Ep 354 | Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 12-18)

Jan 7, 2026

Dive into the intriguing tapestry of the Old Testament, where creation stories reveal profound purposes behind our existence. Discover how ancient cultures intertwined creation narratives with the New Year and explore the chaotic beauty of God's transformative power. Get insights on the temple as a sanctuary, echoing God's design for families. The discussion highlights vital lessons from Moses, such as balancing work and rest, and understanding the significance of Eve as a powerful partner. This exploration invites a fresh perspective on scripture and life's deeper meanings.

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INSIGHT

Genesis As Layered, Temple Text

The Old Testament is an anthology written over centuries with conflicting strands and editorial seams.
Mike Day reads Genesis through a temple/grand-council lens, seeing plural gods and layered authorship.

INSIGHT

Creation Answers Why, Not How

Moses 1 asks "why" God created the earth rather than "how," shifting focus from mechanics to purpose.
The creation account intends to teach that earth's purpose is forming eternal families.

INSIGHT

Family Is The Aim Of Creation

Creation crescendos to humanity and family: after all creation is "good," with humans it becomes "very good."
Day six centers on forming the first family and the commandment to multiply and seal families.

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→ Detailed Show Notes

→ Timestamps:
(00:00) An overview of the The Old Testament.
(04:27) Bryce breaks down the Old Testament into nine time periods.
(09:41) Canonization and the creation of the Greek Septuagint. The authors of the New Testament quoted the Greek version of the Old Testament. The version that Jesus used is unknown.
(13:01) The Old Testament is not one book written by a single author. It is an anthology of books written over centuries by individuals. Later authors sometimes rejected and edited earlier authors. Remnants remain that multiple Gods participated in the creation. The first word in Genesis invites us to consider the Grand Pre-mortal Council.
(20:03) The creation accounts address why the world was created, not how. The purpose of the earth is to create eternal families.
(33:17) Ancient cultures shared the creation story at their temples during the New Year. The time-honored principle of marriage and family are connected to the purposes of creation.
(36:21) Chaos played a role in the formation of the earth. God transformed unorganized matter into something beautiful. The cosmology of the Bible invites modern readers to think about scripture differently.
(41:18) The temple takes us to the creation and the creation takes us to the temple because each us back to God.
(48:25) Moses 2 and 3 can be read as a single account. This is contrasted with the documentary hypothesis, where scholars believe Genesis 1 and 2 come from two different sources because of differences in the text.
(54:21) Seven eternal lessons in the creation account invite us to find success during our time on earth. Finding balance between work and rest.
(1:00:29) Seek spiritual things first, then temporal.
(1:01:50) Cherubim and a flaming sword foiled Satan’s plan and preserved the space between the trees. God protected our probationary estate. God knew from the very beginning that we would sin and need time to repent.
(1:13:11) Satan’s Plan B is to get us to take away our own or someone else’s probationary state. Toxic perfectionism is addressed. Continual progression is what matters to God.
(1:16:55) The river flowing out of Eden as a symbol for the division found in mortality. We must find ways to be unified.
(1:23:08) Instead of focusing on what we are missing, our focus should be on all our blessings.
(1:28:23) Pardes is an acronym to describe the ways of reading scripture: Peshat, remez, derash, and sod. The plain reading (peshat), allegorical or hidden reading (remez), the moral or imperative sense or application (derash), and the mystical, esoteric, or temple reading (sod).
(1:30:13) The rib in Genesis 2.22 symbolizes partnership in marriage.
(1:38:44) “Helper” or ʿēzer as found in Genesis 2.18 has often been misread and used to subjugate women. The term translated as “help meet” actually denotes the kind of powerful help that God gives. Eve’s position next to Adam places both in a setting as having dominion over the whole earth. Eve is called “Zoe” in the LXX, the mother of all the living ones. There is no kingdom without Eve.
(1:47:02) Fig leaves can represent covering our sins with bigger and bigger lies.
(1:52:47) Garments are a piece of the temple that we wear to remind us of our connection to the Savior’s atonement.

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The post Ep 354 | Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5, Come Follow Me 2026 (January 12-18) appeared first on LDS Scripture Teachings.