What do we know about Kolob

I am writing this text in response to a question I received about it. The topic provides a good example of how we deal with what we know, what we don't know, and how we must accept that we don't know everything yet. At the same time, it also shows that there is nothing wrong with thinking about possible meanings and interpretations.

The boundary between knowing and not knowing

First and foremost, it is important to clearly distinguish between what we do and do not know exactly. Many of the things we discuss originate from the scriptures. In them we find information, but it remains limited to what was written down at the time. We have not received any further revelation or clarification on this since then. This means that we must acknowledge that some things still belong to the unknown and that we may only learn more in the future – as described in the scriptures: ‘line upon line,precept upon precept’. In other words, we already know that there are new things to discover in the future, which automatically implies that we cannot yet know everything. It is essential that we realize and can accept this.

However, we are people who like to think about the meaning of things. It is very normal for us to reflect on what certain matters might mean, and there is nothing wrong with that in itself. It is even good to speculate with an open mind, as long as we make it very clear that these are possible interpretations and are not presented as doctrine or fixed teaching.

The written basis: what is established?

If we look at the sources we have, we inevitably arrive at the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. This is the only place where the term 'Kolob' is specifically defined. The facts we can derive from it are that Kolob is the star closest to the throne of God. It is described as the 'first' and 'greatest' of all stars shown to Abraham.

Another notable feature is the time measurement: one day on Kolob is equivalent to a thousand years on Earth. This is referred to in the text as the 'Lord's time calculation'. Finally, we learn that Kolob has a governing function over other celestial bodies, indicating a certain cosmic hierarchy.

Room for reflection: speculation and interpretation

Because the written sources are limited, much thought has been given over the years to what Kolob precisely could be. Here we transition from doctrine to personal or scientific interpretation. In the field of astronomy, for example, some speculate that Kolob could be the center of our galaxy, such as the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, because it forms the gravitational center around which everything in the Milky Way revolves.

Additionally, there is a strong symbolic interpretation where Kolob is seen as an emblem for Jesus Christ. In this view, Kolob represents the Redeemer as the 'Firstborn' and the source of light and order for the entire universe. Still others seek the explanation in metaphysics and suggest that Kolob is located in another dimension or in a glorified state of matter. That would immediately explain why our current scientific instruments and telescopes have not yet been able to observe this place.

The poetic power of Hebrew

When we delve deeper into the language, we see fascinating clues that support the poetic interpretation. Many of the names in the Book of Abraham have clear Semitic origins. Take for example the word “Kokaubeam,” which is almost identical to the Hebrew “kokabim,” the plural form for stars. For the term “Kolob” itself, linguists often point to the Semitic root “QLB,” meaning “heart,” “middle,” or “center.” In this sense, we do not necessarily have to see Kolob as a geographical coordinate in space, but as the "heart" of creation - the spiritual core from which everything comes.

Terms like ‘Shinehah’ (the sun) and ‘Olea’ (the moon) also carry this layered meaning. In ancient Near Eastern tradition, stars and planets were not merely lifeless spheres of gas, but were often associated with ‘intelligences’ or divine messengers. This explains why Abraham, in the same chapter, seamlessly transitions from a lesson about stars to a lesson about the hierarchy of spirits. For the Hebrews, the starry sky was a living metaphor for the spiritual order.

My personal reflections

Personally, I think we should never forget that these texts were written by Hebrews, who had an enormously poetic use of language and therefore wrote from a certain form of poetry. This means that we can automatically also consider the poetic meaning of, for example, a star and of time interpretation in literature.

We must therefore be very careful with literal interpretations. It would be good to speak about this with people who understand Hebrew well and can explain its poetic meaning in our own language. When we understand the context of the original language, it often opens doors to layers of meaning that we would overlook with a purely Western, literal perspective. A 'day' of a thousand years in that sense may not be a mathematical formula, but a poetic way to indicate the gap between the mortal and theto denote the eternal.

The cultural impact

The idea of Kolob has also made an impression outside the walls of the Church. For example, consider the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica, in which humanity originates from the planet ‘Kobol’, which is a clear anagram. The concept also lives on in music, particularly in the well-known hymn ‘If you could hie to Kolob’. This text invites us to reflect on the infinity of time and space, and the fact that there is no end to matter, light or progress.

Conclusion

What Kolob exactly is – a physical star, a symbol for the Redeemer, or an abstract concept of divine time – we simply do not yet know. And that's okay. The process of thinking about these matters increases our wonder at creation. The core of the matter may not be the astronomical location, but the spiritual lesson: that there is order in the universe and that God is close to His creation. We patiently await the 'line upon line' that will undoubtedly provide us with more clarity in the future.