thought by many to be elementary, but I find it deep and riveting.

When we got to the point of discussing the three kingdoms of glory I asked the question; are those who inherit the Telestial or Terrestrial kingdoms fully forgiven of their sins, or just partially cleansed? I always ask that question at that point to anchor the discussion should a debate ensue (which is not uncommon for me on this topic).

As the discussion continued, the view was shared by a couple brethren that those who go to the Celestial kingdom enter by the atonement of Christ. But, those who enter the two next kingdoms do so by suffering for their own sins.

I reject this idea. I know why they believe that, it is based upon a misunderstanding of a few verses, however, it flies in the face of the rest of LDS theology. Yet this idea is not unheard of.

Let me first state my views on these issues, which surprisingly I find controversial among my fellow members.

I believe that Christ died for the world.

“41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;

43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.

44 Wherefore, he saves all except them…” (D&C 76:41-44)

Salvation is the redemption of the soul, or in other words the spirit and the body. In fact, Christ redeems the bodies of all men pursuant to the primordial covenant of creation.

I suggest that the resurrection of the dead is the redemption of the soul, body and spirit, of all men, even the son’s of perdition.

“And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.

And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.

And the redemption of the soul is through him [Christ] that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the dearth shall inherit it.” (D&C 88:15-17)

In other words, all are saved, body and spirit in the resurrection (OK, calm down, you don’t need to call my bishop).

The son’s of perdition are in the process of redemption in the resurrection, but until the final judgment, post-resurrection is given, the crowns of the kingdoms are not given. The son’s of perdition reject the gift of redemption at the final day.

Speaking of the resurrection of the son’s of perdition we read:

“And they [son’s of perdition] who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” (D&C 88:32-33)

The gift of redemption is given to all, but is not received by the son’s of perdition.

These son’s of perdition can’t reject the gift of Christ, and pay for their own sins, and receive a kingdom of glory, nor can anyone else.

The punishment for sin is endless separation from God. We can never pay for our own sins! We can never come to a point at which the penalty has been fully paid without Christ.

“Behold, he [Christ] offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.” (2 Nephi 2:7)

To overcome sin and its consequences, the price paid must be an infinite atonement, see 2 Nephi 9:7. Men can’t provide that. Without a savior we will languish forever in separation from God.

“…[T]here is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” (2 Nephi 2:8).

The 88th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 35 lays out the ways people can be saved.

Mercy – But unless we accept Christ, how can we receive mercy? Mercy is given through Christ. Otherwise law and justice are frustrated.

Justice – But we all fall short and have broken the law, so law only brings death to us sinners.

Judgment – The same problem as justice.

No matter what else we have done, without Christ, we remain filthy still. There are not several, competing, or parallel ways to be saved, there is only one way. This is basic Mormon doctrine.

The people who inherit the Telestial Kingdom suffer the wrath of God in this life, are cast down to hell after this life to suffer Gods wrath in spirit prison, but in the end accept Christ.

Christ paid for the sins of the world, and salvation is free. What determines where we spend eternity is what law we are willing to live.

“All sins shall be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the son’s of perdition.” (Joseph Smith, The Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 119)

It's a great plan!

The Four Corners of the Earth

In Sunday School this week we were discussing the “gathering” or the "gathering of Israel." The question was asked about the “four quarters” of the earth, or the “four corners” of the earth.

I did not volunteer my answer because I thought it too complicated for a one-sentence answer, and concluded it would be better not to appear as the crazy guy in the back of the room, again.

I see these phrases as part of a larger, and mostly lost understanding of Israelite theology and imagery. In Kabalistic thought there are really only two things in physicality; “Creation” (existence, dividing, and scattering), and the “Chariot” (gathering, uniting, at-one-ing).

The imagery of the Tree of Life first shown in Eden has a river that flows from it, and it flows to the entire physical universe. It is the blessings of God. It is the power that maintains existence, it’s the laws of physics, it is the knowledge that saves, it is the power to exalt, it is covenants, it’s our gospel heritage.

This river immediately divides into four parts. These parts correspond to the four estates of man, or the Celestial, Terrestrial, Telestial Kingdoms, and Outer Darkness (non-redeemed state). All of these, even outer darkness is maintained by this flow.

Some would argue that tribes of the earth generally, as a group, adhere to one of these kingdoms.

Going to the four corners of the earth, would be analogous to following one of the four rivers to where that tribe exists, and preaching the gospel there. This is associated with the prophecy that the gospel would go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (tribe).

Going to every tribe is a fairly new phenomenon. It was not always so. Even Jesus resisted teaching the gospel to those of questionable breeding. This latter-day process of taking the gospel to all four quarters is associated with the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is the means of salvation and exaltation. You can’t be a child of God and reject the Abrahamic Covenent.

