 |
Dear
Gramps, I have just recently discovered Mormontown.com and I especially
enjoy the questions posed to you and the answers given. I have a question:
In Moses 1 where the Lord talks face to face with Moses and gives some
explanation regarding the creation, he says in 1:33 & 34, “And
worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own
purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. And
the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.”
|
While
I know that the Lord also then told Moses that “.... only an account of
this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you...” etc. I think
it impossible for us not to wonder about those ‘other worlds’ and what
hand the Lord played in their creation.
Since
they were created by his Son, the only begotten, did the Son have a similar
role in their creations as he has with planet earth?
Was he a Savior to those inhabitants also?
Did he go through the process of mortal birth, teaching, crucifixion
and resurrection or similar pattern as he did on earth?
I
would like your answer to these questions and the views of Church Doctrine
regarding them. Sincerely Gene, Springville, Utah
Dear
Gene,
Let’s
see if we can respond to your questions one by one--
First
a response to this statement-- [While I know that the Lord also then told
Moses that “only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give
I unto you”].
Although
there is no account given of the particulars of the activities on any of the
others worlds, there has been some information revealed concerning the
Savior’s role in the other worlds. So the statement “Only an account of
this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you.” should not be
taken too conclusively.
Q.
Did the Son have a similar role in their creations as he has with planet
earth?
Ans.
The Savior participated with the Father as the executor in the creation of all
the worlds--
And
to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ Ephesians.
3:9
Q.
Was he a Savior to those inhabitants also?
Ans.
Jesus Christ, the first born of the Father in the spirit world, is the one and
only Savior of all our Father’s children The great atoning sacrifice that he
made during his mortal sojourn on this earth was infinite in its scope, and as
such was sufficient to pay for all the sins of all humanity on all the worlds.
And
behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that
great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of
God, yea, infinite and eternal. Alma
34:14
And
now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the
testimony, last of all which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him,
even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he
is the Only Begotten of the Father--That by him, and through him, and of him,
the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten
sons and daughters unto God
(D&C 76:22-24).
You
will notice in the preface of Section 76, referring to verses 18-24, the
statement that the Inhabitants of many worlds are begotten sons and
daughters unto God through the atonement of Jesus Christ. This clearly
indicates that His sacrifice on this earth was sufficient for all the worlds.
He lived only one mortal life, on only one earth. He has only one mortal body.
You
mention Moses 1:34 “And the first man of all men have I called Adam,
which is many.” This indicates that there was an Adam, or a first man
who acted in Adam’s capacity, on many worlds. You may also note the
statement in Moses 4:26, And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she
was the mother of all living; for thus have I, the Lord God, called the first
of all women, which are many.
Additional
scriptures are given that relate to the intersidereal nature of the Lord’s
mission. Of particular interest to our discussion is D&C 88:43-61.
Verse
43-- And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the
earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets.
“All
the planets” does not refer just to the planets in our solar system (our
earth probably being the only inhabited planet in the solar system), but to
ALL the planets.
Verse
46 asks, Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
Which refers to the earth and all the planets (verses 43 & 44).
Verse 47--Behold, all these are kingdoms, explains that each earth is
identified as a kingdom. A most revealing parable is then given in verses 51
to 61, in which the Lord likens these kingdoms [earths] to a man having a
field [the universe] and he sent his twelve servants [prophets, or
representatives of the Lord] to dig in the field, promising each that they
would be visited in turn by the owner of the field and would behold the joy of
his countenance.
Verse
61 gives the key to the parable--
Therefore,
unto this parable I will liken all these kingdoms, and the inhabitants thereof--
every
kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the
decree which God hath made.
The
kingdoms [earths] are represented by the parts of the field that were visited,
each in turn, by the lord of the field. This scripture tells us that Savior
has visited the other worlds inhabited by our Father’s children. There He
undoubtedly taught them the gospel, organized his Church, ordained men to the
authority of the holy priesthood and established the ordinances necessary for
salvation.
We
can assume that the inhabitants of other worlds know who their Savior is, and
that He worked out the great atonement by living in mortality in the most
wicked of all the worlds that have ever been created, as we read in Moses 7:36
Wherefore,
I can stretch forth mine hands and hold all the creations which I have made;
and mine eye can pierce them also, and among all the workmanship of mine hands
there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren.
