Pearl of Great Price Commentary - Abraham 3

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 3 Abraham learns about the sun, moon, and stars by means of the Urim and Thummim—The Lord reveals to him the eternal nature of spirits—He learns of pre-earth life, foreordination, the creation, the choosing of a Redeemer, and the second estate of man.		*The Pillars of Eternity*
1 And I, Abraham, had the ^aUrim and Thummim, which the Lord my God had given unto me, in Ur of the Chaldees^a; 2 And I saw the ^astars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God^a; and there were many great ones which were near unto it;	1^a in Ur of the Chaldees According to Abraham's record, which he after having removed from there, Abrham must have already been ordained to the priesthood prior to leaving Ur for he had and used the Urim and Thummim supplied by God. And the use of the Urim and Thummin consitutes being a 'Seer' which, while including being a prophet, is greater than just the position of prophet. Thus that which Abraham was later confirmed to under the hand of Melchizedek must of been some extention blessing relative to Abraham's position in the plan of 2^a one of them was nearest unto the throne of God In the following verses this very great star seems to be further identified by the name of Kolob (v. 3, 4 & 9). As God is said to be in a state of everlasting burnings, some have speculated that the 'celestial' body upon which he resides may be a 'buring star', but what seems to follow the logic of these verses is that God's abode or throne is merely 'nigh' or 'near' unto this star Kolob and according to verse 9, as one plant is above another so is it with God until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which seems to imply that God lives upon a Celestialized planet, one which is greatest of all but this a planet. This is most consistant with the eventual course of our own earth. That is the earth is currently in a telestial state, during the millennium is will pass through a terrestrial state and then finally the earth will receive its own celestial glorified state yet seemingly still being a planet as well.	1^a Ex. 28:30; Mosiah 8:13 (13-19) Mosiah 28:13 (13-16); JS-H 1:35 (35-37) TG Urim and Thummim 2^a Moses 1:35 (35-37); Moses 7:36; Abr. 1:31
One Theory One fessible theory is that our God's kingdom pertains to this the Milky Way Galaxy with its over 2 billion stars and countless heavenly bodies. This theory proposes that other Gods such as the Father(s) of our Heavenly Father and other such then related Gods, preside over each of the other galaxies of the universe. Recent scientific theory has finally stepped beyond the 'darkage' theory that the universe is of a limited size to understanding the eternal nature of the universe, that it just goes on and on and on, forever. Other such recently discovered facts about our universe also seem to support this particular theory, such as the fact that each and every galaxy (in general) is moving away from each other galaxy in the universe which makes it impossible to determine any such identifiable 'center' of the universe and futher seems to discredit the old 'big bang' theory. Also the recent 'discovery' of the 'God particle'(Higgs boson), whose field is considered to permiate the the universe and define all mass, leaving no real 'empty space' and making communication contact between galaxies possible yet perhaps still making intergalactic travel unlikely. It may seem to fulfill another Godly trait of 'ever present' or omnipresent in terms of being 'all-seeing' and everywhere present, at least upon a communication basis. [See: The Kolob Theorem by Lynn M. Hilton PhD]	Artistic Generated Graphic of the Milkly WayGalaxy Current estimated facts: Galaxy Diameter=100,000+ light years; Number of stars=200-400 billion; Mass of galaxy=1 trillion solar masses; Our distance from center=26,000 light years; Velocity of our Sun around the galaxy=220 km/s; Orbital period of Sun around galaxy center=225 million years; Length of the galactic central bar=25,000 light years; Thickness of the galaxy at the Sun's orientation point; Next supposed Sun's Orbital wobble crossing of that central 1000 light year axis=21 December 2012 [end of Mayan long count calendar]
3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is ^aKolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest^a. 4 And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its ^atimes and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a ^bday unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand ^cyears according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord's ^dtime, according to the reckoning of Kolob. 5 And the Lord said unto me: The planet which is the lesser light, lesser than that which is to rule the day, even the night, is above or ^agreater than that upon which thou standest in point of reckoning, for it moveth in order more slow; this is in order because it standeth above the earth upon which thou standest, therefore the reckoning of its time is not so many as to its number of days, and of months, and of years.	3^a to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest The governing star Kolob is the great one which seems to govern those realms which are distent to the Celestial realm, kingdom, and order of God.	3^a See also Facsimile No. 2, figs. 1-5.; Abr. 3:16; Abr. 5:13; TG Astronomy 4^a Dan. 2:21 ^b Abr. 5:13 ^c Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8 ^d TG Time 5^a IE It rotates on its axis more slowly.; See also v. 7
6 And the Lord said unto me: Now, Abraham, these ^atwo facts exist, behold thine eyes see it; it is given unto thee to know the times of reckoning, and the set time, yea, the set time of the earth upon which thou standest, and the set time of the greater light which is set to rule the day, and the set time of the lesser light which is set to rule the night. 7 Now the set time of the lesser light is a longer time as to its reckoning than the reckoning of the time of the earth upon which thou standest. 8 And where these two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still;		6^a Abr. 3:16 (16-19); compare the rest of this chapter's verses concerning this matter of intelligence and intelligences.
