INTRODUCTION: VALUE OF THE VISION
President Wilford Woodruff: “I will refer to the ‘Vision’ alone, as a revelation which gives more light, more truth, and more principle than any revelation contained in any other book we ever read. It makes plain to our understanding our present condition, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Any man may know through that revelation what his part and condition will be” (G. Homer Durham, ed., Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 47-48).
President Joseph Fielding Smith: “Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants, in its sublimity and clearness in relation to the eternal destiny of the human family, has not been surpassed. It should be treasured by all members of the church as a priceless heritage. It should strengthen their faith and be to them an incentive to seek the exaltation promised to all who are just and true” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 2:50).
BACKGROUND FOR THE VISION
When Joseph Smith was translating the Bible in 1832, with Sidney Rigdon as his scribe, they came upon a remarkable passage of scripture, John 5:29. “ And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29). (See heading to D&C 76.)
When they translated this verse, the Lord changed it slightly. The change is noted in D&C 76:17 “And shall come forth; they who have done good, in the resurrection of the just; and they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust.” “The resurrection of life” was clarified to “the resurrection of the just,” and “the resurrection of damnation” to “the resurrection of the unjust.” Joseph and Sidney had learned about being justified because that came up in the translation work on Genesis a year and a half previous, which we now call the Book of Moses in The Pearl of Great Price.
“That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory” (Moses 6:59).
“That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory” (Moses 6:59).
The just are those who have had their sins forgiven, those who have “opened” the gift of Christ’s grace through exercising the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. So, the summation of this scripture is that those who are justified and sanctified are resurrected to eternal life.
Yet here it says in the writings of John that the “unjust” are also resurrected. Huh?
“Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit” (D&C 76:18). They were sure the change was correct, because it had been “given [to them] of the spirit.” They pondered about it and decided that, obviously, there was something more about the afterlife that they had not yet learned.
“Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit” (D&C 76:18). They were sure the change was correct, because it had been “given [to them] of the spirit.” They pondered about it and decided that, obviously, there was something more about the afterlife that they had not yet learned.
”And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about” (D&C 76:19).
They found out the answer to their question by way of a grand and glorious vision which they were commanded to write down for us “while still in the spirit,” before they could make any human error in recall. That is the glorious chapter of scripture we now call Section 76.
But before they wrote down the glorious vision, they felt to testify to us of another great truth that was reaffirmed to them because of the experience.
“For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations. And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught. For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man” (D&C 76:5-10).
CHRONOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE VISION
The Kirtland Temple was dedicated in 1836. This vision of the three degrees of glory was given February 16, 1832. There was no temple of any kind on the earth for the Lord to visit, so he visited the two brethren in Joseph Smith’s temporary residence, the John Johnson home, in Hiram, Ohio.
Photograph from Mormon Historic Sites Foundation
By the way, do you know what other significant event occurred here, six weeks later? The first physical mob violence, completely unforeseen and unprovoked, led by two apostates, Simonds Rider and Ezra Booth, the tarring and feathering of the Prophet in the middle of the night. This action also led to the first martyrdom of the Church, the death of Joseph’s eleven-month-old baby, Joseph Murdock Smith, 4 days later, as a result of the exposure he endured. Heaven and hell in the same house. (Another interesting note is that little Joseph’s biological father, John Murdock, was on a mission at the time and didn’t hear about his baby’s death until he returned in June.) After that, as you know, mob action continued to escalate everywhere the saints moved to escape it. But at the same time, for those faithful in the church, visions and revelations and the bestowal of light and knowledge also escalated, giving the saints the eternal perspective that they needed to endure the difficulties that arose.
ELEMENTS OF THE VISION
We think of this as one vision, but as recorded, it was actually seven visions (as I see it) stuck together. Seven very important truths, six of which they were commanded to bear record of in writing. What were they, and in what order?
1. The Vision of Jesus Christ. D&C 76:20-24.
2. The Vision of Satan. D&C 76:25-29.
3. The Vision of Sons of Perdition. D&C 76:30-49.
4. The Vision of the Resurrection of the Just (Celestial Kingdom). D&C 76:50-70.
5. The Vision of the Terrestrial World. D&C 76:71-80.
6. The Vision of the Telestial World. D&C 76:81-113.
7. The Unutterable Vision. D&C 76:114-118.
The Vision of Jesus Christ—This great testimony has been an anchor to many Saints ever since that day.
20 And we beheld the aglory of the Son, on the bright hand of the cFather, and received of his fulness;
21 And saw the holy aangels, and them who are bsanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who cworship him forever and ever.
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the atestimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he blives!
23 For we asaw him, even on the bright hand of cGod; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the dOnly Begotten of the Father—
24 That by ahim, and through him, and of him, the bworlds are and were created, and the cinhabitants thereof are begotten dsons and daughters unto God.
