Perhaps no passage in Restoration scripture more directly challenges traditional Christian theology than Moses 7:28–37. The doctrine of divine impassibility—that God cannot suffer, change, or be affected by creatures—had been a cornerstone of classical theism since the Church Fathers merged biblical revelation with Greek philosophical categories. Augustine, Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas all affirmed that God is "without passions in the proper sense," incapable of emotional disturbance.

Enoch's question to God perfectly articulates this classical position: "How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet... the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?" (Moses 7:29–31). How can a Being so vast, so eternal, so holy, be moved to tears by the actions of creatures so small?

God's response revolutionizes our understanding of divine nature. He does not deny His weeping or explain it away as anthropomorphism. Instead, He reveals the reason: these are "the workmanship of mine own hands" (v. 32). They are His children, to whom He gave agency "in the Garden of Eden" (v. 32). He commanded them to love and to choose Him as Father. But "they are without affection, and they hate their own blood" (v. 33).

The theological implications are profound. God's weeping is not weakness but love. A God who cannot grieve cannot truly love—love requires vulnerability to the beloved. President Spencer W. Kimball taught: "The Lord is not a static, impassive being. He has feelings, deep feelings, and He is affected by the conduct of His children" (as cited in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball). The weeping God is not diminished by His tears; He is revealed as a Father whose children's choices genuinely matter to Him.

This theme connects directly to Week 05's teaching on the Fall and agency (Moses 6:48–56). The same agency that enables progression also enables rebellion. God cannot give agency without accepting that some will use it to choose misery. His weeping is the consequence of love that grants genuine freedom.

Moses 7:18 provides the scriptural definition that shapes Latter-day Saint understanding of Zion: "The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

Notice what Zion is not in this definition. It is not primarily a geographical location, a political system, or even a temple. Zion is a people characterized by three qualities:

Unity ("one heart and one mind"): The Hebrew concept behind this phrase involves levav (לֵבָב, heart—the seat of will and emotion) and the unity of communal intention. The early Church in Acts achieved something similar: "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul" (Acts 4:32). The Nephites after Christ's visit "were in one, the children of Christ" (4 Nephi 1:17). This is not uniformity that erases individuality but unity of purpose, covenantal commitment, and mutual love.

Righteousness ("dwelt in righteousness"): The Hebrew tsedaqah (צְדָקָה) implies right relationship—with God and with each other. Zion righteousness is not merely personal piety but covenantal fidelity that shapes community life.

Economic equality ("no poor among them"): This phrase echoes Deuteronomy 15:4—"there shall be no poor among you"—which describes the result of faithful observance of sabbatical year and jubilee laws. In Enoch's Zion, this equality came through consecration: "every man dealt justly with his neighbor" (implied in the broader context). The law of consecration revealed in D&C 42 and 82 follows this Enochian pattern.

President Brigham Young frequently referenced this verse: "We should have no poor; we should all be alike partakers of the good things of this world" (Journal of Discourses 19:47). The modern effort to build Zion involves not just personal sanctification but the creation of communities characterized by these three qualities.

The translation of Enoch's city presents a remarkable doctrine: "Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven" (Moses 7:21). This was not merely Enoch's individual translation (as recorded in Genesis 5:24) but the collective translation of an entire community.

The phrase "in process of time" is significant. Translation was not instantaneous but gradual—the community grew in righteousness until reaching a threshold that qualified them for removal from the terrestrial sphere. Joseph Smith taught that translated beings inhabit "a place prepared for such characters... of the terrestrial order" (TPJS, 170), serving as "ministering angels unto many planets."

The theological significance is that righteousness can be communal, not just individual. Latter-day Saint theology emphasizes that we are saved as families and as covenant communities, not merely as isolated individuals. The celestial kingdom is described as a social order: "the same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory" (D&C 130:2).

Enoch's translated city becomes the prototype for the latter-day Zion. The promise is that these two communities will eventually reunite: "Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other" (Moses 7:63). The embrace imagery suggests intimate reunion after long separation—the culmination of the gathering of Israel.

Moses 7 places Enoch among the great visionary prophets who saw the entire sweep of human history. Like Nephi (1 Nephi 11–14), the brother of Jared (Ether 3:25), and John the Revelator, Enoch received a panoramic vision extending from his day to the end of time.

The vision includes:

• The Flood: Enoch sees "the power of Satan" extending over the earth and God's decision to destroy the wicked by water (Moses 7:38–43)
• The Spirit Prison: Souls of the wicked "looking forth for the glory of God" and "for the day of their redemption from bondage" (Moses 7:38–39)
• Christ's Mortal Ministry: "The coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh" (Moses 7:47)
• The Crucifixion: "The Son of Man lifted up on the cross" (Moses 7:55)
• Creation's Response: "The earth groaned... the rocks were rent" (Moses 7:56)
• The Latter-day Gathering: "Righteousness... sweep the earth as with a flood" (Moses 7:62)
• The Return of Zion: The reunion of the ancient and latter-day Zion communities (Moses 7:63)
• The Millennial Rest: A "thousand years shall the earth rest" (Moses 7:64)
• The End of Wickedness: The final judgment (Moses 7:65–67)

This panoramic vision demonstrates that prophets throughout history understood the plan of salvation in its fullness. The Atonement was not a late addition to God's plan but anticipated from before the foundation of the world.

A remarkable feature of Moses 7 is the personification of the earth as a speaking, suffering, covenantal being. In Moses 7:48, Enoch hears "the earth ... saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me?"

This is not merely poetic personification. The earth speaks, mourns, and anticipates rest. At the crucifixion, "the earth groaned" (Moses 7:56). The earth has a covenantal relationship with its Creator and will eventually "rest" for a thousand years (Moses 7:64).

This theme connects to the broader Restoration teaching about creation's sentience. D&C 88:25–26 teaches that "the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom" and "shall be sanctified... and given to them who have kept the law." D&C 77:2 reveals that even animals "shall be saved" and "shall dwell in eternal felicity."

Week 04 (Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5): Established the consequences of the Fall and the beginning of human wickedness through Cain's rebellion and the founding of secret combinations.

Week 05 (Genesis 5; Moses 6): Introduced Enoch's call, his reluctant acceptance of prophetic ministry, and the fundamental doctrines of the Fall, repentance, and baptism.

Week 06 (Moses 7): Brings Enoch's ministry to fulfillment. The doctrines taught in Moses 6 now produce fruit: a community righteous enough to be translated. The wickedness introduced in Moses 4–5 now reaches a level requiring divine intervention (the Flood).

• Author: Moses, restored through Joseph Smith
• Source Date: Original to Moses (~1446 BC); restored December 1830
• Original Audience: Israel; through restoration, the whole Church
• Setting: Continuation of Moses's prophetic vision begun in Moses 1
• Purpose: To reveal Enoch's ministry, the establishment of Zion, and prophetic visions of human history
• Key Themes: Zion, divine emotion, translation, prophetic vision, latter-day gathering
• Literary Genre: Prophetic vision / apocalyptic narrative

• 4 Nephi 1:1–3, 15–17: The post-Christ Nephite society achieved a Zion-like state: "no contentions... no poor among them"
• 3 Nephi 17:21–22: Jesus weeps among the Nephites—divine emotion displayed
• Ether 13:2–6: The New Jerusalem and the return of Enoch's city

• D&C 38:4: "I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom"
• D&C 45:11–14: The return of Enoch's city
• D&C 84:99–100: "The Lord hath brought again Zion"
• D&C 97:21: "Zion is the pure in heart"

• Moses 6:27–36: Enoch's call (continues into Moses 7)
• Abraham 2:6: The promise to gather the elect (echoes Moses 7:62)

Taylor Halverson and Tyler Griffin discuss how Moses 7:28–37 challenges classical theology's doctrine of divine impassibility. The weeping God reveals a Father whose love makes Him vulnerable to His children's choices. This is not weakness but the necessary corollary of genuine love.

Hank Smith and John Bytheway explore how Moses 7:18 defines Zion in relational rather than geographical terms. Building Zion today means creating communities characterized by unity, righteousness, and economic equality—starting in our own homes.

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw's essays on Moses 7 explore the ancient Enoch traditions and how Moses 7 both draws from and transforms them. The promise of Zion's return provides the hope that sustains the gathering of Israel.

Discussion of Joseph Smith's teachings on translated beings and their role as "ministering angels unto many planets." Enoch's city has not been idle during its millennia of separation from earth.

Each parallel is explored in detail below and in the Key Passages file.

The portrayal of a weeping God in Moses 7 has no parallel in the Bible—yet it appears prominently in ancient Jewish and early Christian sources unknown to Joseph Smith:

1 Enoch (Book of Parables): Enoch "wept bitterly" over the wickedness of mankind, and heaven joins in his sorrow.

Midrash Rabbah on Lamentations: God Himself weeps at the destruction of the temple. When the angels try to stop Him, God replies: "If thou lettest Me not weep now, I will repair to a place which thou hast not permission to enter, and will weep there."

Apocalypse of Paul: The apostle meets Enoch "within the gate of Paradise" and sees him weep. Enoch explains: "We are hurt by men, and they grieve us greatly."

Zohar: A full "chorus of weeping" begins with the Messiah and expands to include all heaven.

As Hugh Nibley observed: "There is, to say the least, no gloating in heaven over the fate of the wicked world. [And it] is Enoch who leads the weeping."

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "The Weeping of Enoch" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #28)

Moses 7:48 presents the earth speaking as "the mother of men," asking to be cleansed from wickedness. This precise motif appears nowhere in the Bible—but it does appear in the Dead Sea Scrolls:

Book of Giants (4Q203, Frag. 8:6–12): > "Through your fornication on the earth, and it (the earth) has [risen up ag]ainst y[ou and is crying out] and raising accusation against you."

