D&C 76 Quotes and Notes

After returning to Hiram from the Amherst conference, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon resumed their labors on the translation of the New Testament. The vision recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 was received while they were translating John 5:29.

Philo Dibble, one of a dozen men present when this vision was received, said that he saw the glory and felt the power but did not see the vision. He described the event by saying:

“Joseph would, at intervals, say: ‘what do I see?’ . . . Then he would relate what he had seen or what he was looking at. Then Sidney replied, ‘I see the same.’ Presently Sidney would say, ‘what do I see?’ and would repeat what he had seen or was seeing, and Joseph would reply, ‘I see the same.’

“This manner of conversation was repeated at short intervals to the end of the vision, and during the whole time not a word was spoken by any other person. Not a sound nor motion made by anyone but Joseph and Sidney, and it seemed to me that they never moved a joint or limb during the time I was there, which I think was over an hour, and to the end of the vision.

“Joseph sat firmly and calmly all the time in the midst of a magnificent glory, but Sidney sat limp and pale, apparently as limber as a rag, observing which, Joseph remarked, smilingly, ‘Sidney is not used to it as I am.'”^[1]“Recollections,” 27:303-4.

Adding to that recollection on another occasion, Philo Dibble observed that “Joseph wore black clothes, but at this time seemed to be dressed in an element of glorious white, and his face shone as if it were transparent, but I did not see the same glory attending Sidney. Joseph appeared as strong as a lion, but Sidney seemed as weak as water, and Joseph, noticing his condition smiled and said, ‘Brother Sidney is not as used to it as I am.'”^[2]See “Philo Dibble’s Narrative,” 81. See also: Philo Dibble, in Juvenile Instructor, May 1892, 303–4.

“Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the kingdom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the foregoing vision. Every law, every commandment, every promise, every truth, and every point touching the destiny of man, from Genesis to Revelation, where the purity of the scriptures remain unsullied by the folly of men, go to show the perfection of the theory [of different degrees of glory in the future life] and witnesses the fact that that document is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness, and the punishments for sins, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to exclaim: ‘It came from God.'”^[3]Smith, History of the Church, 1:252-53.

Initially, the revelation was not as well received by the Saints as would be supposed. Brigham Young explained, “When God revealed to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon that there was a place prepared for all, according to the light they had received and their rejection of evil and practice of good, it was a great trial to many,^[4]Many members of the Church found the doctrine of the three degrees of glory in section 76 hard to accept, even though the Bible says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2), and … Continue readingand some apostatized because God was not going to send to everlasting punishment heathens and infants, but had a place of salvation, in due time, for all and would bless the honest and virtuous and truthful, whether they ever belonged to any church or not.”^[5]Journal of Discourses, 16:42.

On 1 February 1843 there appeared in the Times and Seasons (4:81-85) a short poem by W. W. Phelps addressed to Joseph Smith, entitled Vade Mecum (“go with me”), which was an appeal that in death he and the Prophet might go together to the paradise of God to find refuge there. Accompanying Vade Mecum was a much longer poetic response by the Prophet, A Vision, which consisted of a poetic rephrasing of Doctrine and Covenants 76 with some interpretive commentary. The Prophet’s poetic response is perhaps the most authoritative and helpful commentary we have on this revelation.^[6]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants and Other Modern Revelations, Deseret Book, 2000, p. 513-514.

Life to Just and Damnation to Unjust, the change from ζωῆς “life” to “just,” δίκαιος and “damnation” to “unjust” – D&C 76.18

As Joseph Smith worked on his inspired translation of the Bible, he read that those who had done “good” would come forth in the resurrection “of life,” while those who had done “evil” were to come forth in the resurrection “of damnation” (John 5:29). At the bidding of the Spirit, the word life was changed to read just and the word damnation was changed to read unjust. Apparently it was this change that caused Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to marvel. The context of the next verse suggests that they made the change at the direction of the Spirit without knowing why. Desirous to understand the reason for this change, they “meditated upon these things” (v. 19) and were granted this revelation. This in turn indicates that the Prophet’s explanation in the introduction to this revelation that it was self-evident that much had been lost or taken from the writings of the ancient prophets before the Bible was compiled and that “Heaven” must include more kingdoms than one was the result of later reflection and not necessarily clear to him when this revelation was received.^[7]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 520.

This change literally makes the case for distinctions in the next life – κρισεως, a word related to κρισιν, which means to separate out or to make a distinction. By changing this word to ἄδικος, or “unjust,” many things related to being unjust in connection with separation abound. This is literally the theme of the entire revelation. These distinctions^[8]Indeed, the Greek word for “distinction” is διάκριση, which is related to κρίσις, the word for decision, judgment, determination. See διάκριση in this online dictionary, or … Continue reading are drawn out in more clarity than anywhere in previously canonized scripture.