The Vision of Satan—Why was it important for us to have a vision of Satan? When it comes to having an eternal perspective, understanding the reality of Satan is important, just as is knowing Christ. We cannot resist something we know nothing about.
25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an aangel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who brebelled against the Only Begotten cSon whom the Father dloved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
26 And was called aPerdition, for the heavens bwept over him—he was cLucifer, a son of the morning.
27 And we beheld, and lo, he is afallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!
28 And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old aserpent, even the bdevil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our cGod and his Christ—
29 Wherefore, he maketh awar with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.
The Vision of Sons of Perdition30 And we saw a vision of the asufferings of those with whom he made war and overcame, for thus came the voice of the Lord unto us:
31 Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and asuffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power—
32 They are they who are the asons of bperdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;
33 For they are avessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;
34 Concerning whom I have said there is ano bforgiveness in this world nor in the world to come—
35 Having adenied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having bcrucified him unto themselves and put him to an open cshame.
36 These are they who shall go away into the alake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels—
37 And the aonly ones on whom the bsecond cdeath shall have any power;
38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall anot be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
39 For all the rest shall be abrought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the btriumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father cbefore the worlds were made.
40 And this is the agospel, the glad btidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—
41 That he acame into the world, even Jesus, to be bcrucified for the world, and to cbear the sins of the dworld, and to esanctify the world, and to fcleanse it from all unrighteousness;
42 That through him all might be asaved whom the Father had put into his bpower and made by him;
43 Who aglorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of bperdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.
44 Wherefore, he saves all aexcept them—they shall go away into beverlasting cpunishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to dreign with the edevil and his angels in eternity, where their fworm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment—
45 And the aend thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows;
46 Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof;
47 Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by avision unto many, but straightway shut it up again;
48 Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the adepth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are bordained unto this ccondemnation.
49 And we heard the voice, saying: aWrite the vision, for lo, this is the end of the vision of the sufferings of the ungodly.
Joseph Smith: “What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin [and become a son of perdition]? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against Him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it” (Teachings, p. 358).
Are we in daily jeopardy of committing the unpardonable sin? President Spencer W. Kimball answers the question: “The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 23).
The Vision of the Telestial World
photo from nasa.gov
“These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:82). And yet, “These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down to hell.” And yet, they will not stay there. “These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work” (D&C 76:83-85).
“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” (D&C 76:100-101).
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16:13-18).
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16:13-18).
Knowing that Jesus is the CHRIST, the SON OF GOD and not just another great teacher is of utmost importance to our salvation. If we deny this, we are lumped together with ”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." (D&C 76:103-106).
They still will be resurrected to a kingdom of glory, because, unlike the devil and the sons of perdition, they did not deny the Holy Spirit, but they will have to sit in hell for quite some time, because that is the fruit of their actions on earth. Unfortunately, they are “as unnumerable as the stars in the [sky] or the sand upon the seashore. (See verse 109.)
And yet, “thus we saw, in the heavenly, vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding” (D&C 76: 89). It will still be a glorious heaven, because eventually “These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever” (D&C 76: 110). We can gain a testimony that Jesus is the Savior now, or we can gain it later, but when we gain it makes all the difference in eternity.
The Vision of the Terrestrial World
photo from lds.org
71 And again, we saw the aterrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the bFirstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the cmoon differs from the sun in the firmament.
72 Behold, these are they who died awithout blaw;
73 And also they who are the aspirits of men kept in bprison, whom the Son visited, and cpreached the dgospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;
Is it fair that these never had “the law,” or in other words, never had the chance to learn the gospel in this life? Elder Melvin J. Ballard gives a reason why this might be so:
“Now, those who died without law, meaning the pagan nations, for lack of faithfulness, for lack of devotion in the previous life, are obtaining what they are entitled to. I don’t mean to say that all of them will be barred from entrance into the highest glory. Any one of them who repents and complies to the conditions might also obtain celestial glory, but the great bulk of them will only attain terrestrial glory” (Sermons of Melvin J. Ballard, p. 251).
74 Who areceived not the btestimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.
75 These are they who are ahonorable men of the earth, who were bblinded by the craftiness of men.
It seems unfair that the eternal reward of these people is messed up because others deceived them, but the reason this happened could only be that they listened to men, rather than listening to the promptings of the Spirit, which would have guided them to the truth. In the next life, they are given a second chance to gain a testimony of Jesus, and, as the scripture says, “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.” They will realize that he is the Christ while they are being taught in Spirit Prison.
76 These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.
77 These are they who receive of the apresence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.
78 Wherefore, they are abodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
79 These are they who are not avaliant in the btestimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.
80 And now this is the end of the avision which we saw of the terrestrial, that the Lord commanded us to bwrite while we were yet in the Spirit.
Saddest of all in this group are those who knew the truth and let it go.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “Not to be valiant in one’s testimony is a tragedy of eternal consequence. These are members who know this latter-day work is true but who fail to endure to the end. Some may even hold temple recommends, but do not magnify their callings in the Church. Without valor, they do not take an affirmative stand in the kingdom of God. Some seek the praise, adulation, and honors of men; others attempt to conceal their sins; and a few criticize those who preside over them” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 292-293).
