The experiences and visions of Abraham and Moses tell us that we are children of God and that God’s work is to help us gain eternal life.
“A Prologue to Genesis: Moses 1 in Light of Jewish Traditions,” E. Douglas Clark, BYU Studies 45, no. 1
The famous opening words of Genesis, “In the beginning,” launch the reader immediately into the creation account without any hint of authorship. Not so in the book of Moses, whose first chapter serves as a kind of prologue to the creation account, which is a revelation to Moses when he was “caught up into an exceedingly high mountain.” Ancient texts such as Jubilees and rabbinic texts parallel elements of Moses 1. This article tells why Moses 1 is an essential introduction to the Bible.
“Book of Moses Essays,” Jeffrey M. Bradshaw and others, Book of Mormon Central
Jeffrey M. Bradshaw has written extensively on the book of Moses. Here he presents short essays (along with audio files) that look in detail at the text. He and various coauthors look at temple themes, literary aspects, and ancient parallels. The essays are listed in the Daily Reading Plan and the Bibliography for this Come, Follow Me lesson at Book of Mormon Central. We also recommend the videos and bibliographies presented at Book of Mormon Central’s website.
“Premortal Existence, Foreordinations, and Heavenly Councils,” Joseph Fielding McConkie, Apocryphal Writings and the Latter-day Saints, BYU Religious Studies Center
The doctrines of premortal existence, heavenly councils, and foreordinations were all a part of the theology of the ancient Saints and as such are a necessary part of the promised restoration of all things.
“‘And I Saw the Stars’: The Book of Abraham and Ancient Geocentric Astronomy,” John Gee, William J. Hamblin, and Daniel C. Peterson, in Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant, Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, BYU, at Book of Mormon Central
The authors suggest that we view the astronomy of Abraham as a discussion of the visible heavens rather than an accurate view of the cosmos. The text makes the most sense when read as referring to ancient geocentric astronomy.
“Astronomy and the Creation in the Book of Abraham,” Michael D. Rhodes and J. Ward Moody, in Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant, Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, BYU, at Book of Mormon Central
This chapter looks at what we know and what we don’t know: What do we know about Kolob? What is the age of the earth? Was there death among plants and animals before the Fall? What are the seven creative periods taught in Abraham 3?
