Monday, May 23, 2011

Abraham sees the Fall of Satan and learns about the Stars

Today I read Abraham 3, this is the chapter where the Lord teaches Abraham about the stars and about the time on the planet where the Lord resides. I have often wondered when the Lord gave Abraham the Urim and Thummim that he had since this is the first, and only time we hear about it. Abraham states the Lord gave it to him while he still lived in Ur among the Chaldees, but this is really the only time we hear of him having it or even using it. Nevertheless we know he had it and that, like all other prophets who have ever had it, he was able to communicate with the Lord through it and learn marvelous things.

Abraham's astronomy lesson aside this chapter is very significant and contains a scripture mastery in it. This is also the chapter where Abraham's vision of the beginning and the creation starts. It contains many gospel truths and to my knowledge is perhaps the only point in the scriptures where intelligence is discussed. The Lord here teaches Abraham that all things have intelligence but some are more intelligent than others and God is above them all. We learn from modern day prophets that intelligence is not created but has always been. Intelligence is the basis for spirit bodies of everything. Before we became spirit children of our Heavenly Father we were intelligence. That is all I am going to say on the matter since to my knowledge, that is all that is really known about it.

Abraham also saw the Grand Council in the beginning and saw the Savior volunteer to come save mankind and saw Satan offer the same. It is interesting and perhaps sad to note that the Lord talks about those who would not keep their First Estate. It would seem He was well aware that there were those of His children that would rebel against Him. That makes a lot of sense if you really think about it. We know that Heavenly Father is not the first to create worlds and that He was once a mortal man like us, so He has a Heavenly Father too and it would only make sense that our Heavenly Father had to contend with a devil when He was mortal too. So even if all things weren't before Him, it would seem to me that He would be well aware that one or more of His children would rebel against Him and the truth. Plus, He is a father and knows His children, I'm sure He could see the signs.

It still could not have been easy though. I wonder how many of us were sad that day and had considered Lucifer our friend before that day? We were all there and we were all together, I can only assume we knew him. Or perhaps only the 1/3 that followed him were those who knew him well and called him friend. Somehow that just doesn't seem right to me though. I can guarantee among the 1/3 we knew at least a couple of people we would have called our friend. So even if none of us knew Lucifer personally, we knew someone who chose to fall and lose their First Estate. It must have been a very sad day indeed.

I can only imagine how Abraham is feeling as he watched all of this unfold. I wonder if he had the scriptures prior to this or if this is the first time he was hearing about all of this? We'll know someday but I am very glad that Abraham wrote it all down so that we can have it in our day and read it and learn new truths. Until tomorrow.

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