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BOOK OF MOSES
CHAPTER 1
(June 1830)

God reveals himself to Moses—Moses transfigured—Confrontation with Satan—Many inhabited worlds seen—Worlds without number created by the son—God’s work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

[ Moses 1 has been described by some as a “preface” to the Bible and the book of Genesis. Moses 1 enables us to properly view the biblical creation accounts within the restored context of God’s eternal purposes for humankind. The book of Moses is what the Lord permitted him to write of his endowment experience. The life of Moses can be divided into 3 time periods: 40 years in Egypt - 40 years in the Desert - 40 years in the Wilderness. Object lesson - play a game without rules or objective. Lets discuss the game. Does it appear to be a fun game? Is it for pleasure or learning? What do we need to know if we are ging to play? 1) We need to understand our roles... 2) We need to understand the rules how we win, how we lose 3) What is the purpose of the game? 4) How does this relate to life? To understand our lives on earth we to must understand our purpose. In Moses Chapter 1 we learn these answers... 1) We need to understand who we are. 2) How can we overcome the influence of the adversary? 3) What is God's work and Glory Chapter 1 God reveals himself to Moses--Moses transfigured--Confrontation with Satan--Many inhabited worlds seen--Worlds without number created by the son--God's work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Moses’ gripping experience in the opening chapter of the Book of Moses is best understood as a Near Eastern temple-ascension narrative wherein a prophet (1) ascends into the presence of God and his royal assembly residing in the heavenly temple on the cosmic mountain, (2) receives a divine, angelic rank as a member of the council, and (3)receives a mandate or commission and is sent back down to earth to become a messenger for the council. Moses 1 gives us several indicators (including the setting on the top of a mountain, Moses being brought into the presence of God, and Moses being identified as a “son of God”) that Moses was introduced into the divine council and was given the awesome responsibility of being a messenger of God. Furthermore, Moses’ ascension and deification into the heavenly council fits nicely within an ancient Near Eastern setting. Moses 1 unmistakably contains many of the hallmarks present in similar ascension narratives. The Prophet Joseph Smith was not exaggerating when he called the Book of Moses a “precious morsel.”

so we don't find any of this story in Genesis Why is that? So Moses 1 has no parallel in Genesis, it's our great story of Moses talking with God and then confronting Satan and all that. So that's the prologue. And then starting in Chapter 2 of Moses, is where you get the direct parallel to Genesis 1. And then Moses 3 would be the direct parallel to Genesis 2. You don't find discussions of Adam and Eve or the creation as described in Chapter 1. It's just not discussed very much in the Old Testament. You do get it in the New Testament, in the Book of Mormon for sure, but not the rest there. For the authors of Genesis, these stories are really written as a prologue to the main story. The one they're really interested in, which is the story of Israel. That's where they're excited to get to. That's why there are so many chapters on Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah. That's the real story, is Israel. So all this stuff here for all the attention and the interest that we in the modern world have with these early chapters, they're not spending a lot of time here nor do they go back and talk about it a lot. Because a lot of this, for them in terms of the overall structure of Genesis, really is a prologue to the story of Israel, which is what gets them really excited.

One of the major changes that the book of Moses makes is that it frames the story from Genesis differently. Genesis is told from the perspective of a third person narrator describing God created this, God did this. Whereas, Moses 1 sets up this stage where God is going to tell Moses about how he created the earth. And then in Moses 2-3 he says, and I, God did this and I, God did this. So it's a very different framing for the story where God himself is telling the story, which is really cool. Milk, Meat, and Mysteries The Pearl of Great Price (PoGP) deals with Prophets: Moses, Abraham, Enoch, and Christ. In the very first chapter of Moses we learn that these things are only to be given to those who believe. These things are for members. You may remember that there are the Three Ms of Doctrine: Milk, Meat and Mysteries. The Milk is what we have to have. The Manuals would fall in the Milk category. The Church has to teach to the lowest common denominator, and that would include the newest baptized member and the primary youth. Therefore, Milk is what is offered at church by necessity and design. The Meat is extracted from the scriptures by personal initiative and study. It is found only by those who have expended the effort and sacrificed the time to seek and study more. The Mysteries are those things revealed to you by God. It was OK to kill a Hebrew slave, but it was not OK to kill an Egyptian. Moses had to flee into the wilderness in order to save his life because only the Pharaoh could order another Egyptian's death. Moses escapes to the “back side of the desert,” or flees into Midian. He finds an oasis or well, and along comes a group of women watering their sheep. some bandits come along to scatter their sheep. Moses protects the women and their sheep. He accompanies the women back to their home. It turns out they are Jethro's daughters. There's a very old Jewish tradition that relates the story of how Zipporah was given in marriage to Moses. Zipporah invites Moses to a stake dance, and Moses indicates that he would not only be interested in going to the dance but would also like to date her more regularly. Zipporah relates the sad tale that all of her other suitors have ended up dying because they could not pass her father's test. Moses inquires further about her father's test and learns that Zipporah’s father won’t allow any of her boyfriends to continue dating her unless they go into Jethro’s back yard and pull a stick from the ground, and so far all of her dates have died because they have been unable to remove the stick from the ground. Moses says, “You're good looking enough, show me the stick, I'll give it a try!” [I may be paraphrasing just a little, but this pretty close to how the story goes!] She takes Moses home to meet her father. Jethro holds the Melchizedek priesthood because he is a descendant of Abraham through Kiturah, whom Abraham married after Sarah died. Moses is also a descendant of Abraham, but the Children of Israel lost the right to hold the priesthood during their captivity and apostasy in Egypt. Kiturah's posterity lived in Midian, on the east side of the Red Sea. After Moses meets Jethro, Jethro instructs Moses to go out into the yard and try to pull up the staff that has been planted there. Moses goes into the yard, finds the staff, pulls it from the ground and returns it to Jethro. By this act, Jethro knows that Moses is the man who should hold the priesthood, or who ought to become the king. Moses stays in the desert with Jethro for the next 40 years after he marries Zipporah. This story is very old, and it has come down to us in our time as what? That's correct – Arthur and the sword in the stone. That story harks back to this very old Jewish tradition of Jethro and Moses and the staff, which is the same staff Moses uses as he delivers the Children of Israel from Pharaoh. That staff symbolizes priesthood authority and he whose right it is to reign. In the D&C, we see the priesthood of Moses being traced back from Moses to Abel, and then to Adam (D&C 84:6-16). ]

1 THE words of God, [ Remember that Moses asked God "Why Me?" (see Exodus 3:11; 4:1-17) and was not given a response at the time. We are informed in verse 17 that the incident with the burning bush had previously happened in the life of Moses. So here is the response from God which took place after Jehovah spoke to Moses at the burning bush but before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea (see Moses 1:17, 25–26). Do you know what differentiates people like Moses, Abraham, and Joseph Smith from the rest of us? Their “situation” was probably not any different than ours is today. What differentiates them from the rest of us is their reaction and their work. This all comes back to the central theme of this topic: What is your reaction to the situation and what are you going to do about it? ] which he [ The premortal Jesus Christ - or Jehovah The God is the Old Testament. President Joseph Fielding Smith said "All revelation since the fall has come through Jesus Christ...The Father has never spoke to man directly and personally since the fall, and he has never appeared except to introduce and bear record of the son. Doc of Salvation Vol 1:27". ] spake unto Moses [ "Moses", the word "moshe" in Hebrew if translated literally would mean "drawn out". It originally came from his being drawn out of the reeds on the river when a baby, but also predicted his calling to draw out Israel from Egypt, which is extended in v. 26. ] at a time when Moses was caught up [ When does this take place? This took place after Jehovah spoke to Moses at the burning bush but before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea (see Moses 1:17, 25–26) It was a miracle of some kind took place. compare 1 Ne. 11:1. ] into an exceedingly high mountain, [ “caught up into an exceedingly high mountain.” is temple context because immediately after we see description of temple-ascension text. Same thing happens to Nephi 1 Ne. 11:1. The knowledge that both Nephi and Moses received is similar to what President Ezra Taft Benson described to a general audience at BYU as the key covenants of the temple. These are “the law of obedience and sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration.” See Moses 5:1-6 emphasizing obedience, verses 4–8, 20 discuss law of sacrifice, verses 58–59 cover the law of the gospel, chapter 6:5–23 explains law of chastity, and 7:18 is the classic text on the law of consecration. (Ezra T. Benson, “A Vision and a Hope for the Youth of Zion,” address given at Brigham Young University, April 12, 1977.). 8,200-9,500 height of mountains around sinai region. The name of this mountain is not revealed; so we might safely conclude that it is not Horeb or Sinai which was the setting for other revelations and events found in Exodus. In addition; this is NOT a more detailed account of something from the Book of Exodus - but rather something that is not in the book of Exodus. ]