The Prophet Joseph Smith uses “unjust” here, and the word in the King James is “damnation,” a word that would probably be better fitted to the Greek word κατακρίνω, katakrino, (Strong’s 2632) a verb that appears about 19 times in the New Testament, used 17 times as “condemn,” and twice as “damn,” as it is also given that it is the word for “to judge worthy of punishment.” Katakrino is also related to the word katakrima, which is a damnatory sentence.^[9]Joseph Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, 2019, p. 332. The actual word in John 5.29 is not katakrino, but is κρίσεως, the genitive singular of the word krisis – κρίσις, which is a separation, or judgement, or a distinction, a word that is very similar to κρινω, which means to separate out or judge, or make a distinction.^[10]Thayer has the following definitions for κρισισ: A suitable translation of םשפת mishpat. 1. To separate, put asunder; to pick out, select, choose. 2. To approve, esteem. 3. To be of … Continue readingThe words matter, and in this case, what we see is an extension of the idea related in John 5.29, that God will κρισεως (or rather κρισιν- κρισις in the accusative) the people, he will “separate” the evil (φαυλα) into the ἀνάστασιν anastasin (the resurrection) of the separated ones. This is literally what we see happening in D&C 76.

The Two Poems as published in the Times and Seasons

Vade Mecum by W.W. Phelps

Go with me, will you go to the Saints that have died–
To the next better world where the righteous reside?
Where the angels and spirits in harmony be,
In the joys of a vast paradise?–Go with me.

Go with me where the truth and the virtues prevail;
Where the union is one, and the years never fail;
Not a heart can conceive, nor a nat’ral eye see
What the Lord has prepar’d for the just.–Go with me.

Go with me where there’s no destruction or war;
Neither tyrants or sland’rers, nor nations ajar;
Where the system is perfect, and happiness free,
And the life is eternal with God.–Go with me.

Go with me, will you go to the mansions above,
Where the bliss, and the knowledge, the light, and the love,
And the glory of God do eternally be?
Death, the wages of sin, is not there.–Go with me.^[11]W.W. Phelps, Times and Seasons, January 1843.

The Prophet’s Response to a Poem by W. W. Phelps February 1843

1 I will go, I will go, to the home of the Saints,
Where the virtue’s the value, and life the reward;
But before I return to my former estate
I must fulfil the mission I had from the Lord.

2 Wherefore, hear, O ye heavens, and give ear O ye earth;
And rejoice ye inhabitants truly again;
For the Lord he is God, and his life never ends,
And besides him there ne’er was a Saviour of men.

3 His ways are a wonder; his wisdom is great;
The extent of his doings, there’s none can unveil;
His purposes fail not; from age unto age
He still is the same, and his years never fail.

4 His throne is the heavens, his life time is all
Of eternity now, and eternity then;
His union is power, and none stays his hand,—
The Alpha, Omega, for ever: Amen.

5 For thus saith the Lord, in the spirit of truth,
I am merciful, gracious, and good unto those
That fear me, and live for the life that’s to come;
My delight is to honor the saints with repose;

6 That serve me in righteousness true to the end;
Eternal’s their glory, and great their reward;
I’ll surely reveal all my myst’ries to them,—
The great hidden myst’ries in my kingdom stor’d—

7 From the council in Kolob,^[12]Kolob, from The Book of Mormon Onomasticon: Hebrew qereb, qarob “near, interior, heart,” as in theophoric Hebrew Qarob “The-Near-One” (Psalm 119:151 … Continue reading

to time on the earth.
And for ages to come unto them I will show
My pleasure & will, what my kingdom will do:
Eternity’s wonders they truly shall know.

8 Great things of the future I’ll show unto them,
Yea, things of the vast generations to rise;
For their wisdom and glory shall be very great,
And their pure understanding extend to the skies:

9 And before them the wisdom of wise men shall cease,
And the nice understanding of prudent ones fail!
For the light of my spirit shall light mine elect,
And the truth is so mighty ‘t will ever prevail.

10 And the secrets and plans of my will I’ll reveal;
The sanctified pleasures when earth is renew’d,
What the eye hath not seen, nor the ear hath yet heard;
Nor the heart of the natural man ever hath view’d.

11 I, Joseph, the prophet, in spirit beheld,
And the eyes of the inner man truly did see^[13]“The eyes of the inner man” is how Joseph many times explains the “how” of his visionary experiences. See: Joseph describes spiritual sight, in D&C 2; JSH 1:27-65 Quotes and Notes.
Eternity sketch’d in a vision from God,
Of what was, and now is, and yet is to be.

12 Those things which the Father ordained of old,
Before the world was, or a system had run,—
Through Jesus the Maker and Saviour of all;
The only begotten, (Messiah) his son.

13 Of whom I bear record, as all prophets have,
And the record I bear is the fulness,—yea even
The truth of the gospel of Jesus—the Christ,
With whom I convers’d, in the vision of heav’n.