The seed for this covenant is inserted by the blood of Israel being planted into each tribe by the scattering of Israel (intermarrying)(linage), or by individuals accepting the covenant and being adopted. (see Israel, LDS Topical Guide)

This idea of the four rivers is demonstrated in Ezekiel 47 where the river coming from the Temple exists in four depths. Nephi saw the river coming from the Tree of Life in levels of purity (REF). This water is also associated with final things as we see in Revelation 22. This idea can also be soon in many simple teachings and parables such as the Parable of the Sower, with its four outcomes.

Through this process, all the world will be blessed.

Light Divided by Darkness

Ancient Hebrews sometimes thought of the creation as beginning in a spiritual realm (Ein Sof) and the our physical creation as being an extension of that “world” (Keter is the gate to that world), and as that power extended downward to make creation it was divided. This divided power can be likened unto images of Solomon’s Temple. The Holy of Holies (Celestial Room) was a cube, the Holy Place (Terrestrial Room) was a larger room representing the expanded, divided, or dilution of the law. Then the Outer Court (Telestial Room) which was even larger.

In Ezekiel 47 the imagery is extended into the world in three degrees of salvation, where a trickle starts at the temple. At thousand cubit lengths the trail of water expands, or divides until it becomes a rushing river. (see HERE)

The same idea is present in Nephi’s river, see my post on: ”Filty Water”.

I know this idea may be foreign among many LDS folks. Think of it this way. We know that the imagery of the Tree of Life is central to the LDS view of the creation, it is there at Eden and heals the nations of the world during the Millennium.

In the Garden of Eden this overwhelming symbol, the “Tree of Life” was shown to Adam. But there was another tree there, “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” This latter tree had no power on man until he partook of the fruit. It appears the partaking of this “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” is what divides or dilutes the influence of the Tree of Life, at least as it now effects man. It is man’s choice to partake of the forbidden fruit that causes the levels or degrees of creation. In a nutshell, it is what law we live that creates the purity of the water, and the corresponding kingdom.

The powers of the Tree of Life are divided or split to the level we wish to partake at. Within the thinking of ancient Egyptians, regarding the creation and redemption of man this idea is played out over and over. Hugh Nibley teaches us about this teaching as found in the Book of the Dead.

“The custom is mentioned in the Book of Breathings: ‘I am the one before whom Atum [Adam] has announced the Annals under the noble Ished-tree of Heliopolis’ … When the initiate ‘witnesses the splitting of the Persea-tree in the midst of Rostau,’ in the B.D. version, that, according to Thausing, represents the Creation, among other things the ‘splitting of 'good' and 'evil' ’…, the law of opposites set forth in the Shabako Creation text.” (Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment, Hugh NIbley, Deseret Book, 2nd addition, pg. 290)

The pillars of Jachin and Boaz stood in Solomon’s Temple representing these trees. The temple is a playing out in ritual form of these ideas of healing and death, justice and mercy, law and choice.

The choices of man have created an inequality in the universe. Things are at odds, there is no reconciliation, things are dying or running down to destruction.

It is the atonement of Christ that heals this splitting or dividing. It is in him that we must trust.

“I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.” (Ecclesiates)

It has long been held by some that this splitting or dividing is what is being spoken of in a symbolic way when God divides the light from the darkness during the creation narratives. This Idea has support from a reading of the Book of Abraham. In Abraham chapter 4, through 5:3 the seven creative periods (days) are described. The first act of creation is the creation of light (good) and it being divided by the darkness.

“And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light. And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or caused it to be divided, from the darkness.” (Abraham 4:3&4)

Then verses 5 through 13 describe two more periods of creation. But then in verse 14 forward is when actual lights in the heavens are set up, which is the FOURTH CREATIVE PERIOD.

“And organized them to be for lights in the expanse of the heaven to give light upon the earth; and it was so.” (Abraham 4:15)

So the first day of creation can be thought of as the dividing of light and darkness, which in gospel terms is good (law) and bad (wrong choices), And the fourth day of creation is the placing of the actual luminaries in the physical heavens. (1)

What amazes me is when we learn more about ancient understandings of the plan of salvation, even as they come to us in fragment and corrupted condition, they can cause epiphany after epiphany when we read modern text such at the 88th. section of the Doctrine and Covenants where we are taught about light, law, choice, mercy, and kingdoms.
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1.) In actuality the fourth chapter of Abraham is the spiritual creation, it is not until a few verses into the fifth chapter that the physical creation is described. However, the spiritual creation works as a template to aid our understanding.

By The Power Of His Word

I would like to pose a few questions to my readers:

Established in LDS theology is the idea that before this world, we lived as spirits in the pre-earth life. There, we did not have physical bodies, but we were spirits. We also know that all spirit is actually matter, but more fine or pure.

We have some limited knowledge of what went on there. There was a plan put forward, some accepted it, and some rejected it. There was a great council, and so on.

