The Seven Levels of Creation Part III

The Seven Levels of Creation

Part III

Summary: This series of articles on the Seven Levels of Creation will demonstrate how the seven days of creation clearly represent each of the seven dispensations, the dispensation patriarchs, the laws of God, and the rewards for overcoming each law. In Part III, I will focus on the fifth day of creation and the symbols of this day. Additionally, the final three days align to the highest three orders of mankind that all comprise of the orders of dominion. In this article, I will begin to illustrate how the times and seasons leading up to Jesus Christ is represented by each of the top three orders of mankind in turn, beginning with the fifth order of mankind otherwise known as the Latter-day Saints.

Disclaimer: This article is not official doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, I do believe there are important considerations in this article in gaining a fuller understanding of the creation and how this understanding illuminates who we are on our eternal journey. Please pray before reading as the Spirit is the teacher of all truth. The Spirit may personalize any message, and I would rather the reader learn from the Spirit of Truth than from me.

Introduction: This is the tenth article dedicated to the Seven Levels of Mankind, and the third article of The Seven Levels of Creation. If you haven't read the first two articles, please do so now:

The Seven Levels of Creation Part I

The Seven Levels of Creation Part II

In the part II of this series, I aligned the fourth day to the fourth dispensation of Abraham. I showed how Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant is the first promise of increase and dominion. In this article, I will align the dispensation of Noah to the fifth day of creation and demonstrate how this is the first order of dominion. The fifth day of creation aligns to the Law of The Gospel and the reward is to become a Priest and an especial witness of Jesus Christ.

Of course the laws that align to these days and dispensation do not mean that prior laws can be disregarded or subsequent laws can necessarily be ignored. Aligning these laws to the dispensations, to the dispensation heads, and to the rewards of overcoming does unlock deep understanding as to who we were, who we are, and where we are headed. The temple endowment aligns these laws to identities and provides important clues to a sequence of ascension. In the article, Levels Five Through Eight, I cover these governing orders of mankind. I also demonstrate how the laws represent an ascension of self mastery.

The links from these laws to these times and seasons speaks to the central law of each time and season. This doesn't mean that souls aligned to Sacrifice can throw Obedience out the window. However, beginning with the fifth day of creation, demonstrating this ascension of self mastery is important to fully understanding the meaning behind the symbols. Noah is aligned to the Law of the Gospel and to words. Though I still plan to write an article aligning the seven levels of mankind to the seven spiritual chakras, suffice it to say for now that the fifth chakra is the throat chakra. Obviously linking the throat chakra to the Law of the Gospel makes a lot of sense, but consider that on the fifth day animals are created. Animals do not have the intelligents (thoughts) of man, but they were the first creation to include vocal cords on Earth.

Finally, I will include some commentary in this article regarding the recent changes to the temple endowment as I believe our temple endowment has been tailored to the time and season of the fifth order of mankind who align to Noah, The Law of the Gospel, and the promised reward is to become Priests and especial witness of Jesus Christ.

Part I - The Fifth Day of Creation, The Law of the Gospel, Becoming Priests, and Noah

The titles of each day in these series of articles on the Seven Levels of Creation are labeled thusly: Day of Creation, Law, Reward, and Patriarch. There will be a lot more to cover with this day, but I want to ensure I cover all bases, so I will cover each of these in turn first and how they align to each other.

Let's start with aligning the Patriarch Noah and his dispensation to the fifth day of creation. Have a look at the image above. The image is comprised of two paintings. The bottom image represents the fifth day of creation as given in the Holy Temple. There is indication in Genesis and our own Book of Moses that the sea creatures were created on day 5 and the land creatures were created on day 6. I will be using the order of creation as given in the Holy Temple since this is where higher meanings and symbols are given; moreover, I will be aligning the temple endowment to the fifth order of mankind as well in this article. 

