Understanding Abraham and the Creation – Part VII

Continuing with Abraham’s account of the creation and the principles behind it so we can better understand how the Earth was changed during the crucifixion and why it was not merely cosmetic damage, but a change that was extremely complex and performed in a specific and exact manner. 
• Abraham 4:20: Let us prepare the waters to bring forth abundantly. Now how hard could it be to make ocean water?  Just toss some salt into the deep and you are done, right?  We could try an experiment in preparing saltwater—take the saltwater aquarium. If you plan on growing corals in your reef aquarium, you find that the system you need is quite involved. For the beginner, the chemistry involved is a nightmare.

Take seawater, for example. The salinity of near-surface seawater in the tropics is approximately 35 parts per thousand (ppt), so 35 gram samples were dissolved in highly purified water, brought to one liter and analyzed. The elements sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr) and boron (B) were determined with a Perkin Elmer Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The anions chloride (Cl^-) and sulfate (SO₄^2-) were determined by ion chromatography, which would also detect Br- and F- if present. The concentrations of lithium (Li), silicon (Si), molybdenum (Mo), barium (Ba), vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), silver (Ag) and titanium (Ti) were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectroscopy.
    Here are a few things you will need to worry about: 1) Seawater is more alkaline and needs to be kept above a pH of 8, preferably between 8.25 and 8.5; 2) The salt content must be controlled at between 30 and 35 ppt (parts per thousand) of salt; 3) The salt composition must be tightly controlled with the correct amounts of the following:  sodium, chloride, magnesium, sulfates, borates, bromide,  fluoride, etc.; 4) Traces of heavy metals are normal for sea water and include zinc, iron, chromium, copper, aluminum, cobalt, etc.; 5) You will need nutrients of phosphates, nitrates, silicates, and bicarbonate; 6) You will need to supplement your aquarium with calcium, magnesium, iron, silicates, amino acids, and fatty acids; 7) You will need to remove toxins that accumulate:  ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, hydrogen sulfide, and heavy metals.

Obviously, believers in the Big Bang have failed to explain how such a chaotic start could produce such a perfect chemical environment. The likelihood of a coral reef developing by chance in the oceans of the earth is about the same as a saltwater fish tank miraculously appearing in your living room.  The successful tank is proof positive of a higher power controlling all the elements and making life possible.  That anyone could believe differently is astounding.
• Abraham 4:24-25: the Gods prepared the earth… and the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts
    Any big project requires preparation and organization.  The creation process is the quintessential project of preparation and organization.  While a bird may prepare a nest and a squirrel might organize his collection of acorns, these activities are more often associated with highly intelligent forms of life, with God as the most intelligent (Abraham 3:19).
    Since all things were created spiritually before they were created physically (Moses 3:5), we see that creation is a two-step process. In a way, the preparation and organization phases reflect the same idea, the spiritual preparation precedes the literal organization. If we are asked to teach a lesson, we must prepare spiritually and then organize our thoughts and write them down.  If we expect to have a rewarding temple experience, we should prepare spiritually before planning the trip.  If we hope to have useful Family Home Evenings, we need to both prepare and organize them. In the church, the success of every organization depends upon the spiritual preparation of its leadership. If the Presidency doesn’t prepare to receive spiritual guidance, they will not be able to organize their quorum or group according to the Lord’s will. Likewise, as parents, if we wish to create a Garden of Eden-like paradise in our homes, we must apply regular spiritual preparation and organization.
    On this issue, Thomas S. Monson has said: “In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, December 27, 1832, the Master counseled, ‘Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God’ (D&C 88:119).”

Where could any of us locate a more suitable blueprint whereby we could wisely and properly build a house to personally occupy throughout eternity? Such a house would meet the building code outlined in Matthew—even a house built “upon a rock,” (Matthew 7:24) a house capable of withstanding the rains of adversity, the floods of opposition, and the winds of doubt everywhere present in our challenging world. (“Building Your Eternal Home,” Ensign, Oct. 1999, p2).
    Thus, we see how complex and involved the act of creation is. Hard to image that an explosion of nothing resulting in something would have such organization involved.
• Abraham 4:26 the Gods took counsel among themselves: Understanding this principle in the plan of the government of God, we are given a glimpse of the council meeting of Gods, as briefly recorded in revelations to ancient prophets.
    Harold B. Lee revealed for us: “Understanding this principle in the plan of the government of God, we are given a glimpse of the council meeting of Gods, as briefly recorded in revelations to ancient prophets. Under the Father's instruction and by Jehovah's direction, the earth and all pertaining thereto was organized and formed. They "ordered," they "watched over" and "prepared" the earth. They took "counsel among themselves" as to the bringing of all manner of life to the earth and all things, including man, and prepared it for the carrying out of the plan, which we could well liken to a blueprint, by which the children of God could be tutored and trained in all that was necessary for the divine purpose of bringing to pass, "to the glory of God," the opportunity of every soul to gain "immortality and eternal life." (Conference Report, October 1970, p115)
    To this Spencer W. Kimball added, “Before this earth was created the Lord made a blueprint, as any great contractor will do before constructing. He drew up the plans, wrote the specifications, and presented them. He outlined it and we were associated with him. This was probably when, according to the scientist, this earth was just a nebulous mass in space. Our Father called us all together as explained in the scripture, and plans were perfected now for forming an earth.

In his own words: "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; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." (Abraham 3:24-25).
    That assemblage included us all. The gods would make land, water, and atmosphere and then the animal kingdom, and give dominion over it all to man. That was the plan. He gave it all to man that man might grow and develop and perfect himself and become godlike. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7.) And that wasn't by accident, either, nor by chance. God was the Master-worker, and he created us and brought us into existence. The Psalmist in addressing the Lord said, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:4-5.)
    Man is the masterpiece-in all the creations of God nothing even approaches him. The animals were given instincts. They can seize food, escape from enemies, hide from danger, sleep and rest, but they have practically none of the faculties given to this god-man, to this god in embryo. (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1982, p30).
    So we see that God said unto His Only Begotten, let us do so and so; let us divide the light from the darkness; let us separate the waters and cause the dry land to appear; let there be lights in the firmament in the midst of the heavens to give light to the earth; let us create animals to walk upon the earth, and creeping things, and fowls to fly in the air and fish to swim in the waters, and let us make man in our own image and after our likeness—that is the Father addressing the Son, taking counsel together.
(See the next post, “Understanding Abraham and the Creation – Part VIII,” for more information regarding Abraham’s account of the creation and the principles behind it so we can better understand how the Gods changed the Earth during the crucifixion and why it was not merely a cosmetic event, but a change that was extremely complex and performed in a specific and exact manner)