Dividing the Waters

Reading:   Genesis 1-2

Didn't quite read seven chapters (barely made it through two), plenty tired my friends; however, there was a good deal of creation happening in the first two chapters of Genesis so worry not about our topic.  In the beginning (kind of funny, right), I found a verse that caused some consternation and, after reading a few notes from other sources, thought that it would be a good verse to dig into a little bit...

GENESIS 1:7

7    And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

The waters were divided, some sent to the Earth and some to the heavens...confused...I was?  But, as research often does, I discovered that the division occurred so as to sustain life.  The waters that were divided to the heavens created the clouds, percipitation and the needed moisture that makes up our atmosphere.  Logical enough but it just didn't compute when I first read the verse, hopefully I'm not the only one that found this confusing - no dumb questions, right?

Anyway, in my research I came across a great story from Russell M. Ballard concerning the creation of man and thought it would be nice to share:

While visiting the British Museum in London one day, I read a most unusual book. It is not scripture. It is an English translation of an ancient Egyptian manuscript. From it, I quote a dialogue between the Father and the Son. Referring to His Father, Jehovah--the premortal Lord--says:  

"He took the clay from the hand of the angel, and made Adam according to Our image and likeness, and He left him lying for forty days and forty nights without putting breath into him. And He heaved sighs over him daily, saying, 'If I put breath into this [man], he must suffer many pains.' And I said unto My Father, 'Put breath into him; I will be an advocate for him.' And My Father said unto Me, 'If I put breath into him, My beloved Son, Thou wilt be obliged to go down into the world, and to suffer many pains for him before Thou shalt have redeemed him, and made him to come back to his primal state.' And I said unto My Father, 'Put breath into him; I will be his advocate, and I will go down into the world, and will fulfil Thy command.'" ("Discourse on Abbat™n by Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria," in Coptic Martyrdoms etc. in the Dialect of Upper Egypt, ed. and trans. E. A. Wallis Budge (1914), 482. Timothy, archbishop of Alexandria, died in a.d. 385. Brackets are included in Budge's English translation). 

Although this text is not scripture, it reaffirms scriptures that teach of the deep and compassionate love of the Father for the Son, and of the Son for us--attesting that Jesus volunteered willingly to be our Savior and Redeemer. (See John 3:16; 10:14-15, 17-18). 

Elder Russell M. Ballard (Quorom of the Twelve)
General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session, April 2000

I like stories that assist in making a valued point because they ad a perception to understanding that might not have been explored otherwise.  In this case, the idea that God found pause in breathing life unto Adam adds the intimate idea that Jesus had to reiterate his willingness to accept his role and do whatever it took on behalf of us - makes it more applicable to me.

~Kipling