In the Mansions Which Are Prepared
Reflections on Doctrine and Covenants Section 76 (Part 6)
In previous posts I outlined the historical background for Doctrine and Covenants Section 76, studied the introduction and early verses in the same section, reviewed the vision of the sufferings of the ungodly, and described the resurrection of the just in the Celestial Kingdom of God, and the destiny of those who inherit the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms. In this post, let’s continue and conclude our study of Doctrine and Covenants Section 76:
And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;
And no man knows it except him to whom God has revealed it.
And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial which excels in all things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in might, and in dominion.
And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;
For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.
These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.
Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud.
These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth.
These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;
When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign forever and ever.
But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;
And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;
For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared;
And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end. (D&C 76:89-112)
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are perfectly merciful and perfectly just. They hold the reins of judgment in Their hands. They are wise Lawgivers. The Lord will judge all men, as the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men, but, ‘according to the deeds done in the body.’” The Prophet Joseph Smith also taught that, “God judges men according to the use they make of the light which He gives them.”7
Thus, according to the use we make of the light that God gives us, and according to the deeds done in the body, we shall receive a perfectly merciful and perfectly just judgment from God. A full understanding of the kingdoms of glory can only be obtained by revelation from God. We can read about it and ponder the scriptures, but the Prophet Joseph Smith taught:
All men know that they must die; and it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life, and of death; and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away to be here no more? It is but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other;— we ought to study it day and night; for the world is ignorant in reference to their true condition and relation. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for any thing, it is for knowledge on this important subject.
Could we read and comprehend all that has been written from the days of Adam on the relation of man to God and Angels in a future state, we should know very little about it. Reading the experience of others, or the revelation given to them, can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these things can only be obtained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.
The Prophet Joseph Smith similarly taught that:
The only way to obtain truth and wisdom, is not to ask it from books, but to go to God in prayer and obtain divine teaching.
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon went to God in prayer and obtained divine teaching. They saw the kingdoms of glory, things that surpass all understanding. They saw the glory of the telestial, the glory of the terrestrial, and the glory of the Celestial Kingdom. They saw that the glory of the terrestrial excels in all things the glory of the telestial, and that the glory of the celestial excels in all things, simply. The glory of the stars, the moon, and the sun are symbols of the glory of the telestial, terrestrial, and Celestial Kingdom. The Apostle Paul similarly described the kingdoms of glory:
There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. (1 Cor. 15:40-42)
What is the glory of the Celestial Kingdom? It is like the glory of the sun. It excels in all things. Our Father in Heaven resides there and reigns upon his throne forever and ever. Before His throne, all things bow in humble reverence. Before His throne, all things give Him glory forever and ever.
These verses in D&C 76:89-112 give an overview of the kingdoms of glory, those who reside in the different kingdoms, and the blessings that they enjoy. They also give an overview of those who suffer the wrath and vengeance of God in hell, including liars, sorcerers, adulterers, whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie, or in other words, those who deliberate deceive and love to practice falsehood.
This is the Prophet Joseph Smith’s poetic rendering of the aforementioned verses:
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. And lo! I beheld the terrestrial, too, Which excels the telestial in glory and light, In splendour and knowledge, and wisdom and joy, In blessings and graces, dominion and might. 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. 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, With a fulness of glory and grace round his throne. The glory celestial is one like the sun; The glory terrestrial is one like the moon; The glory telestial is one like the stars, And all harmonize like the parts of a tune. As the stars are all different in lustre and size, So the telestial region is mingled in bliss; From the least unto greatest, and greatest to least, The reward is exactly as promised in this. 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. 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. 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. These are they that are sinful, the wicked at large, That glutted their passion by meanness or worth; All liars, adulterers, sorcerers, and proud, And suffer as promis'd, God's wrath on the earth. 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 time, And is crowned on his throne with his glorious crown. 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, Every tongue shall confess and they all bow the knee. 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.
The Three Glories Further Explained.
The telestial] Even the telestial glory “surpasses understanding.” It cannot be conceived of by human mind, except as revealed (v. 90). We receive impressions through our senses. We analyze these impressions, classify them, and form deductions from them, and thus we obtain some knowledge of things both seen and unseen; but we cannot gain any knowledge of the glories beyond any such process. It must be revealed. Revelation is also a source of knowledge, and ignorant indeed is he who rejects it.
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The terrestrial] Note that the glory of the terrestrial world exceeds that of the telestial “in all things.”
In glory] This means in power, knowledge, privilege and dominion, the celestial exceeds the other kingdoms in that its inhabitants have obtained the fulness and have become the sons of God. The terrestrial, while limited, has greater privileges and knowledge than the telestial.
In power] In the world beyond, as here, there are “powers that be,” officials who hold authority delegated to them by the Lord. In the terrestrial world such divine authority exceeds by far that held in the telestial sphere.
In might, and in dominion] The remark just made applies also to these. “Might” refers to the ability to do, or perform whatever must be done; “dominion” refers to the extent of the field of action. The terrestrials have more intelligence, more authority, more strength, and a parger expanse in which to operate, than the telestials.
