The Planet In Ab. 3:5

[Duncan]

In Abraham 3:5 it says, 5

" And the Lord said unto me: The planet which is the lesser light, lesser than that which is to rule the day, even the night, is above or greater than that upon which thou standest in point of reckoning, for it moveth in order more slow; this is in order because it standeth above the earth upon which thou standest, therefore the reckoning of its time is not so many as to its number of days, and of months, and of years."

Which planet is the Lord talking about here?

[Bill Hamblin]

The moon. Ancients called the moon and sun planets, an indication of the antiquity of the text.

[Duncan]

The moon. Ancients called the moon and sun planets, an indication of the antiquity of the text.

very interesting! what do you think it means of the lesser lights? isn't the earth brighter then the moon? or is the comment in the verse not about the lights but its point of reckoning?

Edited September 8, 2012 by Duncan

[blackstrap]

Trick question,Duncan. How long does it take the moon to make one revolution on its axis? How long does it take the Sun?

[Duncan]

Trick question,Duncan. How long does it take the moon to make one revolution on its axis? How long does it take the Sun?

heck if I know! I see what you did there!

[volgadon]

very interesting! what do you think it means of the lesser lights? isn't the earth brighter then the moon? or is the comment in the verse not about the lights but its point of reckoning?

Usually the stars, but also I think what we would call the planets.Point of reckoningis a good observation, also take into account the various values assigned stars and planets.

[MormonMason]

One key to understanding it is a geocentric way of thinking. The ancients typically thought geocentrically when it came to astronomy. So, in answer to the question about the earth being brighter than the moon at night, the answer is no.

Thinking geocentrically, the moon is brighter than the earth at night and is lit up by its light as well as that of some of the planets.

In our day of light pollution, it is even harder to understand what the ancients meant by their descriptions of what they saw because we can no longer see what they did in those areas that are light-polluted.

As to the meaning of "lesser light", compared to the Sun the moon is the lesser of the two and the Lord is not comparing using the implied "greater light" to refer to the earth but rather to the Sun. See also Abraham 4:14-17.