14 For while in the act of translating his word,
Which the Lord in his grace had appointed to me,
I came to the gospel recorded by John,
Chapter fifth and the twenty ninth verse, which you’ll see.
Which was given as follows:
“Speaking of the resurrection of the dead,—
“Concerning those who shall hear the voice of
“the son of man—
“And shall come forth:—
“They who have done good in the resurrection
“of the just.^[14]The King James uses the word “life” in John 5.29. Joseph interchanges this word ζωῆς with “just,” δίκαιος (Luke 14.14, or δικαίων, the genitive plural form of the word for … Continue reading
“And they who have done evil in the resurrection of the unjust.”^[15]Joseph uses “unjust” here, and the word in the King James is “damnation,” a word that would probably be better fitted to the Greek word κατακρίνω, katakrino, (Strong’s 2632) a … Continue reading

15 I marvel’d at these resurrections, indeed!
For it came unto me by the spirit direct:—
And while I did meditate what it all meant,
The Lord touch’d the eyes of my own intellect:—

16 Hosanna forever! they open’d anon,
And the glory of God shone around where I was;
And there was the Son, at the Father’s right hand,
In a fulness of glory, and holy applause.

17 I beheld round the throne, holy angels and hosts,
And sanctified beings from worlds that have been,
In holiness worshipping God and the Lamb,
Forever and ever, amen and amen!

18 And now after all of the proofs made of him,
By witnesses truly, by whom he was known,
This is mine, last of all, that he lives; yea he lives!
And sits at the right hand of God, on his throne.

19 And I heard a great voice, bearing record from heav’n,
He’s the Saviour, and only begotten of God—
By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,
Even all that career in the heavens so broad.

20 Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last,
Are sav’d by the very same Saviour of ours;
And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons,
By the very same truths, and the very same pow’rs.

21 And I saw and bear record of warfare in heav’n;
For an angel of light, in authority great,
Rebell’d against Jesus, and sought for his pow’r,
But was thrust down to woe from his Godified state.

22 And the heavens all wept, and the tears drop’d like dew,
That Lucifer, son of the morning had fell!
Yea, is fallen! is fall’n, and become, Oh, alas!
The son of Perdition; the devil of hell!

23 And while I was yet in the spirit of truth,
The commandment was: write ye the vision all out;
For Satan, old serpent, the devil’s for war,—
And yet will encompass the saints round about.

24 And I saw, too, the suff’ring and mis’ry of those,
(Overcome by the devil, in warfare and fight,)
In hell-fire, and vengeance, the doom of the damn’d;
For the Lord said, the vision is further: so write.

25 For thus saith the Lord, now concerning all those
Who know of my power and partake of the same;
And suffer themselves, that they be overcome
By the power of Satan; despising my name:—

26 Defying my power, and denying the truth;—
They are they—of the world, or of men, most forlorn,
The Sons of Perdition, of whom, ah! I say,
‘Twere better for them had they never been born!

27 They’re vessels of wrath, and dishonor to God,
Doom’d to suffer his wrath, in the regions of woe,
Through the terrific night of eternity’s round,
With the devil and all of his angels below:

28 Of whom it is said, no forgiveness is giv’n,
In this world, alas! nor the world that’s to come;
For they have denied the spirit of God,
After having receiv’d it: and mis’ry’s their doom.

29 And denying the only begotten of God,—
And crucify him to themselves, as they do,
And openly put him to shame in their flesh,
By gospel they cannot repentance renew.

30 They are they, who must go to the great lake of fire,
Which burneth with brimstone, yet never consumes,
And dwell with the devil, and angels of his,
While eternity goes and eternity comes.

31 They are they, who must groan through the great second death,
And are not redeemed in the time of the Lord;
While all the rest are, through the triumph of Christ,
Made partakers of grace, by the power of his word.

32 The myst’ry of Godliness truly is great;—
The past, and the present, and what is to be;
And this is the gospel—glad tidings to all,
Which the voice from the heavens bore record to me:

33 That he came to the world in the middle of time,
To lay down his life for his friends and his foes,
And bear away sin as a mission of love;
And sanctify earth for a blessed repose.

34 ‘Tis decreed, that he’ll save all the work of his hands,
And sanctify them by his own precious blood;
And purify earth for the Sabbath of rest,
By the agent of fire, as it was by the flood.

35 The Savior will save all his Father did give,
Even all that he gave in the regions abroad,
Save the Sons of Perdition: They’re lost; ever lost,
And can never return to the presence of God.

36 They are they, who must reign with the devil in hell,
In eternity now, and eternity then,
Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quench’d;—
And the punishment still, is eternal. Amen.

37 And which is the torment apostates receive,
But the end, or the place where the torment began,
Save to them who are made to partake of the same,
Was never, nor will be, revealed unto man.

38 Yet God shows by vision a glimpse of their fate,
And straightway he closes the scene that was shown:
So the width, or the depth, or the misery thereof,
Save to those that partake, is forever unknown.

39 And while I was pondering, the vision was closed;
And the voice said to me, write the vision: for lo!
‘Tis the end of the scene of the sufferings of those,
Who remain filthy still in their anguish and woe.

40 And again I bear record of heavenly things,
Where virtue’s the value, above all that’s pric’d—
Of the truth of the gospel concerning the just,
That rise in the first resurrection of Christ.

41 Who receiv’d and believ’d, and repented likewise,
And then were baptis’d, as a man always was,
Who ask’d and receiv’d a remission of sin,
And honored the kingdom by keeping its laws.