1 Enoch 7:4–6; 8:4: > "The earth, devoid (of inhabitants), raises the voice of their cries to the gates of heaven."

Andrew Skinner notes three key correspondences between Moses 7 and the Qumran text:

1. Nature of wickedness: Book of Giants uses "fornication" (Aramaic znwtkwn), semantically equivalent to Moses 7's "filthiness"
2. Direct complaint: Both texts have the earth itself complaining
3. Plea for cleansing: Both anticipate destruction to cleanse the earth

Why This Matters: The Book of Giants was not discovered until 1948 at Qumran and not translated until decades later. Joseph Smith could not have known this text.

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "The Complaining Voice of the Earth" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #26); Andrew C. Skinner, "Joseph Smith Vindicated Again"

Moses 7:3 describes Enoch being "clothed upon with glory," and 7:59 states that God has "given unto me a right to thy throne." Both concepts have striking ancient parallels:

2 Enoch 22:8–10 (Slavonic): > "And the Lord said to Michael, 'Go, and extract Enoch from his earthly clothing. And anoint him with my delightful oil, and put him into the clothes of my glory.' ... And I looked at myself, and I had become like one of his glorious ones."

Nineveh Tablet (pre-1100 BC): An ancient tablet describes Enmeduranki (identified with Enoch by scholars) being "set on a large throne of gold" by the gods.

1 Enoch Book of Parables 45:3: > God's Chosen One "will sit on the throne of glory."

3 Enoch: > Enoch declares: "He (God) made me a throne like the throne of glory."

Hugh Nibley showed these parallels to Matthew Black, a prominent Enoch scholar. Nibley later reported that they "really knocked Professor Black over. … It really staggered him."

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "Enoch's Transfiguration" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #22)

While individual translation (Enoch, Elijah) appears across cultures, the translation of an entire community is virtually unique to Moses 7—yet ancient sources hint at this possibility:

Mandaean Enoch Fragments: Describe others besides Enoch ascending bodily with him.

Late Midrash: Contains traditions of group ascension with righteous leaders.

As David Larsen notes: "Can an entire community ascend to heaven?" Moses 7 answers affirmatively—a concept with few parallels in world literature but attested in fragmentary ancient sources.

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "God Receives Zion" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #30); David J. Larsen, "Enoch and the City of Zion" (BYU Studies)

The following essays from Jeffrey M. Bradshaw's "Book of Moses Essay Series" directly address Moses 7's ancient parallels:

Access the full essay series at Interpreter Foundation

The Hebrew text of Genesis 5:21–24 reads:

> וַיְחִי חֲנוֹךְ חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־מְתוּשָׁלַח׃ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת־מְתוּשֶׁלַח שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת׃ וַיְהִי כָּל־יְמֵי חֲנוֹךְ חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה׃ וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֵינֶנּוּ כִּי־לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים׃

Translation: "And Enoch lived sixty-five years and begat Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him."

"Walked with God" (וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ... אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים): The verb hithallek (הִתְהַלֵּךְ) is the hithpael (reflexive) form of halak (to walk). This form appears only twice in Genesis 5 (for Enoch) and is also used of Noah (Genesis 6:9). The preposition et (אֶת) suggests intimate companionship—walking "with" God rather than merely "before" Him.

"He was not" (וְאֵינֶנּוּ): This phrase (einenu) literally means "and-he-was-not-there." It does not say he died; it says he ceased to be present. The contrast with other Genesis 5 patriarchs is stark—each ends with "and he died" (וַיָּמֹת), but Enoch's entry conspicuously lacks this formula.

"God took him" (לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים): The verb laqach (לָקַח) means "to take, receive, fetch." It is used for taking a wife (Genesis 4:19), receiving instruction (Proverbs 4:2), and being taken by God. The same root appears when Elijah is "taken" (2 Kings 2:10). God actively removed Enoch from earthly existence.

365 Years: The number 365—the days in a solar year—may carry symbolic weight. In Mesopotamian tradition, the sun god Shamash was associated with cosmic knowledge. Enoch's lifespan matching the solar year may hint at his acquisition of celestial/cosmological wisdom.

The most extensive and influential Enoch text is 1 Enoch, preserved in Ethiopic (Ge'ez) and representing traditions that may date to the 3rd century BC. It was considered scripture by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was quoted in the New Testament (Jude 1:14–15).

Structure of 1 Enoch

The Watchers Tradition

The Book of the Watchers expands Genesis 6:1–4 (the "sons of God" marrying "daughters of men") into a full narrative of angelic rebellion. Two hundred angels, led by Shemihazah and Azazel, descend to Mount Hermon, take human wives, and teach forbidden knowledge:

• Azazel teaches metalworking, weapons, and cosmetics
• Shemihazah leads the angelic corruption
• Their offspring, the Nephilim/Giants, wreak havoc

The term "Nephilim" derives from the Hebrew naphal (to fall), suggesting these were "fallen ones"—not merely physical giants but beings with extraordinary capacity who chose apostasy over righteousness. (See expanded discussion under "The Book of Giants" below.)

Enoch is called to pronounce judgment on these rebellious angels—a remarkable role where a mortal prophet judges celestial beings.

Parallels with Moses 7

2 Enoch, preserved in Old Church Slavonic, describes Enoch's ascent through seven (or ten) heavens. In the seventh heaven, Enoch encounters God's throne and is transformed:

> "And the Lord said to Michael, 'Go, and extract Enoch from his earthly clothing. And anoint him with my delightful oil, and put him into the clothes of my glory.' And Michael did as the Lord had said to him. He anointed me and he clothed me. And the appearance of that oil is greater than the greatest light, and its ointment is like sweet dew, and its fragrance like myrrh; and it is like the rays of the glittering sun. And I looked at myself, and I had become like one of his glorious ones, and there was no observable difference." (2 Enoch 22:8–10, Andersen translation)

This transformation motif—a mortal becoming glorious—resonates with Latter-day Saint temple theology but is absent from Moses 7's emphasis on community rather than individual transformation.

3 Enoch, a later Jewish mystical text (perhaps 5th–6th century AD), presents Enoch as transformed into the angel Metatron, "the lesser YHWH." Rabbi Ishmael ascends to heaven and learns from Metatron/Enoch the secrets of the heavenly realm.

Key features:

• Enoch becomes the highest angel
• He possesses 72 names
• He is called "Prince of the Divine Presence"
• He serves as heavenly scribe

Among the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran), fragments of the "Book of Giants" survive. This text, related to 1 Enoch, expands the Watchers narrative and includes the giants having troubling dreams that Enoch interprets. Hugh Nibley extensively analyzed parallels between the Book of Giants and the Book of Moses.

The Nephilim as "Fallen Ones"

The term Nephilim (נְפִילִים) in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33 is often translated as "giants," but this may obscure the deeper meaning embedded in the Hebrew root. The word derives from naphal (נָפַל), meaning "to fall." This etymology suggests that the Nephilim were not primarily defined by their physical stature but by their spiritual condition—they were "the fallen ones."

Book of Giants Interpretation:

The Book of Giants (4Q203, 4Q530-532, 6Q8) provides crucial context for understanding the Nephilim. In this text, the "giants" are portrayed not merely as physically large beings but as morally corrupt individuals who:

1. Possessed extraordinary knowledge: They inherited forbidden wisdom from the Watchers—metallurgy, enchantments, astrology, and warfare techniques
2. Used that knowledge for selfish ends: Rather than blessing humanity, they exploited their advantages for personal power and domination
3. Brought destruction upon the earth: Their violence and corruption necessitated divine judgment

The Book of Giants presents these figures as receiving prophetic dreams warning them of their impending destruction—dreams that only Enoch could interpret. Their "falling" was not from heaven (as with the Watchers/angels) but from their potential. They were beings with great capacity who chose apostasy over righteousness.

A Pattern of "Fallen Ones":

This interpretation illuminates a recurring scriptural pattern—individuals or groups with extraordinary knowledge and capacity who use it for selfish ambitions rather than covenant purposes:

Connection to Moses 7:

Moses 7:15 describes how "the giants of the land, also, stood afar off" when faced with Enoch's preaching. The Book of Giants (4Q531) similarly describes the righteous gathering on "the skirts of four huge mountains" while the giants await judgment. In both texts, the Nephilim are portrayed as those who had opportunity for righteousness but chose otherwise—their "falling" being a moral descent rather than physical.

This understanding transforms the "giants" from mythological monsters into a sobering warning: those with the greatest capacity bear the greatest responsibility. To possess covenant knowledge and priesthood power while pursuing selfish ambitions is to become one of the "fallen ones."

Why This Matters for Moses 7:

Understanding the Nephilim as "fallen ones" deepens our appreciation for Enoch's achievement. While the Nephilim used their knowledge to dominate and destroy, Enoch used his to build Zion—a community "of one heart and one mind" with "no poor among them" (Moses 7:18). The contrast is deliberate: the same generation that produced the Nephilim also produced Zion. Access to divine knowledge does not determine outcomes; how we use that knowledge does.

Moses 7 does not simply copy from ancient Enoch traditions—it transforms them. Where 1 Enoch emphasizes Enoch's acquisition of secret knowledge, Moses 7 emphasizes his creation of a righteous community. Where 2 Enoch focuses on individual transformation, Moses 7 focuses on collective translation. Where traditional Enoch literature presents God as distant cosmic ruler, Moses 7 reveals a weeping Father.