For all of this to happen, we would have had to been able to communicate with each other. In this life a large part of our communication is spoken. We take air and modify it into varying waves or patterns. We can do this in our throats, or by machine. These spoken patterns have meaning. Our written words indicate, symbolize, or even attempt to mock our spoken words.

Speaking is placing intelligence into discernable and transferable patterns.

In the pre-earth life, how did we communicate? Did we breath a finer air and make intelligent patterns similar to what we do here?

What kinds of patterns of intelligence would we expect to see there? Light? Sound? Something else?

Christ is known as the “Word.” The “Logos.” He was the creator of the world. Was it by the patterns of intelligence that He created? Did these patterns make up the “spiritual creation” that is the foundation of physicality?

The Sepher Yetzirah teaches that all things that exist are founded upon “letters” or parts of speech, along with the numbers.

“Ten are the numbers, as are the Sephiroth, and twenty-two the letters, these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters, three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple. “(Chapter 1:1)

What say ye?

Built Upon a Foundation

In my earlier post Is God In The Spirit World?, I unilaterally decided that:

1. The (what we used to call) Pre-Existence (pre-mortal life) is not the Celestial Kingdom.

2. The Spirit World is not the Celestial Kingdom, or the Pre-Existence.

If you accept this, there is a Pre-Existence, Mortality, Spirit World, and kingdoms of glory in the resurrection. These are all different places.

I present two questions:

* Did God create the earth from Celestial Kingdom where He resides, or from the Spirit World?

* From an ancient Jewish Mystical point of view, looking at the Cabalistic Tree of Life, does creation come from Malkhut, or from Keter?

I see these as the same question.

I propose one answer to both questions.

As I have proffered many times before, the terms “glories,” “worlds,” or “spheres” (intelligences, Pre-Existence, Mortality, Spirit World, Celestial Kingdom, Terrestrial Kingdom, Telestial Kingdom, Outer Darkness) are just another way of saying different dimensions. Just like we know the spirit world is here on earth, but we can’t see them, they are in a different dimension.

We are taught in LDS theology that our world was created spiritually before it was created physically. But these descriptions mention the Pre-existence, and not the Celestial Kingdom.

Cabalist always have a problem with Malkhut (kingdom), and Yosod (foundation) coming before higher worlds. The foundation is created last? So they flip the tree upside down, and do all kinds of other gyrations in an attempt to make the teachings of the Tree of Life flow logically.

So, I ask: What kingdom (dimension) is “Higher,” The Pre-existence, or our current physical world?

I suggest that God directed the creation of our physical universe from the Celestial Kingdom, by directing those in the Pre-Existence. Christ was the leader of that work, in that kingdom or dimension.

Further, that God dwells in the Celestial Kingdom, but all lower kingdoms are before Him, He can traverse not only time, but dimensions themselves. He has had all Kingdoms added unto Him.

“And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory [dimensions] added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abraham 3:26)

This is how God is both a caporal being, and still all things are before him. How He is in the Pre-Existence, and the Spirit World without leaving Celestial Realms.

The Great Secret

I will herein use a couple quotes by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in his great King Follett Sermon (KFS) (LINK), and discuss them a bit,

Joseph said about God that He is “…not trifling with you or me.” This is all very serious, we are not on vacation, nor should we be preoccupied with feeding our bellies. There is a real plan from the beginning, and this is our time on stage.

Joseph quotes the New Testament, "This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." But Joseph goes further and teaches that not only must we know God, we must understand our true relationship with God. If we miss this, we really know nothing.

“There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything, either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship to God. They do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and consequently they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink and sleep. This is all man knows about God or His existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty.”

So what was our relationship with God in the “past,” and what will our relationship be in that which is “to come?” What do we know?

We know that we always existed like God:

“The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. …That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they are co-equal with our Father in heaven.” (KFS)

What made Him our Father is that He reached back into eternity, to bring us forward.

“The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with Himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits.”

This ability to be “exalted,” to receive “knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence” is the promise of God, from before creation, through the atonement, otherwise known as the Abrahamic Covenants, or our inheritance.


We know that before this world was created there was a grand council, made up of the Head (rosh) God, Eloheim, and the other Gods in the council. These are the noble and great ones that Abraham saw (LINK), the priesthood holders of this life. Some of these achieved the rank of god before the world was, as Christ did. The Hebrew word “El” means God. The Hebrew “im” is the plural suffix.

“In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn this way, we begin to learn the only true God, and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer.”

So we existed forever like God. He is our Father because He brought us forth from intelligences, to spirits. He is our Father because He created our physical bodies, as planned in the Council of the Gods. This is the present or the past. What is our relationship “to come?” If worthy:

“…[A]lthough the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. … To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before…”(KFS)

This is all a family affair. Parents passing on an inheritance to the children. Elijah said:

“And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.” (JSH 1:39)

And modern prophets said it this way:

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”

“In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.” (LINK)

The Prophet Joseph said “That [this] is the great secret.”

