Bishka
Veteran Member
In The Beginning
By Becky Campbell
Copyright 2006
(Using LDS Version of KJV Bible)
Copyright 2006
(Using LDS Version of KJV Bible)
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. What beginning was this? Who was God?
IN THE BEGINNING-
What was the beginning? When was this beginning? If you reference the word beginning at the footnote 1a, it gives you a topical guide reference to time. In the Topical Guide on page 529 it also gives references to look to Astronomy; Day; Eternity; Generation; Hour; and Season. Im going to use the references of day, generation, hour and season.
In the [day] God created the heaven and the earth. What day would this be talking about; this doesnt necessarily mean the beginning of time, the beginning of everything. This could be in that day, that specific day, God created the heaven and the earth. It was a day for God, not a day for man.
In the [generation] God created the heaven and the earth A generation is according to the Random House Websters Dictionary is a step in natural descent. This could be interpreted to say that the first creational period wasnt measured in time as we know it, but it was a necessary step that God had to have taken, and this does not rule out that there were other steps before and after this step or generational period.
In the [hour] God created the heaven and the earth By now, we should all know that Gods time isnt the same as mans time and we cannot use a mans measuring stick to measure God by. For God, it could have been a hour in mans time, a day in mans time or even 10,000 years in mans time.
In the [season] God created the heaven and the earth A season is not a given amount of time. According to the Random House Websters Dictionary, a season is period; time. It was a period of time whose length is not defined. As like in the previous paragraph, it could be any amount of time.
The reference in Genesis, chapter 1, to time and days could mean just about anything. Gods time is much different then mans time and we may never know until the next life how much a day was to God.
GOD
Who was God? Many people tend to confused God in the Old Testament with our Heavenly Father. As Latter-day Saints we believe that whenever Jehovah or God is mentioned in the Old Testament without direct reference to Heavenly Father or the Father, that it means Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was commanded by the Father to create this earth. So Christ willingly obeyed and did as the Father asked.
The footnote for God, which is 1b, references the scriptures Mosiah 4:2; Mormon 9:11; Doctrine and Covenants 14:9; Doctrine and Covenants 76:20-24; Moses 2:1; Abraham 4:1
In Mosiah 4:2, the scripture reads: ..for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things . In Mosiah, King Benjamin had been teaching his people and they knew, and it was taught then, that Jesus Christ had created this world.
Mormon 9:11 reads, But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. This is also referring to Jesus Christ if we look back to what King Benjamin taught his people and what the scriptures teach us.
Doctrine and Covenants 14:9 states, Behold I am Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who created the heavens and the earth, a light which cannot be hid in darkness. The Doctrine and Covenants, a book of canonical scripture also affirms the fact that Jesus Christ was the one who created the heavens and the earth.
In Doctrine and Covenants 76:20-24, the scriptures read: And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fullness ..That by him and of him, the worlds are and were created . This is yet another testimony and reference to Jesus Christ being the creator of this world and the maker of the heavens and earth.
Moses 2:1 shows us 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. Through this scripture in Moses, we find that through Jesus Christ, that God created the earth. This should mean that God commanded Jesus Christ, His son, to create this earth. He told Christ exactly what to do and how to do it. So through the Son the Father created, such as with many things, for example, we pray through the Son to the Father.
Abraham 4:1 reads, And the Lord said; Let us go down. And they went down the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens and the earth. In this verse, the word Gods has a footnote reference which if looked at refers to Jesus Christ as being a creator of this world.
CREATED
Created can mean many different things, especially in many different languages. Since Genesis was originally translated from Hebrew, we will use the Hebrew translation.
Looking in the footnote 1c, created can mean shaped, fashioned, always divine activity, formed. From these few words given to us we can see what the different definitions of created can mean.
According to the Random House Websters College Dictionary, the definition for shaped is, to give definite form, organization, or character to to adjust. Thus, from this we see that it is possible that Jesus Christ created the earth from materials that were already available to Him; He just gave them a definite form, or a definite shape.
The definition of fashioned is, to make or form anything. From this we can see that Jesus Christ could have made and formed anything on this earth. He could have made the mountains, the streams, the valleys, the volcanoes and everything of a physical nature on this earth.
The definition for formed is quite similar to the already given word, yet in can have many different meanings. It can mean, external appearance of a clearly defined area, the shape of a thing, something that give or determines shape, or even orderly arrangement of shapes. Even after giving these many definitions for one word, there are still a myriad of definitions for this one word. Considering the already given definitions, Jesus Christ did them all. When Christ created this earth, He not only created it, but gave it external appearance, which would be the physical topography already mentioned. Christ clearly defined this world with its many different facets of geology and earthly creations.
HEAVEN AND EARTH
What is heaven and earth as referred to in this scripture? Is the heaven referred to in this scripture, the heaven where Heavenly Father resides?
The footnote for heaven is 1d, which cross-references the scriptures: Doctrine and Covenants 121:4, Moses 1:36-38; and Abraham 4:1.
Doctrine and Covenant 121:4 reads, O Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven, earth and seas, and of all things that in them are . In this verse the word heaven is footnoted 1b to Psalms 18:11.
Psalms 18:11 reads, He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. The darkness may refer to the heavens, the skies, and outer space. The heavens in this verse is not referring to the Heaven were God sits, but the heavens of earth.
The footnote for earth is 1e, and it gives the topical guide reference of nature. Nature can mean a myriad of many things, it can be nature as in the plant and animal life of the world, it can mean the human species, or it could be all of the meanings combined into one.
IN THE END
In the end, the reading of just this one verse is a bit more complicated then just a mere glance-over. With careful study, interpretation and revelation from God one can find the meaning of this verse. As the eighth article of faith states, We believe the Bible to be the world of God, as far as it is translated correctly Even though we as Latter-day Saints have a version our own, with chapter headings and footnotes, there are still some things that have been changed, left out, added, and not explained. Its up to each of us to gain our own personal testimony of what the truth is.