These differences suggest that Moses 7 represents an independent tradition—or, in Latter-day Saint understanding, the original tradition from which the others derive in fragmentary, corrupted form.

The doctrine of divine impassibility—that God cannot suffer, change, or be affected by creatures—became a cornerstone of classical Christian theology as the Church Fathers synthesized biblical revelation with Greek philosophical categories.

Key Figures

Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BC – 50 AD): Jewish philosopher who heavily influenced Christian thought. Philo argued that God is utterly transcendent and unchanging. Anthropomorphic language about God (hands, eyes, emotions) must be understood allegorically.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD): Affirmed that God's love is not "passion" in the sense of emotional disturbance. God loves but is not affected by that love in the way humans are affected.

Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109 AD): In the Proslogion, Anselm wrote: "Thou art compassionate in terms of our experience, and not compassionate in terms of thy being." God appears compassionate from our perspective but experiences no actual emotion.

Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274 AD): In the Summa Theologica, Aquinas argued that God has no "passions" (emotional states caused by external agents). Divine "anger" or "love" must be understood as God willing certain effects, not experiencing emotional states.

The Philosophical Background

This doctrine derived from Greek philosophy, particularly:

Plato: The ideal Forms are perfect, unchanging, beyond affection by the material world. If God is perfect, He must be similarly unchanging.

Aristotle: The "Unmoved Mover" is pure actuality, with no potentiality. Change implies movement from potential to actual, which would indicate imperfection in God.

Stoicism: The goal of the sage is apatheia—freedom from passion. If human perfection involves emotional detachment, divine perfection must even more so.

Against this entire tradition, Moses 7 presents a God who weeps. The text offers no apology, no allegorical interpretation. God Himself explains the reason for His weeping: His children—"the workmanship of mine own hands"—have rejected Him and become "without affection" (Moses 7:32–33).

Latter-day Saint theology, informed by additional revelation, rejects divine impassibility:

• D&C 76:1 describes "the great love of our Father"
• D&C 121:7–8 implies divine empathy with human suffering
• The Atonement itself involves God experiencing the full range of human pain

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: "I am convinced that in the garden and on the cross, the weight of human sin and sorrow was placed upon a Being who knew no sin, who felt with perfect clarity every one of our transgressions and shortcomings" ("None Were With Him," General Conference, April 2009). A God who can suffer in the Atonement is a God who can weep over His children's choices.

The term Tsiyon (צִיּוֹן) appears 152 times in the Hebrew Bible, undergoing significant semantic development:

The etymology of Tsiyon remains uncertain:

1. *From tsun (צון):* "to protect" — Zion as fortress/citadel
2. *From tsiyyah (צִיָּה):* "dry/parched land" — possibly referring to terrain
3. *From tsiyun (צִיּוּן):* "marker/monument" — Zion as memorial or sign

Moses 7:18 provides a definition unique in scripture: "The Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

This shifts Zion from geography to character:

• Zion is not primarily a place but a people
• The defining characteristics are ethical, not locational
• Three marks: unity, righteousness, economic equality

This redefinition has profound implications for Latter-day Saint theology. President Spencer W. Kimball taught: "May I suggest three things that we must do to establish Zion... First, we must eliminate the individual tendency to selfishness... Second, we must cooperate completely and work in harmony... Third, we must lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord" ("Becoming the Pure in Heart," General Conference, April 1978).

The concept of humans being taken to heaven without dying appears across cultures:

What sets Moses 7 apart is the translation of an entire community, not just an individual. "Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven" (Moses 7:21).

This collective translation has few if any parallels in world literature. It establishes a pattern:

• Righteousness is communal, not just individual
• Salvation involves covenant community
• The celestial goal is social, not solitary

Joseph Smith taught that translated beings:

• Do not immediately enter God's presence in fullness
• Inhabit "a place prepared for such characters... of the terrestrial order"
• Serve as "ministering angels unto many planets" (TPJS, 170)

This suggests that Enoch's city has not been idle during the millennia since translation. The community continues its work of ministry on a cosmic scale.

Moses 7:38–52 positions the Flood within Enoch's prophetic vision. This narrative connects to broader ANE traditions:

Gilgamesh Epic (Tablet XI)

Utnapishtim, the Babylonian Noah figure, tells Gilgamesh how he survived the divine flood:

• The gods decided to destroy humanity
• Ea warned Utnapishtim to build a boat
• He loaded family, craftsmen, and "seed of all living creatures"
• After seven days, the flood subsided
• He sent out birds (dove, swallow, raven)
• He offered sacrifice

Atrahasis Epic

An earlier Akkadian text providing more backstory:

• Humanity's noise disturbed the gods' sleep
• The gods sent plague, then drought, then flood
• Enki (Ea) warned Atrahasis
• Similar boat-building and survival

Sumerian Flood Story

The oldest version, featuring Ziusudra as the hero.

Moses 7's flood narrative differs from ANE parallels in crucial ways:

The "spirits in prison" concept anticipates 1 Peter 3:19–20 and the Latter-day Saint doctrine of work for the dead. Even those destroyed in the Flood are not beyond redemption's reach.

Moses 7:48–49 presents a remarkable personification:

> "And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?"

Personification of the earth appears in various ANE traditions:

• Sumerian: Ki (earth) as divine being, mother of gods
• Egyptian: Geb (earth god) and Nut (sky goddess)
• Greek: Gaia as primordial earth goddess

However, these are typically deities in their own right. Moses 7 presents the earth as a covenantal being in relationship with its Creator—not a goddess but a created entity with sentience and moral concern.

Latter-day revelation expands this concept:

• D&C 88:25–26: "The earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom... it shall be sanctified"
• D&C 77:2: "That which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal... the spirit of man in the likeness of his person"
• D&C 130:9: "This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal"

The earth's groaning (Moses 7:56) at the crucifixion and its promised "rest" for a thousand years (Moses 7:64) suggest ongoing covenantal relationship between creation and Creator.

Moses 7 shares features with Jewish apocalyptic literature (Daniel, 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch):

1. Heavenly Visions: Prophet sees from cosmic/divine perspective
2. Historical Sweep: Vision spans from past to eschatological future
3. Angelic Mediation: Heavenly beings explain visions
4. Symbolic Imagery: Animals, numbers, cosmic phenomena
5. Dualistic Conflict: Good vs. evil on universal scale
6. Eschatological Hope: Vindication of the righteous at the end

While sharing apocalyptic features, Moses 7 differs significantly:

Moses 7 uses apocalyptic framework but fills it with prophetic (ethical) content. The goal is not esoteric knowledge but Zion community.

• R.H. Charles, The Book of Enoch (1917) — Classic translation of 1 Enoch
• F.I. Andersen, "2 Enoch" in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1
• P.S. Alexander, "3 Enoch" in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1
• J.T. Milik, The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments from Qumran

• Enoch the Prophet (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol. 2)
• "A Strange Thing in the Land: The Return of the Book of Enoch" in Ensign (1975–1977)

• Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "Book of Moses Essays" #21–30 on Enoch's Grand Vision
• KnoWhy OTL05B — Temple Covenants in Moses 5–8
• KnoWhy OTL05C — Joseph Smith and Ancient Enoch Manuscripts

• Thomas G. Weinandy, Does God Suffer? (2000)
• Terence E. Fretheim, The Suffering of God (1984)
• Clark Pinnock, Most Moved Mover (2001)

Moses 7:18

> "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

This single verse contains a fourfold definition structured as:

``` SUBJECT: "The Lord called his people Zion" REASON ("because"):

1. "they were of one heart and one mind" [UNITY]
2. "and dwelt in righteousness" [RIGHTEOUSNESS]
3. "and there was no poor among them" [EQUALITY]

```

The structure moves from internal state (heart/mind) to external behavior (dwelling in righteousness) to social condition (no poor). This is not accidental—Zion begins with interior transformation and manifests in community life.

The word echad is particularly significant. It describes a unity that does not erase distinction—the same word used in "the LORD is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4) and "they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Zion's unity is not uniformity but harmony.

Deuteronomy 15:4 Background

Moses 7:18 echoes Deuteronomy 15:4: "Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee." The context there is sabbatical year laws—every seventh year, debts were released and provision made for the poor. If Israel faithfully observed these laws, poverty would be eliminated.

Enoch's Zion achieved what Israel was promised through covenant faithfulness: complete economic justice through voluntary consecration.

Acts 4:32-35 Parallel

The early Christian church briefly achieved a similar state: "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common" (Acts 4:32).

Three Marks of Zion

1. Unity ("one heart and one mind") This is not uniformity of opinion but unity of purpose and love. President Henry B. Eyring taught: "The Lord requires that His people be one in heart. He sets for them the high standard of being one with Him and the Father" ("That We May Be One," General Conference, April 1998).

2. Righteousness ("dwelt in righteousness") The Hebrew concept of tsedaqah implies right relationships—with God (vertical) and with each other (horizontal). Righteousness in Hebrew thought is always covenantal and communal.

3. Economic Equality ("no poor among them") This was achieved not through compulsion but through consecration. D&C 42:30 describes the law of consecration: "Thou shalt consecrate of thy properties for their support."

Zion as People, Not Place

This verse fundamentally redefines Zion. While "Zion" in biblical usage typically refers to a location (the hill, the temple mount, Jerusalem), Moses 7:18 makes Zion a description of a people's character. D&C 97:21 confirms this: "Zion is the pure in heart."

The Law of Consecration

Moses 7:18 provides the scriptural foundation for the law of consecration revealed in D&C 42 and 82. The early Saints in Kirtland and Missouri attempted to establish this order, with varying success.

