Lessons on the Book of Mormon 2020
Lesson No. Twenty-Six
The Heavens Witness There is a Supreme Creator
The earth…and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” – Korihor, a Nephite secular humanist, and Alma debated the great question: Is there a God? “And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God? And he answered, Nay.” Alma continued: “And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true.” After Korihor demanded a sign Alma testified: “The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth and all things on the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:37-44).
The location of North Star witnesses there is a Supreme Creator – While the heavens appear to rotate in the night the North Star, also known as Polaris because it is located directly over the north pole, is fixed and certain in the sky. I believe this is not by accident, but rather it is a tender mercy from God.
Mariners relied on the North Star for navigation for thousands of years. During the Viet Nam war as we flew back and forth across the Pacific Ocean our navigators determined our latitude by measuring how many degrees the North Star was above the horizon. If the North Star was on the horizon we were at the Equator. If the North Star was directly over our head at 90 degrees, we were at the North Pole. (The North Star cannot be seen in the Southern Hemisphere) Salt Lake City is at the 40th parallel, so the North Star as seen from Salt Lake City is 40 degrees above the horizon.
The motion of the heavens witness there is a Supreme Creator – During the years I served on the board of directors of the world-class Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City I learned that the earth could not support life, as we know it, if its order, rotation, and placement in our solar system was not exactly what it is. I also learned many wonderful things about astronomy. At star parties we saw the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. We saw millions of light years into space, and we learned of galaxies, nebulae and many other astronomical marvels, especially solar eclipses.
A solar eclipse is a wonderful evidence that there is a Supreme Creator – The facts behind a total solar eclipse are simple but also amazingly profound. The reason there are total solar eclipses is that the Sun is 100 times bigger than Earth, and Earth is 4 times bigger than the Moon. Even though the Sun is 400 times bigger than the Moon, it is also 400 times farther away from Earth than the Moon. That means the Sun and the Moon appear the same size to people on Earth. Therefore, at the rare times when the Sun crosses exactly behind the Moon there is a total solar eclipse on the Earth. This is evidence of Divine planning and a tender mercy from God.
American Eclipses – Because the earth, and the moon, and the sun “move in their regular form” (Alma 30:44) we know exactly when and where an eclipse will be seen. The last solar eclipse that was seen in the United States was on August 21, 2017. Our family drove to Rexburg Idaho to be in the “path of totality” to enjoy this never-to-be-forgotten experience. The next solar eclipse to be seen from the United States will be on August 4, 2024. The path of totality will go across the United States from Texas to Vermont. Our family will make sure we are on the path of totality.
A particle of faith and a desire to believe is required –Alma taught that we must first “exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you…” and not “resist the spirit of the Lord” (Alma 32:27-28).
Skeptics start with the premise that creation was a matter of chance. However, until a person is willing to exercise a particle of faith by desiring to believe they will never see the hand of the Lord in the creation of the earth, or the universe, or in their individual lives.
The knowledge that God rules in the universe and that He loves His children gives us confidence in the future – Like the order of the universe important things in our lives do not happen by chance. The knowledge that the heavens and earth were created for the benefit of our Father’s children brings great peace, hope and direction in our lives. The knowledge that He has a plan for our happiness, and that He loves and cares for each of his children makes us more aware of His tender mercies and loving kindness.
All of this gives us confidence in the future regardless of the uncertainties of life. Young people can have confidence to become educated, learn a skill, get married, and raise a family. With confidence in the future middle aged and older people can set an example for the rising generation, and they can contribute to their families, to the Church, and to their community.