Is God in the Spirit World?

This last week’s Gospel Doctrine lesson was on the Plan of Salvation. It covered Alma 40 - 42, which is a great section for understanding the Plan of Salvation. But, for Latter-Day Saints it may settle some questions, and raise a few more. For example:

“Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.” (Alma 40:11)

The chapter goes on to explain more about the spirit world, all of which aligns nicely with most LDS people’s views. In my Sunday School class, I asked:

“If we are taken “home” (sounds like a returning) to be with God, is the spirit world the same place as the pre-existence (pre-earth life)?”

The class was adamant that they are not the same place, but offered no explanation of how we go home to God, but only that it is not the same place as the pre-existence.

Our teacher, always prepared, was ready with a commentary on the topic. But frankly, all of the arguments in the commentary fell flat in my opinion. The commentaries basically said that God is not in the spirit world, that the spirit world is really just a place where you prepare to see God, a concept that I reject.

I believe that our usual shallow views on the Plan of Salvation pose many unavoidable questions, just from Alma 40.

We are taught that God was in the pre-existence. But for many, they are still in the pre-existence, is God there? Or has He left there and went to the Spirit World?

Is the spirit world the same as Kolob? Has He left Kolob for the Spirit World?

Is our pre-existence home the same as Kolob? Is the pre-existence a celestial glory?

If we are fortunate enough to go to the celestial kingdom, will God be there, or will He still be in the Spirit world, or the pre-existence? When will He come to the celestial kingdom?

Where is the Spirit World?

“When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going? Into the spiritual world…Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes they do…. Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not…. Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies.” [Brigham Young, quoted by Widtsoe, pp. 376-77]

And in the resurrection, if we inherit the celestial kingdom, we are told we will reign forever on earth. But what about if we inherit the terrestrial, or telestial kingdom? Where will we reside?

I believe that all existence is stacked, one sphere, or dimension upon another. They all exist at the same time (relatively). I would also say at the same place, but dimension or glories divide space.

Of course the temple is the template of this whole thing of multiple glories or dimensions in creation.

I submit a couple of my prior writings towards the answers: HERE, HERE, and HERE.

More Knots

I would like to continue on with the concepts of an earlier couple of posts. In my post Tying The Knot I said:

“Some ancients thought of the plan of salvation as three worlds or kingdoms stacked one above the other. Spanning these three worlds was a rope descending from the highest kingdom bringing connection to the lower worlds. Each of the three worlds is tied to the rope by a knot, and the knot is fastened with a nail (Vav). The temple is a knot symbolizing the connecting place between the worlds. Each level of temple worship has an altar which represents the Vav or nail in that world.” and

“The knot alludes to covenants. When people are married, the have tied the knot, they have made promises that bind them. In the case of the temple the knot or covenant is made binding by the nail or Vav, which represents the atonement.”

Now there is in reality no physical rope hanging from the heavens that is fastened to the altar in each kingdom of glory by a nail, nor is it physically tied by a knot. These typify some “other thing” that actually does span these kingdoms and fastens a connection between the worlds. This “other thing” is symbolized by knots and nails.

The symbolic use of knots and nails clearly trace back to the temple. Adaptations of these symbols have permeated Jewish culture and to lesser degrees Mediterranean and Western cultures. Usage of these symbols appear to be authorized by God in some cases. They may be cultural uses accepted by deity, or even inappropriate applications of earlier teachings. Where the excesses being is beyond the scope of this post.

In a theological macrocosm the rope of the heavens (Tree of Life - Vine) is tied to the altar of each kingdom of glory by the nail (vav). In a microcosm each justified person is tied to the rope of the heavens symbolized by his belly button. This belly button connection is the source of all life, including the resurrection (As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4). Recently Bryce Haymond over at Temple Study did a series of fantastic posts about the Egyptian “ankh” also known as the symbol of life (and knot of Isis). Haymond quotes Nibley discussing the possible origins of the ankh describing it as a “...knotted cord, [it] was a naval sting.” and further saying that the word “...ankh also means “oath,” the idea being, as Jan Bergman suggests, that one swears by one’s life, so that if the oath is broken, so likewise ‘the cord of life’ - the umbilical cord - is broken. (Hugh Nibley, The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, Deseret Book,Page 454)"

So in the ankh we see an association of knots and covenants, and in this case they are fastened to the individual by the knot. Another nuance of the ankh is the tie of family relation. This is an allusion of tying families together, by this “other thing.”

The idea of wrapping mummies appears to be an application of the symbol of knots. But, with regards to the wrapping mummies, it appears to also be connected to the final embrace by the gods. Which is thought of as the culmination of all initiation. When an initiate is embraced by the gods, he is thereafter identified with them, it is a family embrace. This embrace is the final act of the atoning, the lost child has become one with his family again.

“Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar … Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning ‘a close embrace’—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that ‘the Lord hath redeemed my soul . . .; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.’… Another proffers the glorious hope of our being ‘clasped in the arms of Jesus …’ I weep for joy when I contemplate the significance of it all. To be redeemed is to be atoned—received in the close embrace of God, with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our oneness of heart and mind.” (Perfection Pending, and Other Favorite Discourses, Elder Russell M. Nelson, Deseret Book)

Mummies are wrapped in knotted linnen. Some Jews wear, and are eventually buried in an undergarment with four corners (tallit katan. See Haymond’s post HERE), at the corners are specially tied knots called “Tzitzit.” You may recall Jesus condemned ancient Jews for enlarging the fringes of their garments. What they were doing was showing off the tokens of their covenants. Some Jews also wear a larger garment as an occasional outer garment called a “Tallit Gadol” which is a prayer shaw, if large enough it can be used to cover the canopy for marriage. It also has Tzitit or knots on the corners. These Tallits appear to be a symbol like the panther skins worn by Egyptian priests.

Some Jews wear leather straps called “Tefillin.” One on the head to hold a box containing the verses of scripture, with a knot tied afresh daily. There is also a Tefillin tied onto the arm and hand.The knots are tied to form Hebrew letters (Dalet, Shin, Yod). On the hand the traps are arranged to form the letter Shin (resembling a “W” bringing to mind El Shaddai).

Again, Bryce Haymond recently did two good posts on related topics. He discussed a Jewish practice of tying the hands of a bride and grom (Handfasting). I suspect this practice arose when the children of Israel did not have access to have their hands fastened together, and to the altar with a vav, they made a likeness with a knot. He also posted about crowns (HERE). He discussed how strings or ribbons are used to secure the crowns. It is clear that where the string is tied depicts the glory (degree) of the crown.

““…[T]he crown of sanctification… is added (the round linen cap was to act as a cushion for a metal crown during a long ceremony). Later the cap alone would suffice, since it showed that the owner was qualified to wear the ‘crown of justification.” (Hugh Nibley, Don E. Norton, Temple and Cosmos, Deseret Book, Pg#55)

“The culmination of all initiation is coronation… every individual person may experience his own coronation… [t]here is a fusion of personalities in the coronation situation, he who assumes the crown being identified with whoever else wears it.” (Hugh Nibley, The Message of The Joseph Smith Papyri, Deseret Book, Pg. 353)

This family identification Nibley is referring to can also be called “sealing,” which is associated with the ideas of nails and knots. Most of modern Christendom sees salvation as individual thing, but we see it as a family affair.

When we kneel upon any of the three altar of the temple, one for each glory represented therein, our covenants need to be tied there in the knot that binds the heavenly rope to that kingdom. This is done by that “other thing,” the atonement. The knot is the covenant of creation and redemption made before in the pre mortal life.

“Whatever the blessed Holy One does is intended to revolve revolutions to fulfill the covenant of existence” (The Zohar, Matt,Vol 3, pg. 200, Mi-Qets)

Abraham’s Knot of Faith

A while back a wrote a post titled “Tying The Knot.” In that post I wrote:

“Some ancients thought of the plan of salvation as three worlds or kingdoms stacked one above the other. Spanning these three worlds was a rope descending from the highest kingdom bringing connection to the lower worlds. Each of the three worlds is tied to the rope by a knot, and the knot is fastened with a nail (Vav). The temple is a knot symbolizing the connecting place between the worlds. Each level of temple worship has an altar which represents the Vav or nail in that world”

The Zohar is a medieval attempt to pass on the oral teachings of the Jews in story form. It teaches about Abraham preparing to go down into Egypt, a sinful place. Abraham was fearful that it was like a spiritual pit from which he would not be able to escape. We read:

“So Abraham cleaved to faith when he went down to Egypt and when he went to the land of the Philistines. This can be compared to a person who was about to descend into a deep pit. He was afraid he would not be able to come back up. What did he do? He tied a length of rope above the pit, saying ‘since I have tied this knot, now I can enter.’ Similarly, when Abraham was about to go down to Egypt, he first tied a knot of faith, so he would have something to grasp; then he descended. Likewise when he entered the land of the Philistines.” (The Zohar, Matt vol. 2, pg 165, Va-Yera)

Abraham feared for his spiritual welfare. As a lifeline, he clung to the “knot of faith” that he created. What was that knot? It was his covenant, his endowment, inheritance, or the promise of deification.

We see in the Book of Abraham that that is exactly what happened. When Abraham left Ur, God appeared to him and:

- Gave Abraham the priesthood.
- Blessed him with eternal seed.
- Gave him land.