Modern Application

President Spencer W. Kimball outlined how we can work toward Zion today:

1. "Eliminate the individual tendency to selfishness"
2. "Cooperate completely and work in harmony"
3. "Lay on the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord"

("Becoming the Pure in Heart," General Conference, April 1978)

> "We know that the Savior will come to a people who have been gathered and prepared to live as the people did in the city of Enoch. The people there were united in faith in Jesus Christ and had become so completely pure that they were taken up to heaven."

Reference: President Henry B. Eyring, "Sisters in Zion," General Conference (October 2020).

> "If men are to be brought again into the presence of the Father, they must be sanctified; they must be pure. The people of Enoch were of one heart and of one mind and dwelt in righteousness, and there was no poor among them, and the Lord called His people Zion."

Reference: President Dallin H. Oaks, "The Challenge to Become," General Conference (October 2000).

1. In what specific ways could your family become more "of one heart and one mind"?
2. How does the Hebrew meaning of "one" (echad—unity in diversity) change your understanding of Zion?
3. What does it mean to "dwell in righteousness" in your daily life?
4. How can you help ensure there are "no poor" among your community?
5. What would a Zion ward/branch look like in practice?

Moses 7:28-29

> "And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? > > And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?"

``` NARRATIVE: "The God of heaven looked... and he wept" WITNESS: "Enoch bore record of it" FIRST QUESTION (poetic): "How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?" SECOND QUESTION (theological): "How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?" ```

Enoch's questions move from observation (the heavens weeping) to theological problem (how can an eternal, holy Being weep?). The second question articulates the classical doctrine of divine impassibility, which the passage then overturns.

The verb bakah (weep) is the same used for:

• Abraham mourning Sarah (Genesis 23:2)
• Joseph weeping for his father (Genesis 50:1)
• Israel weeping in Egypt (Exodus 2:6)

This is not a metaphor for divine displeasure but genuine emotional grief.

Divine Impassibility in Classical Theology

Enoch's question articulates the classical theological position that God cannot suffer or be affected by creatures. This doctrine developed as Christian theologians synthesized biblical revelation with Greek philosophy:

• Plato: The perfect Forms are unchanging
• Aristotle: The "Unmoved Mover" has no potentiality
• Stoicism: The sage achieves apatheia (freedom from passion)

By this reasoning, if God is perfect, He must be beyond emotional disturbance.

Biblical Anthropomorphisms

Traditional theology explained passages attributing emotions to God as "anthropomorphisms"—human language accommodating our limited understanding. When Scripture says God is "angry" or "pleased," this was understood as God willing certain effects, not experiencing emotional states.

Moses 7:28-37 directly challenges this interpretation by having God Himself explain why He weeps.

The Theological Problem

Enoch perfectly articulates the difficulty:

1. God is holy (set apart, transcendent)
2. God is eternal ("from all eternity to all eternity")
3. God's creations are virtually infinite ("millions of earths")
4. Therefore, how can such a Being be moved by creatures so small?

God's Response (vv. 32-37)

God's answer reveals the source of His weeping:

• These are "the workmanship of mine own hands" (v. 32)
• He gave them agency "in the Garden of Eden" (v. 32)
• He commanded them to "love one another" and "choose me, their Father" (v. 33)
• But they "are without affection, and they hate their own blood" (v. 33)

God weeps because He is a Father, and these are His children. Love makes Him vulnerable to grief.

Latter-day Saint Theology

Restoration theology rejects divine impassibility:

• God has a glorified body of flesh and bones (D&C 130:22)
• God experiences genuine emotion
• The Atonement involved infinite suffering
• Divine love is not merely willing good but actually caring

Ancient Parallels Discovered After 1830:

The portrayal of a weeping God has no parallel in the Bible—yet it appears in ancient Jewish and early Christian sources unavailable to Joseph Smith:

Hugh Nibley observed: "There is, to say the least, no gloating in heaven over the fate of the wicked world. [And it] is Enoch who leads the weeping."

Why This Matters: The "weeping prophet" motif is well-attested in ancient Enoch traditions but appears nowhere in sources available to Joseph Smith in 1830. The Book of Moses independently preserves this ancient pattern.

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "The Weeping of Enoch" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #28)

Jesus Weeping

The New Testament records Jesus weeping on at least two occasions:

• At Lazarus's tomb (John 11:35)
• Over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41)

If Jesus Christ—who perfectly reflects the Father's character—can weep, then the Father's weeping in Moses 7 is consistent.

The Atonement

A God who cannot suffer cannot atone. The Atonement required that Christ experience the full range of human pain. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: "I am convinced that in the garden and on the cross, the weight of human sin and sorrow was placed upon a Being who knew no sin, who felt with perfect clarity every one of our transgressions and shortcomings" ("None Were With Him," General Conference, April 2009).

> "In the Pearl of Great Price is found an account in which Enoch was shown a vision of the generations of humanity down to and past the time of the Great Flood. He observed that 'the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept.' An overwhelmed Enoch asked, 'How is it that thou canst weep?' He could not understand how a Being so great could shed tears."

Reference: Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Joy of the Saints," General Conference (October 2019).

> "This doctrine—that God can weep—teaches us volumes about the divine character. Our Father in Heaven feels what we feel. He weeps when we make choices that lead to misery. But He also rejoices when we choose the path of happiness."

Reference: Elder Gerrit W. Gong, "Room in the Inn," General Conference (April 2021).

1. How does knowing that God can weep change your relationship with Him?
2. Why might it be important that God experiences genuine emotion rather than merely "willing" certain effects?
3. What does it mean that God's weeping comes from love, not weakness?
4. How does divine weeping relate to the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
5. When have you sensed that Heavenly Father grieves with you or for you?

Moses 7:32-33

> "The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency; > > And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood."

``` IDENTITY: "They are the workmanship of mine own hands" GIFTS GIVEN:

• Knowledge: "I gave unto them their knowledge"
• Agency: "in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency"

COMMANDMENTS:

• "That they should love one another"
• "That they should choose me, their Father"

RESULT:

• "They are without affection"
• "They hate their own blood"

```

The structure shows God's investment (creation, knowledge, agency, commandment) contrasted with humanity's response (rejection, hatred). The tragedy is not that creatures fail their Creator but that children reject their Father.

The phrase "hate their own blood" uses dam (blood) to indicate kinship—they hate their own family, their own kindred. This is the ultimate inversion of God's command to "love one another."

Agency in Eden

The phrase "in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency" places the gift of agency at creation itself, not at the Fall. Adam and Eve possessed agency before partaking of the forbidden fruit—they chose to partake using that agency.

This differs from some traditional Christian theologies that see human freedom as corrupted or lost at the Fall. Latter-day Saint theology holds that agency was the gift, and the Fall was its first major exercise.

The Two Great Commandments

God's commandments here—"love one another" and "choose me, their Father"—parallel the two great commandments Jesus identified:

1. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God" (Matthew 22:37)
2. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matthew 22:39)

These were not new commandments in Jesus's day; they were already given in Eden.

"Workmanship of Mine Own Hands"

This phrase emphasizes personal investment. God is not a distant watchmaker; He is a craftsman who formed these beings personally. The phrase echoes:

• Isaiah 64:8: "We are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand"
• Psalm 139:14: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

Agency as Edenic Gift

The explicit statement that agency was given "in the Garden of Eden" is significant:

• Agency preceded the Fall
• Agency is a divine gift, not merely a human capacity
• God deliberately created beings capable of rejecting Him

This connects to 2 Nephi 2:27: "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh... free to choose liberty and eternal life... or to choose captivity and death."

The Inversion

God commanded love; they became "without affection." God commanded choosing the Father; they "hate their own blood." The rejection is complete—not just neglect but active hatred.

The Plan of Salvation

This passage illuminates the plan:

1. God created us personally ("workmanship of mine own hands")
2. God gave us knowledge and agency
3. God commanded love (vertical: "choose me"; horizontal: "love one another")
4. We can choose to accept or reject

The entire plan depends on agency being real. A plan that forced obedience would not produce "workmanship" worthy of God.

> "Agency is the ability and freedom God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation... Without agency, we would be unable to make right choices and progress."

Reference: True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference (2004), "Agency." Full entry

> "God gave us moral agency, and we used it before we were born to choose to come to earth and be subject to the experiences of mortality. God will never force us to be righteous; our choices must be free."

Reference: Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "Free Forever, to Act for Themselves," General Conference (October 2014).

1. What does it mean to you that you are "the workmanship of [God's] own hands"?
2. How does knowing that agency was given in Eden affect your understanding of the Fall?
3. In what ways might we be "without affection" or "hate [our] own blood" today?
4. How do the two commandments (love God, love neighbor) connect?
5. Why would God create beings capable of rejecting Him?

Moses 7:21

> "And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever."

``` VISION SCOPE: "The Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth" OBSERVATION: "He beheld, and lo" EVENT: "Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven" DIVINE DECLARATION: "Behold mine abode forever" ```

The phrase "in process of time" is significant—translation was gradual, not instantaneous. The community grew in righteousness until reaching a threshold that qualified them for removal from the mortal sphere.

The verb laqach connects this collective translation to Enoch's individual translation in Genesis 5:24 ("God took him"). The same divine action that removed Enoch now removes his entire city.

Translation in Ancient Traditions

Individual translation (removal to heaven without death) appears in:

• Enoch (Genesis 5:24)
• Elijah (2 Kings 2:11)
• Greek tradition: Ganymede, Heracles
• Roman tradition: Romulus

But collective translation—an entire city—is unique to Moses 7.

Joseph Smith on Translated Beings

Joseph Smith taught: "Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets" (TPJS, 170).

