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Purity and Prayer in Seeking God
Chapter 1, part 3 of The Blessings of Abraham:  Becoming a Zion People
By E. Douglas Clark

Purity and Prayer in Seeking God

Despite the opposition, Joseph Smith would go on to seek God in prayer and experience the First Vision.  In an 1832 account of that remarkable theophany, the Prophet explained how he gained confidence in the Creator’s existence and His mercy by reflecting on His creations:

As Hugh Nibley has pointed out, “this was exactly the case with young Abraham,” ^[2] who as a child found there was none else to whom he could go for truth, and began his ardent and unrelenting search for God. It is this theme of seeking that appears so prominently in the opening lines of the Book of Abraham (Abr. 1:1-4) and similarly in numerous ancient texts and traditions. The medieval Jewish sage Maimonides wrote of young Abraham that “when this giant was weaned,” he began to ponder “by day and by night, and he would wonder, ‘How is it possible that this sphere moves constantly without there being a mover, or one to turn it, for it is impossible that it turns itself?’ And he had no teacher or source of knowledge but he was sunk among senseless idol worshippers in Ur of the Chaldeans … But his mind roamed in search of understanding.” ^[3]

As Nibley noted, “from infancy he was asking searching questions about God, the cosmos, and the ways of men – embarassing questions.[4]

At just three years of age, as one source has it, the boy already “began to understand the nature of God,” ^[5] so that the next year he resisted when his grandfather tried to teach him to worship idols. ^[6] Nor could Abraham’s father, despite long and persistent effort, persuade his son to revere the statues.

Young Abraham “was alone with God,” says Hugh Nibley, “dependent on no man and no tradition, beginning as it were from scratch … Having no human teachers, he must think things out for himself, until he receives light from above.” ^[7] The rabbis report that Abraham’s “own father did not teach him, nor did he have a master to teach him. From whom, then, did Abraham learn Torah? It was the Holy One.” ^[8]

And where was Abraham’s mother in all of this? What role did she play in the formation of this man who would change the world? Although not mentioned in the Bible or the Book of Abraham, she is referred to in several old sources, even if they disagree on her name. ^[9]

She is credited with saving her infant son’s life from the murderous machinations of the king and bringing Abraham safely into the world, ^[10] and had enough maternal instinct to later try to persuade her son to save his own life – by renouncing his opposition to idolatry. She was, according the Maaseh Avraham Avinu, an idolator,[11] and her failure to figure in any of the accounts describing young Abraham’s search for God indicates her lack of spiritual depth and inability to provide guidance on such matters.

Some traditions even tell that it was the son who eventually tried to tutor the mother in spiritual matters. ^[12] In Abraham’s own account in the Book of Abraham, he expressly mentions the idolatry of his father but says not a word about his mother.  The silence is revealing, both of her failure to provide guidance, and of his own sensitivity in not speaking ill of the woman who had brought him into the world and whom he loved despite her faults.

If young Abraham had no maternal guidance, what he apparently did have was access to the most learned minds and advanced knowledge of his day, the assemblage of scholars and texts located at the royal court where his father occupied a position of power second only to Nimrod himself. Young Abraham was no stranger to Nimrod’s court; an ancient Samaritan source even recounts that when Abraham came of age, Nimrod “placed him under his command, and he was among those who stood before him, to wait on him.” ^[13]

A midrash called the Maaseh Avraham Avinu, or “Works of Our Father Abraham,” recounts that on one occasion “as the king, Nimrod, sat upon the throne of his kingdom, he sent for Abraham to come to him, with his father, Terah. And Abraham passed before the governors and the officers until he reached the royal throne.” ^[14]

As with Moses, who would be raised amid the fabled learning of the Egyptian court, young Abraham was exposed to the best and brightest of his day. “Abraham from his birth had his upbringing among the Chaldeans,” reported George Syncellus, “and from them he was taught in their astrology and in all the rest of their wisdom,” ^[15] in which, says Georgius Cedrenus, he was “thoroughly instructed.” ^[16]

The elite education afforded young Abraham – the training of his mind and his exposure to the wisdom of the world – would be important in his development. But he found it devoid of the most important truths for which he was searching, truths long since distorted or expunged and forgotten altogether.