These blessings are described in Abraham chapter 2. Chapters 3 through 5 are excerpts of Abraham's teaching of creation that correspond to their temple covenants. These covenants and blessings are the “knot” that Abraham held to in a troubled time.

When we feel ourselves descending into a spiritual pit, do we hold to our knot, our covenants, our temple inherence? We need to reach up, take ahold of our knot, and pull ourselves up, from time to time.

Ein Sof - A Matter Of Semantics?

There is a well developed understanding in LDS theology that:

“There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes...” (D&C 131:7)

I wonder if our firmness in this teaching can prevent us from understanding a fuller understanding of this teaching? What I mean is if we out-of-hand reject the apostate teaching of "creatio ex nihilo" without understand the possible origins, we may be missing something.

Some of the so called “church fathers” of the first few century A.D. propagated the idea of “creatio ex nihilo”, meaning "creation out of nothing."

This topic has been hotly debated over the centuries, and laid to rest by Joseph Smith in the minds of many fine LDS folks. But a mind at rest is not always the sharpest. Theophilus, Justin Martyr, and Origen believed matter was pre-existant with God, while Irenaeus, Tertullian, etc. believed otherwise.

I submit that only a highly inspired mind could have seen beyond “creatio ex nihilo.” But to swing from there to a fundamentalist view that the mud of the universe always existed in it’s physical form, is an unnecessary swing.

Joseph Smith taught that matter “can not be created nor destroyed” but that it only changes form. In short, the prophet taught matter is simply stored energy (long before Einstein came to the same conclusion). And that matter is only one of the forms energy can take. The LDS view is often, in my opinion, mistakenly reduced to thinking the physical matter is used and reused, but I believe it is the eternal underlying energy that always existed (and perhaps eventually recycled), not necessarily the mud.

The bones of dinosaurs are not left over from other worlds, this is a silly, childish, and pedestrian view.

I further submit that much of the centuries of debate stem from misunderstanding the intent of words like “creation,” “beginning,” “matter,” and so on.

In ancient Hebrew thought they had the same problem. And in-fact I suspect it was their problem that spilled over to the “church fathers.” The Hebrew term “ein sof” is often thought of on one level to mean “nothingness,” a shapeless, lawless, non-physical, immaterial existence that God resided in prior to creation. It is from here that Irenaeus and Tertullian believed creation began.

But on another level, a fuller understanding of Hebrew thought resembled the prophet Joseph’s teaching that in Celestial spheres a highly organized being, a material being of “fine or pure” matter created our physical world. He is a being of light, intelligence, or energy. Where He lives is “ein sof” or the “Endless,” the “Eternal,” the “Boundless.”

That when He extended His arm downward it created the lower kingdoms of existence. The Cabalists describe this with the idea of the “sephirah” which create the Tree of Life (which is the pattern of creation and the path of return. The pattern of temple architecture).

When God extended a portion of His light into our sphere it created the big bang, or creation. That light carried with it all the laws of physics we now observe and experience.

So, was the creation from something or nothing?

Whirlwind - The Stuff of Creation

I was listening to the Dennis Prager radio program this morning and he was interviewing an atheist scientist. The scientist described how he suggested that we do not look for life on certain planets because they were motionless, stagnant, and still. That for life to exist there needed to be movement. He contrasted the earth, in which things are moving and mixing. It appeared as though entropy had overtaken those planets.

This drew my mind to a few things. In the Sefer Yetzirah it described the motion of this physical existence as a whirlwind:

“These ten Sephiroth which are ineffable [intangible], whose appearance is like scintillating flames, have no end but are infinite. The word of God is in them as they burst forth, and as they return; they obey the divine command, rushing along as a whirlwind, returning to prostrate themselves at his throne.”[1]

In ancient Jewish thought the Sephiroth are the powers of God that create the differing kingdoms of existence. As they extend into the kingdoms they create the whirlwind, or the motion necessary for our life.

Perhaps Abraham saw the heavens and they appeared as a great whirlwind. This would be a macro application. Perhaps he saw into an atom and saw the microcosm of creation. These forces of creation play out in the souls of men.[2]

The whirlwind is thought of as another symbol of redemption like the Tree of Life.

Clearly this corresponds to the whirlwind of Ezekiel 1:4 which is a play on the same theme. The whirlwind is the outside force inserted into a closed system that creates and maintains life

Once this motion has completely went forth and completed the plan of salvation, then the returning beings.

We are told this whole process is like a coal of fire, both the coal and the flame are conjoined.[3] Existence is not being improvised as we go, this is one plan, the Plan of Salvation.
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[1] Sepher Yetzirah 1:6

[2] Sepher Yetzirah 2:4 “These [Mem, Shin, and Aleph] three mothers again represent in the Microcosm or Human form, male and female; the Head, the Belly, and the Chest; the head from the fire, the belly from water, and the chest from the air lieth between them.”