42 Being buried in water, as Jesus had been,
And keeping the whole of his holy commands,
They received the gift of the spirit of truth,
By the ordinance truly of laying on hands.

43 For these overcome, by their faith and their works,
Being tried in their life-time, as purified gold,
And seal’d by the spirit of promise, to life,
By men called of God, as was Aaron of old.

44 They are they, of the church of the first born of God,—
And unto whose hands he committeth all things;
For they hold the keys of the kingdom of heav’n,
And reign with the Savior, as priests, and as kings.

45 They’re priests of the order of Melchisedek,
Like Jesus, (from whom is this highest reward,)
Receiving a fulness of glory and light;
As written: They’re Gods; even sons of the Lord.^[16]We read something similar in 2 Enoch when Enoch makes his ascent: And on the 10th heaven, Aravoth, I saw the view of the face of the LORD, like iron made burning hot in a fire |and| brought … Continue reading

46 So all things are theirs; yea, of life, or of death;
Yea, whether things now, or to come, all are theirs,
And they are the Savior’s, and he is the Lord’s,
Having overcome all, as eternity’s heirs.

47 ‘Tis wisdom that man never glory in man,
But give God the glory for all that he hath;
For the righteous will walk in the presence of God,
While the wicked are trod under foot in his wrath.

48 Yea, the righteous shall dwell in the presence of God,
And of Jesus, forever, from earth’s second birth—
For when he comes down in the splendor of heav’n,
All these he’ll bring with him, to reign on the earth.

49 These are they that arise in their bodies of flesh,
When the trump of the first resurrection shall sound;
These are they that come up to Mount Zion, in life,^[17]LIFE, ζωή – Zoe. One dictionary defined this term thus: Life, the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate every living soul lifeof the absolute fulness of life, … Continue reading
Where the blessings and gifts of the spirit abound.

50 These are they that have come to the heavenly place;
To the numberless courses of angels above:
To the city of God; e’en the holiest of all,
And the home of the blessed, the fountain of love:

51 To the church of old Enoch, and of the first born:
And gen’ral assembly of ancient renown’d,
Whose names are all kept in the archives of heav’n,
As chosen and faithful, and fit to be crown’d.

52 These are they that are perfect through Jesus’ own blood,
Whose bodies celestial are mention’d by Paul,
Where the sun is the typical glory thereof,
And God, and his Christ, are the true judge of all.

53 Again I beheld the terrestrial world,
In the order and glory of Jesus, go on;
‘Twas not as the church of the first born of God
But shone in its place, as the moon to the sun.

54 Behold, these are they that have died without law;
The heathen of ages that never had hope,
And those of the region and shadow of death,
The spirits in prison, that light has brought up.

55 To spirits in prison the Savior once preach’d,
And taught them the gospel, with powers afresh;
And then were the living baptiz’d for their dead,
That they might be judg’d as if men in the flesh.

56 These are they that are hon’rable men of the earth;
Who were blinded and dup’d by the cunning of men:
They receiv’d not the truth of the Savior at first;
But did, when they heard it in prison, again.

57 Not valiant for truth, they obtain’d not the crown,
But are of that glory that’s typ’d by the moon:
They are they, that come into the presence of Christ,
But not to the fulness of God, on his throne.

58 Again I beheld the telestial, as third,
The lesser, or starry world, next in its place,
For the leaven must leaven three measures of meal,
And every knee bow that is subject to grace.

59 These are they that receiv’d not the gospel of Christ,
Or evidence, either, that he ever was;
As the stars are all diff’rent in glory and light,
So differs the glory of these by the laws.

60 These are they that deny not the spirit of God,
But are thrust down to hell, with the devil, for sins,
As hypocrites, liars, whoremongers, and thieves,
And stay ’till the last resurrection begins.

61 ‘Till the Lamb shall have finish’d the work he begun;
Shall have trodden the wine press, in fury alone,
And overcome all by the pow’r of his might:
He conquers to conquer, and save all his own.

62 These are they that receive not a fulness of light,
From Christ, in eternity’s world, where they are,
The terrestrial sends them the Comforter, though;
And minist’ring angels, to happify there.

63 And so the telestial is minister’d to,
By ministers from the terrestrial one,
As terrestrial is, from the celestial throne;
And the great, greater, greatest, seem’s stars, moon, and sun.

64 And thus I beheld, in the vision of heav’n,
The telestial glory, dominion and bliss,
Surpassing the great understanding of men,—
Unknown, save reveal’d, in a world vain as this.

65 And lo, I beheld the terrestrial, too,
Which excels the telestial in glory and light,
In splendor, and knowledge, and wisdom, and joy,
In blessings, and graces, dominion and might.

66 I beheld the celestial, in glory sublime;
Which is the most excellent kingdom that is,—
Where God, e’en the Father, in harmony reigns;
Almighty, supreme, and eternal, in bliss.

67 Where the church of the first born in union reside,
And they see as they’re seen, and they know as they’re known;
Being equal in power, dominion and might,^[18]See Deification, Divinization, Theosis.
With a fulness of glory and grace, round his throne.