In the spiritual and emotional solitude in which he found himself, young Abraham thought and pondered deeply, sensing that somehow he was not alone. The copious compiler of Jewish legends Louis Ginzberg noted that “in all the sources stress is laid upon the fact that Abraham came to know God through his own reasoning about the universe and its ruler who must necessarily exist.” ^[17] The legends describe how the young man carefully observed the earth and the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, and “wondered in his heart: Who created heaven and earth and me?” ^[18]

According to Byzantine tradition, young Abraham “was an astronomer extremely well trained by his father,” ^[19] who, with the rest of his people, studied the heavens carefully as astrologers ^[20] and even worshippers of the stars and heavenly bodies[21]

But as the child Abraham thoughtfully gazed at those same stars, he came to see that these creations bore witness to the majesty of their Creator, ^[22] a truth to be declared by one of his posterity: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork” (NKJV Ps. 19:1). ^[23]

Hence, as related by Maimonides, by his diligence in seeking the Almighty, Abraham finally “achieved the true way and understood … He knew that there is one God who moves the spheres, who created everything, and there is none beside Him. He knew that the whole world was in error.” ^[24] A thousand years before the erudite Aristotle posited the Prime Mover of the universe, the boy Abraham discovered the truth on his own[25]

But not quite on his own, for as he drew near to the Creator, he sensed the Creator drawing near to him. “God inspired Abraham,” declared Elder Wilford Woodruff, “and his eyes were opened so that he saw and understood something of the dealings of the Lord with the children of men. He understood that there was a God in heaven, a living and true God, and that no man should worship any other god but Him.” ^[26]

But as Abraham came to understand the reality of the Creator, he came to understand something also about the Creator’s most prominent trait. According to a medieval Jewish source, “When Abraham our father arrived … he looked and saw, investigated and understood the great secret of the blessed God and how He had created the world through the hesed.”   Abraham “too then held fast to this quality,” so “just as God had created the world through hesed, so did Abraham know his Creator through hesed.” ^[27]

Young Abraham discovered, in other words, what Joseph Smith would discover by reflecting on the majesty of God’s creations: not only the reality of the Creator, but the reality of his merciful love that had prompted such creation. Abraham’s experience constitutes a timeless lesson, insisted Moses Maimonides, for “only through knowledge of God’s handiwork” can one fulfill the commandments “to love and stand in awe of God.[28] The continuing relevance of Abraham’s experience is insisted upon by a modern rabbi, who wrote that “Abraham’s divine discoveries and ongoing relationship with the Creator serve as a model for us, his spiritual progeny.”^[29]

Latter-day Saints immediately think of the revelation inviting their own contemplation of the Creator’s handiwork, for “any man who hath seen any or the least of these” – the earth, sun, moon, and stars – “hath seen God moving in his majesty and power” (D&C 88:47).

Following the divine lead, Abraham himself practiced hesed, which in the human realm means not only loving-kindness and mercy but also righteous conduct. ^[30] Hence, as a modern scholar expressed: “Yahweh [Jehovah] was the God of Abraham; Abraham was his servant. Theirs was a very distinct relationship which imposed upon them certain rights and duties – a relationship of mutual reciprocity expressed by hesed.” ^[31]

It is the same principle that Moroni would express in his dialogue with the Lord: “I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father” (Ether 12:34).

This principle of righteous loving-kindness, or charity, would become the governing principle of Abraham’s life, for which he is still remembered among his Jewish descendants as the embodiment of hesed, “for the decisive factor in Abraham’s personality was the unceasing urge to help others.” ^[32] It is also a decisive factor demonstrating Abrahamic descent, for according to the Talmud, “Performing deeds of loving-kindness is a distinguishing characteristic of the descendants of Abraham.” ^[33]

The other side of the coin, according to Maimonides, is that cruelty and impudence are not qualities of “the seed of Abraham, our father.[34]

By understanding God and his love, Abraham came also to understand that mankind was in grave error. According to Jubilees, “the child began to realize the errors of the earth – that everyone was going astray after the statues and after impurity … When he was two weeks of years [= 14 years], he separated from his father in order not to worship idols with him. He began to pray to the creator of all that he would save him from the errors of mankind and that it might not fall to his share to go astray after impurity and wickedness.” ^[35] In that same year, according to George Syncellus, “Abraham discovered the God of the universe, and worshipped him.” ^[36]

Young Abraham’s choice to conform his will to that of the Almighty is remembered in Jewish tradition as “present[ing] God with a gift that even He in all His infinite power, could not fashion for Himself. For even God cannot guarantee that man’s mind and heart would choose truth over evil, light over darkness, spirit over flesh.” ^[37]

It is the great lesson of mortality, as explained by President Boyd K. Packer: “Obedience to God can be the very highest expression of independence. Just think of giving to him the one thing, the one gift, that he would never take … Obedience – that which God will never take by force – he will accept when freely given. And he will then return to you freedom that you can hardly dream of.” ^[38]