2 And he saw God face to face, [ This is the beginning of the endowment of power given to Moses at the end of his 40 years in the desert as a sheepherder. He is now prepared to receive this endowment; he is humble enough now. Jethro taught Moses about the authority and power of the Priesthood. He can now stand in the presence of God and receive his mission to return to Egypt and lead them back to the Promised Land. The Book of Moses was used as the Temple narrative during the Nauvoo period. The Book of Moses is the record of Moses’ endowment. That’s the reason it became the basis for the Temple narrative at Nauvoo and is the basis for your endowment. Just as the Book of Abraham is a record of Abraham’s endowment (Abraham tells us as much in Abr 1:2-4), this record is the beginning of the endowment Moses receives before he goes back into Egypt. [see Andrew F. Ehat, Temples of the Ancient World, pp 48-62]. This is the purpose of the endowment (Temple] that God wishes for all of us. He had a personal appearance where he was literally in the presence of God. As Moses' case demonstrates, the actual endowment is not a mere representation but is the reality of coming into a heavenly presence and of being instructed in the things of eternity. In temples, we have a staged representation of the step-by-step ascent into the presence of the Eternal while we are yet alive. (See the classic comment of Oliver Cowdery (but attributed to Joseph Smith) in TPJS,51; and David 0. McKay, cited by Truman G. Madsen, "House of Glory," 10-Stake Fireside Address, March 1972, reprinted in The Highest in Us (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1978), 103.) It is never suggested that we have died when we participate in these blessings. Rather, when we enter the celestial room, we pause to await the promptings and premonitions of the Comforter. And after a period of time, mostly of our own accord, we descend the stairs, and resume the clothing and walk of our earthly existence. But there should have been a change in us as there certainly was with Moses when he was caught up to celestial realms and saw and heard things unlawful to utter. In verse 1 he mentioned that he was caught up - he we see the explanation of what that means; this "caught up" was done to protect Moses. no mortal man can withstand God's presence and survive, and here appears to be the case unless some sort of transformation or altering takes place. We are not give the reason why exactly, but we are informed it is within God's power to protect mortals such that they may survive His presence. Most textual comments on the subject indicate the reason man could not survive God's presence is that man's wickedness would require God to mete out retribution, and therefore destruction, upon them, cf. Exod. 29:21-24, Exod. 32:10 and Exod. 33:5. ] and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; [ What does it mean the Glory of god was on him? "he was transfigured (see v. 11; see also D&C 67:10–12; Topical Guide). Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, wrote: “Transfiguration is a special change in appearance and nature which is wrought upon a person or thing by the power of God. This divine transformation is from a lower to a higher state; it results in a more exalted, impressive, and glorious condition. . . . “By the power of the Holy Ghost many prophets have been transfigured so as to stand in the presence of God and view the visions of eternity” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 803)." ] therefore Moses could endure his presence. [ See also vs 11 & 14; This is the means that Moses survived the presence of God. Because he was "Transfigured" a mortal can be transfigured by the power of the Holy Ghost in order to survive the direct glory and presence of God. Elder Bruce R McConkey explain this he said "transfiguration is a special change in an appearance and nature which is wrought upon a person or thing by the power of God this divine transformation is from a lower to a higher state the results in a more exalted impressive and glorious condition by the power of the Holy Ghost many prophets of been transfigured has to stand in the presence of God and view the visions of eternity." Mormon Doctrine pg 803. In fact righteous saints living upon the earth at the time of the Savior second coming will be transfigured and caught up to meet him see D&C 88:96 if they were not transfigured their mortal bodies would be burned by the glory that will accompany him as he comes to cleanse the world of wickedness and to rule and reign on earth for a 1000 years. ]
3 And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; [ Where did Moses grow up? He didn't have the typical upbringing of a Hebrew. So God needs to teach him from the ground up - the things he should have been taught in primary. Which is the reason why he later will exclaim "Now for this cause, I know that man is nothing, which thing I never before had supposed." The context of this phrase is that God is expressing His eternal nature. The name-titles employed therefore reflect this. In Hebrew, the phrase "Lord God Almighty" would be "El YHWH Shaddai" which would most literally translate into English "the exalted, all-powerful one who is". The Hebrew title "el" is applied to both the true God as well as false idolatrous gods. It simply means "exalted", meaning that it has more power than mortals, or is "higher up" in power. "YHWH" is only applied to the true God and means "I am", or "I will be", or "I am being". It gives the meaning of independence, in that the God of Israel's existence is independent of Israel, unlike the false gods who rely on idol makers for their existence. It also carries the implication of "I am with you" by context from Exod. 3, meaning the God of Israel is a God who watches over His people and interacts with them. This phrase "I am with you" or "I will be with you" appears repeatedly throughout the Scriptures in conjunction with various divine commissions, cp. v. 26, Exod. 3:12, Num. 14:9, Josh. 1:9, Isa. 43:5, Jer. 15:20, Matt. 28:20, Acts 18:10, D&C 34:11. It can therefore be paraphrased to "the ever-present One" or "the ever-faithful One". "Shaddai" is traditionally translated to "all powerful" meaning God has all power there is to have, in contrast to idols which are so powerless they are carried around by their creators, cp. Isa. 46:1-2. On "Endless is my name" cp. 7:35, D&C 19:10. This particular name-title does not appear in the OT, although similar statements are made. There was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what his name is. God was gracious enough to answer, and the name he gave is recorded in the original Hebrew as YHWH. Over time we’ve arbitrarily added an “a” and an “e” in there to get YaHWeH, presumably because we have a preference for vowels. But scholars and Rabi’s have noted that the letters YHWH represent breathing sounds, or aspirated consonants. When pronounced without intervening vowels, it actually sounds like breathing. YH (inhale): WH (exhale). so a baby’s first cry, his first breath, speaks the name of God. A deep sigh calls His name – or a groan or gasp that is too heavy for mere words. Even an atheist would speak His name, unaware that their very breath is giving constant acknowledgment to God. Likewise, a person leaves this earth with their last breath, when God’s name is no longer filing their lungs. so when I can’t utter anything else, is my cry calling out His name? Being alive means I speak His name constantly. so, is it heard the loudest when I’m the quietest? In sadness, we breathe heavy sighs. In joy, our lungs feel almost like they will burst. In fear we hold our breath and have to be told to breathe slowly to help us calm down. When we’re about to do something hard, we take a deep breath to find our courage. When I think about it, breathing is giving him praise. Even in the hardest moments! This is so beautiful and fills me with emotion every time I grasp the thought. God chose to give himself a name that we can’t help but speak every moment we’re alive. All of us, always, everywhere. Waking, sleeping, breathing, with the name of God on our lips. ] for I am without beginning of days or end of years; [ So we begin the endowment given to Moses. First he is taught who God is. Or eternal, so here God is contrasting the temporal nature of man with the eternal nature of God. Each time God related the Creation account to Enoch, Abraham, and Moses, it was in connection with a mission or a work they were required to accomplish. Enoch was to create Zion, Abraham was to establish a covenant with God that would be passed on to all God’s children, and Moses was to redeem Israel from Egypt. A closer look at each of these “missions” reveals that they are all simply subsets of God’s ultimate work, the eternal exaltation of His children. God’s work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Through coming to know more clearly the nature of God as well as our own nature, we are better prepared to assist in this glorious work. ] and is not this endless?
