Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy — John Shaqi
Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon PhilosophyWidtsoe, John Andreas
Religion
Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy
Widtsoe, John Andreas
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
The corresponding passage in the Book of Abraham 4:8, reads, "And the
Gods called the expanse Heaven. And it came to pass that it was from
evening until morning that they called night; and it came to pass that
it was from morning until evening that they called day, and this was
_the second time that they called night and day."_
Here it must be noted that nothing is said about a second day. It is
said that it was the second time that _they_ called day--which leaves
the second creative period entirely indefinite so far as time limits
are concerned.
In Genesis 1:13, it reads, "and the evening and the morning were the
third day."
In Abraham 4:13, the corresponding passage reads, "And it came to pass
that they numbered the days; from the evening until the morning they
called night; and it came to pass, from the morning until the evening
they called day; and it was the third time."
Here it is explicitly stated that the Gods numbered the days;
evidently, they counted the days that had passed during the third
creative period, and it was the third time that the numbering had been
done. Again, the third creative period is left indefinite, as to time
limits.
Gen. 1:19, reads, "And the evening and the morning were the fourth
day."
Correspondingly, in Abraham 4:19, is found, "And it came to pass that
it was from evening until morning that it was night; and it came to
pass that it was from morning until evening that it was day; and it
was the fourth time."
This quotation from Abraham, standing alone, would be somewhat
ambiguous, for it might indicate that it was the fourth time that the
periods between evening and morning, and morning and evening were
called night and day. In the light of previous passages, however, the
meaning of the passage becomes clear. Certainly there is nothing in
the verse to confine the fourth creative period within certain time
limits.
The fifth day in Genesis closes as does the fourth; and the fifth time
in Abraham closes as does the fourth. The remarks made concerning the
fourth creative period apply to the fifth.
Concerning the sixth creative period, Gen. 1:31, says, "And God saw
everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the
evening and the morning were the sixth day."
Of the same period Abraham says, "And the Gods said: We will do
everything that we have said, and organize them; and behold, they
shall be very obedient. And it came to pass that it was from morning
until evening that they called night; and it came to pass that it was
from evening until morning that they called day; and they numbered the
sixth time."
As in the previous periods, the sixth ended by the Gods numbering the
days of the creative period; the sixth period, like those preceding,
being indeterminate as to time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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