The world in which we live was created spiritually before it was created temporally. The spiritual world was the blueprint, or plan for the temporal world, which was made after the pattern of the spirit world, and there is a typological relationship between realities in this world and the realities of the spirit rule, of which they are shadows.
Let us begin by looking at a simple passage in the King James Version of Genesis:
These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
(Gen. 2:4-5 KJV emphasis added)What does this passage mean when it says that every plant of the field was created “before it was in the earth” and every herb of the field was created “before it grew”?
The First Century Jewish writer Philo of Alexandria commented upon this verse saying:
(129) So Moses, summing up his account of the creation of the world, says in a brief style, "This is the book of the creation of the heaven and of the earth, when it took place, in the day on which God made the heaven and the earth, and every green herb before it appeared upon the earth, and all the grass of the field before it sprang up." Does he not here manifestly set before us incorporeal ideas perceptible only by the intellect, which have been appointed to be as seals of the perfected works, perceptible by the outward senses. For before the earth was green, he says that this same thing, verdure, existed in the nature of things, and before the grass sprang up in the field, there was grass though it was not visible. (130) And we must understand in the case of every thing else which is decided on by the external senses, there were elder forms and motions previously existing, according to which the things which were created were fashioned and measured out. For although Moses did not describe everything collectively, but only a part of what existed, as he was desirous of brevity, beyond all men that ever wrote, still the few things which he has mentioned are examples of the nature of all, for nature perfects none of those which are perceptible to the outward senses without an incorporeal model.(Philo; On Creation 129-130)
Earlier in this same work, Philo had written:
IV. We must mention as much as we can of the matters contained in his account, since to enumerate them all is impossible; for he embraces that beautiful world which is perceptible only by the intellect, as the account of the first day will show: (16) for God, as apprehending beforehand, as a God must do, that there could not exist a good imitation without a good model, and that of the things perceptible to the external senses nothing could be faultless which wax not fashioned with reference to some archetypal idea conceived by the intellect, when he had determined to create this visible world, previously formed that one which is perceptible only by the intellect, in order that so using an incorporeal model formed as far as possible on the image of God, he might then make this corporeal world, a younger likeness of the elder creation, which should embrace as many different genera perceptible to the external senses, as the other world contains of those which are visible only to the intellect. (17) But that world which consists of ideas, it were impious in any degree to attempt to describe or even to imagine: but how it was created, we shall know if we take for our guide a certain image of the things which exist among us. When any city is founded through the exceeding ambition of some king or leader who lays claim to absolute authority, and is at the same time a man of brilliant imagination, eager to display his good fortune, then it happens at times that some man coming up who, from his education, is skilful in architecture, and he, seeing the advantageous character and beauty of the situation, first of all sketches out in his own mind nearly all the parts of the city which is about to be completed–the temples, the gymnasia, the prytanea, and markets, the harbour, the docks, the streets, the arrangement of the walls, the situations of the dwelling houses, and of the public and other buildings. (18) Then, having received in his own mind, as on a waxen tablet, the form of each building, he carries in his heart the image of a city, perceptible as yet only by the intellect, the images of which he stirs up in memory which is innate in him, and, still further, engraving them in his mind like a good workman, keeping his eyes fixed on his model, he begins to raise the city of stones and wood, making the corporeal substances to resemble each of the incorporeal ideas. (19) Now we must form a somewhat similar opinion of God, who, having determined to found a mighty state, first of all conceived its form in his mind, according to which form he made a world perceptible only by the intellect, and then completed one visible to the external senses, using the first one as a model.
V. (20) As
therefore the city, when previously shadowed out in the mind of the man of
architectural skill had no external place, but was stamped solely in the mind
of the workman, so in the same manner neither can the world which existed in
ideas have had any other local position except the divine reason (Logos) which
made them; for what other place could there be for his powers which should be
able to receive and contain, I do not say all, but even any single one of them
whatever, in its simple form? (21) And the power and faculty which could be
capable of creating the world, has for its origin that good which is founded on
truth; for if any one were desirous to investigate the cause on account of
which this universe was created, I think that he would come to no erroneous
conclusion if he were to say as one of the ancients did say: “That the Father
and Creator was good; on which account he did not grudge the substance a share
of his own excellent nature, since it had nothing good of itself, but was able
to become everything.” (22) For the substance was of itself destitute of
arrangement, of quality, of animation, of distinctive character, and full of
all disorder and confusion; and it received a change and transformation to what
is opposite to this condition, and most excellent, being invested with order,
quality, animation, resemblance, identity, arrangement, harmony, and everything
which belongs to the more excellent idea.
(Philo;
On Creation IV, 15b-V, 22)
In other words, Philo is saying that the incorporeal world is a world of idea perceptible only to the intellect, which served as a sort of blueprint in the mind of the Creator, for this corporeal world in which we live.
It is very interesting that Restoration Scriptures give a virtually identical understanding to the meaning of Genesis 2:5 as this First Century Jewish writer.