4 And, behold, thou art my son; [ Next part of the endowment to Moses is who God is to him, He is his Father. An endowment of power is knowledge, not ordinances. That's what an endowment of power is—it is knowing your relationship to God, and who you are in regard to that relationship. So an endowment of power is knowing and understanding that relationship. If I understand who Satan is, where he comes from and why he is here, what his purpose is and what he is doing, and what his endgame is. If I can understand that, then I can protect myself from that evil. The book of Moses is the record of Moses receiving his own endowment of power. The reason these two books, Moses and Abraham, have creation epics in them, is to establish the relationship between God, Man, and the environment in which Man must work out his salvation. When Man begins to realize his relationship with God and the environment in which he lives, he begins to understand what is needed to survive in this environment. Creation epics are given in order to establish that relationship. How is Moses his son? He is his son in the literal and gospel sense. The use of the word "son" denotes that Moses is like him, son to sire - he is different from the animals. " In a 1909 discourse titled “The Origin of Man,” the First Presidency wrote: “Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God” (Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, 81; see also Acts 17:27–28; Hebrews 12:9; Marion G. Romney, Learning for the Eternities, George J. Romney, comp. [1977], 31–32)." Moses being identified as a son of God is very significant. It directly involves Moses with the divine council (sôd) . As one of the unique titles given to individual members of the divine council included “son of God.” ] wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; [ Notice that when he shows his workmanship to both Moses and Abraham he uses the phrase mine hands. the use of the word hands denotes that there was great detail taken in the creation. It implies creativity, comprehension, touch, dexterity and detail. Creation accounts are not meant to convey scientific knowledge on how or when the world or man was created. They are given to establish relationships between God, Man, and the environment in which man will be living. Man was created in the image of God, and understanding the relationship he has with God and his environment gives him added power to get through this life. Trying to use any of the scriptural or temple creations accounts to figure out how and when and how long, scientifically, is a complete waste of time! That's not what they are for. Also Abraham 3:11. The important key thing to realize when we get into these creation accounts is that we are dealing with endowments; endowments of power to these prophets. They are recorded to establish relationships. I cannot stress that enough! They are there to give each of us the knowledge we need to pass through this temporal life better prepared to meet its challenges: a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation; a knowledge of our relationship to God and to the world in which we live, and the knowledge that we have the potential to become like God. ] but not all, for my works are without end, [ Including worlds without being numbered. He can now see the whole plan of salvation. That extends beyond this world. ] and also my words, for they never cease. [ Moses sees everything and everyone. What are the keys Moses holds? What were the keys that Moses gave to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration and to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple? A: The Keys to the Gathering. Why then would he need to see all of the children of men? A: Because he has the keys to gather all of the children of men. ]
5 Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, [ No mortal can see everything in its entirety and detail from eternity to eternity. While he does not understand everything at this point which is really too much for man to comprehend, he has been given further light and knowledge from God. ] except he behold all my glory; [ Man cannot comprehend all of the glory of God without being like him - beholding all of his glory. Man is not even capable of understanding all of the works of God unless he is able to understand and contemplate all of His glory. We cannot do that without being a God. What this chapter does from here on is open the heavens beyond our earth and solar system, and perhaps beyond our galaxy and universe. Therefore if God changes Moses enough for Moses to comprehend everything then he will change Moses enough that he will not be able to go back to the state that he is now in on the earth. ] and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth. [ Why can man not remain on the earth after he has beheld all of the glory of God and all of his works? So I guess we can then conclude that he did not show him everything because in verse 6 he says he has a work for Moses to do and needs him still in the flesh. Those who cannot remain on the earth in their flesh after beholding all of God's glory are presumably translated persons.In 3 Ne. 28:13-15 is an account of the Three Nephites who are caught up into heaven and they see unspeakable things, and "they were changed from this body of flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God". Later in that same chapter we are informed by Mormon that their bodies underwent some change. Another point worth mentioning is if the mortal were exposed to all of eternity this would necessarily require their own pre-mortality to be shown to them as well, which would eliminate the veil of forgetfulness which grants us considerable free agency. ]
6 And I have a work for thee, [ Foreordained - and because I have a work for you Moses I will not be able to show you every detail from eternity to eternity see vs 5. “I have a work for thee to do.” You have a part in the program! Knowing this gives Moses power over the temptations of Satan later on in the chapter. He is receiving the the instruction of what he needs to teach the Children of Israel about the relationship between God and man and the environment of the Promised Land in which they are going to live. ] Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; [ This Genesis account is all about the Savior, we will find references to the Savior and his role throughout this text. Most of what we learn here will not be found in Epic Genesis. Here it will act as the backdrop for everything. What does it mean to be created in the similitude of the savior? He is not only created in the image and likeness of God, he can become like the son of God! A First-born. He is learning about the Plan of Salvation and the Plan of Exaltation. He is being introduced to the big picture. In addition; Moses is cast as a type of Christ in that he acts as intercessor between the Lord and Israel just as Christ will act as intercessor between the Father and His children. Symbolically Moses is to act as a savior and deliver of Israel, Freeing them from slavery, taking them through the waters of the red sea (Symbolic of baptism), taking them to the promised land (Symbolic or heaven). Moses provided the Law to the people; just as the Savior provides the law to us. And there is the well known prophecy of the Messiah characterized as "the prophet like Moses", cf. Deut. 18:15. Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines similitude as “likeness; resemblance; likeness in nature, qualities or appearance; as similitude of substance.” . How important is it for Moses at this time to know that he is created in the similitude of the Savior? Because of what is going to happen next...the visit from Satan. He knows not only that he is created in the image and likeness of God, he can become like the son of God! A First-born. He is learning about the Plan of Salvation and the Plan of Exaltation. He is being introduced to the big picture, as we will see later on. ] and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, [ Remember that Moses came from a world of idols and false deity as was had among the Egyptians. Here the Lord is making a point - he is getting the attention of Moses. If Moses is going to accomplish the work that is before him he must understand this message well. That the work will only come about by un-relenting faith in ONE GOD the creator of the world, the center of all faith and worship. It is also important to note that Moses is about to be confronted by Satan - the Lord knows this and is teaching Moses that there is only one God before Satan gets his chance to distort the truth. Moses paraphrases this back to Satan in vs 15] and all things are present with me, [ The dimension of time is different to God - Elder Neal A. Maxwell "God...is not simply predicting based on the past. In ways that are not clear to us, he sees rather than forsees the future, because all things are at once present before him" Things As They Really Are p29. ] for I know them all.
