Unveiling God’s Plan and Commandments
In 1848, Squier and Davis documented in their book, Ancient Monuments of The Mississippi Valley, the largest (4 1/2 square miles) geometric earthwork complex in the world which is located near Newark, Ohio. (For your study, a large copy of this earthwork is at the bottom of the page.)
They documented these remarkable earthworks only a year after the Mormons entered the Salt Lake Valley. Constructed by Native Americans nearly two thousand years ago, Dr. Bradley T. Leper, curator of the Ohio historical society says of it, “This is as inspiring as sending a man to the moon,” and rivals any other architectural achievement [in the world]. In the same area have been found a stone with the Ten Commandments written on it in ancient block Hebrew. In addition, DNA studies show Israelite ancestors of these Native Americans.
On the Ohio Trail web site, telling of these remarkable earthworks (EW), they leave out important details that Squier and Davis have in their documentation. Since most of these earthworks have been destroyed, their documentation is of great value. Having been there, we felt and saw those that remain and how remarkable they were. I was so inspired that I wrote an article for our web site about some aspects. Below, I will share a more full unveiling of their incredible significance, as it was opened to me.
My good friend, Rod Meldrum shared with me some of Amberli Nelson’s findings regarding these remarkable earthworks, and pointed out some inspiring details for me. Having now studied it a lot more, I find that it maps out the plan of salvation (God’s Plan of Happiness) in a most remarkable way. So it is also spiritually remarkable, as these ancients showed their devotion and gratitude for the Savior’s visit among them.
He gave them the fullness of the gospel and how to have the ideal society, which they had for about 200 years. The carbon dating on these remains fits that time period perfectly, and they can tell it was a time of great peace because there were no battlements in proximity. So it is with reverence that we review what they constructed to share with the world and to show their gratitude to God. I believe this is the Land Bountiful or is near it, as described in the Book of Mormon.
Map Explanation
In the scientific method, we often model data. If the data fit the model, then we say the model is good. In the spirit of Chapter 1 of my book, where I develop the scientific method including God, I have developed a model for these Newark Earthworks. We don’t know what the ancient Americans were thinking as they constructed these incredible and prodigious EW — except by revelation. i have sought that. Have I succeeded? Time will tell.
On the south, bottom-center of the EW, is an unusual ellipse of 30 acres (29 football fields). There is a moat on the inside – denoting a womb, and the place where we were born as spirit offspring of God (Acts 17:28) in a pre-mortal sphere. The effigy in the center, about an acre in size, reminds one of a bird with an arc behind it , symbolic as we are born of heavenly parents being launched on our path to godhood to become like our Glorious Heavenly Parents. When excavated, an altar was discovered denoting sacredness, gratitude, and reverence as we began our journey as children of God.
The center effigy is pointed toward a birth canal going up from this ellipse, but not connecting directly with another smaller birth canal – going to the earth, which is nominally square, as often signified in the scriptures (the four corners of the earth).
Note that the earth has an area of 20 acres in contrast to the 30 acres of our pre-mortal sphere – denoting that 1/3 of the hosts (stars of heaven (Rev. 12:4)) did not get to go to the earth and get a body for their eternal progression. They followed Satan and became angels to the devil and were “cast out into the earth.” (Rev. 12:9)
In the square, denoting the earth we see seven nodes – denoting the seven thousand years the Lord needs to perfect the earth, the seven steps of the infinite atonement – offering redemption for all mankind , and the importance of seven in the Lord’s arithmetic as the number of perfection or completeness. Notice that these seven nodes nominally point towards the left – to the great octagon, which denotes the millennium.
Going from the earth are three paths: going to the upper right and away from the millennium is the path to outer darkness. The one going directly up terminates – denoting spirit prison – where there is a purging time and the necessity of receiving the Christ before taking the path to the left, which goes to the great octagon and the millennial epoch. Then there is the path to the left denoting paradise with a direct path to the great octagon and the millennial reign of Christ.
Notice, the great octagon — denoting the millennium – has an area of 50 acres, which is 30 + 20 = 50, signifying that Heavenly Father’s plan is perfect in that the level of redemption is exactly what is best for each of His children and is lovingly prepared for all of them.
There are eight nodes in the great octagon, and they line up perfectly with the four moon rise angles and the four moon set angels over the moon’s 18.6 year repeat period due to the fact that the moon’s orbit is inclined slightly to the earth’s elliptical orbit. If they were in the same orbital plane, then there would be a solar and lunar eclipse every lunar month. So we see that these Native Americans used the lunar calendar for their dating like the Hebrews.
A line through the center of the final circle and the great octagon makes an angle of 51.8 degrees to true north. As I show in the above article, this angle ties to the divine ratio. This final circle, which denotes the celestial kingdom, SW of the great octagon, denotes the celestial kingdom. It is the same area as the one denoting the earth (20 acres) but it is a perfect circle – the earth celestialized. On the opposite side of this circle from the entrance is an unusual mound — called by some, “The Observatory,” as it is high enough to overlook all the EW before you. It is shaped like a cleat holding the circle together, denoting our Heavenly Parents and our Savior in fullness of joy looking over all those who chose to follow the Savior that they might receive “all that the Father hath” — even a fullness of joy, also.
The Divine ratio is also called the Golden mean and has great significance in nature. It also ties to the Fibonacci series, which has fascinating ties to a large number of natural phenomenon. The value of the divine ratio is (1 + square-root (5))/2 = 1.618033989… That these ancient Americans understood and appreciated the significance of these things is awe inspiring to say the least.
Given both inductive and deductive reasoning, we see twenty-five correlations with the plan of salvation, which gives a very high probability that indeed they both understood the plan and desired to both share it and let the Lord know of their deep appreciation for his visit, ministry, and atonement. America is the Promised Land, and we are at that day that we need to repent or be “swept off” as prophesied in the Book of Mormon. Now we have profound archaeological evidence of this truth.
What kind of surveying equipment did they have to make a perfect circle of circumference 1 kilometer? People who study these amazing earthworks, tend to agree that it is beyond anything else on the planet in its scope and dimensions. Dr. James P. Scherz, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, has found three different Egyptian units of measure in the construction used in the construction of the Great Circle and Great Octagon. Using the Egyptian Royal Cubits for the measures of Giza Pyramid gives a value for the divine ratio agreeing with the actual value to 0.03 %.
I am also greatly impressed with their inspired design of the plan of salvation mapped out in it from beginning to end and portraying the “one eternal round” of the Lord, as I describe in Chapter 24 of my book. When a people are ONE with the Lord, they do amazing things. We can look forward to that as the Lord “brings again Zion” in preparation for His Glorious Second Coming and His millennial reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 19:16)
David W. Allan
David W Allan