Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Question

 

Hello Gramps,

I was hoping you could help clarify something for me. I have looked in D&C 138 and tried finding this topic in the Millenial Messiah. Could you please help clarify something if you can? Is the resurrection of the just and the morning of the first resurrection the same? Thank you for this website. Kind Regards.

Carrie

 

Answer

 

Dear Carrie,

Yes, yes they are. The “morning of the first resurrection” is a phrase that we’ve adopted into LDS culture, but it comes from scriptural principles.

The order of the resurrection is described in D&C 88:97-102. Four groups are described, and each group corresponds to a kingdom of glory, plus a kingdom without glory, as found in D&C 76. The phrase that helps us place the order in relation to the first resurrection is lifted from Revelation 20:5, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” The first resurrection will take place during the Millennium, after which another wave of resurrection will follow (sometimes referred to as the “second resurrection”). In our parlance, we’ve further split these resurrections into “morning” and “afternoon” of each to correspond to greater and lesser kingdoms.

The last piece of the puzzle is specifically identifying the resurrection of the just, which fortunately bookends a section of D&C 76. “And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—“ (vs. 50) following which we hear a description of those who qualify for the celestial kingdom. Then we get to hear a description of the blessings of that glory, “These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection. These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just” (vs. 64-65). Now let’s read D&C 88.

“And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—

 

They are Christ’s, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.”

 

This is the morning of the first resurrection, the resurrection to the celestial kingdom, the resurrection of the just.
“And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ’s at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.”

 

This is the afternoon of the first resurrection, the resurrection to the terrestrial kingdom.

 

“And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump; and then come the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation;

 

And these are the rest of the dead; and they live not again until the thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth.”

 

There’s that phrase letting us know we’ve finished with the first resurrection and are now beginning with the second resurrection. This is the morning of the second resurrection, the resurrection of the telestial kingdom.

 

“And another trump shall sound, which is the fourth trump, saying: There are found among those who are to remain until that great and last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still.”

This is the final resurrection, the afternoon of the second resurrection, the resurrection to outer darkness – a kingdom without glory or law.

 

Gramps

 

 

Copyright © 2024 Ask Gramps - Q and A about Mormon Doctrine. All Rights Reserved.
This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org.

Pin It on Pinterest