7 And now, behold, this one thing I show unto thee, [ Again we see this one thing; What is the one thing that he is going to show him? The clue is found in verse 39; this world and it's purpose. Why is this important? God saw Moses from a different perspective than Moses saw himself. In order to make the best use of our time on earth we need to see ourselves as god sees us. In addition, Moses was also shown that this world was created by Jesus Christ under the direction of the Father. This was important for Moses to understand because he Moses will come to have to deal with Satan shortly. In dealing with Satan he will be required to exercise all of his power to withstand him, including calling upon the name of the Savior to dismiss Satan from him. So we could say that Moses obtained knowledge. Joseph taught that man cannot be saved any faster than he gains knowledge. A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God. (TPJS p 217) Knowledge is that endowment of power, coupled with truth and the ordinances that are required. It is knowledge that provides that endowment of power. What then is the endowment of power? It is knowing that there was a plan. Knowing that there was a grand council in heaven, Knowing that we can come back to the presence of God, Knowing that we can be resurrected, Knowing that we have the potential to become like God, Knowing that we can repent and gain forgivness of our sins, Knowing where evil came from, Knowing why evil is here, Knowing how to control that evil, Knowing that there is a plan and a purpose for this life, Knowing that our power here can become as limitless as God, Do you know what kind of power that gives you over mortality that nobody else has? Did you truly understand what baptism really meant when you were eight years of age? No, you didn't! The ordinance was performed; we participated in it. We may have listened to a talk or two about it. But the ordinance itself did not give us the power required to make it effective in our lives! It's the knowledge and the action that make the ordinances effective in one's life! To repeat...it is the knowledge that is the endowment of power! ] Moses, my son, for thou art in the world, and now I show it unto thee. [ Moses sees everything and everyone. Q: What are the keys Moses holds? What were the keys that Moses gave to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration and to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple? A: The Keys to the Gathering. Q: Why then would he need to see all of the children of men? A: Because he has the keys to gather all of the children of men. ]
8 And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, [ The vision revealed to the prophets appears to be one that encompasses the ends of the world from the beginning until the end. The following references are representative:
Adam: "Adam . . . being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation" (D&C 107:56).
Enoch: "And I saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face; and he said unto me: Look, and I will show unto thee the world for the space of many generations. . . . And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world" (Moses 7:4, 67).
The Brother of Jared: "He showed unto the brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth" (Ether 3:25)
Abraham: He saw the creation of the world (see Abraham 4:1); the spirit children of God in the pre-earth life (see Abraham 3:22-26).
Moses: "Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof" (Moses 1:8).
Isaiah: "He spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel" (3 Nephi 23:2).
Nephi: Nephi saw the events from his day until the second coming of the Lord (see 1 Nephi 11-14).
Ezekiel: Ezekiel saw events that spanned from his day to the second coming of the Savior, including the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the resurrection, and so forth (see Ezekiel 37).
Jesus: "And he did expound [to the Nephites] all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory" (3 Nephi 26:3).
John the Revelator: "Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea and also many things which have been. And he shall also write concerning the end of the world" (see 1 Nephi 14:20-27).
Additional unnamed prophets: "And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity . . . in the own due time of the Lord" (1 Nephi 14;26). ] and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.
9 And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, [ The lights go out, the curtain comes down. It is the end of Act I and the beginning of Act II. We learned in verse 2 that "the glory of God was upon Moses" and now it is not. Now Moses describes what happens, how he feels not to have the glory of God upon him. It even continues on in verse 10. Symbolic of our coming to this earth; we were no longer in the presence of God. ] that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. [ What does Moses learn from being left unto himself? That he is nothing, and symbolically when we are left to ourselves without God we are helpless. Moses was trained to be a leader (Antiquities of the Jews book 2 chapter 9&10). He had lived his entire life some 40 years at this point, in the presence of mighty men, he was very much accustomed with the power of man. Here is is getting an idea first had of the difference between the power of man and the power of God. What other examples do we have of those left unto themselves? The Savior in Gethesame. After Adam was expelled from the Garden, he was commanded to offer sacrifices. “After many days” the angels visit Adam and ask if he knows why he is offering those sacrifices. He replies that he knows not, only that the Lord commanded him. The angel of the Lord says: Moses 5:7-8. This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the son forevermore. The lesson Adam learns is that obedience precedes knowledge, and then knowledge, once obtained, commands greater obedience in order to receive even greater light and knowledge, which then requires even greater obedience ... and so on, and so on. This is known as the law of revelation for receiving more light and truth. What is the purpose of being left to oneself? It is then that we have to make decisions for ourselves, to exercise our agency - to define what and who we want to become.] And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. [ "There is a lesson in the life of Moses that virtually everyone will experience one day. It is the sobering truth that before or after great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, as the adversary tries either to keep us from receiving revelation or to make us doubt the light we have received… Paul said to those who thought a new testimony, a personal conversion, or a spiritual experience would put them beyond trouble, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb. 10:35–36). In LDS talk that is to say, “Sure it is tough. But don’t draw back. Don’t panic and retreat. Don’t lose your confidence. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t distrust the experience you had.” That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you." Elder Jeffery R. Holland. ]
10 And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength [ Once this outpouring of the abundance of the Spirit subsided, Moses found himself on his back for many hours. When he came to his strength again, he exclaimed, "Now ... I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed". Think of him, reflect on the fact that for the first forty years of his life, he had been primped, pampered, and prepared as a prince, even to become a king in Egypt. For all he had known, he was a member of the royal family, even a god. He had access to the greatest knowledge and library in the world. And now, at age eighty, forty years after his experience at the burning bush see verse 1, having received the fulness of the endowment for the first time, he realized that he had not been fully prepared for this endowment. ] like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, [ God as everything to us and vice versa and emphasize that he knows and has power over the end and the beginning, something Moses is beginning to learn himself. God is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. It must have been comforting for Moses to learn that an omniscient God, the very one responsible for creation, was the same one commissioning him to do the impossible in leading Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness to receive the covenant. How can it be true that we are the son of God and yet still man is nothing? We are nothing without God because he has given us everything, yet as his children we can become like God. Another way of looking at this is to say that Moses is saying he had previously not realized the immensity of the earth and the minuscule size and relative insignificance of man upon the earth. Moses had lived for forty years as a royal prince of Egypt and was revered as a renowned military leader. After having experienced the power and glory of God, however, he humbly acknowledged that in comparison, “man is nothing.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote that Moses’ statement “surely was not a reflection on man, ‘God’s greatest miracle,’ but a placing of man in the vast perspective of God’s creations and a realizing, even so, that we are God’s exclusive work and his greatest glory” (Notwithstanding My Weakness [1981], 75). Latter-day scripture affirms the truth that with and through God man can fulfill his divine potential to truly become even as God (see D&C 76:55–59, 92–95; 88:107; 121:29; 132:20). ] which thing I never had supposed. [ Moses has not been brought up to know about God. What he does know and has seen is the works of man, and some of them are pretty great. For example the pyramids of the old kingdom were already very, very old. I'm seeing it from God's point of view a little bit. ]
