Old Testament # 5
“If Thou
Doest Well, Thou Shalt Be Accepted”
Moses 5–7
Introduction
How long were Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? How
long was “after many days” when an angel came to them to tell them why they
were offering sacrifice? How long before they had children? How long before
they realized that Cain was a rebel? All questions to which we do not have the
answer. Every parent wishes their children would learn from their mistakes
rather than having to learn on their own. Even Adam and Eve were not spared
that heartbreak. We don’t know a lot about Cain, other than that on the other
side of the veil, he must have known that he was to be one of the first chosen
to come to earth; he had parents who had talked and walked with the Lord, and
he did too, all of which goes to show that there are no guarantees once that
veil of forgetfulness descends. In a similar but different way from his mother,
both instigated by Satan, Cain does the right thing for the wrong reason. But
instead of owning up and taking the consequences, he compounds his sin and
turns his soul over to Satan, for impotent power and ashen glory. Power over
Satan because why? Because he has a body. And who gave him that body, that
second estate, which he disdainfully tossed away? Bitter irony.
Contrast Cain with Enoch. And again, how grateful we are
for Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis that gives us a much greater account
of Enoch than anywhere else.
1. Cain covenants with Satan, kills Abel, and is cursed
by the Lord. Moses 5:16–41.
The key thing here, which I definitely did not understand
originally, is that Cain in the words of King Benjamin: “list[ed] to obey”
Satan rather than God. Going farther with Benjamin, “For behold, there is a wo
pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey
him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his
own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having
transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge” (Mosiah 2:32–33). Cain
definitely transgressed the law of God when he took Abel’s life to get gain—the
aim of every secret combination mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
Here is a quote from Joseph Fielding Smith
Cain had the great honor of being
Adam’s son, and he, too, was privileged with the same blessings as his father.
What a mighty man he could have been! How his name might have stood out with
excellent luster as that of one of the valiant sons of God! How he might have
been honored to the latest generation! But he would have none of it! Cain’s
great sin was not committed in ignorance. We have every reason to believe that
he had the privilege of standing in the presence of messengers from heaven. In
fact the scriptures infer that he was blessed by communication with the Father
and was instructed by messengers from his presence. No doubt he held the
Priesthood; otherwise his sin could not make of him Perdition. He sinned
against the light. And this he did, so we are told, because he loved Satan more
than he loved God. From the Bible one might infer that Cain was the first born
child of Adam, but the Bible gives only a meager history. In the Book of Moses
we obtain a more extended view and a better insight into conditions in that
early day. Adam and Eve were the parents of numerous children, sons and
daughters, even before Cain and Abel were born, as we gain the information from
that story” (The Way to Perfection, 97–98).
2. Enoch preaches repentance to the people. Moses 6:26–63.
Just because I learned a lot about the Gospel from Hugh
Nibley’s books, I wanted to put in a link here to his Ensign article
about Enoch. Eventually one of the Collected Works of Hugh Nibley series would
be dedicated to Enoch as we have it in the book of Moses. But what we have, if
we needed more proof, is compelling evidence for the divine nature of the
Joseph Smith Translation. Here is the
link to the first part of 3. The other parts are in December 1975 and October
1976 Ensigns
Here’s a quote:
The book of Enoch was given to the
Saints as a bonus for their willingness to accept the Book of Mormon and as a
reward for their sustained and lively interest in all scriptures, including the
lost books; they were searchers, engaging in eager speculation and discretion,
ever seeking like Adam and Abraham, for “greater [light and] knowledge.” (Abr.
1:2.) And we have been told that if we stop seeking we shall not only find
no more but lose the treasures we already have. That is why it is not only
advisable but urgent that we begin at last to pay attention to that astonishing
outpouring of ancient writings which is the peculiar blessing of our
generation. Among these writings the first and most important is the book of
Enoch.
We talked last week about original sin, and “conceived in
sin.” Things that Enoch had to preach to an audience of unwilling listeners.
Here are a couple of quotes that enforce the view we came up with.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained:
“We are not haunted with an overhanging sense of ‘original sin’ about which we
can do nothing. (Moses
6:54; Moroni 8:15–16.) By revelation, we know that the Lord told
Adam: ‘Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.’ (Moses
6:53.) Thus, we are accountable for our ‘own sins, and not for Adam’s
transgression’ (Article of Faith 2.)” (Meek and Lowly [1987], 42–43).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie indicated
that the phrase “conceived in sin” means “born into a world of sin” (see A
New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 101).
The reaction to the people listening to Enoch—first offended
and then realizing he is a man of God—is reminiscent of the reaction to Nephi
the son of Helaman as he preached on his tower (see Helaman 8–9). And again, as
we talked about last week, it comes down to agency. What they and we do with
what we are taught by our priesthood leaders and in the scriptures is up to us.
But let’s me more like Enoch than Cain!!
Because, if we can, like the people of the city of Enoch,
work toward becoming of one heart and mind with the Lord, then we can have a
real hope of eternal life and exaltation.
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