30) PELEG: Was the earth (continents) divided in the days of Peleg? What does this mean for the theory of evolution?

Commentary

And he shall utter his voice . . . and his voice shall be heard among all people;And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.²

We worship a God of Great Authority and Power. At the call of the Lord these islands and continents will be joined together over a short period of time.The Lord has no need to wait millions of years for His word to be fulfilled.Additionally, these continents were separated over a short period of time.The word of the Lord explains that in the days of Eber he named one of his sons Peleg, meaning division, because:

. . . in his days was the earth divided . . . ³

. . . after the flood, in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided.—See Genesis 10:25,—a short history, to be sure, of so great an event; but still it will account for the mighty revolution, which rolled the sea from its own place in the north, and brought it to interpose between different portions of the earth, which were thus parted asunder, and moved into something near their present form . . . ⁴

. . . the Eternal God hath declared that the great deep shall roll back into the north countries and that the land of Zion and the land of Jerusalem shall be joined together, as they were before they were divided in the days of Peleg.No wonder the mind starts at the sound of the last days!⁵⁶

Here the Prophet tells us that the dividing of the earth was in the days of Peleg. When Christ comes, it will be brought back again as it was before it was divided. ⁷

And when I cast mine eyes over our own land, and see . . . rocks having been rent, and torn asunder, from centre to circumference; I exclaim, Whence all this?

When I read the Book of Mormon, it informs me, that while Christ was crucified among the Jews, this whole American continent was shaken to its foundation, that many cities were sunk, and waters came up in their places; that the rocks were all rent in twain; that mountains were thrown up to an exceeding height; and other mountain became vallies: the level roads spoiled; and the whole face of the land changed.—I then exclaim, These things are no longer a mystery; I have now learned to account for the many wonders, which I everywhere behold, throughout our whole country; when I am passing a ledge of rocks, and see they have all been rent and torn asunder, while some huge fragments are found deeply imbedded in the earth, some rods from whence they were torn, I exclaim, with astonishment, These were the groans! the convulsive throes of agonizing nature! while the Son of God suffered upon the cross!⁸

And behold, the rocks were rent in twain; they were broken up upon the face of the whole earth, insomuch that they were found in broken fragments, and in seams and in cracks, upon all the face of the land.⁹

Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath. ¹⁰

. . . I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them. . . . I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk . . . and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.¹¹

Where else would the evidence of sinking mountains and rising plains as recorded in the Book of Mormon be found other than in America?Truly the geological evidence of the word of God is all around us.If we cannot have faith in the past occurrences which testify of the power and majesty of God, can we have faith in future events including the Second Coming of our Lord?Will we explain away the burning of this earth with fire at the Lords Coming as some have done with the dividing of the continents?What about the changing of the earth to a paradisiacal state as it was once before?Will some persist to claim that this state never existed?Perhaps some will suggest that the literal Resurrection will need to go as well as there is no rational explanation?

Prophetic Statements

Joseph Smith

That it comes to open the way for Zion to rise and put on her beautiful garments and become the glory of the earth, that her land may be joined, or married (according to the known translation of Isaiah) to Jerusalem again, and they be one as they were in the days of Peleg. ¹²

John Taylor

#1: How far the flood may have contributed, to produce the various changes, as to the division of the earth into broken fragments, islands and continents, mountains and valleys, we have not been informed; the change must have been considerable. But after the flood, in the days ofPeleg, the earth was divided.—¹³,—a short history, to be sure, of so great an event; but still it will account for the mighty revolution, which rolled the sea from its own place in the north, and brought it to interpose between different portions of the earth, which were thus parted asunder, and moved into something near their present form; this, together with the earthquakes, revolutions, and commotions which have since taken place, have all contributed to reduce the face of the earth to its present state; while the great curses which have fallen upon different portions, because of the wickedness of men, will account for the stagnant swamps, the sunken lakes, the dead seas, and great deserts. ¹⁴