11 But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, [ My spiritual eyes discerned God - his natural eyes saw Satan. Moses now knows something he did not know before—he has experienced the glory of God. Moses lets us know that with his natural eyes he could not have seen God; rather he saw Him with his spiritual eyes, i.e. he was transfigured in order to behold His face. ] for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should [ Would have. ] have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him. [ What is the difference between a Transfigured Being and a Translated Being? A translated being is able to endure illness, sickness, and disease for a period of time, but not indefinitely. They will still have to die. The Three Nephites are translated beings and so is John the Beloved. Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration are translated beings. Translated beings have a work to do that connects one world with another world. The inhabitants of the City of Enoch are translated beings. We can assume that they are more enduring of illness or death at this point. But they will still have to die at some future time. A transfigured being can endure the presence of God for a limited period of time. The glory of God came upon Moses so that he could endure the presence of God for a limited period of time. Given that no unclean thing can stand in the presence of God, being transfigured is a protection of sorts that enables man to endure God's presence; otherwise man would be consumed. Moses has been in the presence of God; he has received light and truth. When the glory of God leaves Moses, he is no longer transfigured. Then in v 13 he mentions the glory again, but there's an event that is happening here. We see it in verse 3 God is telling Moses that he is the only God with whom Moses has to deal, and “Endless is my name,” just like it says in D&C 19:10. ]
12 And it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan [ As the names of God are touched on above, also consider the name of Satan as well. The English word "Satan" is a transliteration of the Greek: satan which most literally translates to the English word "adversary". Thus, another name title and not a proper noun. Both the Greek and English are simply transliterations of the Hebrew term "satan". Also, Satan is elsewhere called "serpent", which in Hebrew is "nachash" and translates literally to "snake".] came tempting him, [ Now that he has been taught Light and Truth, and has been in the presence of God, and understands he is a son of God and has been created in the image of the son of God, and that he has a part on the program with a work to do, he is left unto himself to see if he will use his agency to be true and faithful to the light, truth, and knowledge he has received so far. Moses is now going to be tested. One cannot receive further light and knowledge until he is tested on the light and knowledge he has already received. That is one of the rules of revelation. ] saying: Moses, son of man, [ Why does Satan address Moses as The son of man? Why does satan want us to doubt that we are children of God? Note that Satan has seen that God has had a discussion with Moses; as a result Satan becomes more interested in Moses right now than he has been, he sees and opportunity. How does he do this? By making Moses refer to himself as the son of Man his life and purpose have a different meaning. When viewed within the context of the divine council, this dialogue between Satan and Moses takes upon itself a new meaning. Satan’s tactic was to bring Moses down to a level of mere humanity by calling him a “son of man.” Sure enough, Moses was a “son of man” in the sense that he was a mortal. The term “son of man” in Hebrew (ben ’āḏām) simply denotes “mortal” or “human being.” Although the King James translators followed a literal reading of the Hebrew, many contemporary English translations (including the New Revised Standard Version and the JPS Tanakh) of the Hebrew Bible routinely translate ben ’āḏām as “mortal.” However, since Moses was designated a “son of God” by God himself, he was much more than merely a “son of man.” His deification into the divine council put him far above the status of a groveling human. Satan wished to strip Moses of his prophetic legitimacy by denying his association in the divine council as a “son of God.” As Rodney Turner explains, Moses’ divine calling as a spokesman for God was “challenged when Moses was accosted by Satan himself: ‘Moses, son of man, worship me.’ (Moses 1:12). This is the ruse the devil has employed since time immemorial. He has ever sought to strip the Lord’s people of their peculiar standing with him and drag them down to the level of unregenerate humanity. . . . Moses would not be robbed!” ] worship me.
13 And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? [ Or just who do you think you are... Satan appears as an angel of Light; and Moses detects him. Why is Moses able to detect the difference in the countenance of Satan? Because of his previous experience being in the presence of God, he can discern between God’s glory and the glory of Satan; thus he is protected from deception. How does Moses respond? Moses saw through Satan’s attempted deception by his lack of glory which did not require Moses’ transfiguration to be in his presence. He knows who he is, he is the son of God and how does he know that? Because the Lord has told him threes times already in the first few verses. God has instilled in Moses in the previous verses confidence in himself and who he is, his worth. How can we apply this principle to helping our children? Can it be used to strengthen a marriage? We live in a world of demeaning comments and the such...how important is it to help others see themselves as children of God. ] For behold, I am a son of God, [ Moses - understands who he is; a good lesson here for us. If we understand who we really are; children of God with a divine purpose and destiny then we are better equipped to with stand the lies of Satan. ] in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee? [ There is most likely more to the story than Satan just showing up and saying worship me. He most likely used flattery, made promises and such to lure Moses away. Things to note: Moses recognizes that Satan is beneath him as Moses recognizes that he (Moses) has the similitude of God within him; while Satan does not. Satan; even with no glory attributed to himself still is demanding to be worshipped. It is interesting to note that Man is placed between God - who is trying to exalt and raise up man; and Satan - who is trying to debase man further in a effort to promote himself. And Man is placed in the middle of the two extremes. ]
14 For behold, [ There are several places in the scripture that when we hear we should stand up and take particular notice, they are I believe as follows: "and thus we see" most every time that is said it it by a prophet who has seen our day and is summarizing the important message the moral of the story so to speak, and the phrase"for behold" ] I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely? [ Moses fully recognizes that there is a difference; he is a natural man at this point in his natural non-transfigured state, and in that state he can look upon Satan. This was not true when he was conversing with God. ]
15 Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, [ What is the importance of the statement that the spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me? teaching us a very important principal that we need the help of God in other to recognize the difference between Satan and God. In this case Moses could recognize the difference between his transfigured state and his natural state. ] or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? [ It is the very absence of light, a light that is so powerful; and yet with satan there is simple no light at all. If light symbolizes God, darkness evokes everything that is anti-God. ] And I can judge [ Discern. ] between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.