[3] Sepher Yetzirah 1:7

The Abrahamic Covenant

In my recent post “Penalties and Blood” I wrote about how anciently covenants were sometimes made between people, and with God. Some of these covenants were made by ordinances, which may include an allusion to the penalties if the covenant is broken. Such an allusion is the rite of circumcision. To break the covenant of circumcision is to lose eternal seed.

Circumcision is a sign to the Israelites that they were the children of “the covenant” or the “Abrahamic Covenant.” When Abram received his endowment a “h” (heh) was added to his everyday name, illustrating that he had entered in the covenant. The Hebrew name for Jesus, was YHVH, and is known as the Tetragrammaton (YHVH or יהוה).

The “Yud” is a picture of a penis (and an arm or hand) and means creation. The “Vav” is a picture of a nail and means to bring together, bind, or seal, and the “Heh” is a picture of a man praying with upheld hands. (LINK)

"YUD" and "Heh" means “covenant of creation.”
and
"Vav" and "Heh" means “covenant of atonement.”

The Anointed is both creator and redeemer.

This is why in ancient Hebrew literature it discusses how the heavens and the earth were built upon, and are maintained by the covenant of circumcision. This can be a little hard to understand at first. It is not talking about circumcision at all, circumcision is alluding to the covenants of creation and atonement. Without this covenant the earth would be utterly wasted.


“Come and see: Once Abraham was circumcised, he abandoned the foreskin and entered the sacred covenant... entering the covenant upon which the world stands.” [1]

Without implying any dilution or degradation of the terms, we see in gospel teachings a purposeful evolution of certain terms. For example; the term “House of Israel” means the “Camp of Israel,” which means “Army of Israel” (“he struggles with with God” which could point to an embrace of covenant), which means “Army of Heaven” , which means “Army of God.” These are the ones Jesus said he would make His rulers in this world. (Abraham 3:23)

When we speak of the Melchizedek Priesthood, what are we talking about? We are talking about the authority given to “Melchizedek”, which is the authority of the “Fathers” (or the patriarchs), which is the Priesthood of Adam (HC, Vol. 3, pp. 386-387), which is the authority after the “Holy order of the Son of God.”

All things hang upon the covenant of creation and the promises made there, which include the covenants of redemption or atonement. When we are circumcised, baptized, take the sacrament, or go to the temple, we are only pointing to, and recommitting to the covenants of creation and redemption made in our pre-earth life. Understanding these covenants is the heart of the matter at hand.
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[1] The Zohar, Lekh Lekha, Matt. Vol. 2, pgs. 74 and 75.

Two Creations - Two Yuds

Starting in Abraham chapter three, verse 22, God shows Abraham the pre-existence with the spirits of men. Abraham is then shown the spiritual creation and the planning of the physical creation, as ordered by God. The above spans from Abraham 3:22 through 5:5.  This process was seven periods long, in the likeness (or pattern) of what was going to take place in the physical creation. At the end of these seven periods there was still no physical creation, as the scripture states there was no “rain upon the earth” because there was no earth yet, and God had not yet “formed a man.”

Then in the remainder of the Book of Abraham, Adam’s spirit is placed into a body, and then he is introduced into the Garden of Eden

Which means we have a more detailed description of the spiritual creation and planning. This is a pattern that the physical creation would follow. Then when describing the physical creation the description is truncated, we just jump to the point where Adam is in the garden. And we see that Adam and all the children of Adam will be created before the end of the sixth (physical) creative period. (LINK)

The doctrine of two creations, a spiritual and a physical, is well established in LDS theology. Supporting this doctrine is the Book of Abraham. Genesis is less clear, at least in the English.

However, as Rashi points out, that when describing the one creation the Hebrew word וַיִּצֶר (“Yasar” - with one Yud - the first creation) is used. “Yasar” is rendered “formed” in our King James version. The letter “Yud” (י) is a symbol of creation. When man is described as being placed on the earth, the word has a spelling of וַיִּיצֶר (with two Yuds). This alternative spelling signals that this is a second creation (the physical). A point that is overlooked in English, but pointed to in the Hebrew. And of course this is all clarified in the Book of Abraham. (Rashi on Gen 2.)
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Thanks to Kerry Shirts and Prof. Hamblin for directing me to Rashi's commentary.

Shin, Aleph, and Mem - 3 Mothers

In the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation) which is attributed to Abraham, the creation of the world is described in several ways. Creation is described with the ingredients of ten numbers (Sephiroth), and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. How these numbers and letters play out in different combinations against other combinations is the whirlwind of creation, or the tree of life.

