Because They Knew Not God

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And changed the glory of God into an image made like to corruptible man…. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator…” (Romans 1:21-23; 25).

When we in the church talk of Christ and "try" to be like Him, we, it seems to me, concentrate on the mortal Jesus and believe that we can become like Him by following His example. Little thought, except for those who actually search the scriptures and feast upon His words, is given to who Christ really is.

Who is this Jesus Christ?  Records tell us that He first came as Jehovah, then the mortal Jesus, and then the resurrected Christ. He will come again in all His glory.  He is the Son of God having received of His fulness (D&C 93).  He is the light of the sun, moon, and stars (D&C 88).

What does that mean?

All in all, Hubble reveals an estimated 100 billion galaxies in the universe or so, but this number is likely to increase to 200 billion and more as telescope technology in space improves.

So far, astronomers have found more than 3500 solar systems and are discovering new ones every year.  Given how many they have found in our own neighborhood of the Milky Way galaxy, scientists estimate that there may be tens of billions of solar systems in our galaxy, perhaps even as many as 100 billion.

In terms of the number of solar systems present in the universe, there are something like 300 billion stars in the Milky Way, so if 10 percent of them have planets, there are over 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe.

An international team of astronomers has found that the universe contains at least 2 trillion galaxies, ten times more than previously thought.

The Milky Way is only 100,000 light years in diameter. A light year is a measure of distance, not time. It is the total distance that a beam of light, moving in a straight line, travels in one year. To obtain an idea of the size of a light year, take the circumference of the earth (24,900 miles), lay it out in a straight line, multiply the length of the line by 7.5 (the corresponding distance is one light-second), then place 31.6 million similar lines end to end. The resulting distance is almost 6 trillion (6,000,000,000,000) miles! Times that number by 100,000 and that is the size of a light year.

Genes are composed of DNA, and it is predicted that there are over 3 billion basepairs in the human genome.  Humans have approximately 10 trillion cells, so if you were to line all of the DNA found in every cell, it would stretch from the earth to the sun 100 times.

About 3 billion basepairs of DNA fit into a space, just 6 microns across. If you stretch the DNA in one cell all the way out, it would be about 2m long, and all the DNA in all your cells put together would be about twice the diameter of the solar system.

“And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would just be the beginning of the number of thy creations....” (Moses 7:30). Isn't it the height of arrogance to think our earth is the only one, or that we think we know God?

“He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; which truth shineth.  

This is the light of Christ.  

As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. 

As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; as also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; and the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.  

And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understanding; which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space--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” (D&C 88:1-13 emphasis added).

As Moses discovered "man is nothing" (Moses 1:10). But while "the glory of God" was upon Moses he could endure the presence of God. 

"And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless? And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth" (Moses 1:3-5 emphasis added).

The Lord then showed Moses just one thing:

"And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered" (Moses 1:8 emphasis added). 

But look what happened to Moses after the presence of God withdrew from him, and God's glory was no longer with him.

When Moses gained his strength of a man, Satan comes to him, and Moses, high on his experience with God's presence, decides to take on Satan by himself. At first Satan is civil with Moses and trys to convince Moses to worship him.

When Moses boasts that he is a son of God, and that he was just in the presence of God and beheld His glory, then Satan attacks.

What does Satan do? He, in a loud voice, says to Moses "I am the Only Begotten, worship me" (Moses 1:19). Moses thought he could dismiss Satan on his own, but found out how powerful Satan is when he relied on his own strength. Moses glimpses the evil, and this caused Moses to fear exceedingly and to see the bitterness of hell. Realizing his nothingness again, he calls upon God and in God's name Satan is dismissed.

What better example of repentance, and the constant need to repent! We endure in repentance to the end. Moses relied on his own strength for just a short time, but then experiencing his nothingness again, he repents and puts his trust in God. God then dismisses Satan and shows even more to Moses.

"And it came to pass that when Satan had departed from the presence of Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son; And calling upon the name of God, he beheld his glory again, for it was upon him; and he heard a voice, saying: Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger than many waters; for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God" (Moses 1:24-25).

After being back in the presence of God, Moses saw more of this earth and each inhabitant thereof. Moses asked by what power was this earth created. The Lord answers him:

"And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words. 

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:37-39).

Moses caught a glimpse of God, but not all. We can learn that we too must repent and turn to God continually, raise our sights above the pulpit and desire to know God. We want to bring Him down to our level (hence our emphasis on the mortal Jesus), and make him like us, when He is anything but.