16 Get thee hence, [ Moses first attempt to get rid of satan. ] Satan; deceive me not; [ Satan appears to Moses as an angel of Light; Moses detects him. Because of his previous experience being in the presence of God, he can discern between God’s glory and the glory of Satan; thus he is protected from deception. ] for God said unto me: [ Moses calls on what he has been taught. This is a great example for us when we come to times where we are challenged. We need to go back, we need to go to the place where we once knew, and start from those things that we knew then. To build upon those feelings. ] Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten. [ Moses says I know first hand who I am and that I am a child of God, and as such I have eternal worth. ]
17 And he [ God. ] also gave me commandments [ Or assignments. Why do you think God did that? Because he wanted to teach Moses the pattern of God. If God give us a plan, a set of instructions of how he would act, and if we follow those instructions we will be making the kind of choices that God himself would make. The commandment are then templates for us to imitate the actions of God until we become like him. ] when he called unto me out of the burning bush, [ Exodus 3. So this gives us some clues as to when this all took place, as we have a reference here that it is after God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. ] saying: Call upon God in the name of mine Only Begotten, and worship me. [ In short, Moses had to be true and faithful to the light and knowledge he received on Mount Horab, as well as what God has shown him so far here. He was then allowed to be tested to see if he would be obedient. The LAW of REVELATION states that Obedience precedes knowledge, and knowledge demands obedience in order to receive even further light and knowledge. ]
18 And again Moses said: I will not cease to call upon God, [ Shows the determination of Moses - he is bound to not give in or give up - he will pray unceasingly if that is what it takes. He knows that it is worth it as he has something to compare to. This statement is one that we often overlook, it sets a standard of what God expects of us. What would it have been like if he did not push forward? What would Joseph Smith's vision have been if he had not pushed forward? What will your destiny be if you do not push forward? ] I have other things to inquire of him: [ In other words Moses is saying "Look here Satan, I was having a good conversation with God and I am not done; I still have more to ask him. So if you will excuse me I would like to continue; quit interrupting us." Moses tells Satan that he still has other things to ask of God so he will remain true and faithful to the light and truth he received in order to receive further light. ] for his glory has been upon me, wherefore I can judge between him and thee. Depart hence, Satan. [ Second attempt to dismiss Satan by Moses. ]
19 And now, when Moses had said these words, Satan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, [ So Satan started out calm, now he is yelling and ranting like a spoiled little baby. ] and commanded, [ He is so desperate now that he is demanding and commanding Moses what to do. His true nature is really coming out. Satan starts out first trying to persuade Moses to worship him. Now in this next verse he becomes the intimidator! He tries to frighten Moses into worshiping him. ] saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship me. [ Why would Satan even try to make this claim? As usual he uses a lie to get his way - he is after all the great deceiver! Once again we see the thing that got Satan in trouble in the first place. His basic desire is to seek the power and glory that belongs to Heavenly Father and to usurp and supplant the role of Jesus Christ in the Fathers plan. ]
20 And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; [ What is Moses afraid of at this point? That he is not sure how to get rid of satan he has asked twice already, but it is not working. And not he begins to see the bitterness of hell. Can you imagine being subject to such demands through out eternity? Not sure how to get out of this terrible situation; he has never been here, and is not sure what to do next - hence the fear. But wait he remembers the power that God has just showed him; as such he really does know how to overcome the power of Satan. - To call upon God. What is the antidote for fear? It is faith. ] and as he began to fear, [ When Moses began to feel fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. What an appropriate description, seeing as it is hell that the adversary would lead us to, and it is fear that he uses to guide us there. Without faith in Christ and his atoning power, we will surely fall. But with faith in Christ, and by calling on his name for our salvation, both temporal and spiritual, even Satan can not stand against us. ] he saw the bitterness of hell. [ And what is the bitterness of Hell? It is knowing what you could have and then having it with held from your grasp. Moses saw firsthand how embittered Satan was for having his deceit exposed and being punished for it by God. ] Nevertheless, calling upon God, [ so where does Moses go to help him overcome his fear? He begins by going back to what he knows that he can trust. He knows the power of God and how that the power of God is far more powerful than the power that he is under now with the influence of Satan. So he calls on God to help him. ] he received strength, [ Interesting how this reads. it does not say and then Satan went away. It does say he received strength. He received the power to do what he had to do to break the influence cast upon him by the adversary. ] and he commanded, [ Then what does Moses do? He uses that strength, he exercises his own power; his influence with God to dismiss Satan from his presence] saying: Depart from me, Satan, [ Attempt number 3 to get rid of Satan. ] for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory. [ Moses has seen first hand that Satan has not glory; no light - he is the absences of glory and light vs 15. ]
21 And now Satan began to tremble, [ Why? Because he was loosing control. Satan controls by fear and now Moses has gone back to a place of comfort. Through prayer he has the power and confidence to over come the fear brought on by Satan. ] and the earth shook; [ His domain. ] and Moses received strength, and called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, [ Moses dismisses Satan again for the third time. There is power in the name of Christ. It is in His name that all miracles are produced (male or female). This is a temple text. We are seeing the exact same story. Why are we seeing this exact same story? So that we can learn how to control and cast out Satan! What is different about this command from Moses to Satan? He does it using the Savior. How long do you suppose that this discussion might have gone on between Moses and Satan had he not exercised the power ot the atonement; the power of Jesus Christ in overthrowing Satan? We have a great example in dismissing Satan from the life of the Savior. “The importance of not accommodating temptation in the least degree is underlined by the Savior’s example. Did not he recognize the danger when he was on the mountain with his fallen brother, Lucifer, being sorely tempted by that master tempter? [see Matthew 4:1–11.] He could have opened the door and flirted with danger by saying, ‘All right, Satan, I’ll listen to your proposition. I need not succumb, I need not yield, I need not accept—but I’ll listen.’ “Christ did not so rationalize. He positively and promptly closed the discussion, and commanded: ‘Get thee hence, Satan,’ meaning, likely, ‘Get out of my sight—get out of my presence—I will not listen—I will have nothing to do with you.’ Then, we read, ‘the devil leaveth him.’ “This is our proper pattern, if we would prevent sin rather than be faced with the much more difficult task of curing it. As I study the story of the Redeemer and his temptations, I am certain he spent his energies fortifying himself against temptation rather than battling with it to conquer it” (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 216–17)." ] depart hence, Satan. [ How many times has Moses told Satan to leave?This is the 4th attempt to get rid of Satan. Does this teach us anything about Satan and his efforts? ]