So, Noah aligns to the fifth day of creation. Easy. He also aligns to the Law of The Gospel. Each dispensation head epitomizes the law aligned to their dispensation. Another way of looking at this, is each dispensation head leaves their respective order of mankind without excuse. You think the Law of Sacrifice is difficult? Try walking your son up the mountain to be sacrificed only to be stopped at the last moment. You think the Law of the Gospel is difficult? Try preaching 120 years with no success. Yet still, Noah preached the Gospel in its purest form:

Moses 8:16 And it came to pass that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of God, even as it was in the beginning.

24 Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if ye do not this, the floods will come in upon you; nevertheless they hearkened not.

Not one convert outside of Noah's family joined him on the Ark. But, what do the animals represent? Haven't you thought this story was sort of strange? An old guy preaches with no success for 120 years and builds a boat throughout. He then takes enough animals on his boat to repopulate the Earth. Why wouldn't God just tell Noah, "By the way nobody will listen."? Why would God kill off so many innocent animals? Most importantly, what does it all mean?

Though I certainly don't know all the meaning and symbolism here, I have an idea what the animals may represent. Consider for a moment that the third order of mankind was being born during the time of Moses - being the first (or lowest) order of Israel, their time and season is so clearly associated with the lesser law of Obedience and outward action. Inward desires and thoughts just were not present in the law of Moses. Today, Jews will attest to the outward nature of Judaism - "actions speak louder than words," they'll tell you.

Now consider the Law of Sacrifice and that the Israelites born after the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were born into slavery - a clear symbol of sacrifice. The priests of Levi may have also been juxtaposed over the time and season of Obedience, acting as a higher order to administer to a lower. So, the levites may have been level four administering to level three. Well, what about level five beings? Again, I'll refer you to the article Levels Five Through Eight for a full breakdown, but suffice it to say that the people of the time and season of The Law of The Gospel were simply missing! The City of Enoch had already been lifted off the Earth, and Noah was left to preach alone. So where did these level five beings end up?

Well, when would you say is the time and season of The Law of The Gospel if not now? Though Peter was commanded to take the gospel to the gentiles, has there ever been a time other than now where there was such a missionary force preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ as there is today? Now is the time and season of the Law of the Gospel. Prophets, apostles, and patriarchal blessings all reveal that God has saved some of his most valiant children for this time and season. But, why now? Why weren't we born during the dark ages, or better yet, why not just allow the Gospel to continue from Peter and skip the great apostasy altogether? Though I don't fully understand God's thoughts here, I can tell you, "cause the people were wicked" is nowhere near the full answer here.

Let's take a moment and look at the time of the gentiles and see if there are any symbols that can help shed some light as to why things went down the way they did and those saints aligned to the time and season of The Law of The Gospel were saved for the end. We know that the time of the gentiles began just after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When looking at time in reverse, Jesus life is clearly a symbol of baptism or the gate by which we should enter.

7 - Adam, Consecration

6 - Enoch, Chastity

5 - Noah, Gospel

4 - Abraham, Sacrifice

3 - Moses, Obedience

Jesus Christ - Baptism

2 - Peter, Repentance

1 - Joseph Smith, Faith

So the time and season of the gentiles that began with Peter taking the mantle doesn't end until nearly two hundred years into the dispensation of Joseph Smith. Then, there is yet another chiasmus where the last shall be first. Put simply: Time of Jews, Time of Gentiles, Gospel to Gentiles, Gospel to Jews. Yet, who preaches the gospel to the gentiles? There is language in the Book of Mormon that suggests that the gospel goes to the gentiles and then from the gentiles to the Jews, but who is bringing the gospel to the gentiles? There is a clue in Moses 8 where Noah symbolizes those to whom this important work will be entrusted.

Moses 8:19 And the Lord ordained Noah after his own order, and commanded him that he should go forth and declare his Gospel unto the children of men, even as it was given unto Enoch.

Alma 13 confirms the Priesthood is reserved to those who have earned it already and is not just given willy nilly to just the gentiles.

Alma 13:3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.

In the Kirtland temple dedication, Joseph Smith confirms that the Priesthood of the church is identified with the gentiles rather than, well, gentiles.