Abraham’s poignant prayer at age fourteen is an important window into the soul of Abraham, whose purity of heart is further attested in other sources. In the Apocalypse of Abraham, young Abraham determines that “I will set my mind on what is pure.” ^[39] The church fathers likewise knew that Abraham was “clean of heart,” ^[40] or, in the words of the learned Origen, “pure in heart.” ^[41]

The Qu’ran likewise relates that Abraham “came before his Lord with a pure heart,” ^[42] while the medieval Muslim historian El-Masudi stated that Abraham was “pure from sin” and thereby “received the strength of God.” ^[43] Without probably ever having heard of the ancient Zion, young Abraham was establishing it anew in his own heart, for as a modern revelation states, “this is Zion – the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21). He is a model for anyone and everyone aspiring to Zion, for according to Brigham Young, “When we conclude to make a Zion we will make it, and this work commences in the heart of each person.” ^[44]

Abraham’s heart was also “contrite,” as noted in Jewish tradition, ^[45] an important key to opening the door of revelation and blessing as seen in the first words God ever spoke to Abraham’s descendant Nephi: “Blessed art thou Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart” (1 Ne. 2:19). ^[46]

Such humility is one of the distinguishing characteristics of “a true disciple of our father Abraham,” ^[47] according to rabbinic sources. It is also the key to receiving the cleansing power of the Atonement of Christ, who was crucified “for the remission of sins unto the contrite heart” (D&C 21:9).

As young Abraham drew near to the Almighty, the Almighty drew near to him. “When God saw how he yearned to find Him, He revealed Himself unto him and spoke with him,” says the Zohar. ^[48] In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Abraham attests that “the true God … has sought me out in the perplexity of my thoughts.” ^[49]

An important Ethiopic text relates that in response to the lad’s prayer, “there appeared unto him a chariot of fire which blazed.” Abraham was terrified and fell to the ground, but was assured by the voice of God, saying, “Fear thou not, stand upright.” ^[50] Only in time would Abraham come to appreciate the significance of the chariot and all that it portended for him, including divine protection (see 2 Kgs. 6:17). But even now there was again a seer on earth, one who had seen beyond the mortal realm. ^[51]

According to the Zohar, Abraham loved righteousness; this was Abram’s love of God, in which he excelled all his contemporaries, who were obstinate of heart and far from righteousness.” ^[52] Abraham’s own heart, according to rabbinic tradition, was like the mighty cedar, which was constantly directed heavenward, straight and true. ^[53]

Indeed, Abraham is honored in Judaism as the supreme example of those that love God and keep his commandments. ^[54] The Book of Abraham unerringly reveals this same Abraham who in the opening lines of his own record tells how he “sought for the blessings of the fathers … having been myself a follower of righteousness,” and “desiring also to be … a greater follower of righteousness … and to keep the commandments of God” (Abr. 1:2).

Or, as told by Franklin Richards, Abraham “loved righteousness” and “hunger[ed] for more righteousness.” ^[55] In Nibley’s words, “it was Abraham’s unique merit that he loved righteousness in a hard-hearted and wicked generation, without waiting for others to show him the way.” ^[56]

By following righteousness, Abraham was also following his ancient forefathers, for as Noah is described in Genesis as zadik, or righteous, ^[57] so Abraham’s righteousness is emphasized in ancient sources. Turkish tradition records the commitment of young Abraham: “I will … live a righteous life.” ^[58] Abraham is remembered in the Qur’an as “Abraham the righteous [Sadiq],” ^[59] and likewise stands out in Jewish tradition as the example par excellence of the true zadik, the righteous man who fears God and serves him. ^[60]

In the Damascus Document produced by the Dead Sea Scrolls Jewish community, Abraham is held up as an example of one who “did not choose his own will,” but rather “kept the commandments of God.” ^[61] In the words of a more modern Jewish writer, speaking of Abraham’s relationship with God, “It seems that it was in Abraham’s nature to be submissive, that he was an innately gentle, humble man.” ^[62]

Abraham’s exceptional righteousness and fear of God set an example for his descendants who seek Zion. And whoever possesses the same fear of God that Abraham possessed, says a medieval Jewish text, “will endeavour to improve himself and hasten to beautify his soul” and “purify his soul” in order “to find favour in the eyes of [the Lord].” ^[63] In other words, whoever fears God as Abraham did will seek Zion as he sought it.