#2: . . . after the flood, in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided.—See Genesis 10:25,—a short history, to be sure, of so great an event; but still it will account for the mighty revolution, which rolled the sea from its own place in the north, and brought it to interpose between different portions of the earth, which were thus parted asunder, and moved into something near their present form . . .”¹⁵

Joseph Fielding Smith

#2: THE EARTH HAS UNDERGONE MANY CHANGES

It should also be remembered that this good earth has passed through a great many changes since the days of Eden. The Bible teaches us that in the beginning all the water was in one place. Therefore all the land must have been in one place.¹⁷ Therewere notan Eastern and aWestern Hemisphereat the time of Adam. It is very strange, but nevertheless true, that some of the greatest events that have occurred on the face of the earth have been passed over in the Bible with the slightest mention; for example, in Genesis 10:25 , we read: And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one wasPeleg; for in his day was the earth divided.” This is a very brief statement of one of the greatest events that ever occurred on the face of this terrestrial globe, yet there is scientific evidence that this very thing happened. In the beginning the land surface was one vast continent; there came a time when it was divided, and other continents were formed and theWestern Hemisphere came into existence, but this was long after the time of Adam.

Speaking of this great event Dr. Immanuel Velikovisky, in his book, Earth in Upheaval, makes the following comment:

The theory of drifting continents, debated since the 1920’s has its starting point in the similarity of the shape of the coastlines ofBrazilandAfrica. This similarity (or better, complementation) plus some early fauna and floral affinities suggested to Professor Alfred Wegner of Cruz in the Tyrol that in the early geological age these two continents, South America and Africa, were one land mass. But since animal and vegetable affinities, could also be found in other parts of the world, Wegner conjectured that all continents and islands were once a single land mass that in various epochs divided and drifted apart. Those who do not subscribe to the theory of continental drift continue to explain the affinity of plants and animals by land bridges” or former land connections between continents and also between continents and islands.¹⁸

#2: This, of course, has little to do with the Garden of Eden, but it does show that there have been great changes on the earth’s surface since the days of Adam.¹⁹

#3: . . . the Eternal God hath declared that the great deep shall roll back into the north countries and that the land of Zion and the land of Jerusalem shall be joined together, as they were before they were divided in the days of Peleg.No wonder the mind starts at the sound of the last days!²⁰

#4: THE JEWS ARE TO GATHER ATJERUSALEM

From this and other revelations in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, we are informed that the Jews are to gather atJerusalem. On this, the American Continent, the converted Israelites and Gentiles are to gather with the Latter-Day Saints and the revelation states that those who come from among the Gentiles are to flee” untoZion. However, they are not to go out in haste,” that is to say, the Latter-day Saints are preparing the way. They are building the temples and the highways and performing the labors which are necessary for the tribes ofIsraelwhen their prophets shall speak to them and they shall receive their call to come toZion. We know very little about the lost tribes,” who they are or whence they will come. For our present needs, it is sufficient to rely on the word of the Lord concerning these tribes and of their coming, and the Lord has revealed the following:

And he shall utter his voice out ofZion, and he shall speak fromJerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people;

And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.

He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land;

And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.²¹

#5: We read in Genesis that in the beginning all of the land surface was in one place as it was in the days of Peleg,²² that the earth was divided. Some Bible commentators have concluded that this division was one concerning the migrations of the inhabitants of the earth between them, but this is not the case. While this is but a very brief statement, yet it speaks of a most important event. The dividing of the earth was not an act of division by the inhabitants of the earth by tribes and peoples, but a breaking asunder of the continents, thus dividing the land surface and creating the Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere. By looking at a wall map of the world, you will discover how the land surface along the northern and southern coast of the American Hemisphere and Europe andAfricahas the appearance of having been together at one time. Of course, there have been many changes on the earth’s surface since the beginning. We are informed by revelation that the time will come when this condition will be changed and that the land surface of the earth will come back again as it was in the beginning and all be in one place. This is definitely stated in the Doctrine and Covenants in the following words:

When the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet him.