D&C 109:60 Now these words, O Lord, we have spoken before thee, concerning the revelations and commandments which thou hast given unto us, who are identified with the Gentiles.

There are other quotes from prophets that confirm the core of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established upon the backs of the Ephraimites. An entire article could be dedicated to this fact, but for the purposes of this article, I believe the tribe of Ephraim, which is the birthright tribe, aligns to these level five beings. Levi is not the birthright tribe (level 4) and neither is Judah (level 3.) Ephraim is spiritual level 5. The promise was given in the dispensation of Abraham that his seed would bless the world - yet the gospel wasn't preached to the world until the time of the gentiles. Consider that the Abrahamic covenant aligns with the fourth day of creation and the very next day aligns to The Law of The Gospel and to both Noah and the end of the time of the Gentiles where the seed of Abraham brings the gospel to the nations of the world:

3 Nephi 20:27 And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel.

3 Nephi 21:6 For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;

Why is this important? Consider the The of the Gospel is the central law of this time and season where the Ephraimites have been given the charge to preach the gospel the world. We latter-day saints possess the same priesthood that was exclusive to the tribe of Levi in our youth. As adults we receive that same Priesthood that Noah received before preaching the Gospel. When do our men receive that Priesthood and commission? That's right - just before going on our youthful missions where preaching the Gospel is considered a Priesthood responsibility. The Levites never received the Melchizedek Priesthood because they are the fourth order of mankind. They were allowed to possess the lesser Priesthood to earn it. Likewise, we posses the Melchizedek Priesthood, tasting of the powers of the world to come by earning it. More on this in the next section regarding the temple endowment changes.

Back to the fifth day of creation. How is this all represented in the fifth day of creation or is it? Ephraim is level five and aligns to the fifth day of creation where vocal cords first appear on Earth. The gentiles align to the second day of creation or the dispensation of Peter that aligns to repentance and salvation from spiritual death. What happens on the second day of creation? The earth is covered in water. That's right. The link that ties the dispensation of Noah to the time and season of the Law of the Gospel of the gentiles has been sitting there all along hiding in plain sight. The Flood. The Flood takes the earth back to the second day of creation where dry land had not yet appeared.

Let's return to the animals for a moment and consider that they may represent the gentiles. Now, in these end times we will once again have a final judgement and destruction of the wicked, though the Lord promised He would not destroy the wicked by water. This time the world will be baptized in fire. Yet still, we have parallels to the dispensation of Noah by none other than Jesus Himself during His mortal ministry.

Joseph Smith Matthew: 41 But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;

42 For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;

43 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

So we have another evidence here that the dispensation of Noah will be a type of the end times. So let's consider the animals representing the gentiles of the end times. Those who hearken to the Priesthood and who are baptized will be preserved from the coming destruction and judgement.  There were no converts in the days of Noah, and yet in the end times, there will be gentiles who join Israel who will be gathered to ZION and preserved just as the animals were gathered and preserved. This symbol continues into the sixth day of creation where Adam is given dominion over the animals and is allowed to name them all.

Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

This scripture is a reference to the Davidic Servant and his naming the Israelites as they ascend to their new orders and commissions. Yet the gentiles themselves who will have joined Israel for the first time will be named for the very first time by a God just as Adam named the animals (more on this in the next article.)

In the next section, the current dispensation will be examined more closely along with our temple endowment and the recent changes in the endowment.

Part II - The Law of the Gospel in the Last Dispensation

In the timeline above, I have attempted to show how the seven dispensations descend from the highest order to the lowest and how the last and the first prophecy will have the highest three orders of mankind juxtaposed over the lowest three. Level 1 beings were already sorted during the first estate, though I could have added a red link from Joseph Smith to the time between the Gathering of Israel and The Second Coming where the devil and his angels are imprisoned. I will continue to use this timeline in the articles in this series until all seven days and dispensations are covered. For now, we will take a closer look at the end of the time of the gentiles and those beings who were foreordained to bring the gospel to the gentiles.