68 The glory celestial is one like the sun;
The glory terrestr’al is one like the moon;
The glory telestial is one like the stars,
And all harmonize like the parts of a tune.

69 As the stars are all different in lustre and size,
So the telestial region, is mingled in bliss;
From least unto greatest, and greatest to least,
The reward is exactly as promis’d in this.

70 These are they that came out for Apollos and Paul;
For Cephas and Jesus, in all kinds of hope;
For Enoch and Moses, and Peter, and John;
For Luther and Calvin, and even the Pope.

71 For they never received the gospel of Christ,
Nor the prophetic spirit that came from the Lord;
Nor the covenant neither, which Jacob once had;
They went their own way, and they have their reward.

72 By the order of God, last of all, these are they,
That will not be gather’d with saints here below,
To be caught up to Jesus, and meet in the cloud:—
In darkness they worshipp’d; to darkness they go.

73 These are they that are sinful, the wicked at large,
That glutted their passion by meanness or worth;
All liars, adulterers, sorc’rers, and proud;
And suffer, as promis’d, God’s wrath on the earth.

74 These are they that must suffer the vengeance of hell,
‘Till Christ shall have trodden all enemies down,
And perfected his work, in the fulness of times:
And is crown’d on his throne with his glorious crown.

75 The vast multitude of the telestial world—
As the stars of the skies, or the sands of the sea;—
The voice of Jehovah echo’d far and wide,
Ev’ry tongue shall confess, and they all bow the knee.

76 Ev’ry man shall be judg’d by the works of his life,
And receive a reward in the mansions prepar’d;
For his judgments are just, and his works never end,
As his prophets and servants have always declar’d.

77 But the great things of God, which he show’d unto me,
Unlawful to utter, I dare not declare;
They surpass all the wisdom and greatness of men,
And only are seen, as has Paul, where they are.

78 I will go, I will go, while the secret of life,
Is blooming in heaven, and blasting in hell;
Is leaving on earth, and a budding in space:—
I will go, I will go, with you, brother, farewell.

JOSEPH SMITH.
Nauvoo, February 1843.^[19]Times and Seasons, 4:81-85. See also: Joseph Smith Papers, Poem to William W. Phelps, between circa 1 and circa 15 February 1843.

Worlds Without End – D&C 76.24

Moses 1  

And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.  34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.  35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.  36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.  37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.  38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come, and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.  39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.  (Moses 1:34-39.)

Discussing this idea, Elder Bruce R. McConkie had this to say:Further, the gospel is in operation in all the worlds created by the Father and the Son.  Their work and their glory, in all the infinite creations that their hands have made, is to bring to pass immortality and eternal life for the children of the Father.  Through the atonement of Christ, the inhabitants of all these worlds have power to become his sons and daughters, to become joint-heirs with him of all the glory of his Father’s kingdom, to be adopted into the family of the Father, which is to say that the inhabitants of all worlds are [thus] begotten sons and daughters unto God. (D&C 76:24)^[20]Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p. 286.

President Marion G. Romney stated thus:

Except for his mortal ministry accomplished on this earth, his service and relationship to other worlds and their inhabitants are the same as his service and relationship to this earth and its inhabitants.^[21]Marion G. Romney, Jesus Christ: Lord of the Universe, IE 1968 Nov. :46.

Perdition – ἀπώλεια D&C 76.26

To be called perdition means one is hopelessly and irredeemably lost. It is to be so given up to wickedness and so filled with hatred of the gospel cause and of the Father and the Son that even the Atonement cannot extend the hope of salvation. Of those who come to the point of perdition, the Prophet said, “You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance; they make open war, like the devil, and awful is the consequence.”^[22]Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 358; D&C 132:27-28. See: Sons of Perdition: Selected Teachings.

From my reading of Tolkien’s description of evil as found in his books The Lord of the Rings, I have gained greater insight into the ways that evil is able to persuade even good men to follow and believe things that they thought they couldn’t. The reference read in the podcast to the Voice of Saruman is an excellent example of how darkness becomes palatable to the righteous and those unguarded. You can read an excerpt from chapter 10 of The Two Towers here.

Cast Away Into Their Own Place

Bryce covered a series of texts that refer to the rebellious going “To their own place,” and I wanted to make sure and get these scriptures into the show notes for those interested.

D&C 88.28-33; Acts 1.25; Jacob 5.77; Jacob 6.3; D&C 88.114; John 14.2-3.

For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead – D&C 76.39

This passage appears to say that sons of perdition will not be resurrected, yet that is not the case. Paul stated the matter succinctly: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). The Book of Mormon repeatedly affirms that the resurrection is universal (2 Nephi 9:15, 22; Alma 11:42; 33:22; 40:4-5). Early manuscripts resolve this difficulty. For instance, The Evening and The Morning Star, the “Kirtland Revelation Book,” and the “Book of Commandments, Laws, and Covenants,” Book B, all read: “Who [or They] shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead,” thus affirming that those who are destined to suffer perdition will be resurrected (Woodford, “Historical Development,” 949-50). The poetic version of this verse reads:

While all the rest are, through the triumph of Christ,
Made partakers of grace, by the power of his word.
(Times and Seasons, 4:83)

Thus, “all of the rest”—those inheriting celestial, terrestrial, or telestial glory—are redeemed from the second death, even spiritual death, through the resurrection.^[23]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations, p. 525. 

