The Unfolding Restoration Lesson 16: The Book of Abraham

In this lesson, Anthony walks us through the tremendous gift of revelation given to Joseph Smith known as the Book of Abraham.

[@alinehardman2150]

It's interesting to me that I have a heritage of this teaching. My father was serving in the Korean war and was a returned missionary. He is writing to my mother, they are engaged to be married when he is released from the service. There is a letter he wrote to my mom telling her the best way to prepare for the temple is to read and study the Pearl of Great Price especially the books of Abraham and Moses. My mother also told me to do the same as I prepared to enter the temple in 1974. What a blessing this has been in my life.

[@tinysafari1851]

"Just as Kolob is described as the governing star nearest to God, the one that was created first, and the star that gives light to all others, so Christ is on the right hand of God, the Firstborn of the Father, and a Light unto all of us. And if we, like the other stars and planets described in the scriptures, draw closer to Kolob, or Christ, so our greatness, glory, knowledge, and happiness will increase. " Jannalee Sandau

[@paulgregersen3570]

Actually the stars including Kolob are object lessons about the priesthood hierarchy of the 7 birthrights from Noah on to Joseph. The stars are just metaphors for the great and Nobel sons of God who became the leaders on earth such as Abraham and Jacob and Joseph. See why most people try to make this about actual stars giving light and don't understand the right context in the book of Abraham. Link UTube video titled ( BOA ep 16 ) in just minutes you'll see what this really is.

[@shannonsymondsauthor]

Love this! Being an advocate who has worked with survivors of extreme and serious abuse sheds a different light on this story for me. The fact that Abraham is the child of a man who tried to sacrifice him in a ritual and then is asked as a test of loyalty, devotion, faith, and trust is asked to do the same by God, whom he loves shows why Abraham is beloved of God, a priceless spirit or elect from the beginning and strong enough to carry forward the lesson and experience of The Covenant that shapes every moment of time. (How’s that for a run on sentence?.

[@Art65483]

The Vail has been parted. That was the first time I have heard, or considered the metaphor as Kolob being representative of Jesus Christ. It feels right. Thank you.

[@kathleensmith8969]

Me too!!

[@bossendenwoodconvict]

The Book of Abraham was found to be a false translation by Egyptologists...in 1967.

[@Art65483]

@@bossendenwoodconvict If the particular Book of Breathings that Joseph Smith, Jr. had possession of was only used as a catalyst for revelation, and not a literal translation, then lucky we are. The review of Genesis helped to bring about the Book of Moses. Again, by revelation and not direct translation. Glad you are here brother.

[@Sayheybrother8]

@@Art65483 the fact we have to make this type of concession for every aspect of church history including prophetic mandates proven wrong make me as a member really uncomfortable. Why can’t any of Joseph’s history just be what he said it was?

[@Art65483]

Lots of study, from lots of sources; secular, non-LDS, and LDS, coupled with lots of prayer, as well as lots of questioning helped me develop my understanding of things. For me it was not concession of anything, but breakthrough moments. Glad you are here too brother.

[@marymabey9858]

I love these!! They always make me think and want to study more. That’s a very good thing❤️. Thank you!

[@2u43]

Like a comment made by someone else I had never considered that Kolob was a metaphor for Christ and us perhaps being those lesser planets. Very interesting and enlightening. Thank you!

[@sharonflay1593]

Yeah me too is went to look it up in the bible study dictionary lol and didn't find it 😂

[@paulgregersen3570]

The stars ruled by Kolob are the birthright stars . Link UTube video titled BOA ep 16

[@cathrinbantjes6870]

Thank you Anthony. Indeed soulfilling information. I so love the Doctrine of the Abrahamic record.

[@zon3665]

There's a great book by an LDS author that shows that there's perfect harmony between the prophetic statements concerning the garden of Eden being in Missouri and the Old Testament account concerning the garden of Eden. It's called Canaan, Babylon, and Egypt A Comparative Theological Analysis on Creation sold by Eborn Books.

[@kathleenharoldsen1415]

Best episode yet!!! Thanks you so much!

[@Rudyard_Stripling]

Very good insights and presentation, thank you for your hard work and preparation in the knowledge of all things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

[@335415]

Thanks for your insight it has been truly a blessing in my life

[@jacnjoe]

You just blew my mind! 🤯🤩

[@markhopkins6013]

Your lessons are wonderful. Thank you

[@renatemckendry104]

Thank you!

[@BruceYoung1]

Brother Sweat -- great stuff as always. One question: Abraham chapter 3 has sometimes been used to suggest gradations among people on this planet, even by nation, ethnicity, social or economic level, or physical ability and disability. Of course, most of this is not justified by the text, and some of the ways this idea has been used have been awful. It seems to me the idea of "fixed" strata of righteousness or blessedness is countered by verses 25-26 (the whole point of the plan is to give everyone the opportunity for progression) and by Joseph Smith's statement: "All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement." Maybe this is one way intelligences and stars or planets are different?

