Abraham 3

Jehovah

And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest. Abraham 3:3–4

The Lord who teaches Abraham about Kolob is the same Jehovah who named Himself in chapters 1 and 2. He governs the heavens He made.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• the same title in Abraham 2:8 — The Lord speaking to Abraham is Jehovah.

Kolob as a Symbol of Christ

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. Abraham 3:9

Kolob is the great governing star nearest God's throne, ruling the lesser lights. Some Latter-day Saint teachers see it as a symbol of Jesus Christ, who stands nearest the Father and governs all things under Him. This is a soft, taught reading, not a declared type.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• the same title in Abraham 3:16 — Kolob is the greatest of the stars because it is nearest unto the Lord.

Jehovah

Thus I, Abraham, talked with the Lord, face to face, as one man talketh with another; and he told me of the works which his hands had made; Abraham 3:11–13

Abraham sees and talks with the Lord face to face. Jehovah, the premortal Christ, lays His hand on Abraham's eyes and shows him the creations His own hands made, since Christ created the worlds under the Father.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Exodus 33:11 — The LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.
• the same event in Moses 1:33 — Worlds without number God created by the Son, shown to Moses in a similar vision.

The Premortal Christ

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. Abraham 3:19–21

Jehovah declares He is more intelligent than all spirits and that He came down in the beginning among the intelligences. This shows the premortal Christ's greatness and leadership before the world was.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• the same event in Abraham 3:24 — One like unto God stands among the spirits in the premortal council.
• the same title in Abraham 1:16 — The Lord speaking is Jehovah.

Creation by Christ

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; Abraham 3:24

In the premortal council, one "like unto God" leads the others in planning to create the earth. This is Jesus Christ, who created the earth under the direction of the Father.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same event in Moses 1:33 — "By the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten."
• the same event in John 1:3 — All things were made by Him.
• the same event in Abraham 4:1 — "Let us go down" and the Gods form the heavens and the earth.

Son of Man

Son of Man — the Son of the Man of Holiness, a title of Jesus Christ as the Son of God the Father

And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. Abraham 3:27

When the Father asks whom He should send, the premortal Jesus Christ, "like unto the Son of Man", humbly volunteers and is chosen over Lucifer. This is the Savior's foreordination to carry out the Father's plan and atone for us.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same event in Moses 4:1-2 — The Beloved Son says, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever."
• alludes to Isaiah 6:8 — "Whom shall I send ... Here am I; send me."
• the same title in Moses 6:57 — The Son of Man is the Son of the Man of Holiness, Jesus Christ.