Nobody lives up to their ideals

Heber J. Grant stated:

Nobody lives up to his ideals, but if we are striving, if we are working, if we are trying, to the best of our ability, to improve day by day, then we are in the line of our duty. If we are seeking to remedy our own defects, if we are so living that we can ask God for light, for knowledge, for intelligence, and above all for His spirit, that we may overcome our weaknesses, then, I can tell you, we are in the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal; then we need have no fear.^[24]Heber J. Grant, CR Apr. 1909, 111.

Two kinds of people

C.S. Lewis said the following:

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.”^[25]C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, Ch. 9, 72.

Can a person advance from the Telestial Kingdom to the Celestial Kingdom in the Eternal Worlds?

What about advancement? Can individuals advance from kingdom to kingdom in the eternal worlds? This is a question that usually comes up sometime whenever D&C 76 is taught, at least from my experience. Over the years I have accumulated quotes from general authorities on this issue. While I do not have a definitive answer, it is wise to see the landscape and to understand the arguments behind each of these positions, which is what Bryce and I tried to briefly do in this podcast. While I do not believe that this is the central focus or question of the vision, understanding these positions will help teachers to handle these questions as they arise. Here you can see a collection of the quotes I have collected over the years, some in favor of advancement, others against it, with some quotes that demonstrate a willingness to leave the matter open. According to President David O. McKay, the church has no definite doctrine on this point.

Celestial Beings – D&C 76.50-70

These verses are descriptive of the rewards known to exalted beings. In a subsequent revelation it would be made known to Joseph Smith that within the celestial kingdom are three degrees of glory (D&C 131). These verses are descriptive of the highest of those three degrees…  Of the other two degrees within the celestial kingdom, we know only that their inhabitants will be ministering servants to those who have obtained the fulness of the Father, which can be done only through the ordinance of eternal marriage (D&C 132:15-19).^[26]Joseph Fielding Smith stated, “We are not preaching a salvation for the inhabitants of the terrestrial or the telestial kingdoms. All of the ordinances of the gospel pertain to the celestial … Continue reading

Church of the Firstborn D&C 76.54

As baptism is the gate to the Church, celestial marriage is the gate to the Church of the Firstborn. Its membership is spoken of as “the inner circle of faithful saints who are heirs of exaltation and the fulness of the Father’s kingdom.”^[27]Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 139. Members of the Church of the Firstborn are those who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit as described in the previous verse and in Doctrine and Covenants 88:3-5 (see also D&C 78:21). Those members of the Church of the Firstborn who dwell in heaven abide in the presence of God and are heirs of the fulness of the Father (D&C 107:19). They will be numbered with the church of Enoch and will “come down out of heaven” with them to possess the earth (JST Genesis 9:23).

They are they, of the church of the firstborn of God,—
And unto whose hands he committeth all things;
For they hold the keys of the kingdom of heav’n
And reign with the Saviour, as priests, and as kings. (Times and Seasons, 4:84)

Kings and Queens, Priests and Priestesses – D&C 76.55-56

It naturally follows that if such privileges are accorded to men, women of similar faith will be endowed with similar blessings. Indeed, no man can become a king and priest without an eternal companion at his side, a wife who is a queen and priestess. President Joseph Fielding Smith observed that “women do not hold the priesthood, but if they are faithful and true, they will become priestesses and queens in the kingdom of God, and that implies that they will be given authority.”^[28]McConkie and Ostler. See also: Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:178.

Brigham Young

We understand that we are to be made kings and priests unto God; now if I be made the king and lawgiver to my family, and if I have many sons, I shall become the father of many fathers, for they will have sons, and their sons will have sons, and so on, from generation to generation, and, in this way, I may become the father of many fathers, or the king of many kings. This will constitute every man a prince, king, lord, or whatever the Father sees fit to confer upon us.^[29]Discourses of Brigham Young [1998], p.195.

Elder Hugh B. Brown

Celestial Marriage enables worthy parents to perform a transcendentally beautiful and vital service as priest and priestess in the temple of the home.  This training will help to prepare them for the exalted position of king and queen in the world to come, where they may reign over their posterity in an ever-expanding kingdom.^[30]You and Your Marriage [1960], p. 193.

The Main Purpose for our Mortal Existence – Joseph Fielding Smith

The main purpose for our mortal existence is that we might obtain tabernacles of flesh and bones for our spirits that we might advance after the resurrection to the fulness of the blessings which the Lord has promised to those who are faithful. They have been promised that they shall become sons and daughters of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and if they have been true to the commandments and covenants the Lord has given us, to be kings and priests and queens and priestesses, possessing the fulness of the blessings of the celestial kingdom.^[31]Answers to Gospel Questions [1971], 5 vols., 4:, p.61.

Spencer W. Kimball

We do not rear children just to please our vanity. We bring children into the world to become kings and queens, and priests and priestesses for our Lord.^[32]The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball [1982], p.331.