The Book of Creation says that the alphabet has three mothers, or foundation letters. These are; Shin, Aleph, and Mem. This is a macro description of creation. We are taught:

“The three mothers are A, M, SH; and in the beginning as to the Macrocosm the Heavens were created from Fire; the Earth from primeval Water; and the Air was formed from the Spirit, which stands alone in the midst, and is the Mediator between them.” (Sefer Yetzirah 3:3)

Aleph the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is thought to correspond to Tiferet (like vav ties them together) as the mediator, of not only mem (water), and shin (fire), but of all the Sephiroth.

What does this all mean? It is a description in ancient Hebrew thought, of the creation, the three degrees of glory – both in the macro and how they apply to man in the micro or in his soul.

Shin corresponds to the Celestial Kingdom (everlasting burnings), to the mind of man. Aleph corresponds to the Terrestrial Kingdom, to the heart of man. And Mem corresponds to the Telestial Kingdom, to man’s belly. Where we make our decisions from, the belly, heart, or mind, largely will determine which kingdom we inherit.

“These three mothers again represent in the Microcosm or Human form, male and female; the Head, the Belly, and the Chest; the head from the fire, the belly from water, and the chest from the air lieth between them.” (Sefer Yetzirah 3:4)

Now, what does this have to do with mysticism? A description of the creation, and the Plan of Salvation with the differing kingdoms is a description of the temple, the center of mysticism.

The universe testifies of Christ, which is the macro, and the sanctification of the individual testifies of Christ in the micro.
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CLICK ON GRAPHIC TO ENLARGE

We are in the sixth creative period

Over at The Back Yard Professor (a fantastic sIte), Kerry Shirts was kind enough to give me a plug.

On that posting Ranger Dave also wrote some very kind words. He inquired about my view regarding the creative periods, and the fact that I believe we are currently in the sixth period, waiting for the seventh. But, I realized that that idea is in my book, Mormon Mysticism, but not on a post, so I am posting that short chapter here. I have omitted the footnotes, but you can find them here in my html version [link ]

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Many truths of creation are taught in the temple and in scripture, yet many of those teachings are misunderstood among Latter-day Saints.

Jewish mysticism teaches us that the creation is still in progress. But, what does that mean?

Some Mormons walk around with a vague understanding of the creation that goes something like this, with some variations:

God planned the creation (spiritual creation). Then God created the earth through Christ, in six creative periods. Man was created during the sixth period, which ended creation. Somewhere in this sixth period Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. God rested upon the seventh period. And now here we are.

Superficially this sounds alright, but it is fraught with many logical problems. Besides that, this outline is in conflict with scripture, the temple, and Jewish theological tradition.

Words have meaning. We are taught that the heavens and the earth were created in six days. These days are creative periods, not twenty-four hour days. Trying to determine the age of the earth is beyond the space available to use here, but it most likely is billions of years old. Some will reject this proposal, so, for our purposes here, let’s use a lower number (because our point is still made with a fraction of the billions of years). We won’t even use millions of years. Let’s use a thousand years for each creative period. The creative periods must be close to being equal periods, otherwise the description of days becomes non-sense. If one period is a million years, and another period is an hour the description of “days” has no meaning.

One problem is; if Adam was created in the sixth period, and was expelled from the garden during the sixth period, then the thousand years of rest happened (seventh period), then the mortality of the rest of us begin (when Adam left the garden), how do we reconcile that with the life-span of Adam (Adam was less than a thousand years old)? It does not work.

Starting in Abraham chapter three, verse 22, God shows Abraham the pre-existence with the spirits. Abraham is then shown the spiritual creation and the planning of the physical creation, as ordered by God. The above spans from Abraham 3:22 through 5:5. This process was seven periods long, in the likeness (or pattern) of what was going to take place in the physical creation. At the end of these seven periods there was still no physical creation, as the scripture states there was no “rain upon the earth” because there was no earth yet, and God had not yet “formed a man.”

Then in the remainder of the Book of Abraham Adam’s spirit is placed into a body, and then he is introduced into the Garden of Eden.

Which means we have a more detailed description of the spiritual creation and planning. This is a pattern that the physical creation would follow. Then when describing the physical creation the description is truncated, we just jump to the point where Adam is in the garden. And we see that Adam and all the children of Adam will be created before the end of the sixth (physical) creative period.

“[And] thus we will finish the heavens and the earth, and all the hosts of them…” before the seventh period of rest begins. The “hosts” of heaven are the children of God that come to earth.

In other words, all the children of God that are going to come to this earth (Adam included), will come during the sixth creative period.

These seven creative periods should not be confused with the seven thousand years of the temporal existence of the earth (that starts with Adam leaving the garden at about 4,000 B.C.).

We now live in the sixth creative period. When all the spirit children of God that are coming to this earth (and most likely many earths in this eternity, since the creation described is of heaven and earth or perhaps earths) have processed through mortality, been resurrected, and have entered kingdoms of glory, then the sixth period will come to an end. And then there will be a seventh period of rest.

You live in the sixth period of creation, and the creation is continuing.