22 And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; [ In other words he went stomping out throwing a fit; the same way he left when he was forced from the great council in heaven. ] and he [ Because Moses used the power of the Savior; satan was forced to go. The Savior is the one who can overcome the power of Satan 2 Ne 25:20; he is obligated to leave when the power of Christ is invoked. "Satan" The English word "Satan" is a transliteration of the Greek:satan which most literally translates to the English word "adversary". Thus, another name- title and not a proper noun. Both the Greek and English are simply transliterations of the Hebrew term "satan". Also, Satan is elsewhere called "serpent", which in Hebrew is "nachash" and translates literally to "snake". ] departed hence, [ Moses passes the test. He remained true and faithful to what he had seen and heard, and by invoking the Name of Christ, Moses was able to cast Satan out. Knowledge gives you power! Because Moses gained knowledge, he was able to cast Satan out of his presence. What did Moses do to resist the temptations of Satan? See verse 18 Good thing we are not tempted in our lives to the point that we need to not cease to call upon the Lord, I'm glad for the strength to go it alone aren't you? DISCUSS] even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not. [ He was not gone for good; but he backed off for now; he backed off on the pressure to which he was appalling. ]
23 And now of this thing [ First that the power of Christ was needed in order to get Satan to leave. When that power was finally invoked Satan went stomping out - the 3 prior attempts did not work. Lastly; Moses saw firsthand how embittered Satan was at having his deceit exposed and being punished for it by God. He saw the nothingness of Satan, his lack of Power... Is it any wonder that these precious truths were left out of the Bible during translation? ] Moses bore record; but because of wickedness it is not had among the children of men. [ This story is not in the Bible because of wickedness. Or in other words Satan used his influence to persuade men to remove this from the message of Moses as found in the bible. If people do not believe in the bitterness of hell then there is no need to repent, to come to God because all will be well with them in the end any way. ]

24 And it came to pass that when Satan had departed from the presence of Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, [ From the time of Adam, the Holy Ghost has been on the earth inspiring and testifying to God’s children. President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “The fact is all the prophets had the Holy Ghost. They were led and directed by him. And without this power they would not have been prophets. Peter said that prophecy itself ‘came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost’ [2 Peter 1:21]. The Book of Moses, which is the original and perfect record of a part of Genesis, speaks of the Holy Ghost; So do the Nephite prophets, including those who lived in the era before Christ” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:46–47). ] which beareth record of the Father and the son; [ Light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. That is the purpose of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness; testify of both God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. ]

Moses beholds his glory again.... and now what is he taught?

He learns of his mission to free the children of Israel from Egypt. Verses 25-26; He was taught about the earth and it's purpose vs 27-29; Was transfigured an talked with God face to face 1) demonstrating that it was possible, and what was required for it to happen. During that time he was permitted to ask questions and get answers directly vs 30-41; Taught that there are other planets with people on them vs 33& 35; He learned that som earths have already passed away vs 35; No limit to the number of the other worlds created by God vs 22,35,38;

25 And calling upon the name of God, he beheld his glory again, [ God's. ] for it was upon him; and he heard a voice, saying: Blessed art thou, Moses, [ "Moses", the word "moshe" in Hebrew if translated literally would mean "drawn out". It originally came from his being drawn out of the reeds on the river when a baby, but also predicted his calling to draw out Israel from Egypt, which is extended in v. 26. ] for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger [ Do you suppose that the events that have just happened, as painful as they might have been that they have made Moses stronger? ] than many waters; [ Hinting to future events at the Red Sea. And what does Moses do in Exodus 14:21 - He parts the Red Sea. ] for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God. [ The elements alway respond to the will of God - humans don't alway do that - hence we are less than dust of the earth. Here Moses is taught that by using the power given him of God he can command the elements and they will obey. Is there any power given to Moses in that statement? ]
26 And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, [ Moses is reiterated what his calling is, to deliver the children of Israel. Notwithstanding Moses’s experience at the burning bush, Moses is still young and his understanding of the God of Israel would have been derived from his knowledge of God pr the God's that where established from his past. The God's of the Pharaoh where believed to be largely specialized deities. This would have been part of Moses’s upbringing, what he knows. So it seems clear that the Lord uses the Creation account to more fully introduce Himself to Moses—to help Moses understand who he was in relation to God, and dispel the mythic God's that Moses was familiar with. ] even Israel my chosen.
27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes [ He looked and saw. In verse 6 he was told he had a work to do; now he is told what that work would be. And then he receives a comprehensive vision: There is not a particle of the earth that he did not behold. ] and beheld the earth, [ Try to imagine such a view - closest I have come is the IMAX movie of earth from moon at Smithesonian. ] yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the spirit of God. [ Seeing the world through the power of the spirit would blow away any IMAX; there would be nothing that was not visible, in focus and understandable. This addresses the question that is often asked whether the Holy Ghost was on the earth before Christ was here in mortality - so the answer is YES! ]
28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore. [ Reference to the Abrahamic Covenant, cp. Gen. 22:17. Moses' call is to assist God in fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant by bringing natural Israel back to their lands of inheritance. Note in v. 29 Moses sees also the nations (i.e., Gentiles) upon all of the face of the earth, suggesting the grafting in of the Gentiles into natural Israel during the times of the Gentiles. ]
29 And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof. [ He is now beginning to see the scope of his responsibility, the granduer of it all. ]

30 And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them? [ He’s still asking questions – he is still seeking more light and knowledge. Moses must have been overwhelmed... Why so much? Why did you create them? By what power did you create them? In other words, Why was everything created? and How was it done? ]

And Now the ANSWERS...

31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. [ The second interview with God] And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. [ The Lord has revealed to us some of the purposes for creating the earth. What are they? 1) Verse 39 Immortality and eternal life of man - This is what Gods do, build worlds and populated them 2) 2 Ne. 2:25 (give us joy), 3) Abr 3:24-25(Place to prove ourselves) 4) D&C 49:15-17, D&C 110:15 (provide a place for the spiritual and physical sealing together of families--note D&C 2)., 5) 1 Nephi 17:36 (place for heavenly fathers children to possess) 6) 2 Nephi 2:13-16 (place for us to learn to decide good from bad). God's purposes also include those revealed in Isaiah 45:18; D&C 49:16-17; 88:19-20; and Moses 1:39. Isa. 45:8 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: (see also 1 Ne 17: 36) D&C 49:16-17 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation; And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made. (See also D&C 132: 31) D&C 88:19-20 For after it [the earth] hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father; That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. Moses 1:39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. ] Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.
32 And by the word [ and the Word is Jesus Christ see John 1:1-3 ] of my power, [ Which is the raw power that he has. ] have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten son, [ So in other words just in case you did not get the first part - understand that I God created all through my only begotten son - Jesus Christ using the Priesthood. ] who is full of grace and truth.
