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Old Testament

Week 3: The Creation

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Primary sources on the Creation


Genesis 12. Moses 23 / JST Genesis 12 (1830). Abraham 45 (1835). The temple endowment (1842).

LDS views on science & creation


scholarly traditional

6 days of creation are metaphorical Earth created in 6 days of billions of years each

Earth created in 6 days of 1,000 years each Earth created in 6 days of 24 hours each

LDS views on science & creation


scholarly traditional

God nurtures and directs human evolution


Creation science/ Intelligent Design (old earth, punctuated creations)

Adam physically born and brought to earth (dust metaphorical) Adam literally created from the dust of the earth

God waits for undirected evolution to take its course

The limits of what we know


In just what manner did the mortal bodies of Adam and Eve come into existence on this earth? [Genesis, Moses, and Abraham] are the authentic statements of the scriptures, ancient and modern, and it is best to rest with these, until the Lord shall see fit to give more light on the subject. Whether the mortal bodies of man evolved in natural processes to present perfection, through the direction and power of God; whether the first parents of our generations, Adam and Eve, were transplanted from another sphere, with immortal tabernacles, which became corrupted through sin and the partaking of natural foods, in the process of time; whether they were born here in mortality, as other mortals have been, are questions not fully answered in the revealed word of God. Improvement Era, April 1910
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The limits of what we know


Upon the fundamental doctrines of the Church we are all agreed. Our mission is to bear the message of the restored gospel to the world. Leave geology, biology, archaeology, and anthropology, no one of which has to do with the salvation of the souls of mankind, to scientific research, while we magnify our calling in the realm of the Church. Upon one thing we should all be able to agree, namely, that [the First Presidency, writing in 1909] were right when they said: Adam is the primal parent of our race. First Presidency memorandum, April 1931
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The limits of what we know


Let us not try to wrest the scriptures in an attempt to explain away what we can not explain. The opening chapters of Genesis, and scriptures related thereto, were never intended as a text-book of geology, archaeology, earth-science or manscience. We do not show reverence for the scriptures when we misapply them through faulty interpretation. Elder James E. Talmage, August 1931
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Geocentric universe

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Heliocentric universe

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Geocentrism in LDS scripture


The sun, moon, and stars are above the earthone planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolobwhich Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God (Abraham 3:5, 9). Moses was shown the earth, yea, even all of it, but he also beheld many lands; and each land was called earth (Moses 1:27, 29).
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Genesis is not science


God explains things to us on a level we can understand. The scriptures are about salvation, not science. How the earth was made has not been revealed yet (D&C 101:3233).

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Two creation accounts


Genesis 1:12:3 Genesis 2:42:25 Creation accomplished over 6 No division of creation into creative periods called days. units of time.

Order of creation: 1. Light 2. Sea and sky 3. Land and plants 4. Heavenly bodies 5. Fish and birds 6. Land animals and man

Order of creation: 1. Heavens and earth 2. Water (mist) 3. Man 4. Garden of Eden 5. Land animals and birds 6. Woman

God referred to only as God. God referred to by his personal name, Jehovah (the LORD).
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Two creation accounts


For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth (Moses 3:5). These are the generations (Genesis 2:4). [The resurrection] is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44). Secondary textual source?
The Documentary Hypothesis.
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Create
Hebrew bara ( ). Not out of nothingsee Genesis 1:27. Organized and formed (Abraham 4:1). Renewing: Create (bara) in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

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Creation of animals
God blessed (enriched, endowed) the animals and man (Genesis 1:22, 28). Three kinds of land animals (Genesis 1:25):
Beast of the earth = undomesticated. Cattle = domesticated. Every thing that creepeth upon the earth = reptiles, rodents.
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Creation of man; God rests


Let us makeplural (Genesis 1:26). Replenish = fill (Genesis 1:28). Rested = shabbat ( = )sabbath = ceased or stopped (Genesis 2:2).

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The divine name


Genesis 2:4. = YHWH = Yahwey (?) = Jehovah. Tetragrammaton (Greek , having four letters). Replaced in speaking with adonai () = lord. KJV The LORD. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jehoshaphat.
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Also known as
= elohim = gods (plural).
The God of Israel (with a singular verb). Gods of other nations.

Root word el.


el elyon (Most High God). el shaddai (God Almighty).

Gabriel, Michael, Daniel, Israel.

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LDS usage
Elohim and Jehovah as name-titles. Rule of thumb only. Psalm 110:1 (compare Hebrews 1:13):
Jehovah adonai

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
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Adam and Eve


soul = / nehfesh (Genesis 2:7).
D&C 88:15; Moses 3:9, 19.

commanded = / tsavah (Genesis 2:16). help meet, not helpmeet (Genesis 2:18). Adam = / adam (Genesis 2:20). Creation of woman not literal (Genesis 2:2122).
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What do we learn?
Scripture does not conflict with science; it conflicts with no creator. Creation planned & purposed. Men and women created in image of God. It is not good for man to be alone. Reproduction a commandment. Men and women have dominion and are stewards.
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Next week:
The Fall, the telestial world, Cain and Abel

Genesis 34 (Moses 4:16:9)

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