Most people often treat 'In the beginning' as the start of God's work, but the Restoration teaches us it was actually the next chapter in a much older story.
Before a house is constructed, a detailed plan is always made first. If this world is our temporary home, have you ever wondered what God's 'original blueprint' looked like before the first stone was even laid?
"1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1).
"22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
"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 chosen before thou wast born.
24 And there stood one 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 we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate 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 estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever.
27 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
28 And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him." (Abraham 3:22–28)
"36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content." (Moses 1:36)
And here's the introductory commentary for this week's reading assignment: "January 5–11: “This Is My Work and My Glory” Moses 1; Abraham 3 :
"The Bible begins with the words “in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But what was there before this “beginning”? And why did God create all of this? Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord has shed light on these questions.
For example, He gave us the record of a vision in which Abraham saw our existence as spirits “before the world was” (see Abraham 3:22–28). The Lord also gave us an inspired translation or revision of the first six chapters of Genesis, called the book of Moses—which doesn’t begin with “in the beginning.” Instead, it begins with an experience Moses had that provides some context for the Creation story. Together, these latter-day scriptures are a good place to start our study of the Old Testament because they address some fundamental questions that can frame our reading: Who is God? Who are we? What is God’s work, and what is our place in it? The opening chapters of Genesis could be seen as the Lord’s response to Moses’s request: “Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens” (Moses 1:36)."
It makes so much sense to me that we existed before coming down here on earth, that life here on earth has a purpose, and that our existence here is only a dot in eternity. We are eternal beings having human experience through earthly existence under God's divine plan. We are spirit children of our Heavenly Father, and we have inherited from Him the potential to become like Him. His work and His glory is to empower and elevate us to His own level—to help us reach our full potential, because He loves each of us dearly. Our human experience or being mortal beings is necessary for us to become immortal and to qualify to return to His presence and to live with Him eternally. I'm so grateful the Lord has shed light on the questions of the purpose of creation through the Prophet Joseph Smith because I am able to have my eternal perspective and know that everything in this earthly life has a purpose.
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