In Latter-day Saint belief, the Creation is revealed through three complementary accounts: Genesis in the Old Testament, the Book of Moses, and the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. These records do not compete with one another. Together, they offer a richer understanding of God’s nature, humanity’s identity, and the purpose behind the earth’s creation.
Genesis offers the most familiar account. Traditionally attributed to Moses as the author, it presents Creation in a majestic and orderly manner, describing how God formed the heavens and the earth, organized life, and created man and woman in His image. The language is formal and universal, emphasizing divine authority and the goodness of God’s work. Genesis teaches what happened—the world was created deliberately, with order and purpose. It preserves the core narrative upon which later revelation builds.
The Book of Moses expands the narrative through modern revelation. As Joseph Smith worked on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, he received inspired clarification and restoration of Genesis material. The earliest portions of that work are now published as the Book of Moses, which can be understood as Genesis revealed anew rather than rewritten. This record strengthens the traditional view of Mosaic authorship by portraying Moses as a prophet who spoke directly with God and received divine instruction about Creation and humanity’s role within it.
The Book of Moses therefore shifts the focus from events to intent. Instead of opening with the formation of the earth, it begins with Moses learning who God is and why Creation matters. God declares, This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Creation is framed as part of a plan centered on humanity. The earth exists not merely as a beautiful world, but as a place where God’s children can exercise agency, form families, and progress toward Him. The Fall of Adam and Eve is presented not as a failure, but as a necessary step toward making joy, growth, and redemption possible.
The Book of Abraham reaches even further back, describing events before the earth was formed. Abraham records a premortal council where God presented His plan to His spirit children. Creation is portrayed as a carefully organized process, carried out in stages through divine cooperation. This account emphasizes intention and preparation rather than sudden creation. It also teaches human beings existed as spirits before mortality and were known and instructed by God long before their birth on earth.
Read together, these accounts reveal Creation and salvation are inseparable. Genesis teaches what God did. The Book of Moses explains why He did it. The Book of Abraham shows how it was planned. Each prophet received revelation suited to his mission and audience, and God repeated the story not to correct earlier accounts, but to deepen understanding as His children were prepared to receive more.
This combined view also addresses common questions. The days of Creation need not be literal twenty-four-hour periods but can represent extended phases of organization. The Fall becomes a purposeful part of God’s design rather than a tragic disruption. Faith in Creation does not require rejecting science, since Latter-day Saint doctrine allows for divine direction working through natural processes.
Together, these records demonstrate how revelation works. God teaches gradually, adapting truth to the needs and understanding of His children. Genesis spoke to an ancient covenant people. The Book of Moses sought humanity’s place in an eternal plan. And the Book of Abraham contemplated the heavens and God’s work beyond the earth. Each account reflects both divine consistency and divine patience.
These Creation accounts also invite personal engagement. Believers are encouraged to seek understanding through study, prayer, and continuing revelation. The same God who instructed Moses and Abraham invites individuals to gain insight suited to their own lives. The Creation thus becomes more than doctrine—it becomes a witness of God’s involvement and care.
Above all, these accounts teach identity. If life existed before the earth, if a plan was prepared in heaven, and if the world was created with humanity in mind, then no person is an accident. Each individual has divine potential and an eternal purpose. The Creation story, as revealed in Genesis, and through Moses and Abraham, is ultimately about who we are, where we came from, and where God invites us to go. Together, these three witnesses testify the world was created with love, intention, and eternal purpose, and that every child of God has a place in His plan.