For behold, he shall stand upon the mount of Olivet, and upon the mighty ocean, even the great deep, and upon the islands of the sea, and upon the land of Zion.²³

TIME OF EARTH’S RENEWAL NOT KNOWN

Just when this great change shall come we do not know. If, however, the earth is to be restored as it was in the beginning, then all the land surface will again be in one place as it was before the days ofPeleg, when this great division was accomplished. Europe, Africa, and the islands of the sea includingAustralia,New Zealand, and other places in the Pacific must be brought back and joined together as they were in the beginning.

Before this great work will be accomplished, the prophecy in relation to the tribes ofIsraelas recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants must be fulfilled. Through the preaching of the gospel in all parts of the world, the preparatory work is being accomplished. The lost tribes” will be discovered and, as the revelation states, the lost sheep among the gentiles will flee toZionand the Jews toJerusalemas the Lord has decreed. The Redeemer will come to take his place as King of kings, and the great day of the millennial reign will be ushered in.²⁴

When that day comes great changes shall take place upon the earth. We believe this is a day of restoration, and that the earth is to be renewed.²⁵ In this renewal we are informed that the Lord shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north country, and the islands shall become one land; and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.”²⁶ The notion prevails quite generally that the dividing of the earth in the days ofPelegwas a division politically among the people, but from this word of the Lord we gain the idea that the earth itself was divided and that when Christ comes it will again be brought back to the same conditions physically as prevailed before this division took place. The sea is to be driven back into the north. The land is to be brought back as it was originally and the lands of Zion (America) andJerusalem (Palestine and all the land pertaining unto it) will be restored to their own place as they were in the beginning. The Savior will stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh. We have discovered in our study that the wicked, or all things that are corruptible²⁷, will be consumed and therefore will not be permitted to be on the earth when this time comes.²⁸

RESTORATION OF THE EARTH. Joseph Smith gave this inspired summary of latter-day events: There shall be famine, and pestilence, and earthquake in divers places; and the prophets have declared that the valleys should rise; that the mountains should be laid low; that a great earthquake should be, in which the sun should become black as sack-cloth of hair, and the moon turn into blood; yea, the Eternal God hath declared that the great deep shall roll back into the north countries and that the land of Zion and the land of Jerusalem shall be joined together, as they were before they were divided in the days ofPeleg. No wonder the mind starts at the sound of the last days!”²⁹³⁰

CIVILIAZATION BEGAN INAMERICA. Contrary to popular belief the western hemisphere is where civilization began. The Lord revealed that Adam-ondi-Ahman, a place inDaviess County,Missouri, is where Adam dwelt after he was driven out of the Garden of Eden. The scriptures say that Adam journeyed to the East of Eden and at that portion of the garden from whence he was driven the Lord placed Cherubim to prevent Adam returning. The Garden of Eden, then, must have been on the western hemisphere. It stands to reason, this being true, that the antediluvians also dwelt on this western hemisphere before the division of the earth. Just what was the nature of the land surface of the earth when Noah built hisArkmay not be definitely known, but this we know—if we accept the scriptures—that in the beginning all the land surface of the earth was in one place. The dividing of the continents did not take place until after the flood, for it was in the days ofPelegwhen the earth was divided. Some have maintained that this division had reference to the parcelling out of the land surface among the tribes and peoples as they scattered forth over the earth. This interpretation, however, cannot be maintained in the light of what is written. The Lord has promised us that in these last days in the restoration of all things the land surface shall once again be brought back to the condition in which it was before it was divided. This will come at the time of the second advent of Jesus Christ, for he has said:

And he shall utter his voice out ofZion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people.

And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.