This clarifies that Enoch's city was not immediately glorified but holds a terrestrial status, engaged in ongoing ministry.

Collective Righteousness

The translation of an entire city demonstrates that righteousness can be communal:

• Not just individual saints but a covenant community
• The qualities of Zion (Moses 7:18) were achieved collectively
• Salvation is social, not solitary

"In Process of Time"

This phrase indicates gradual development. The city did not become translation-worthy overnight. Over time, the community:

• Achieved unity ("one heart and one mind")
• Established righteousness ("dwelt in righteousness")
• Eliminated inequality ("no poor among them")

This offers hope: Zion is built incrementally, choice by choice, covenant by covenant.

"Mine Abode Forever"

God's declaration suggests that Zion becomes His dwelling place. This connects to temple theology—the temple is God's house, and Zion is ultimately an extended temple-community where God can dwell.

An Unusual Claim with Ancient Echoes:

While individual translation appears across cultures (Enoch, Elijah, Heracles, Romulus), the collective translation of an entire city is virtually unique to Moses 7. Yet fragmentary ancient sources hint at this possibility:

Mandaean Enoch Fragments: Describe others besides Enoch ascending bodily with him.

Late Midrash: Contains traditions of group ascension with righteous leaders.

2 Baruch 4:2–3: "It is that [city] which will be revealed, with me, that was already prepared from the moment that I decided to create Paradise."

4 Ezra 13:35: "Zion will come and be made manifest to all people, prepared and built."

The "Bosom" Imagery: Moses 7 uses "bosom" six times—a term connected to Second Temple traditions of Abraham's bosom as the gathering place of the righteous. The imagery of God receiving Zion "into his own bosom" echoes these ancient concepts.

As David J. Larsen asks: "Can an entire community ascend to heaven?" Moses 7 answers affirmatively—a concept with few parallels in world literature but attested in fragmentary ancient sources.

Source: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, "God Receives Zion" (Interpreter Foundation, Essay #30)

The City Will Return

Moses 7:62-64 promises that Enoch's translated city will return to meet the latter-day Zion. This return is part of the restoration of all things.

Temple Pattern

The translation of Zion parallels temple ascent:

• Progressive sanctification
• Movement from earthly to heavenly sphere
• Entering God's presence ("mine abode")

> "The Lord has taken into His care this city, the City of Zion. And it is reserved, along with the earth that was translated with it, to come again at the time of the Second Coming of the Savior."

Reference: Elder Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah (1982), p. 119.

> "In the future, the Lord will bring Zion and the New Jerusalem together. At that day, 'the city of Enoch which was taken up, and the city of holiness, even Zion' will come down from heaven."

Reference: Encyclopedia of Mormonism, "Enoch: LDS Sources."

1. What does "in process of time" teach about how Zion is achieved?
2. How does collective translation challenge individualistic views of salvation?
3. What would it look like for your family or ward to progress "in process of time" toward Zion qualities?
4. Why might God declare Zion "mine abode forever"?
5. How does knowing Zion's city will return affect your understanding of the last days?

