The only other mention comes from a 19th century hymn, which uses Kolob in its first line to describe the glorious life of those who return to God: [2]. The explanation for Facsimile 2, Figure 5 states that the Sun is said to "borrow it light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash": Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh; this is one of the governing planets also, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions. The Book of Abraham quote cited in the criticism above has inspired both kinds of nonsense, including the interpretation found on the web site where this criticism appeared. Among the misguided interpretations is the unjustified suggestion that Abraham taught that the photons leaving the surface of the sun originally came from Kolob. The explanation for Facsimile 2, Figure 5 states that the Sun is said to "borrow it light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash": Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh; this is one of the governing planets also, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions. is swifter than the rest of the twelve fixed stars; going before, being first in motion, being delegated to have power over others to regulate others in their time . According to Abraham 3:5,9. It’s also where we learn about Kolob. Various LDS theorists have differing points of view on this. Kolob is said to be the planet nearest to the throne of God, "which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." D&C 130 may have the answer. to "The Book of Abraham also contains the only reference in Mormon canon to the star Kolob, which is the star closest to where God lives." John Gee, "The Larger Issue", 2009 FAIR Conference. (Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2, Figure #5 A “medium” can mean a material through which some signal propagates or a means or channel through which something is achieved. Fox News, "21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith," (18 December 2007). Kolob is said to be the planet nearest to the throne of God, "which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." 11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; 12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space — 13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things (emphasis added).” These verses are clearly NOT talking about electromagnetic radiation. Abraham's astronomical statements are far more reasonable than the some claim and fit into a picture that makes sense in the cosmic world view of Abraham's contemporaries, The Book of Abraham cosmology is so ambiguous that not even LDS people, let alone critics of the Church, can claim to know what it is actually trying to say. Now, back to the criticism above, and we quote again: LDS doctrine regarding astronomy is permeated with references to time being measured, or 'reckoned' according to a star's or planet's rate of rotation. We would expect a certain amount of randomness in nature, would we not? We invite you to give back. Why isn't it read and referenced more often? Kolob is a star or planet described in the Book of Abraham, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement. William W. Phelps, "If You Could Hie to Kolob," Hymn #284. In determining the Book of Abraham is "not central," Dr. Gee seems to overlook the close relationship between the Book of Abraham and the temple. FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus, "Kolob" is introduced in a rather peripheral way in an effort to teach about the supremacy of God: Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other...And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. . (emphasis added). Donate to us by shopping at Amazon at no extra cost to you. 2 EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE CUT Fig. By the use of the word "greatness" in the scriptures, it is only referring to the length of the days. Where does The Book of Abraham currently fit within the modern LDS doctrinal conscious? We first learn about Kolob in Abraham 3:2-3, when Abraham sees it in a vision through the Urim and Thummim. Or is it a more spiritual medium such as priesthood or faith, or an organizational structure, or a means used for administrative communications? Copyright © 1997-2021 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is understandable how critics could interpret it this way, as meaning Kolob's rotation on its axis, because this is the way some reasonable people believe about this passage even in the Church. What is it about it that doesn't make sense? Joseph Smith names 3 plus 12 other huge governing stars in his explanation of facsimile #2 in the Book of Abraham Fig. 11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; 12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—. [1]. Joseph Smith provided this explanation in Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2, Figure 5: one of the governing planets also, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the Moon, the Earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions. Here we are faced with the fact that it is saying "One day in Kolob." It seems science has shown this to be the case as far as can be seen in general, with the discovery of exo-planets, with some being faster or slower on their axes. No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FairMormon are solely those of FairMormon and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The wording of Joseph Smith’s explanation of Figure 5 in Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham is, in fact, very difficult to interpret. That is the whole point. LDS Church leader and historian B. H. Roberts (1857–1933) interpreted Smith's statements to mean that our solar system and it… Abraham 3:9. Therefore, Kolob is swift in its motion on its orbital path, but slow in its rotation on its axis, which takes 1000 years. In Abraham 3:2-3 and 9 Abraham learned that Kolob is the star that is nearest to God’s throne. Kolob is said to be the planet nearest to the throne of God, "which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made", A “medium” can mean a material through which some signal propagates or a means or channel through which something is achieved. That's really not acceptable: it put the statement "Kolob is the star closest to where God lives" in Wikipedia's voice, rather than attributing it to those who actually assert it. What, in fact, is meant by 'light' in this context? As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. The solar rotation period, by the way, is about 24.5 days at its equator and a little longer as one approaches the solar poles, not that that matters to anything. So the Book of Abraham is really the book of scripture Many people confuse this with thinking that this is where God actually lives. . Question: Does the Book of Abraham state that the sun gets its photons from Kolob? Or should we remember that “The Lord said unto me: Abraham, I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words.” Abraham 3:15, so that, as John Gee has suggested [1], this is simply the teaching that would be easiest for the Egyptians to understand — one that would teach them that Elohim, who dwells near Kolob, rules over than the sun-god, Amen-Re? This planet receives its power through the medium of Kli-flos-is-es, or Hah-ko-kau-beam, the stars represented by numbers 22 and 23, receiving light from the revolutions of Kolob. 1 And I, Abraham, had the a Urim and Thummim, which the Lord my God had given unto me, in Ur of the Chaldees; 2 And I saw the a stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it; John Gee, "The Larger Issue", 2009 FAIR Conference. The Book of Abraham says that it is a “grand Key,” or “governing power.” What does that mean? Copyright © 1997-2021 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Is Kae-e-vanrash a term for nuclear reactions, gravitation, cosmic rays? So there is an interesting paradox in his list of six "central" points of doctrine We are a volunteer organization. Only the Book of Abraham includes all those who live on earth, have lived on earth, and will live on earth as having an existence before this mortal birth. Kolob is near the throne of God (in outer space to my understanding). 