He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land;

And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.—³¹³²

Here the Prophet tells us that the dividing of the earth was in the days of Peleg. When Christ comes, it will be brought back again as it was before it was divided.³³

Harold B. Lee

Some time ago I met a woman in Connecticut, an investigator, who was introduced to me by the missionary who had been teaching her the gospel. I said to her, Tell me, what was it that first attracted you to this church?”

She thought for a moment and then said, Well, I will tell you, Brother Lee. I had been raised in a sectarian church, and when I started coming to this church, there was something about your missionaries that caught my attention. When they stood up to speak, their faces seemed to shine, and that is something I had never seen in the preachers of my church.”

Do you know what that shining was? It was the power of the Holy Ghost, which our teachers are privileged to receive if they will only keep the law that our Heavenly Father has laid down as a requisite for their preparation.

A missionary told how he was cornered by an atheist who ridiculed many of the teachings of the scriptures. The atheist confronted our missionary before the congregation, an untrained, unschooled young man whom we had dared to send out without his having gone to a theological seminary for training and indoctrination in all the teachings of the gospel. Think what a chance we take in sending our missionaries out, unprepared except for the power of the Holy Ghost.

The atheist said, Why, it is preposterous for you to say that you believe in a Bible that teaches about a creation when the land was together and the water was all together.” Then he read to the missionary from the Book of Genesis, and continued, Now look at the earth. Here it is divided into many parts and oceans between. How will you explain the inconsistency in this?”

Well, the missionary did not have the answer, but he bowed his head and silently prayed, Heavenly Father, give me your Spirit to tell me what to say.” Then he raised his tear-stained face, and up above the audience, at the back of the hall, he read these words: Genesis 10:25 . In the days ofPelegthe earth was divided.” Never in the world had he ever read this scripture. He did not know it was in the Bible, but he saw it there on the wall, and he was able to respond, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, to the atheist’s question.³⁴

Darwinist and Neo-Darwinist

Scripture

D&C 133:23-24
And he shall utter his voice . . . and his voice shall be heard among all people; And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.”

Genesis 10:25
. . . in his days was the earth divided . . .”

1. D&C 133:17–25
2. D&C 133:23–24
3. Genesis 10:25
4. John Taylor,The Government of God[Liverpool: S. W. Richards, 1852], 110
5. Evening and Morning Star, Feb., 1835
6. Joseph Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation,3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 1: 85
7.  Joseph Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation,3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 1: 85.
8. John Taylor,The Government of God[Liverpool: S. W. Richards, 1852], 105
9. 3 Nephi 8:18
10. Helaman 14:22
11. 1 Nephi 12:3–4
12. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints vol. 1 p. 275
13.  Genesis 10:25
14. Government of God p. 110, this was also quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith in Man His Origin and Destiny p. 385.
15. John Taylor,The Government of God[Liverpool: S. W. Richards, 1852], 110
16. Joseph Fielding Smith, Signs of the Times [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1952], 23 – 24.
17. Genesis 1:9
18. Earth in Upheaval, p. 118
19. Answers to Gospel Questions vol. 4 p. 21
20. Joseph Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation,3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 1: 84.
21.  Ibid., 133:21-24
22. Genesis 10:25
23. D&C l33:18-20
24. Answers To Gospel Questions vol. 5 p. 72
25. Tenth Article of Faith; Lesson 40.
26. Genesis 10:25
27. D&C 101:23–25
28.  Church History and Modern Revelation vol. 2 p. 35
29. Doctrines of Salvation vol. 1 p. 84
30. Other sources in Doctrines of Salvation: Evening and Morning Star, Feb. . 1835; D&C 49:23; 109:74; 133:17-25, 44 ; Isaiah 40:4; 54:10 ; Ezekiel 38:20 ; Revelation 16:15–20
31. D&C 133:21–24
32. Progress of Man p. 249-250
33.  Joseph Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation,3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 1: 85.
34. Harold B. Lee,Ye Are the Light of the World: Selected Sermons and Writings of Harold B. Lee[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974], .