Moses 7:62-64

> "And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. > > And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; > > And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest."

``` PROMISE 1: "Righteousness will I send down out of heaven" PROMISE 2: "Truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood" PURPOSE: "To gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth" DESTINATION: "An Holy City... Zion, a New Jerusalem" REUNION: "Thou and all thy city meet them there" EMBRACE: "We will fall upon their necks... kiss each other" CULMINATION: "For the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest" ```

The passage moves from divine action (sending righteousness and truth) through gathering and reunion to millennial rest. The imagery of embrace ("fall upon their necks... kiss each other") suggests intimate reunion after long separation.

The imagery of truth "sweeping the earth as with a flood" reverses the destruction of Noah's flood. Where water destroyed, truth will restore.

The Embrace Imagery

"Fall upon their necks... kiss each other" echoes reunion scenes in the Hebrew Bible:

• Jacob and Esau: "Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him" (Genesis 33:4)
• Joseph and his brothers: "He fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept" (Genesis 45:14)

This is not formal greeting but passionate reunion of long-separated family.

"New Jerusalem"

The concept of a New Jerusalem appears in:

• Isaiah 65:17-19: "I create Jerusalem a rejoicing"
• Revelation 21:2: "I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven"
• 3 Nephi 21:23-24: New Jerusalem built on American continent
• Ether 13:3-6: New Jerusalem as fulfillment of promises

Righteousness from Heaven

"Righteousness will I send down out of heaven" has been interpreted as:

• The Book of Mormon (coming forth from the earth, meeting righteousness from heaven)
• The Restoration of the gospel
• Divine intervention in the last days

President Ezra Taft Benson taught that the Book of Mormon is the "righteousness" while the "truth" that sweeps the earth is the gospel message ("The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion," General Conference, October 1986).

The Gathering

"Gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth" describes the latter-day gathering of Israel:

• Physical gathering to covenant lands
• Spiritual gathering through conversion and covenant
• Preparation for Christ's return

Two Zions Meet

The reunion of Enoch's ancient city with the latter-day Zion is remarkable doctrine:

• Enoch's city has been preserved in translation for millennia
• The latter-day Saints build a New Jerusalem
• At Christ's coming, the two communities reunite
• The embrace imagery suggests joy, not formality

Millennial Rest

"For the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest" echoes the Sabbath pattern:

• Six days of work, seventh of rest
• Six thousand years of mortality, seventh thousand of millennial rest
• The earth's "rest" connects to Moses 7:48 where the earth asked, "When shall I rest?"

The Tenth Article of Faith

"We believe... that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory."

This encapsulates Moses 7:62-64: Zion built, Christ reigning, earth renewed.

Independence, Missouri

D&C 57:1-3 identifies Independence, Missouri, as the "center place" of Zion, where the New Jerusalem will be built.

> "The city of Enoch will return and will be joined with a city, or cities of Zion here. That will complete the restoration of all things. What a glorious day that will be!"

Reference: President Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p. 68.

> "In the future, the Lord will bring Zion and the New Jerusalem together. At that day, 'the city of Enoch which was taken up, and the city of holiness, even Zion' will come down from heaven, and 'the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.'"

Reference: Encyclopedia of Mormonism, "Enoch: LDS Sources."

1. What does it mean that truth will "sweep the earth as with a flood"—reversing the destruction of Noah's day?
2. How are you participating in the gathering of the elect?
3. What does the embrace imagery ("fall upon their necks... kiss each other") suggest about the reunion of the two Zions?
4. How does the promise of millennial rest give hope during mortality's challenges?
5. What would it be like to meet Enoch and the translated Saints?

1. Zion defined — Understanding Tsiyon's Hebrew background illuminates what Zion truly means
2. Divine emotion — The Hebrew vocabulary of weeping and grief reveals God's heart
3. Unity concepts — "One heart and one mind" uses echad, a word with profound theological weight
4. Translation — The language of "taking" (laqach) connects Enoch to Elijah and others

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: The etymology of Tsiyon is debated. Proposed meanings include:

• "Fortress" or "citadel" (from a root meaning "to protect")
• "Dry place" or "parched ground"
• "Sign" or "monument" (from tsiyun, a marker)

Whatever the origin, Moses 7:18 transforms the meaning: Zion is not primarily a place but a people characterized by unity, righteousness, and equality.

Biblical Development:

• 2 Samuel 5:7 — The Jebusite fortress David captured
• Psalm 132:13 — Where God chose to dwell
• Isaiah 2:3 — "Out of Zion shall go forth the law"
• Micah 4:2 — Eschatological gathering place

Restoration Usage:

• Moses 7:18 — Definition: one heart, one mind, no poor
• D&C 97:21 — "Zion is the pure in heart"

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: Greek Sion appears throughout the New Testament (Romans 9:33, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 14:1), connecting Old Testament hopes to New Testament fulfillment and eschatological consummation.

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Through Latin, "Zion" entered English hymnody and theological vocabulary as the paradigm of God's holy city and gathered people.

Layer 4: English Etymology

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> ZION, n. > A hill in Jerusalem, on which the temple was built. > In Scripture, the church of God; the kingdom of heaven; heaven.

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: "Zion" in 1828 already carried both geographical (Jerusalem) and spiritual (God's people, heaven) meanings—preparing the ground for Restoration revelation.

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: Hebrew bakah describes genuine weeping with tears—not mere disappointment but deep emotional grief. When Moses 7:28 says God "wept" (using terminology parallel to bakah), it conveys authentic divine sorrow.

Biblical Occurrences:

• Genesis 21:16 — Hagar wept over Ishmael
• Genesis 50:1 — Joseph wept over Jacob
• 2 Kings 20:3 — Hezekiah wept before the Lord
• Psalm 137:1 — "By the rivers of Babylon... we wept"

Theological Significance: Bakah is used for human grief over death, loss, and sin. Its application to God in Moses 7 is theologically revolutionary—God experiences genuine grief when His children reject Him.

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: Greek klaiō is used for Jesus weeping over Lazarus (John 11:35) and over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). The incarnate Son demonstrates the same capacity for grief that the Father shows in Moses 7.

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Latin fleo gives us "feeble" (originally "lamentable") and connects to the emotional vocabulary of grief in Romance languages.

Layer 4: English Etymology

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> WEEP, v.i. > 1. To express sorrow by shedding tears; to lament. > 2. To shed tears from any passion. > 3. To lament; to complain. > 4. To flow in drops; to drip.

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: "Weep" in 1828 meant shedding tears in genuine sorrow—exactly what Moses 7 attributes to God.

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: When Moses 7:18 describes Zion as "one heart and one mind," it uses language parallel to echad—the same word in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4: "The LORD our God is one LORD"). This word can mean simple numerical oneness or compound unity (as in Genesis 2:24: husband and wife become "one flesh").

Biblical Occurrences:

• Deuteronomy 6:4 — The Shema: "The LORD our God is one (echad) LORD"
• Genesis 2:24 — "They shall be one (echad) flesh"
• Ezekiel 37:17 — Two sticks become "one (echad)"

Theological Significance: Echad allows for unity-in-plurality. The Godhead can be "one" while comprising distinct persons. Zion can be "one" while including diverse individuals. This is unity through covenant and purpose, not absorption into sameness.

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: Greek heis appears in John 17:11, 21–22 where Jesus prays "that they may be one, as we are." The unity of believers mirrors the unity of Father and Son.

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Latin unus gives us "union," "unity," "unite"—all capturing the idea of distinct elements coming together as one.

Layer 4: English Etymology

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> ONE, a. > 1. Single in number. > 2. Indefinitely, a single person or thing. > 3. Closely united; as, one heart and soul. > 4. The same; identical.

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: Webster's third definition—"closely united; as, one heart and soul"—exactly matches Moses 7:18's description of Zion.

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: Hebrew lev encompasses what English divides between "heart" (emotions) and "mind" (reason). The heart in Hebrew thought is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral decision. When Moses 7:18 says Zion was "one heart," it means unified in thought, will, emotion, and purpose.

Biblical Occurrences:

• Deuteronomy 6:5 — "Love the LORD thy God with all thine heart (lev)"
• Proverbs 4:23 — "Keep thy heart (lev) with all diligence"
• Jeremiah 17:9 — "The heart (lev) is deceitful above all things"
• Ezekiel 36:26 — "A new heart (lev) also will I give you"

Theological Significance: Zion's "one heart" is not merely emotional harmony but intellectual, volitional, and moral alignment around God's purposes.

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: Greek kardia appears in Acts 4:32: "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart (kardia) and of one soul"—the New Testament echo of Zion.

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Latin cor gives us "core," "cordial," "courage," and "accord"—all relating to the heart as center of personality and relationship.

Layer 4: English Etymology

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> HEART, n. > 1. A muscular viscus... > 2. The seat of the affections and passions. > 3. The seat of the understanding. > 4. The seat of the will. > 5. The seat of courage. > 6. The inner part of any thing; the middle part or interior.

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: Webster captures the Hebrew range: seat of affection, understanding, and will. "One heart" thus means unified in all these dimensions.

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: When scripture says Enoch "was taken" (Genesis 5:24) or that God "took" Zion (Moses 7:21 uses equivalent language), the Hebrew verb is laqach. This same verb describes Elijah being "taken" (2 Kings 2:3, 5, 9–10), creating a theological pattern: laqach by God = translation.

Biblical Occurrences:

• Genesis 5:24 — "God took (laqach) him"
• 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 9–10 — Elijah will be "taken (laqach)"
• Genesis 2:15 — God "took (laqach) the man and put him in Eden"

Theological Significance: Divine laqach implies God's active initiative. Enoch and Zion did not escape on their own merit; God reached out and took them. Translation is God's gift, not human achievement.

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: The Greek metatithēmi is where we get "translate" in the sense of Enoch's translation. Hebrews 11:5 uses this word: "By faith Enoch was translated (metetethe)."

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Latin tollo (perfect tuli) in its sense of "lifted up" connects to concepts of exaltation and elevation.

Layer 4: English Etymology

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> TRANSLATE, v.t. > 1. To bear, carry or remove from one place to another. > 2. To remove or convey to heaven, as a human being, without death. > 3. To transfer; to convey from one to another.

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: Webster's second definition addresses translation in Enoch's sense: "to convey to heaven, as a human being, without death."

Layer 1: Hebrew Foundation

Key Insight: The word Nephilim derives from the Hebrew root naphal (נָפַל), meaning "to fall." This etymology opens two primary interpretations:

1. "Fallen Ones" — Those who had fallen from righteousness; apostates who once possessed great knowledge, covenant blessings, or priesthood power but used these gifts to serve their own ambitions rather than God's purposes.
2. "Those Who Cause Others to Fall" — Violent oppressors who brought destruction and moral collapse to society.

The traditional translation as "giants" (following the Septuagint) may reflect their outsized influence and power rather than literal physical stature. These were likely individuals or groups of great capability—perhaps possessing sacred knowledge, patriarchal authority, or political power—who became corrupted.