Paul also speaks of “thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” (Col. 1:16); and of “principality, and power, and might, and dominion,” (Eph. 1:21)
The celestial] This glory excels in all things. It is the glory in which the eternal Father dwells and reigns; the glory that surrounds His throne.
In humble reverence] These all bow in humility and give glory (praise for ever and ever). Isaiah (6:3) heard the song that is sung there: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory;” for the glory of God is manifest in all His creation.
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Equal in power, and in might, and in dominion] Those who dwell in the presence of God are faithful members of the Church of the Firstborn. They are equal. In the celestial world all the ransomed are equal in authority, in strength, in opportunities, and in possessions. Is it any wonder, then, that our Lord instituted the United Order, with equality, in the Church, as a school in which to obtain some understanding of, and training for, a place in celestial glory? Can anyone, after a life of selfishness, fill a position in a kingdom where all are equal?
-8. This is a repetition of the wonderful truth that one glory differs from another in degree, and another important truth is added, that in the telestial glory there are many degrees, just as there are many gradations of brilliancy among the stars.
99-112. These paragraphs contain additional information concerning the inhabitants of the telestial sphere. Among them are those who have followed religious leaders and formed churches and sects, but who have refused to accept the gospel here, or the testimony of Jesus beyond the veil; they have refused to enter into the everlasting covenant and to gather with the Saints (vv. 99-102).
Among them are also “liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie” (v. 103). In the Revelation by John this class is said to be excluded from the celestial city (Rev. 22:15). The reader of this portion of the Revelation by John might ask, Why are they not in the bottomless pit with the sons of Perdition? The answer is found in this Section of the Doctrine and Covenants: Because they had not committed the unpardonable sin. Having suffered all the consequences of their transgressions and paid the “uttermost farthing,” they have been released. They have suffered “the wrath of God on the earth” (v. 104), for even here the way of the transgressor is hard. “they have suffered the vengeance of eternal fire,” and through these sufferings they have learned submission to the will of God (v. 110), and they can, therefore, enjoy telestial happiness (v. 105), through the redemption of Jesus Christ (vv. 106-8). Their redemption is the completion of Christ’s work as a Savior.
Innumerable as the stars] Note the great number of telestials. The celestials must also be numerous, since departed infants belong to that class. The telestials are innumerable.
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Judged according to their works] There are, as has been stated, various degrees of glory in the telestial sphere, and each individual will, in the judgment, receive that “dominion” in the “mansions” of God for which he has, by his works, proved himself fit.
They shall be servants of the Most High] That is also an honorable position, indeed, but it is different to being “kings and priests.” “Where God and Christ dwell, they cannot come, worlds without end.” (pp. 468-469)
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:
What! Where all are huddled together - the honorable, virtuous, and murderers, and whoremongers, when it is written that they shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body? But St. Paul informs us of three glories and three heavens. He knew a man that was caught up to the third heaven. [2 Cor. 12:1-5.] Now, if the doctrine of the sectarian world, that there is but one heaven, is true, Paul, what do you tell that lie for, and say there are three? Jesus said unto His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come and receive you to myself, that where I am ye may be also.” [John 14:2-3.] (HC 5:425-26, June 11, 1843.) (Roy W. Doxey, Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine & Covenants, Vol. I., pp. 600)
Orson F. Whitney taught:
We receive all our blessings upon the principle of obedience. [Sec. 130:20-21] There is a celestial law, a terrestrial law, and a telestial law; and we attain to any degree of glory that we desire, but it will be upon the principle of obedience. If we obey celestial law, we will obtain celestial glory. If we obtain terrestrial glory, it will be obedience to terrestrial law; and the same with telestial law and telestial glory. [Sec. 88: 21-24.] And what is celestial law? It does not mean any one thing; it means all things. It is the fulness of obedience: it is living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. If today, you are keeping those commandments that are now in force, you are living a celestial law, and your chances are good for celestial glory. (CR, October 1910, p. 53.) (Roy W. Doxey, Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine & Covenants, Vol. I., pp. 600)
The revelation in D&C 76 continues and concludes:
This is the end of the vision which we saw, which we were commanded to write while we were yet in the Spirit.
But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion;
Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter;
Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him;
To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves;
That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.
And to God and the Lamb be glory, and honor, and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (D&C 76:113-119)
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon only recorded the things that they were commanded to record. The rest of the great and marvelous works of the Lord and the mysteries of His kingdom that they saw - things that surpass all understanding - the Lord commanded them not to write. Such things are not lawful for man to utter, nor is man capable to make them known. They can only be seen and understood by revelation, or in other words, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, God bestows the Holy Ghost upon those who love him, and purify themselves before him, and to some of these He grants the privilege of seeing and knowing these things for themselves. All mortals need the power and manifestations of the Spirit in order to be able to bear the Lord’s presence in the world of glory. Thus it was with Enoch, Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, and each of the Lord’s prophets and seers, including the Prophet Joseph Smith.
This is the Prophet Joseph Smith’s poetic rendering of the conclusion of this revelation:
But the great things of God, which he show'd unto rile, 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. 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.
Conclusion.
113-19. The vision here recorded is one of the most remarkable that any mortal ever had. The record, however, contains but a part of that which passed before the view of the favored seers. (p. 470)