33 And worlds without number [ This is not his first or last - he is not a novice. ] have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; [ See verse 31; 39. ] and by the son I created them, [ In case you missed it in verse 32 a quick refresher - I created them through Jesus Christ. God is the planner, the designer, the engineer - Christ was giving the plan and tought what to do; and then completed the work to which he was assigned. ] which is mine Only Begotten.
34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many. [ And then Eve which is the Mother of all living see also Moses 3:7. Every earth will have a first man, and all of those worlds without number will have an Adam as the first man. ]
35 But only an account of this earth, [ Moses is only shown the things relating to the creation of this earth - most likely the same parameters apply as discussed in vs 4&5. Moses is given the expanded vision of the eternities and then the Lord narrows it down to this heaven and this earth and nothing more, and that is the way it is for the rest of the book. Moses then begins asking questions about this earth. ] and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. [ Suggesting that these other worlds have been celestialized, first created by Christ then redeemed by him see D&C 76:24 President Brigham Young said: “How many earths are there? I observed this morning that you may take the particles of matter composing this earth, and if they could be enumerated they would only be a beginning to the number of the creations of God; and they are continually coming into existence, and undergoing changes and passing through the same experience that we are passing through” (in Journal of Discourses, 14:71). ] And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. [ This is beyond the comprehension of man; but it is not beyond the comprehension of God - he really does know each and every one of us. ]
36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, [ How does Moses what the Lord to show him mercy? Is it because he cannot comprehend everything and his mortal mind is spinning already, or is Moses asking to for mercy to show him more so the he can better understand? ] O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content. [ As if to say I already cannot comprehend all that you have shown me so let's just stick to this earth as that is really all that concerns me right now. ]
37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, [ A way of saying numbered, named and known. ] for they are mine.
38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; [ Reasoning further, given there are worlds without number, there is not just one council for an infinite number of worlds; each world has to have its own Council in Heaven. so, Adams there are many, and Eves there are many. ] and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
39 For behold, this is my work [ How would the work of the Father be defined here? His work is to get Adam(man) past the angels(cherubim) who stand as centennial's at the gates so that Adam can partake of the tree of life. Remember cherubim where placed at the gates to protect the garden, because of the eternal law that says that "no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God". This is why we send out missionaries, and we are instructed to teach our youth the doctrine - so that they can understand these things. So here the endowment for Moses continues as God unfolds to him the purpose for the earth, next he will see the grand gestalt of the universe as he explained his ultimate purpose: a purpose that transcends the boundaries of this earth and applies to all worlds. Then he will be shown the scenes of the Garden of Eden. He will see the encounter between Adam, Eve, and the great adversary. With this intelligence, and much more, he could return to Egypt with a new identity and power. If this is Gods work and we desire to be like him should it not be our work too? So if God has defined for us what his work and glory are what is left for us to do? We need to be able to discern what God would have US DO in order to help him fulfill his work. This requires a great deal of discernment in order to keep our eyes single to the glory of God. Or am I doing what will be best for his work and glory! The gospel in other words. See 3 Ne 27:13-21. ] and my glory—t [ Glory, we are told, is intelligence (see D&C 93:36). Since his glory is intelligence, he shares it with us. Glory is shared intelligence. The temple is certainly the place for that. ] to bring to pass the immortality [ To live forever in the resurrected state with body and spirit in-separately connected. This has already been taken care of with the death and resurrection of the Savior - CHECK! What is the difference between immortality and eternal life? The resurrection of the Master brought about the resurrection of every creature; all men will live again. Most people do not know the difference between immortality and eternal life. They believe if they have faith in Jesus Christ they are saved. ] and eternal life [ And Jesus said of "eternal life" in John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent". To have the kind of life that God has - gaining exaltation in the highest heaven. This defines the quality of life in the eternities; this is where the plan of mercy is applied. Developing the same character for ourselves that God has, and do it while we were not in his presence. Living with God, becoming a God, and then living in a family unit. This is a foundational fundamental Doctrine it's a primary doctrine one on which everything else rests. It's because of these truths, and is the reason that we have Commandments, it's the reason that we have a church organization, it's a reason there's been a restoration it's a reason that prophets exist, it's the reason that scriptures exist, the reason that that Christ need to needed to come to the Earth, the reason that he needed to die, it's the reason for the atonement to take place, it's the reason that the resurrection took place, the reason upon which everything everything we believe in rests and that that Doctrine is is expressed best by Joseph Smith when he when he said: "“God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 210). " Joseph Smith expressed something here that’s fundamental to Heavenly Father’s plan: Heavenly Father wants us to become like Him, and since we are Eternal Spirits, and because no unclean thing can be in his presence God prepared a way a plan whereby we could receive the same Glory that he has which means being able to come back into his presence clean and pure again. ] of man. [ Because of the bread, because of Jesus' body will live forever, will be resurrected, but because of the blood, the Atonement, we can not only live forever, but have eternal life, which is a quality of life, not just a duration of life. Immortality is assured to all of us through the atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But eternal life is a personal responsibility we must earn and be worthy of. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught in a sermon, that mankind’s responsibility was: “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 346.) “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.” (Teachings, p. 348.) ]
40 And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak. [ Make another record, have we heard this council before in the Book Of Mormon? Moses is given a command to document the revelation he is about to receive. He is informed the book he will write will suffer at the hands of those who reject its authenticity, but it will ultimately be restored in its original form. This statement unequivocally forwards the view that Moses was the author of the Law of Moses, a view which is not commonly held among Judeo-Christian scholars and laymen alike despite the numerous Scriptural references indicating as much (cf. Deut. 31:24, Luke 16:29, John 1:17, John 7:19, John 8:5, 1 Ne. 5:11, 1 Ne. 19:23, 2 Ne. 3:19). ]
41 And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, [ Specifically the Book of Genesis - Deuteronomy; the "Plain and precious things" 1 Ne. 13:28 will be taken out - we can see why from the discussion above vs 23. ] behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; [ Joseph Smith. {Young, in Journal of Discourses, 7:289–90.} ] and they shall be had again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe. [ Usually the Pearl of Great Price is only read by members, those who already believe. Typically a good foundation of the gospel and the bible is required. Alluding to Joseph Smith and the restoration of Moses’ book in its purity and plainness. ]
42 (These words were spoken unto Moses in the mount, the name of which shall not be known among the children of men. [ Can we can safely conclude this is not the same Mt. Horeb/Sinai which is a common setting early in the book of Exodus, and the events chronicled here are not found anywhere in the book of Exodus? ] And now they are spoken unto you. Show them not unto any except them that believe. [ A caution to only show them to those who are believers in the restored gospel. Most of the doctrinal questions our members are concerned about and are seeking answers to are generally discussed in the PoGP. The PoGP was given to Members of the Church, not to non-members. Why because they in essence are the temple texts. Why? because it is just too much to take in without a knowledge of God and his power. If it is too much people without a testimony or the ability to understand through the power of the Holy Ghost will just become lost and confused. It will do more damage than good. ] Even so. Amen.)