[@paulgregersen3570]

What was the reason for the book of Joseph being found and why wasn't it translated? The cosmology of the stars represented Abraham's seed numbered as the stars in heaven is your clue. In the book of Abraham it clearly identified the stars as a timeline and as an object lesson about the birthrights of all the noble and great ones. Bright spirits in the preexistence that were identified as metaphoric stars up in heaven in the pre earth life. Kolob representing Christ being the light source of Gods priesthood light reflected by all the other stars (nobol spirits) and how kolob centered the timeline for the prophets on this earth. The bull which is centered and depicted clearly on facsimile two parallels Joseph in Egypt who was identified in Dueteronony 33. Joseph was given birthright authority to gather the stars ( house of Israel) in "Genesis 37: 1-11" In his famous dream Abraham's stars are destined to Joseph's future authority. Joseph wasn't born when Abraham wrote his revelation so it may have been Joseph himself while in Egypt who preserved these writings. The Abraham covenant today is entirely administered by Joseph's authority and birthright. I suggest that Joseph Smith was inspired by the book of Joseph by the very explanations be gave in both facsimile two and in chapter three. He titled it his "explanation" not an Egyptian translation at all. In chapter one the Egyptian characters were identified as Idolatry. Joseph was converting what the Egyptians counterfeited and got wrong back into a biblical text about Abraham's seed. Let me explain what I believe Joseph intended even though he never finished the book of Abraham leaving many loose ends. Link UTube video titled (BOA ep 16) link my name Paul Gregersen to get there

[@lindamartinez7006]

Thank you . Finally someone who actually understands and gets this exactly right . Kolob is Jesus Christ above all the stars . Abraham is teaching about pre mortal life and we are all stars . And one star nearest to God that is Jesus shines brightest .

[@drbcherry]

Sorry Anthony, baseball is the celestial game…….or golf?

[@Thehaystack7999]

It seemed to me that the Hypsoethilis was a temple text but potentially taught of the millennial period and possibly the people of Enoch. These two Zion people represented by the Baboons and the serpents as the first resurrection. The 4 upside down figures possibly connected to the 4 angels which were loosed and also may be representing the priesthood keys being restored and sealing and gathering the saints for the 1,000 year reign of Christ or Kolob. I have been studying ancient Egyptian religion as a hobby, and I know the Baboons are associated with Thoth and Thoth is associated with Enoch, the serpent with resurrection. The illustrations are of course distortions of what was once taught and Abraham is describing the original meaning. Abraham had his experience in Egypt which prepared Joseph and likely helped him understand that the Lord was guiding him and his posterity. Anyways, I can be totally off base, I am not as articulate or as intelligent as I would like to be to express what I feel like I understand from facsimile 2. But I know someone much more capable than I can see what I am seeing and may be inspired to elaborate or discredit my thoughts here. Ultimately, I feel like it is a temple text going through all generations up to at least the morning of the first resurrection. My opinion, it’s not complete but I feel like it is on the right path of expounding what has not been revealed completely.

[@itsgoodforthesoul9749]

Really neat explanation I am fascinated at your hobby. When I got to go see the King Tut artifacts on display in Los Angeles; I not as studied as yourself, wept at almost every info card that spoke of their beliefs as I saw the cards through the lens of Christian understanding. It was a very moving experience. There is so so much we don’t fully know yet. I really like your explanation and I thought you did a great job expressing yourself. Thanks for the insight. Oh how I would love to read the scriptures and other writings Enoch had.

[@paulgregersen3570]

It is the temple text but it is directly connected to the cosmology of Kolob which becomes a pretext for Abraham's seed being a symbolized way to relate Israel to the cosmology of the stars as a timeline for the Abraham covenant today. The stars are an object lesson for the birthright measuring from Abraham to today. Something everybody ignores as the main focus in the facsimiles. They ignore that the numbers Joseph uses in the facsimiles are a mathematical timeline of Israel. Link UTube( BOA ep 16 ) by Paul Gregersen to get there

[@paulgregersen3570]

​@@itsgoodforthesoul9749Is not the interpretation of the planets and stars actually an object lesson about Israel? See why? Link UTube ( BOA ep 16)

[@kathrynhays7794]

Did you have any idea how much you say “as a whole” before making these videos?

[@ensignj3242]

They waited until they were obeyed. Parents need to stop! And wait until they are obeyed.

[@ashleevanallen5526]

I learned more “P’s” than three 🤣🤣 Priesthood Power Property- real estate Posterity- kids Presence (the spirit) Prosperity

[@alexhidell4546]

The "book of Abraham" is where Joe Smith the Prophet (actually a profit) stuck his foot completely in it trying to maintain his image as a "Prophet and Revelator." What was in reality a common funerary scroll included along with nearly all Egyptian burials, was misconstrued into a more ancient biblical old testament story. Unknown to Joe Smit at the time was that work was being performed to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics at the time he made his translation (which was completely false BTW) . Years later the original fragments of the "Book of 'Abraham" scroll was discovered in the 20th century in the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art and in the LDS Church archives. These materials were submitted to Egyptian archeologists who identified the papyri texts as common Egyptian funeral texts. This goof-ball in the video above does not touch upon these facts above trying to maintain LDS dogma.

[@lindamartinez7006]

Read the comment above you . Did you not see it or understand it ? Can you read ?

[@alexhidell4546]

what comments?@@lindamartinez7006

[@paulgregersen3570]

No you are misled by anti Mormons, The funerary text is the very thing that proves Joseph Smith knew exactly what he was translating. This can be proved in just minutes. Go to BOA ep 16

[@paulgregersen3570]

Link utube (BOA ep 16)

[@ChaChaDancin]

This is perhaps the goofiest and most demonstrably false teachings of Mormonism. The papyrus scrolls say nothing about Abraham. Sorry. You are victims of a fraud. I hope God gives you the grace to see it and to escape.