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CHAPTER 1
Abraham seeks the blessings of the patriarchal order—He is
persecuted by false priests in Chaldea— |
Abraham seeks the blessings of the 'firstborn', Christ being the 'firstborn', the patriarchal order of the Father and the Son of God, the blessings of the fathers from before the very foundation of the earth. Jehovah saves Abraham's life. Abraham writes from the records of Adam. |
C o v e n a n
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1 In the land of the aChaldeans, at the
residence of my fathers, I, bAbraham, saw that it was
needful for me to obtain another place of cresidence;
2 And, finding there was greater ahappiness and peace and rest for mea, I sought for the blessings of the fathersb, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the samec; having been myself a follower of brighteousnessd, desiring also to be one who possessed great cknowledgee, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many dnationsf, a prince of peaceg, and edesiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heirh, a fHigh Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers. 3 It was aconferred upon me from the fathersa; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earthb to the present time, even the right of the bfirstbornc, on the first man, who is cAdam, or first father, through the fathers unto me. 4 I sought for mine aappointment unto the Priesthooda according to the appointment of God unto the bfathers concerning the seedb.
The association of the priesthood, God's power, with 'the seed' or Christ is that it is only through Christ, his power, his order, his priesthood, his gospel that salvation is to be found. Thus the Father bestows upon Jehovah the name Yehoshua which is Jehovah Saves/Delivers or in other words in Jehovah is found salvation. |
2a finding there was greater happiness
and peace and rest for me Man's search for happiness is ever
present with us. Beyond birth, life and death, what is there? Happiness is
to be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. His atonement and resurrection
promises immortality and eternal life. It is in obtaining and keeping the
covenant of Christ, given by the Father, that we may look forward to life
everlasting and the happiness and joy of exaltation. This was given in the
promises of the fathers from before the foundation of the world, given first
by the Father of us all, God the Eternal Father through and in conjunction
with His Son Jesus Christ, even Jehovah, who after the true patriarchal order
of God is God's own 'firstborn' son in the spirit and the only begotten son
in the flesh. 2b the blessings of the fathers The 'fathers' would be the 'patriarchal fathers', Adam, Seth (Abel), Enoch, Noah, Shem, down to he who would be Abraham. The 'blessing' was given by the Father of us all, the father of spirits. And the blessing would be that he would provide a means whereby man from their second estate sojourn, by become even as God is and return to the Kingdom of God. |
2a Heb.
11:21 b Gen. 47:31 3a 1 Ne. 1:14; 2 Ne. 9:46; 3 Ne. 4:32; D&C 76:106-107; D&C 87:6; Moses 2:1; JS-H 1:29; A of F 11 b D&C 107:54; Abr. 2:6 c Gen 28:19; Gen. 35:6; Josh. 18:13 4a TG Seed of Abraham b TG Promised Land c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5a JST Gen. 48:5-11 b TG Israel, Joseph, People of c Deut 3:13
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5 My fathers having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy
commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the
worshiping of the gods of the heathen, utterly refused to hearken to my
voice;
6 For their hearts were set to do evil, and were wholly turned to the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; 7 Therefore they turned their hearts to the sacrifice of the heathen in offering up their children unto these dumb idols, and hearkened not unto my voice, but endeavored to take away my life by the hand of the priest of Elkenah. The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh.
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8 Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of
Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for
the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children.
9 And it came to pass that the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the god of Shagreel, even after the manner of the Egyptians. Now the god of Shagreel was the sun. 10 Even the thank-offering of a child did the priest of Pharaoh offer upon the altar which stood by the hill called Potiphar's Hill, at the head of the plain of Olishem.
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11 Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three
virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal
descent directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were offered up
because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or
of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after
the manner of the Egyptians.
13 It was made after the form of a bedstead, such as was had among the Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmackrah, Korash, and also a god like unto that of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 14 That you may have an understanding of these gods, I have given you the fashion of them in the figures at the beginning, which manner of figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphicsa.
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14a I have given you the fashion of them in the figures at the beginning, which manner of figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphics Such Egyptian depictions are but quite standardized figures as it was a part of the standardized Egyptian written language. Thus the figures would have to be of a set nature. Interestingly enough that is exactly what the Book of Abraham state them to be, 'a fashion', a 'manner of figures', even 'hieroglyphics', thus taken from the Egyptian motifs. The first is a well recognized Egyptian scarificial or ceremonial 'motif' being enacted upon the standard Lion Couch before the Gods of the religion of Egypt, which was also at Abraham's date, the same religion as practiced in Ur. That Abraham did put together these from the Egyptian while he was in Egypt would be suggested by figure 10 of the first facimile which denotes Abraham being in Egypt at the time that he does write his history. That these are likely copies of earlier texts actually written by Abraham, and thus the 'copies' made from such earlier original copies seems quite likely. This 'fashion' of standardized Egyptian figures or hieroglyphs is also in the same realm as Egyptian Cartouches. | |
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15 And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and
take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the
Lord hearkened and heard, and he filled me with the vision of the Almighty,
and the angel of his presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands;
17 And this because they have turned their hearts away from me, to worship the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; therefore I have come down to visit them, and to destroy him who hath lifted up his hand against thee, Abraham, my son, to take away thy life. 18 Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee. 19 As it was with Noah so shall it be with thee; but through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever, for I am thy God.
