BYU Lecture #2 - The Creation; The Garden; Adam and Eve

Text: Genesis 1-2; Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5

Supplemental Text: The First 2,000 Years - Chapters 3-5

In this 2nd University lecture, we learn that Moses has a second opportunity to inquire of the Lord. This time he learns the importance of the Human race. He is taught from "the beginning" which was actually the spiritual creation of the earth, followed by the temporal or physical creation.

During the lecture, an old dramatized, and somewhat comedic, recording is played depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden. So where was the Garden of Eden? And what are the purposes of this earth life? These and other questions are dicussed in this lesson.

Biblical Text: Moses 1 and Abraham 3

College Text: The First 2,000 Years chapters 1 and 2

W. Cleon Skousen narrates a series of lectures on the Old Testament that were recorded decades earlier at the university and recently recovered. He recounts his return to BYU at the request of President David O. McKay, and writing three Old Testament textbooks, namely The First 2,000 Years, The Third Thousand Years, and The Fourth Thousand Years. These works are available at bookstores or on his website skousenlibrary.com. Dr. Skousen brings the events and people of the Old Testament to life and relatable to us today.

In this episode, listeners will learn key “hook” dates from Adam through Christ, lessons on the spirit vs. temporal creation accounts, Moses’ visions and prophetic experiences, and overviews of major prophets such as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Lehi, and others. He describes important timeline anchors to make it easier for the student to remember, and gives insights into early scriptural manuscripts and restored teachings—offering both historical context and doctrinal interpretation for students of the Old Testament.

In the great battle to take over the world, America is the number one target. Enemies of America, enemies of the Bible, enemies of goodness are almost always atheist, amoral, ruthless and power hungry.

Knowledge is the only defense against our enemy’s deception. We must do our own homework and research to discover truth. Communists lie, cheat, misrepresent and do whatever is in their power to promote their godless agenda. They feel threatened by religion and particularly the bible - the things they fear most. They openly admit that in the coming struggle, “ideas will be more important than atomic bombs.”

Messages from the Old Testament frighten communists. It strikes down their ideas and propaganda. This is why they devote their time, efforts, energy and resources to attack religion and the bible.

We must understand our own role and perspective in this fight. Not only must we stay in the fight and avoid getting discouraged, we must remember there is a greater intelligence who has a more vested interest in truth than we do. He has been in this fight longer than we have. He is the one who created this - the first free people in modern times. So when we feel discouraged and overwhelmed, we must remember, this cause is in the hands of someone more powerful and more capable than all of us combined. Therefore, we must go forward in faith and confidence to be worthy of the upcoming miracle of victory.