We read in Joseph Smith’s “translation” of Genesis 2:5:
5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;
(Gen. 2:3) (JST Gen. 2:5/Moses 2:5)
And the parallel in the Book of Abraham has:
4 And the Gods came down and formed these the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were formed in the day that the Gods formed the earth and the heavens,
5 According to all that which they had said concerning every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for the Gods had not caused it to rain upon the earth when they counseled to do them, and had not formed a man to till the ground.
Abraham 2:8 (Abraham 5:4-5)
In the Book of Abraham this passage refer to an idea previously presented in that book, that creation was planned in detail, before it was executed:
21 And the Gods prepared the waters that they might bring forth great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters were to bring forth abundantly after their kind; and every winged fowl after their kind. And the Gods saw that they would be obeyed, and that their plan was good.
Abraham 7:6 (Abr. 4:21)
31 And the Gods said: We will do everything that we have said, and organize them; and behold, they shall be very obedient. And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning they called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening that they called day; and they numbered the sixth time.
Abraham 7:7 (Abr. 4:31)
In other words, both Philo of Alexandria and the Restoration Scriptures teach that this temporal world was modeled after a spiritual world which was a “plan” or blueprint in the mind of the Creator before it was created physically.
The spiritual world which was the model and plan for this temporal world was a world of ideas and symbolism. As we read in Joseph Smith’s “translation” of Genesis:
And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.
(Gen. 4:9) (JST Gen. 6:66 Moses 6:63)
This brings us to Lechi’s words found in the Stick of Joseph:
And the Torah is given unto men; and by the Torah no flesh is justified, or by the Torah men are cut off. Yes, by the temporal Torah they were cut off, and also by the spiritual Torah they perish from that which is good and become miserable for ever.
(2Nefi 1:6)
Lechi was teaching that the temporal Torah is a copy of the spiritual Torah.
And this is why we read in the Torah that the Tabernacle and all of it’s furnishings built on earth was “made after a pattern” which was shown to Moses:
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
(Ex. 25:9, 40)
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
(Ex. 25:40)
And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.
(Numbers 8:4)
This is why Paul writes in Hebrews:
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
(Heb. 8:5 KJV)
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath
enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the
vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the
heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us:
(Heb. 9:23 KJV)
This is because the typology of the earthly Tabernacle and it’s furnishings is a “shadow of heavenly things”. This typology is real. In fact it is so real, that it is the original model, and our reality is only the shadow cast by light on that heavenly reality.
This is what Paul means when he writes:
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
(Col. 2:16-17 KJV)
And in Hebrews:
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
(Heb. 10:1 KJV)
(The word “not” does not appear in p46 our oldest manuscript of Hebrews)
And as we read in the Stick of Joseph:
And now ought you not to tremble and repent of your sins? And remember, only in and through Mashiach can you be saved. Therefore, if you teach the Torah of Moshe, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come. Teach them that redemption comes through Mashiach YHWH, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.
(Moshiyah 8:15)
And they did also bury their weapons of war according as their brothers had, and they began to be a righteous people, and they did walk in the ways of YHWH and did observe to keep his mitzvot and his statutes. Yes, and they did keep the Torah of Moshe; for it was expedient that they should keep the Torah of Moshe as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But even though they kept the Torah of Moshe, they did look forward to the coming of Mashiach, considering that the Torah of Moshe was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances until the time that he should be revealed unto them. Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the Torah of Moshe, but the Torah of Moshe did serve to strengthen their faith in Mashiach; and thus they did retain a hope, through faith, unto Eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy which spoke of those things to come.
(Alma 14:15)
Passover is an example, as Paul writes:
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as
ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither
with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth.
(1Cor. 5:7 KJV)
And as Kefa writes:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
(1Kefa 1:18-19 KJV)
Another example is the Firstfruits offering:
Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of Elohim, except it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Mashiach, who lays down his life according to the flesh and takes it again by the power of the spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto
Elohim, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men, and they that believe in him shall be saved.
(2Ne. 1:6)
Wherefore, beloved, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Mashiach, his only
begotten Son, that you may obtain a resurrection according to the power of the resurrection which is in Mashiach, and be presented as the firstfruits of Mashiach unto Elohim, having faith and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifests himself in the flesh.
(Ya’akov 3:3)
When we keep these commandments of the temporal Torah, we are resonating with the ideas of the spiritual Torah in the heavens. The Hebrew word for “commandment” is “mitvah”. The word mitzvah is related to the Aramaic word tzavta, meaning to attach or join. When we keep these mitzvot, we are connecting the upper spiritual world with the temporal world in which we live. Much like a tuning fork resonates with another tuning fork.
This temporal world is modeled after a spiritual world of ideas which served as a pattern for this world. When we observe rituals such as Passover or those associated with the Tabernacle of Temple, we are creating a connection between this world and the spirit world. This temporal world is only a shadow of the ultimate and original reality of the spiritual world.
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