Contextual Background: While Nephilim appears in Genesis 6:4 (the chapter immediately following Moses 7's narrative), Moses 7 provides the theological backdrop. The "sons of men" who rejected Enoch's preaching (Moses 7:15–16) and those "without affection" who "hate their own blood" (Moses 7:33) represent this same pattern of apostasy.

Biblical Occurrences:

• Genesis 6:4 — "There were giants (Nephilim) in the earth in those days"
• Numbers 13:33 — The spies saw Nephilim in Canaan (the sons of Anak)

Restoration Perspective: The Book of Moses expands our understanding of the pre-Flood world. Rather than focusing on mythological giants, Moses 7 emphasizes the moral stature of Enoch's opponents:

• They had "sought their own counsels in the dark" (Moses 5:51)
• Satan had "great dominion among men" (Moses 6:15)
• The people "would not hearken" despite possessing knowledge (Moses 7:26)

This suggests the Nephilim were not simply large humans but apostates of great capacity—those who had received light and knowledge but deliberately chose darkness. Their "fall" was spiritual before it was anything else.

Evidence of Antiquity: The Enochic literature from Second Temple Judaism (1 Enoch, 2 Enoch) extensively discusses the "Watchers"—heavenly beings who fell through mixing with humanity. While Joseph Smith's Moses 7 predates his access to these texts, the shared emphasis on "falling" from righteousness rather than mythological giant-lore demonstrates authentic ancient connections.

Layer 2: Greek Analysis (Septuagint)

Why This Matters: The Septuagint translators chose gigantes (whence English "giants"), which in Greek mythology referred to the earth-born beings who warred against the gods. This interpretive choice emphasized physical power over the Hebrew root's focus on "falling." The KJV followed this Greek tradition.

However, the original Hebrew points to moral failure rather than physical size. Understanding Nephilim as "fallen ones" restores the ethical dimension that the Greek translation obscured.

Layer 3: Latin Analysis (Vulgate)

Influence on English: Jerome followed the Septuagint, cementing "giants" as the standard translation. Medieval and early modern readers imagined literal giant humans, losing the Hebrew wordplay on "falling."

Layer 4: English Etymology

Alternative Translation: Modern scholarship increasingly favors "fallen ones" as the more accurate translation, capturing the Hebrew root meaning. Some translations now footnote this alternative: "Nephilim (fallen ones)."

Layer 5: Webster 1828 Definition

> GIANT, n. > 1. A man of extraordinary bulk and stature. > 2. A person of extraordinary strength or powers. > 3. In Scripture, men of great stature and strength, the offspring of the "sons of God" and "daughters of men."

Joseph Smith Era Understanding: Webster's third definition reflects the traditional reading. Joseph Smith's revealed text in Moses 7, however, provides context that emphasizes the moral dimension: these were people of extraordinary power and knowledge who had apostatized, using their God-given capacities for selfish and violent ends.

Theological Application: The Pattern of the "Fallen Ones"

The Nephilim pattern—those with great gifts who apostatize—recurs throughout scripture:

The warning for modern readers: spiritual gifts and knowledge bring responsibility. The greater the light received, the greater the fall when that light is rejected. The Nephilim were "giants" not primarily in stature but in capacity for either good or evil.

Theme: Understanding God's Heart

Moses 7:28–37 reveals a God who weeps over His children—a doctrine that transforms how we relate to our Heavenly Father.

Personal Application Ideas:

1. Sit with a Weeping God

• Read Moses 7:28–37 slowly, prayerfully
• Journal: How does knowing God weeps change how I see Him?
• Consider: What in my life might cause God to weep? What might bring Him joy?

1. Evaluate Your Zion Contribution

• Moses 7:18 defines Zion: one heart, one mind, righteousness, no poor
• Self-examine: Am I contributing to or detracting from these qualities in my ward/family?
• Plan: One specific action to increase unity or reduce poverty in my community

1. Walk with God Like Enoch

• Enoch walked with God despite feeling young, hated, and inadequate (Moses 6:31)
• Identify your "Enoch objections"—what makes you feel unqualified?
• Claim God's promise: "Walk with me" (Moses 6:34)

1. Vision of Hope

• Moses 7:62–64 promises the return of Zion and reunion with translated beings
• Meditate: What does it mean that Enoch's city will "meet" the last-days Zion?
• Journal: How does this hope affect my present-day choices?

Discussion Questions for Personal Pondering:

• Why might God choose to reveal His weeping to Enoch?
• How does Zion's definition challenge modern individualism?
• What would it take for your ward to be "of one heart and one mind"?

Theme: Building Zion at Home

The family is the first Zion community. Moses 7:18's definition applies directly to family life.

Activity Ideas:

1. The Zion Checklist (All Ages)

• Write the four Zion qualities on paper:
• One heart
• One mind
• Dwell in righteousness
• No poor among them
• Discuss: How can our family improve in each area this week?
• Let children suggest specific actions

1. God Weeps Object Lesson (Ages 5+)

• Have a parent pretend to cry over a broken/dirty toy
• Discussion: Why would a parent cry over a toy? (Because they made it and love it)
• Read Moses 7:28–33: God cries because He made us and loves us
• Application: What can we do to bring God joy instead of tears?

1. Family Unity Challenge (Ages 8+)

• Identify one area where the family is divided (chores, screen time, etc.)
• Work together to create a solution everyone agrees with
• Celebrate achieving "one mind" on that issue
• Discuss: This is how Zion works—unity through love

1. Translated City Discussion (Teens/Adults)

• Read Moses 7:21 and 7:62–64
• Questions:
• What does it mean that a whole city was translated?
• Why does Zion return to meet the last-days Saints?
• How should this future affect our present?

Simple Object Lessons:

• The Puzzle: Show a puzzle with missing pieces. Key teaching: Zion requires everyone. If one piece is missing, the picture is incomplete.
• The Rope: Braid three cords together (or let children try). A single strand breaks easily; braided strands are strong. Key teaching: "One heart and one mind" means strength through unity.

Family Discussion Questions:

• What does it feel like when our family is "of one heart"?
• How can we help each other so there's "no poor among us"?
• Why did God cry when people stopped loving each other?

Theme: The Weeping God and Zion's Pattern

Moses 7 challenges traditional assumptions about God while providing a pattern for community.

Discussion Approaches:

1. Why Does God Weep?

• Read Moses 7:28–29
• Ask: What about this passage surprises you?
• Discuss traditional theology: God is "impassible" (cannot suffer)
• Restoration insight: God has a glorified body and feels genuine emotion
• Application: How does a weeping God change your prayers?

1. The Definition of Zion

• Write Moses 7:18 on the board
• Parse each element:
• "One heart" — emotional/spiritual unity
• "One mind" — intellectual/purposive unity
• "Dwelt in righteousness" — moral purity
• "No poor among them" — economic equality
• Discuss: Which is hardest for us today? Why?

1. Collective Translation

• Point out: Not just Enoch but the whole city was translated (Moses 7:21)
• Question: What does this suggest about salvation—individual or communal?
• Cross-reference D&C 128:15: "They without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect"

1. The Return of Zion

• Read Moses 7:62–64
• Imagery: "Fall upon their necks... kiss each other"
• Question: What kind of reunion is described here?
• Application: How should this promise shape our gathering efforts?

Whiteboard Ideas:

Theme: God's Emotions and Our Response

Young people often struggle with a distant, impersonal God. Moses 7 reveals a Father who feels deeply.

Teaching Approaches:

1. Challenging Traditional Theology

• Explain "divine impassibility" (God cannot suffer)
• Read Moses 7:28–29
• Discussion: Which view of God is more relatable? More biblical?
• Cross-reference: Jesus wept (John 11:35, Luke 19:41)

1. Building Zion in Your Context

• Moses 7:18: one heart, one mind, righteousness, no poor
• Adapt to youth contexts:
• Seminary class, youth group, quorum, class
• What would "no poor among us" look like in a school context?
• What divides us? What could unite us?

1. Enoch's Sweep of History

• Moses 7 covers from Enoch's day to the Second Coming
• Trace the vision: Flood → Christ's ministry → Apostasy → Restoration → Return of Zion
• Question: Where are we in this timeline?
• Application: What's our role in preparing for Zion's return?

1. The Agency Passage

• Moses 7:32: "In the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency"
• Why does God emphasize agency in explaining why He weeps?
• Discussion: Can God love us without giving us freedom to reject Him?
• Deep dive: Love, agency, and the problem of evil

1. Evidence of Antiquity: Building Testimony

Moses 7 contains details discovered in ancient texts after Joseph Smith's death. This pattern of ancient parallels strengthens testimonies—Joseph Smith got details right he couldn't have known.

Key Examples to Share with Students:

Discussion Questions:

• What does it mean that Joseph Smith described things he couldn't have known?
• How does this affect your testimony of the Book of Moses?
• Why might God preserve these details in obscure texts until they could vindicate His prophet?

Teaching Tip: Don't overstate the case—these parallels don't "prove" the Book of Moses in a laboratory sense. But they do show that Moses 7 fits authentically into ancient Enoch traditions in ways Joseph Smith couldn't have fabricated. The cumulative weight of these parallels is significant.

Sources: Jeffrey M. Bradshaw's Book of Moses Essays #22–#30 (Interpreter Foundation)

Theme: A God Who Cares

Many people believe in a distant, impersonal God or no God at all. Moses 7 reveals a Father who weeps.

Teaching Approaches:

1. A Personal God

• Many feel God (if He exists) doesn't care about individuals
• Moses 7:28–37 shows a God who weeps over His children
• Question: What kind of God would you want to believe in?
• Application: A weeping God is personally invested in your life

1. The Purpose of Community

• Moses 7:18 defines ideal community: unity, righteousness, equality
• Connection: This is what the Church strives to become
• Invitation: Join a community becoming Zion

1. God's Plan Includes You

• Moses 7:62: "Righteousness... to gather out mine elect"
• You are being gathered
• The gathering is both now (joining the Church) and future (Christ's return)

1. According to Moses 7:13, what happened when Enoch spoke the word of the Lord?
2. How did the nations respond to Enoch's preaching (Moses 7:13–15)?
3. What natural phenomena accompanied Enoch's preaching (Moses 7:13)?
4. Why did "all nations fear greatly" Enoch (Moses 7:17)?
5. What did the Lord do to "the land that was cursed" (Moses 7:8)?
6. Who were the "people of Canaan" mentioned in Moses 7:6–8?
7. How is Enoch's power described in Moses 7:13?
8. What happened to the rivers when Enoch spoke (Moses 7:13)?
9. According to Moses 7:16, how long did the people of the land dwell "in righteousness"?
10. What weapons did the enemies of God's people use (Moses 7:15)?

1. What three characteristics defined Zion according to Moses 7:18?
2. What does "one heart and one mind" mean in the context of Moses 7:18?
3. What economic condition characterized Zion (Moses 7:18)?
4. What name did the Lord give to His people (Moses 7:18)?
5. What happened to Zion "in process of time" (Moses 7:21)?
6. What did the Lord call Zion after it was taken up (Moses 7:21)?
7. How does "dwelt in righteousness" differ from "were righteous"?
8. What does the phrase "in process of time" suggest about how translation occurred?
9. According to Moses 7:19, why couldn't enemies come against Zion?
10. What does "mine abode forever" indicate about Zion's significance?

1. What did Enoch see that caused him to ask, "How is it that the heavens weep?" (Moses 7:28–29)?
2. How does Enoch describe God's extent—"millions of earths" (Moses 7:30)?
3. Why does Enoch believe God should be incapable of weeping (Moses 7:29)?
4. What attribute of God does Enoch emphasize in his question—"thou art holy" (Moses 7:29)?
5. What phrase does God use to describe humanity—"the workmanship of mine own hands" (Moses 7:32)?
6. Where did God give man his agency according to Moses 7:32?
7. What two commandments did God give "thy brethren" (Moses 7:33)?
8. What does "without affection" mean in the context of Moses 7:33?
9. What does it mean that they "hate their own blood" (Moses 7:33)?
10. According to Moses 7:34–35, what else did God give besides commandments?

1. What did Enoch see happening among "the rest of the people" (Moses 7:38)?
2. What does "a prison have I prepared for them" refer to (Moses 7:38)?
3. According to Moses 7:39, what is the "one" that God chose among all His workmanship?
4. What did Noah preach to his generation (Moses 7:42)?
5. How did the people respond to Noah's preaching (Moses 7:42)?
6. What covered the earth in Moses 7:43?
7. How did Enoch respond when he saw the Flood (Moses 7:44)?
8. What question did Enoch ask regarding the timing of redemption (Moses 7:45)?
9. What is meant by "the meridian of time" (Moses 7:46)?