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20 Behold, Potiphar's Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea. And the Lord broke down the altar of Elkenah, and of the gods of the land, and utterly destroyed them, and smote the priest that he died; and there was great mourning in Chaldea, and also in the court of Pharaoh;
which Pharaoh signifies king by royal blood.
21 Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth. 22 From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land. 23 The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden. 24 When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.
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25 Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest
son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the
government of Ham, which was patriarchal.
26 Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generationsa, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood. 27 Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry;
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26a seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generation Now that 'order' of the first generation of Adam was that of the order of the fullness of the gospel with all of the saving ordinances pertaining there unto, including the many temple ordiances of exaltation. These this Pharaoh sought after, setting up and imitating such ceremonial ordinances raising man unto the salvation of becoming even as God is. Now over the years, though the ordiances imitated by Pharaoh were not perfect to begin with, the ordiances of Pharaoh were changed and altared according to the mind and will of men, thus retaining some similitude to the pure righteous order of the ordinances, but being removed therefrom by the contrivance, inovation and precepts of men. Like unto the Lamanites, the atoneing sacrifice of the Son of God did become actual human sacrifice to appease God. They corrupted the concept that it was to be an infinite, divine and eternal sacrifice of the Son of God into the 'sinless' sacrifice of the inocent virgin children of men that could atone for the people making a mockery of the atonement of Christ. | |
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28 But I shall endeavor, hereafter, to delineate the chronology running back
from myself to the beginning of the
creationa, for the records
have come into my handsb, which I
hold unto this present time.
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28a to the beginning of
creation Joseph's translations of the papyra of Abraham is not
complete as Abraham states his intention to write much even to the beginning
of creation from the records of Adam. Chapters 2 and 3 are Abraham's own
experiences with God as though he is beginning with himself per his stated
intent. Then in chapters 4 and 5, Abraham's account would be from the records
of Adam of the creation as per Abraham's intent to write from these records
the account from Abraham to the beginning. This creation account from the records of Adam differs somewhat from the 'Moses' account in detail of explanation. But even Moses in the 'Hebrew' did use the term Elohim, signifiying a plurality of Gods involved in the creation which the King James version translators chose to state in the singular as the concept of the 'trinity' of the doctrine of the Church was that there was but one God. Some consider the last two chapters, 4 & 5 of Abraham, to be a vision of the creation given to Abraham as it was given to Moses, but Abraham had clearly stated his intent of writing it from the ancient records which had come into his hands. Now, whether the papyra which Joseph Smith had contained all of Abraham's writings or not we do not know for Joseph never did translate them all and there is certainly much missing of the intented chronology from Abraham to the creation per Abraham's stated intent. 28b the records have come into my hands These records could only have been preserved by the hand of Noah as he must have brought them with him in the ark. |
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29 Now, after the priest of Elkenah was smitten that he died, there came
a fulfilment of those things which were said unto me concerning the land of
Chaldea, that there should be a famine in the land.
30 Accordingly a famine prevailed throughout all the land of Chaldea, and my father was sorely tormented because of the famine, and he repented of the evil which he had determined against me, to take away my life.
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31 But the records of the fathers, even the
patriarchsa, concerning the right
of Priesthood, the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands; therefore a
knowledge of the beginning of the creation, and also of the planets, and of
the stars, as they were made known unto the fathers, have I kept even unto
this day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things upon this record,
for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me.
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31a records of the fathers, even the patriarchs It is marvelous to consider that Abraham had the records and writings of Adam, Enoch, Noah and perhaps even Melchizedek as well as others (See Moses 6:5 & 46). And we have Abarham's record taken from those records. By the time of Moses, Moses received his understanding concerning the creations from a revelation of God, which he then, under inspiration, writes according to his own words. Joseph Smith received that information by similar revelation. On the othere hand, Abraham obtained his knowledge of the creation from the actual records of the patriarchal fathers. From that source the wording in some cases is a bit different from the perspective of the fathers as recorded by Abraham. Joseph Smith seems to have obtained the record of Abraham from Abraham's or a copy of Abraham's actual writings, from the fathers to Abraham and from Abraham to Joseph Smith, Abraham being one of our patriarchal fathers. | |