13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. Is light a material or an abstraction? Book of Abraham Insight #15 The Book of Abraham is noteworthy for its description of so-called Abrahamic astronomy. So what's the point of the criticism, and where does it not make sense from a cosmological or scientific point of view? This is because the Galactic Nucleus (called "Sagittarius A*" pronounced "Sagittarius A Star" because the Galactic Center is in the constellation Sagittarius) is a super-massive black hole with extreme gravity that can easily swing huge stars around it at incredible speeds like a gigantic sling. So what if the word "great" or "greatness" is used in this sense? Yes, one could say in response that "revolution" is not the usual English term for rotation on an axis, at least in modern scientific terms, so why should we go in favor of this interpretation for either the word year or the word day? Pearl of Great Price Central, Insight #15: The Book of Abraham's reference to "light" is not referring to photons leaving the surface of the sun, A figurative and abstract description such as this cannot be forced into conformance with science, To “borrow” means to receive with the intention of returning, "This is the light of Christ. Within it, Abraham talks of many things in the heavens, including the stars and Kolob, planets and stars being above one another, and these planets and stars having different times. There are many scriptures or statements by the prophets that seem to have scientific implications. Mormons do not believe that God lives on Kolob, "Kolob" is the name given to the star closest to the throne of God in Abraham 3:3, Kolob plays no real role in LDS doctrine or discourse. This is the light of Christ. This is false as God does not live on Kolob. Does it refer to a material or a means? Unfortunately, they are never couched in modern scientific terms and their meanings are often very obscure. Question: Do the statements in the Book of Abraham regarding Kolob's revolution time make any sense? Kolob is the slowest of them all, taking a thousand years to rotate on its axis. Pearl of Great Price Central, Insight #15: The Book of Abraham's reference to "light" is not referring to photons leaving the surface of the sun, A figurative and abstract description such as this cannot be forced into conformance with science, To “borrow” means to receive with the intention of returning, "This is the light of Christ. Kolob plays no real role in LDS doctrine or discourse. What is Kae-e-vanrash? And where these two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still; And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest. These verses from Abraham admit a variety of interpretations. It may also mean to take and adopt as one’s own, especially said of abstractions or ideas, as in “the composer borrowed his harmonic structure from Bach’s Fugue in D Major.” So what does it mean for the sun to “borrow” its light from Kolob? Is Kae-e-vanrash a term for nuclear reactions, gravitation, cosmic rays? answering to the measuring of the time of Oliblish, which is equal with Kolob in its revolution and in its measuring of time. The introduction to the Book of Abraham still maintains it was “Translated From The Papyrus, By Joseph Smith” (Pearl of Great Price, The Book of Abraham, Introduction). Video produced by Pedro Olavarria and used with permission. Mormon Handbook ~ The Book of Abraham The church purchased the papyri and Joseph claimed to identify it's origins. One researcher has shown evidence for both a geocentric and also a more literal interpretation, the one being a symbol of the other. ([1]). The greatest of these is God. What the Facsimile claims is about what governs Kolob is the greatest” Abraham 3:16 It is largest of a group of huge governing stars. The difference between Egyptologists' translation and Joseph Smith's interpretations have caused considerable controversy. And yet from it, from the Book of Abraham in particular, we derive and flesh out some of our most interesting concepts: the Pre-existence, the War in Heaven, the nature of Godhood and more. 8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; 9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; 10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. Therefore, it is difficult to see how a "year" in Kolob, or its rotation around the parent body is a "day" to the Lord, or a day in Kolob. The Book of Abraham speaks of "light" which is "borrowed" from Kolob, which is a "governing power" over other planets. So 1000 years is a day in Kolob, not a year in Kolob, according to the regular English usage of the terms. This is the fastest motion in the heavens. Does the Sun intend to repay the light it borrowed? Farewell to Eden: Coming to terms with Mormonism and Science, https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/index.php?title=Book_of_Abraham/Kolob&oldid=183418. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. Is light a material or an abstraction? The suggestion that Abraham must have taught that the photons leaving the surface of the sun originally came from Kolob is completely unjustified. Kolob in its motion . -Book of Abraham The Lost Book of Abraham (full video) (Institute for Religious Reseach) BookofAbraham.info Egyptology and the Book of Abraham Stephen E. Thompson, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Spring, 1995 . We invite you to give back. Several Latter Day Saint denominations hold the Book of Abraham to have been translated from an Egyptian papyrus scroll by Joseph Smith, the founder of the movement. (Abraham 3:7-9). And, apparently, Kolob revolves about the Earth once per... Well, does Abraham ever give the time for Kolob to revolve around the Earth, as seen from Earth? 8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; 9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; 10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. Is Kolob mentioned in the New Testament and if not, how come? No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FairMormon are solely those of FairMormon and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What does it mean here? Yet other faithful theorists disagree with Gee's conclusions, such as Michael Rhodes, and others, but still great respect is had for Gee's points of view. The Book of Abraham speaks of "light" which is "borrowed" from Kolob, which is a "governing power" over other planets, The light of Christ is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the light of the stars, The light of Christ proceeds from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space, and governs all things. A "year" (as the term is used normally in English) refers to a revolution of a body around its parent body. So it is hard to decide who is more foolish — the faithful saint, who interprets them in a way that forces them into agreement with some current view of science, or the faithless critic, who purposely interprets them in a way that is most at odds with current scientific thought. The suggestion that Abraham must have taught that the photons leaving the surface of the sun originally came from Kolob is completely unjustified. Others may not, and may even disagree with the use of some of the evidence. Doctrine & Covenants 88:7–13, in wording strongly reminiscent of our Book of Abraham quote, states “7 ...this is the light of Christ. It applies only to an extended body.
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