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December 27–January 2

Moses 1; Abraham 3

“This Is My Work and My Glory”

As you read what God said to Moses and to Abraham, ponder what He might also be saying to you.

Record Your Impressions

The Bible begins with the words “in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But what was there before this “beginning”? And why did God create all of this? Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord has shed light on these questions.

For example, He gave us the record of a vision in which Abraham saw our existence as spirits “before the world was” (see Abraham 3:22–28). The Lord also gave us an inspired translation or revision of the first six chapters of Genesis, called the book of Moses—which doesn’t begin with “in the beginning.” Instead, it begins with an experience Moses had that provides some context for the well-known Creation story. Together, these latter-day scriptures are a good place to start our study of the Old Testament because they address some fundamental questions that can frame our reading: Who is God? Who are we? What is God’s work, and what is our place in it? The opening chapters of Genesis could be seen as the Lord’s response to Moses’s request: “Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens” (Moses 1:36).

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Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

Moses 1

As a child of God, I have a divine destiny.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “Much of the confusion we experience in this life comes from simply not understanding who we are” (“The Reflection in the Water” [Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Nov. 1, 2009], ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Heavenly Father knows this, and so does Satan. God’s first message to Moses included the truths “thou art my son” and “thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:4, 6). In contrast, Satan addressed Moses as just a “son of man” (Moses 1:12). How would your life and decisions be different if you thought of yourself like Satan wants you to, as a “son [or daughter] of man”? How does knowing and remembering that you are a child of God bless your life?

What verses or phrases in Moses 1 give you a sense of your divine worth?

Jesus Christ among stars

Christ and the Creation, by Robert T. Barrett

Moses 1:12–26

I can resist Satan’s influence.

As Moses 1 clearly shows, powerful spiritual experiences do not exempt us from temptation. In fact, one of Satan’s tactics is to tempt us to doubt those experiences or what we learned from them. As you read about Moses’s response to Satan in verses 12–26, what do you learn that can help you stay true to the testimony you have received? What helps you resist Satan’s other temptations? (see, for example, verses 15 and 18).

Based on what you learn, you could make a plan for resisting temptation. For example, you could complete the statement “When I am tempted to , I will .”

See also Matthew 4:1–11; Helaman 5:12; Gary E. Stevenson, “Deceive Me Not,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 93–96; “I Am a Son of God” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Moses 1:27–39; Abraham 3

God’s work and glory is to help me gain eternal life.

After beholding a vision of God’s creations, Moses made a request of the Lord: “Tell me … why these things are so” (Moses 1:30). What impresses you about the Lord’s response in Moses 1:31–39?

Abraham also had a visionary experience, recorded in Abraham 3. What do you find in verses 22–26 that could help answer Moses’s request?

Consider listing other truths that Moses and Abraham learned in their visions: truths about God, about themselves, and about the purposes of God’s creations. How do these truths affect the way you view yourself and the world around you?

See also Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 19–22; Gospel Topics, “Premortality,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Abraham 3:22–23

Were others besides Abraham “chosen before [they were] born”?

“In the premortal spirit world, God appointed certain spirits to fulfill specific missions during their mortal lives. This is called foreordination. … The doctrine of foreordination applies to all members of the Church, not just to the Savior and His prophets” (Gospel Topics, “Foreordination,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

How did we get the books of Moses and Abraham?

The book of Moses is the first part of Joseph Smith’s inspired translation of the Bible. The book of Abraham was revealed to Joseph Smith during his work with Egyptian papyri. These books, found today in the Pearl of Great Price, provide much information about Moses, Abraham, and other prophets that is not found in the Old Testament. To learn more about how we got these books, see “Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible” (Church History Topics, ChurchofJesusChrist.org/study/history/topics) and “Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham” (Gospel Topics, topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

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Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Home Evening

Moses 1:2–6; Abraham 3:11–12.You could invite family members to look for phrases in the song “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, 2–3) that relate to the truths taught in these scriptures.

Moses 1:4, 30–39.Would your family enjoy looking at some of “the workmanship of [God’s] hands”? (verse 4). Maybe you could read these verses in a park or under the stars at night. You could then talk about why God created the world and about how we participate in His “work and [His] glory” (verse 39).

Moses 1:18.What advice can we share to help each other “judge between” God and Satan? (See also Moroni 7:12–18; Doctrine and Covenants 50:23–24.)

Abraham 3:24–26.You could give family members a fun but challenging task that allows them to prove they can follow instructions, such as folding a paper airplane or following a recipe. How is this activity similar to the purpose of our mortal life as described in these verses?

For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

Suggested song: “I Am a Child of God,” Children’s Songbook, 2–3.

Improving Personal Study

Look for gospel truths. In the scriptures, sometimes gospel truths are stated directly; sometimes they are implied through an example or story. Ask yourself, “What eternal truth is taught in these verses?”

Moses commanding Satan to depart

Moses Overcomes Satan, by Joseph Brickey