9 And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one ^aplanet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob^a, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same ^border as that upon which thou standest. 10 And it is given unto thee to know the set time of all the stars that are set to give light, until thou come near unto the throne of God.	9^a one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob This seems to imply that the planet upon which is the throne of God follows that same logic of one greatness above another which verse 7 sets forth and is concluded in verse 16, and which also coorelates with the logic of intelligence and that being that the Lord our God is more intelligent than they all found in verses 18 & 19.	2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
11 Thus I, Abraham, ^atalked with the Lord, face to face, as one man talketh with another; and he told me of the works which his hands had made; 12 And he said unto me: My son, my son (and his hand was stretched out), behold I will show you all these. And he put his hand upon mine eyes, and I saw those things which his hands had made, which were many; and they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the end thereof.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
13 And he said unto me: This is Shinehah, which is the sun. And he said unto me: Kokob, which is star. And he said unto me: Olea, which is the moon. And he said unto me: Kokaubeam, which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven. 14 And it was in the night time when the Lord spake these words unto me: I will ^amultiply thee, and thy ^bseed after thee, like unto these; and if thou canst count the ^cnumber of sands, so shall be the number of thy seeds.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
15 And the Lord said unto me: Abraham, I ^ashow these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words. 16 If ^atwo things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore ^aKolob is the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me. 17 Now, if there be two things, one above the other, and the moon be above the earth, then it may be that a planet or a star may exist above it; and there is nothing that the Lord thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will ^ado it.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
18 Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two ^aspirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are ^bgnolaum, or eternal. 19 And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am ^amore intelligent than they all.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
20 The Lord thy God sent his angel to ^adeliver thee from the hands of the priest of Elkenah. 21 I dwell in the midst of them all; I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to deliver unto thee the ^aworks which my hands have made, wherein my ^bwisdom excelleth them all, for I ^crule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the ^aintelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the ^bnoble and great ones; Click to view facsimile 23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast ^achosen before thou wast born.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
24 And there stood ^aone among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and ^bwe will make an earth whereon these may ^cdwell; 25 And we will ^aprove them herewith, to see if they will ^bdo all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; 26 And they who ^akeep their first ^bestate 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 ^cestate shall have ^dglory added upon their heads for ever and ever.		2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13
27 And the ^aLord said: Whom shall I ^bsend? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And ^canother answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will ^dsend the first. 28 And the ^asecond was angry, and kept not his first ^bestate; and, at that day, many followed after him^a. The Celestial Father Our Father, Who Art in Heaven, is how we address our Heavenly Father who is the Father of Spirits. From before the 'Beginning' he was and is a Celestial Glorified Being of flesh and bones (D&C 130:22). Yet in that glorified Celestial state, the Father does not 'pertain unto' this second temporal and mortal estate. And as stated, only those who do so pertain unto this second estate do minister unto it (D&C 130:5). Thus God the Father did stand forth in council with his spirit child and inquire of us, "Whom shall I send?", meaning who should the Father send forth to be the appointed, annointed and empowered acting God of this second estate in the stead of the Father, acting for, in the stead of, and in the behalf of the Celestial Father in Heaven in all things (Lev. 16:32) as though he were the Father, being that advocate, intercessor and mediator betwix man and the Celestial Father of Glory to perform all things in behalf of man that the Plan of God might be fulfilled. And it was Jehovah, the very Firstborn of the Father in the Spirit and having been accepted and appointed, the very Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh pertaining unto this temporal second estate creation for the cause and benefit for the children of the Father who would accept the Father's Plan of Exaltation and Eternal Life of man that they may become even as the Father is and one with the Father and also with the Administering God Jehovah of this propationary estate of mankind.	28^a at that day, many followed after him That 'him' being Lucifer who stood against Jehovah and God the Father's Plan. And there was 'war in heaven' over the souls of man and those who chose to follow Satan were cast out of heaven, that first estate, down to this second estate without ever to advance and receive a body of flesh and bone, but to remain a spirit and to stand in the darkness of neven to stand in the presence of God's kingdom and fellowship again. A vissionary account of that 'final determination council' before Our Father in Heaven was received and recorded by Zechariah and may be found in chapter 3 of his Biblical book.	2^a Heb. 11:21 ^b Gen. 47:31 3^a 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 4^a TG Seed of Abraham ^b TG Promised Land ^c Gen 17:8; Abr. 2:6; 5^a JST Gen. 48:5-11 ^b TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^c Deut 3:13