10. In what days would the Son of Man come in the flesh (Moses 7:46)?

1. What did Enoch see the Son of Man doing among the dead (Moses 7:47)?
2. What voice did Enoch hear "from the bowels" of the earth (Moses 7:48)?
3. What does the earth call herself (Moses 7:48)?
4. What does the earth ask for in Moses 7:48?
5. According to Moses 7:48, what has "gone forth" out of the earth?
6. When the earth asks "When shall I rest?" what does this anticipate (Moses 7:48)?
7. What did Enoch see happen to the Son of Man on the cross (Moses 7:55)?
8. How did creation respond to the crucifixion (Moses 7:56)?
9. What physical phenomena occurred when Christ was lifted up (Moses 7:56)?
10. How long did "darkness" cover the earth (Moses 7:56)?

1. What will God send "down out of heaven" (Moses 7:62)?
2. What will truth do to the earth according to Moses 7:62?
3. What is the purpose of gathering the elect (Moses 7:62)?
4. What will the Holy City be called (Moses 7:62)?
5. Who will meet the latter-day Zion (Moses 7:63)?
6. What physical expressions of reunion are described in Moses 7:63?
7. How long will the earth rest (Moses 7:64)?
8. What will happen "at the end thereof" after the millennial rest (Moses 7:64)?
9. What does "the earth shall rest" parallel in scripture (hint: Sabbath)?
10. How does Moses 7:64 connect to the earth's plea in Moses 7:48?

1. In what specific ways can you become "of one heart" with your family members?
2. How can you contribute to having "no poor" among your immediate community?
3. What prevents unity ("one mind") in your ward or branch, and how might you address it?
4. How do you balance individual identity with community unity?
5. What sacrifices might be required to achieve the Zion condition of "no poor among them"?

1. How does knowing that God can weep affect your relationship with Him?
2. When have you sensed Heavenly Father's grief over your choices?
3. How can understanding divine emotion deepen your prayers?
4. If God weeps over human wickedness, how should you respond to wickedness around you?
5. How does the "weeping God" contrast with distant or indifferent images of deity?

1. How does knowing that agency was given "in the Garden of Eden" affect your understanding of accountability?
2. In what ways might you be "without affection" toward those around you?
3. How do you balance respecting others' agency while mourning poor choices?
4. What does it mean to "choose [God], their Father" in your daily decisions?
5. How can you use your agency to build rather than destroy community?

1. What would it look like if your family achieved Moses 7:18's characteristics for one day?
2. How can you help eliminate emotional or spiritual "poverty" in your relationships?
3. What step could you take this week toward "dwelling in righteousness"?
4. How does personal righteousness contribute to or hinder community Zion?
5. What modern-day equivalents of "Zion being taken up" might you experience spiritually?

1. How does the promise of Zion's return (Moses 7:62–64) give you hope during trials?
2. What does "in process of time" teach about patience in spiritual growth?
3. How can you maintain hope when progress toward Zion seems slow?
4. What does the embrace imagery ("fall upon their necks") suggest about the joy of reunion?
5. How does knowing the earth will "rest" for a thousand years affect your perspective on current struggles?

1. If God asked you, "How is it that thou canst [your struggle]?" how would you answer?
2. What would change if you truly believed you are "the workmanship of [God's] own hands"?
3. How does Enoch's reluctant response to prophetic calling (Moses 6:31) relate to your own hesitations?
4. What "mountains" (obstacles) in your life might "flee" if you exercised greater faith?
5. How would your life differ if you fully accepted God's command to "love one another"?

1. How does Moses 7:28–37 challenge the classical doctrine of divine impassibility?
2. What does God's weeping reveal about the nature of divine love?
3. How does the phrase "workmanship of mine own hands" define our relationship to God?
4. What does it mean that God "gave unto them their knowledge" (Moses 7:32)?
5. How does divine weeping relate to the Atonement of Jesus Christ?
6. What is the relationship between God's holiness and His ability to weep?

1. Why would God create beings capable of rejecting Him?
2. How does the statement "in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency" relate to the Fall?
3. What is the connection between agency and the two great commandments (love God, love neighbor)?
4. How does Moses 7:32–33 illuminate the purpose of mortality?
5. What does "they are without affection" suggest about the consequences of rejecting God?
6. How does agency make God vulnerable to grief?

1. How does Moses 7:18's definition of Zion differ from geographical definitions?
2. What is the relationship between individual righteousness and collective Zion?
3. How does the translation of an entire city challenge individualistic views of salvation?
4. What does "mine abode forever" suggest about the relationship between Zion and temple?
5. How does Moses 7:18 relate to the law of consecration (D&C 42, 82)?
6. What does "in process of time" teach about how Zion is achieved?

1. What does "righteousness... out of heaven" meeting "truth... from the earth" signify?
2. How does the gathering of the elect relate to the building of Zion?
3. What is the significance of two Zion communities reuniting (Moses 7:63)?
4. How does the "thousand years" of rest relate to the Sabbath pattern?
5. What happens "at the end" of the millennial rest (Moses 7:64)?
6. How does the promise of Zion's return provide hope during apostasy?

1. How does Moses 7:47 demonstrate that ancient prophets understood Christ's mission?
2. What is the significance of calling Christ "the Righteous" in Moses 7:47?
3. How does creation's response to the crucifixion (Moses 7:56) reveal Christ's cosmic significance?
4. What does "spirits in prison" (Moses 7:38) anticipate about Christ's postmortal ministry?
5. How does "the meridian of time" position Christ's mortal ministry?
6. What does the vision of Christ "lifted up on the cross" teach Enoch?

1. How do modern media and technology make it easier or harder to become "of one heart and one mind"?
2. What economic systems today best reflect the Zion condition of "no poor among them"?
3. How can social media be used to build unity or destroy it?
4. What modern examples of community righteousness have you observed?
5. How do current global challenges relate to the wickedness that caused God to weep?

1. How can your ward or branch better reflect the Zion characteristics of Moses 7:18?
2. What role do ministering brothers and sisters play in achieving "no poor among them"?
3. How does the fast offering program relate to Moses 7:18?
4. What might "collective translation" look like spiritually for a congregation?
5. How can church members balance diverse opinions with "one heart and one mind"?

1. How can families work toward the Zion condition of Moses 7:18?
2. What family practices contribute to being "of one heart and one mind"?
3. How can families ensure there are no spiritually "poor" members?
4. What would a "translated" family look like spiritually?
5. How does family scripture study contribute to Zion-building?

1. How might Moses 7:18 principles apply to civic engagement?
2. What would a Zion community look like in terms of criminal justice?
3. How do environmental concerns relate to the earth's plea in Moses 7:48?
4. What political or economic systems best align with "no poor among them"?
5. How should believers respond when society becomes "without affection"?

1. How can you maintain hope when society seems far from Zion?
2. What personal changes would help you contribute to community unity?
3. How can you avoid becoming "without affection" in a harsh world?
4. What does "loving one another" look like in a polarized society?
5. How can you "choose [God], their Father" amid competing loyalties?

1. How does understanding divine emotion enhance missionary teaching?
2. What does the gathering promise (Moses 7:62) mean for missionary work?
3. How can missionaries help investigators feel they are "the workmanship of [God's] own hands"?
4. What does "truth sweeping the earth as with a flood" look like today?
5. How does the Zion vision motivate member missionary efforts?

1. How does God's weeping in Moses 7 connect to Christ's weeping in the New Testament and Book of Mormon?
2. What is the relationship between the "spirits in prison" (Moses 7:38) and vicarious ordinances?
3. How does the definition of Zion (Moses 7:18) parallel 4 Nephi's description of the Nephites?
4. What connections exist between Enoch's Zion and the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21?
5. How does Moses 7 relate to the temple themes in Moses 1–6?

1. How does Enoch's prophetic reluctance (Moses 6:31) parallel Moses at the burning bush?
2. What similarities exist between Enoch's vision and Nephi's vision (1 Nephi 11–14)?
3. How does the city of Enoch foreshadow the millennial Zion?
4. What parallels exist between God's weeping and Jesus's lament over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37)?
5. How does the earth's groaning (Moses 7:48, 56) connect to Romans 8:22?

1. How does Moses 7's agency teaching (v. 32) relate to 2 Nephi 2's discussion of agency?
2. What is the relationship between the Flood (Moses 7:43) and baptism symbolism?
3. How does "truth sweeping the earth as with a flood" (Moses 7:62) reverse the destruction of Noah's flood?
4. What connections exist between Zion's translation and the three Nephites' transformation?
5. How does Moses 7's eschatology relate to D&C 45's Second Coming prophecies?

1. How do the themes of divine emotion, agency, and Zion connect in Moses 7?
2. What is the relationship between individual righteousness and collective translation?
3. How does understanding God's weeping change your approach to repentance?
4. What does the reunion of two Zions (Moses 7:63) teach about covenant community?
5. How does the earth's sentience (Moses 7:48) affect your view of creation?

1. The Weeping God: A prominent theologian once said that if God can suffer, He is not truly God. How would you respond to this claim based on Moses 7? What does divine emotion teach us about the nature of love and perfection?
2. Zion and Politics: Some have argued that Moses 7:18 ("no poor among them") supports certain political or economic systems. What do you think is the best way to understand and apply this verse in a diverse society? Is Zion primarily a spiritual or social achievement?
3. Collective vs. Individual Salvation: Moses 7 describes an entire city being translated, not just individuals. Does this challenge Western Christianity's emphasis on personal salvation? How should we understand the relationship between individual and communal righteousness?
4. Agency's Cost: God weeps because His children, using the agency He gave them, choose wickedness. Was giving agency worth the cost? Could God have designed a plan without such risk? What does this teach about divine priorities?
5. Earth as Mother: Moses 7:48 calls the earth "the mother of men" who is "pained" and "weary." How should this personification affect our treatment of the natural world? Is this merely poetic or does it reflect a deeper reality about creation's sentience?
6. The Return of Enoch's City: Moses 7:63 promises that Enoch's ancient city will return to meet the latter-day Zion. How literally should we interpret this promise? What might this reunion look like? What does it teach about the continuity of covenant communities?
7. Building Zion Today: Given that previous attempts to establish the law of consecration in the 1830s-1840s did not fully succeed, how should Latter-day Saints today approach the Zion ideal? What would "Zion" look like in your community?
8. Divine Vulnerability: If God can be grieved by our choices, does this make Him vulnerable? Is vulnerability a weakness or a strength? How does the concept of a vulnerable God compare with other religious traditions' views of deity?
9. Truth as Flood: Moses 7:62 says truth will "sweep the earth as with a flood." The Flood destroyed; truth restores. What does this reversal teach about God's purposes? How is missionary work a "flood" of truth rather than destruction?
10. The Earth's Rest: The earth asks, "When shall I rest?" (Moses 7:48) and is promised a thousand years of rest (Moses 7:64). What does "rest" mean for the earth? For us? How does the Sabbath pattern illuminate this promise?

• Select 5–10 questions that address your current needs
• Journal your responses
• Cross-reference suggested scriptures
• Return to questions as understanding deepens

• Choose 2–3 questions appropriate for your family's ages
• Encourage each family member to share their perspective
• Focus on application questions for practical takeaways

• Use discussion questions (Section 6) for group conversation
• Pair understanding questions with application questions
• Allow time for participants to formulate responses

• Work through sections systematically over multiple days
• Use synthesis questions to help students connect ideas
• Assign doctrinal understanding questions for deeper study

Select one question per study session and write a full response, including:

1. Your initial thoughts
2. Cross-references that inform your answer
3. Personal application
4. Further questions that arise

Total Questions: 187 (including 7 Evidence of Antiquity bonus questions)