The Connection to the Temple

Cannon, Dahl, and Welch give us the following:

In 1842, the women of the Relief Society learned of the vital role they would play in the kingdom. Joseph Smith further taught that there existed “certain signs and words by which false spirits and personages may be detected from true, which cannot be revealed to the Elders till the Temple is completed.”

By 1843, the temple’s full import and design seem to have crystallized in the Prophet’s teachings. The doctrines of sealing and of becoming kings and queens, priests and priestesses were often discussed. Joseph Smith taught that “except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrection,” nor can they obtain the highest degree of the celestial glory. (See D&C 131:1–4.)

Accordingly, Joseph and Emma Smith were sealed for time and eternity on 28 May 1843. Sometime between 29 August 1842 and 16 July 1843, Joseph Smith discussed the full concept of temple ordinances with Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, Willard Richards, and others of the Twelve. He explained how Abraham’s endowment was the patriarchal order of marriage for time and eternity. The members of the Quorum of the Twelve then received both the Aaronic and Melchizedek portions of the endowment, and within a year they and their wives had been sealed for eternity.

Finally, in his last year, Joseph completed his doctrinal instruction about the temple. He taught that Jesus received the fulness of the priesthood on the Mount of Transfiguration. He said that knowledge of “our condition and true relation to God … can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose.”^[33]See: Donald Q. Cannon, Larry E. Dahl, and John W. Welch,  The Restoration of Major Doctrines through Joseph Smith: Priesthood, the Word of God, and the Temple, Ensign, February 1989.

They are Gods – D&C 76.58

This verse stands at the heart of Mormonism. It sets us apart from the world. It ennobles and exalts beyond the imagination of man. At the commencement of this revelation the Lord promised to reveal “the wonders of eternity,” even wisdom and understanding that would “reach to heaven” and that would cause the wisdom of the worldly wise and prudent to “come to naught” (vv. 8-9). It is in such verses as this that the heavens are opened and we are invited to see as prophets saw. What soul can remain unstirred by such a vision!^[34]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations, p. 531. “God himself was once as we are now,” declared the Prophet Joseph Smith, “and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible— I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form— like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another.”^[35]Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 345.

D&C 76.84-85 Thrust Down to Hell

The citizenry of the telestial kingdom will at death be consigned to hell, where they must pay in full measure for their sins. Thereafter, they will come forth in the resurrection of the unjust to take their place in the telestial or lowest of the degrees of glory. “You cannot take a murderer… an adulterer, a liar, or one who was or is thoroughly abominable in his life here, and simply by the performance of an ordinance of the gospel, cleanse him from sin and usher him into the presence of God,” explained President Joseph F. Smith. “God has not instituted a plan of that kind, and it cannot be done. He has said you shall repent of your sins. The wicked will have to repent of their wickedness. Those who die without the knowledge of the gospel will have to come to the knowledge of it, and those who sin against light will have to pay the uttermost farthing for their transgression and their departure from the gospel, before they can ever get back to it. Do not forget that. Do not forget it, you elders in Israel, nor you, mothers in Israel, either; and, when you seek to save either the living or the dead, bear it in mind that you can only do it on the principle of their repentance and acceptation of the plan of life. That is the only way in which you can succeed.”^[36]McConkie and Ostler, see also: Gospel Doctrine, 95.

Apocalyptic Visionary Texts of Antiquity

Investiture

Levi’s Ascent and his investiture as found in The Testament of Levi

Levi’s ascent to heaven is followed by a second vision [see: chapter 8 of The Testament of Levi]^[37]Himmelfarb writes, “The Testament of Levi forms part of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. The Testaments is a Christian work, although it clearly draws on Jewish sources… the central … Continue reading in which seven angels anoint Levi, dress him in the vestments of priesthood, and prophesy to him about the future of the priestly line… The priestly garments that the angels list are drawn from the biblical perscriptions for priestly dress.31 But each article of clothing has attached to it an abstract noun in the genitive: “the robe of the priesthood / and the crown of righteousness / and the breastplate of understanding / and the garment of truth / and the plate of faith / and the turban of (giving) a sign / and the ephod of prophecy” (8:2). These genitives shift the focus from priestly garments as required elements of the cult to the larger meaning of priesthood.

Most of the elements of the consecration in the second section of the chapter are drawn from the biblical instructions for the consecration of priests or other priestly activities. But the account also introduces a number of items to Levi’s wardrobe that are more clearly associated with kingship than priesthood, such as the staff of judgment and the diadem (diadema). Although it is here called a diadem of priesthood, in the Greek Bible the diadem is the headdress of kings rather than of priests.

Only the very end of the second vision has survived in the Aramaic Levi document, but taken together with the passage that follows, it suggests a significant difference between Aramaic Levi and the Testament. At the end of their speech to Levi in the Aramaic text, the angels say, “Now, see how we elevated you above all and how we gave you the anointing of eternal peace.” The Aramaic goes on to report that after giving Levi tithes, Jacob dressed him in priestly clothes and “filled his hands,” that is, consecrated him.^[38]Himmelfarb, Ascent to Heaven in Jewish and Christian Apocalypses, Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 37.