Though Noah's dispensation aligns clearly to "The Law of the Gospel" with him preaching for 120 years, this last dispensation is clearly the execution of that law among those souls who align to this law in their eternal progression. There is no clearer link to the Law of the Gospel than our temple endowment which has been tailored to this time and season.

If you are unendowed and are reading this, then this section will have some areas that won't make much sense. Those who have been endowed covenant to keep certain aspects of the endowment secret for they are sacred. Still, I will do my best to draw these parallels to the endowed reader while respecting the secret aspects of the sacred endowment. Though the time and season of "The Law of the Gospel" means that this is the central law of this time and season, of course this neither means this law only ever applies during this time and season nor that the other laws don't apply. Put simply, the overarching links of the times and the seasons to the dispensations, to the patriarchs, and to the laws given in the Holy Temple all demonstrate where we are on our eternal journey as well as which covenants are fulfilled and when.

If you are endowed, consider the laws in the above timeline are given in the reverse sequence. Obedience and Sacrifice align to who we were. The Law of the Gospel aligns to who we are now. This is the time and the season of the law of the Gospel and those souls who are aligned to this law are born during this time. When has there ever been such a missionary effort as there is today? 

Consider we wear the robes of Aaron, or we used to, during this part of the temple endowment. For quite some time now, I have held that the changing of the robes from one shoulder to the other, from the robes of Aaron to the robes of Melchizedek, represents our overcoming the central trial of this time and season and receiving this reward.

I may do a full article on the temple endowment changes - you can read my take here in the meantime. In summary, I believe our holding the Aaronic Priesthood in our youth signifies the fact we have already secured the Aaronic Priesthood. When our souls were younger, we were tasting of the powers of the Priesthood of Levi. 

"... for, according to the Scripture, if men have received the good word of God, and tasted of the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, it is impossible to renew them again, seeing they have crucified the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame..." ~ Joseph Smith

Also consider facsimile 3, and how it illustrates this eternal principle:

Fig. 1. Abraham sitting upon Pharaoh’s throne, by the politeness of the king, with a crown upon his head, representing the Priesthood, as emblematical of the grand Presidency in Heaven; with the scepter of justice and judgment in his hand.

So, once we overcame the central trial of The Law of Sacrifice we secured the robes of Aaron and received the promise reward of increase.

Revelation 2:26-28: And to him who overcometh, and keepeth my commandments unto the end, will I give power over many kingdoms; And he shall rule them with the word of God; and they shall be in his hands as the vessels of clay in the hands of a potter; and he shall govern them by faith, with equity and justice, even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Consider that not only do we have the largest missionary effort that has likely ever existed but also we have more temples throughout the world were souls are being sealed to each other. This sealing is the promise of increase actively being fulfilled. Both the Law of the Gospel and the joining of souls in eternal marriage align to this time and season and the promised rewards that have been given to us in Revelation 2:26-28 above. This is who we are.

Now, we are tasting of the powers of the world to come in the Melchizedek Priesthood. We are anointed to become priests and priestesses in the Holy Temple. How can this be if we are already priests? Tasting of the powers of the world to come is the answer. In the temple, after receiving the second sign and token, we then would change shoulders from the robes of Aaron to the robes of Melchizedek. That is how it was before the recent changes. Now, we forego the robes of Aaron, and go straight to the robes of Melchizedek. I believe this change signifies the changing time and season from the The of the Gospel (to the gentiles) to the Gathering of Israel. President Nelson's recent language has supported this change. The next spiritual level, which is the sixth level, is the order of priests to which we are anointed.

Again, this is quick treatment of the subject material. Please refer to the thread linked above for more information or leave a comment here and I'll be happy to consider writing an article dedicated to the endowment change. But, for the sake of this article, please consider that the time and season of the "Gospel to the Gentiles" aligns to Noah and to the fifth day of creation (Law of the Gospel) and to the second (Level 2 = Gentiles.) 