Who thinks you fit here? If you have sins, such as President Benson mentioned, you need to give them up and follow Christ, and you have that opportunity every Sacrament Meeting. Membership in the Church alone does not get you into the Celestial Kingdom, it is true. You cannot join the Church and then sit still. You must use the gift of the atonement, by exercising the first principles and ordinances of the gospel continually.
But too many times we think that because we didn’t ever make the cut as bishop or apostle or we didn’t have cute enough wood cut-out projects when we were den leaders, or we never learned to garden or can, we will be limited to the Terrestial Kingdom, because that is the place for mediocre people. The Celestial Kingdom, we think, is only for the few gospel valedictorians, or the doctrinal overachievers. However, that is not true: To make mistakes, to have character flaws, to get tired, to try and not succeed, to find that your best was not quite good enough—that is not to not be valiant. That is to be human and to need a Savior. The Celestial Kingdom will be full of people like this.
The Vision of the Resurrection of the Just (D&C 76: 50-70)
Photograph from lds.org
As we learned in Moses 6:60 last week, and as Joseph Smith had learned a year or two earlier, those who exercise faith in Christ and are baptized for the remission of their sins and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by one in authority, and who endure to the end (or, as verse 53 says, “overcome by faith,”) will be perfected in Christ so that they will belong here. They will be Celestial people. Christ will “subdue all enemies under [their] feet,” even those within themselves. (See verse 61.) Just as we learned last week, they open the “gift” of grace by exercising the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, and they continue to use that gift throughout their lives by constantly trying to adhere to those principles and ordinances, and eventually, through Christ, all the difficulties will be overcome.
“ Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things. Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet” (D&C 76:58-61).
There is another term for the members of this kingdom introduced to us here in this vision. D&C 76:54 – They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. The Church of the Firstborn. Where else can we find this in the scriptures? You really have to hunt. The Topical Guide and the Bible Dictionary will not help you much. It is found in the Joseph Smith Translation appendix in the beautiful passage which I call the “Covenant of the Rainbow,” given to Noah after the flood. JST Genesis 9:21-23 –
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up unto myself.
And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.
The Church of the Firstborn is the City of Enoch, or Zion. When we “embrace the truth, and look upward,” (as we have said, we get on the path and keep heading in the right direction), Zion will “look downward” upon us and “come down out of heaven and possess the earth.” That would be the Celestial Kingdom, This is the covenant of Enoch.
“They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son” (D&C 76:55-57).
Where else can we find the order of Melchizedek and the order of Enoch in the scriptures? Speaking of Melchizedek , “And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God; And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.” (JST Genesis 14:27-29) What is meant by the word "order," anyway? It means an organized group. Priesthood is not a calling, or something you "hold" like a position or a title; it is something you join, the order or organization of God.
This wonderful covenant of the order of Melchizedek and the order of Enoch, is offered simply to “as many as [believe] on his name.” (See verse 29.) The people of Melchizedek kept the covenant of their father Enoch. “And his people [note the gender-neutral term] wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world...And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace” (JST Genesis 14:34, 36).
They embraced the truth and looked upward, and joined Zion in Heaven, just as we will be able to do someday, through the grace of Christ, if we keep those same covenants.
D&C 76:69 – “These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood. They are “just" men (justified by Christ’s atonement, or made holy and worthy of the Celestial Kingdom—but it is also appropriate to say, they are “just men” or simply men or ordinary men, made perfect by Christ). And this refers to "just women" equally well. The temple initiatory, endowment, and sealing ordinances all verify that women can enter into this order as priestesses.
The Unutterable Vision. Joseph Smith said of this vision, “I could explain a hundredfold more than I ever have of the glories of the kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to receive them.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 304)
WHAT IF YOU'RE NOT THERE YET?
If you are a member of the Church, but do not fit in the pattern of one who is “valiant in the testimony of Christ,” you just need one sacrament meeting in which you truly repent and covenant with Christ to start becoming so. Live the truths you know in love throughout the week. And then by the next week, attend the next sacrament meeting to keep “looking to Heaven.” Repeat to the end.
As my favorite Bruce R. McConkie quote goes:
“As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we’ll continue in exactly that same course. We’ll no longer be subject to the passions and the appetites of the flesh. We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course we’ll get the fullness of our Father’s kingdom—and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.” (Bruce R. McConkie, "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified," Brigham Young University 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year, p. 400-40, emphasis added. The entire speech is available online at this link.)
“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” (D&C 76:92-95).
CONCLUSION
As Joseph Smith said: “Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints…than the light which burst upon the world through [that] 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 remains unsullied by the folly of men, go to show the perfection of the theory, and witnesses the fact that the 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 sin, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to explain: “It came from God” (History of the Church 1:252-253).