Enoch and his investiture

After Michael lifts Enoch from his second prostration, God commands him, “Take Enoch, and take off his earthly garments, and anoint him with good oil, and clothe him in glorious garments . . .” (19:17). Michael does as he is commanded, the wondrous nature of the oil is described in some detail, and then Enoch reports, “I looked at myself, and I was like one of the glorious ones, and there was no apparent difference” (9:19). Enoch has become an angel.

The combination of clothing and anointing suggests that the process by which Enoch becomes an angel is a heavenly version of priestly investiture. The idea that there are special garments for the righteous after death is widespread in this period. Some examples from the ascent apocalypses are discussed in the next chapter, and, as I shall show, donning such a garment can imply equality with the angels (or better!). When Paul speaks of a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:42-50) for the righteous after death, he seems to have in mind something similar to these heavenly garments. What is distinctive about the glorious garments of 2 Enoch is their association with anointing and the ceremony of priestly consecration invoked…

It is striking that in 2 Enoch, as in the Testament of Levi and Aramaic Levi, anointing precedes dressing in priestly garments, in opposition to the instructions for the consecration of Aaron as high priest in Exodus 29.^[39]Himmelfarb, Ascent to Heaven in Jewish and Christian Apocalypses, Oxford University Press, 1993, p.40.

Changes to the visionary – The Ascension of Isaiah

As he prophesies before King Hezekiah and a group of prophets and elders, Isaiah falls into a trance during which he ascends through the heavens in the company of an angelic guide. In each of the first five heavens, he sees an angel seated on a throne with angels on either side offering praise.^[40]Himmelfarb, p. 55.

An angel seizes Isaiah by the hand (7.3), and asks his name. The angel tells Isaiah that he was sent to take Isaiah to explain all the things of the vision to him and that he has come to him from the seventh heaven (Asc. Isaiah 7.8). Isaiah immediately sees “Sammael and his hosts, and there was great fighting therein and the angels of Satan were envying one another” (Asc. Isaiah 7.9). He asks about the war and the angel tells him, “So has it been since this world was made until now, and this war (will continue) till He, whom thou shalt see will come and destroy him.”

Isaiah proceeds through the heavens with the angelic guide. The progressively greater glory of each successive heaven has a counterpart in the physical transformation Isaiah undergoes as he ascends, which he notices in the third heaven: “The glory of my face was being transformed . . .” in the course of ascent (7:25).^[41]Himmelfarb, Ascent, p. 55. Another translation reads, “for the glory of my appearance was undergoing transformation as I ascended to each heaven in turn…”

A Book! The Ascension of Isaiah

In the course of his vision, Isaiah is shown a book. This is not unlike the experience of Lehi and other prophets,^[42]See John’s experience in Revelation 10. See also Ezekiel’s experience where he is told, “Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” So I opened … Continue reading who are given a text to read as part of their visionary experience. In the vision we read:

And whilst I was still speaking with him, behold one of the angels who stood nigh, more glorious than the glory of that angel, who had raised me up from the world. Showed me a book, [but not as a book of this world] and he opened it, and the book was written, but not as a book of this world. And he gave (it) to me and I read it, and lo! the deeds of the children of Israel were written therein, and the deeds of those whom I know (not), my son Josab.

And I said: “In truth, there is nothing hidden in the seventh heaven, which is done in this world.”

And I saw there many garments laid up, and many thrones and many crowns. And I said to the angel: “Whose are these garments and thrones and crowns?”

And he said unto me: “These garments many from that world will receive, believing in the words of That One, who shall be named as I told thee, and they will observe those things, and believe in them, and believe in His cross: for them are these laid up.”^[43]The Ascension of Isaiah, chapter 9, verses 21-26.

3 Baruch

3 Baruch is an apocalyptic text described as a “Jewish work with Christian interpolations” written shortly after the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem. Its main emphasis is on reward and punishment, as it laments the fate of the destruction the temple in 70 A.D.^[44]See Himmelfarb, p. 87. Though this author makes this assertion, the actual text of 3 Baruch places the story at the destruction of the first temple, around 586 B.C. In the text of 3 … Continue reading

As he ascends higher, Baruch is lead to the fifth heaven, which marks the entrance to the heavenly temple, and his is unable to proceed further. As Baruch and his heavenly guide stand there at the entrance, they see three groups of angels approaching the entrance. One group bears baskets full of flowers, which represent the “merits of the righteous,”^[45]The text reads: And as I was conversing with them, behold angels came bearing baskets full of flowers. And they gave them to Michael. And I asked the angel, Lord, who are these, and what are the … Continue reading another group carries partially filled baskets, containing the deeds of people of middle character, and a third group, bearing no baskets at all, laments its assignment to the wicked.

This threefold separation is not unlike the threefold separation described in D&C 76, though it certainly has differences. But the similarities help us see that other Christians (or whoever wrote this text) had views that tried to deal with the variance of human behavior and God’s judgment. This is essentially what we see: a distinction, or a κρίσις, and through this separation, judgment being weighed out to those in this visionary text.

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