Wait a minute. How are days 2 and 5 in the creation related to the Law of the Gospel, Noah, and the Gentiles? On day 5, Noah gathers the animals (5th day of creation) to safety, and the world is flooded. What did the world look like on the second day of creation?

Moses 2:7 And I, God, made the firmament and divided the waters, yea, the great waters under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so even as I spake.

With the great flood, the world basically reverted to the second day of creation. Do you see how this all ties together? Perhaps the animals represent gentiles and we are their shepherds. Only a portion of the animals or gentiles will be saved against the coming judgement. Anything that cannot abide a terrestrial law will be cleansed from the Earth, though this time the cleansing will be a baptism by fire (Holy Ghost) rather than a baptism by water. Surely there's no other symbols that link the Holy Ghost to these days, times, dispensations, laws, and symbols, right?

Genesis 8:6 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

Whoa, that reads quite differently after considering all the symbols, doesn't it? Doves a clearly a symbol of the Holy Ghost. Consider the world is baptized here and we have a highly symbolic dove. When Jesus was baptized, the sign of the dove is given again at a crucial baptism of water. What does baptism represent if not death, burial, and resurrection. The world was restored to life. Jesus was restored to life. The dove is central in both baptisms.

But, the Raven is sent out first. Without starting a huge tangent, that could absolutely represent the devil who was rejected in Abraham 3. In verse 9, the dove returns empty handed. This could be the ultimately fruitless probation of King David:

Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage. ~Joseph Smith

The fruitless dove could also represent Joseph Smith. Before any pitchforks are brandished at my saying that, consider that Joseph Smith was commanded to build ZION and didn't, and though the church was established, the Kingdom of God was not. There are other "failures" of Joseph Smith such as the United Order, but I feel this was all by design, just as Israelites were never going to receive the higher law from Moses. The Davidic Servant, or the One Mighty and Strong from D&C 85:7 will bring about, likely, all of these things. The fruitful dove.

In verse 10, the dove is kept for 7 more days which could represent how the seventh level of mankind aligns to the dove or how a cull creation period produces one fruitful dove. I'm sure there are more symbols that could be in play here with the seven days.

In verse 11, the dove comes in the evening as it is the lesser light rules the night (funny how so few dove & olive leaf depictions are during the day.) An olive leaf is plucked off - this could align to the olive tree symbolism found in Isaiah 11 and Zechariah 4 that both point to the Davidic line & covenant. The olive leaf certainly points to Israel at the very least. 

So, the arrival of the dove with the "fruit" of the dove's labor is a sign that the judgement & destruction period are over. This could be a last-days analogy when Yom Kippur and the other fall festivals are fulfilled. The Davidic Heir stands up and a new covenant is made - the fruit is produced after the destruction of the wicked and the world rests for a period of time. 

Ezekiel 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

Jeremiah 31:31 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:

There is just so much here that reinforces my understanding of the seven spiritual levels of mankind - so many rich symbols. The fifth day is incredible and how it ties to the dispensation of Noah to us, to the gentiles, to the second day of creation with the flood, to the animals created on the fifth day, etc.

In the next section, I will begin by analyzing the sixth day of creation and how it aligns to the sixth spiritual level of mankind, to Enoch, to his dispensation, and to the final season leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ. As a preview, consider animals as a symbol of the gentiles who are also linked to the "wild" olive branch in the Book of Jacob. Animals are wild. Yet in the sixth day, man is created and is given dominion over the beasts and he names them. Surely the gentiles aren't named in the scriptures as that would be insulting to them in this day and age of political correctness. Oh wait, what's this?

Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.

"Righteousness" is perhaps the most-used key word for the Davidic Servant (end times King David.) The Angel of the Lord, who I believe is the Davidic Servant, is also called "The mouth of YHWH." The mouth of the Lord shall name the gentiles by a new name. The sixth day of creation aligns to the rise of the Davidic Servant - we'll look at this and other symbols in The Seven Levels of Creation Part IV.