171. The earth will be sanctified and will become the celestial kingdom, which the righteous shall inherit.
In that great change, or resurrection, which shall come to this earth, it shall be sanctified, celestialized and made a fit abode even for God the Father, who shall grace it with his presence. (D&C 88:19) Then shall the righteous, those who have become sanctified through the law of God, possess it for ever as their abode. This earth is destined to become the everlasting residence of its inhabitants who gain the glory of the celestial kingdom. It shall become in that day like the throne of God and shall shine forth with all the splendor and brightness of celestial glory in its eternal, sanctified and glorious state. (The Way to Perfection, p. 351) DGSM:105
It is not the fault of the earth that wickedness prevails upon her face, for she has been true to the law which she received and that law is the celestial law. Therefore the Lord says that the earth shall be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they—the celestial beings—sanctified. It is very strange that members of the Church should fail to understand the plain meaning of this revelation. The Lord did not say this earth shall be one-third celestial, and one-third terrestrial, and one-third telestial, but that the earth was made and created to become a celestial body upon whose face the meek and the poor, who have received their part in the celestial kingdom, shall find their eternal abode. God himself shall make his abode upon it. Moreover, the revelation is very clear in the statement that all who cannot abide the celestial law, or the law of the Gospel, must abide another kingdom. They will have to be transplanted to some other sphere which, without doubt, has been given the law of a terrestrial kingdom, or of a telestial kingdom, in anticipation of a place where bodies who are of the terrestrial spirit or telestial spirit may find their eternal abode. CHMR1:367
receiving the Word of the Lord
[I]t is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
18. Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;
19. For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;
20. That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. . . .
25. And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—
26. Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it. (Revelation received Dec. 27/28, 1832) D&C 88:17-20,25-26
If we live for it, our Heavenly Father will give to us eternal life in the celestial kingdom—and that celestial kingdom will be this earth which we dwell upon, when it is cleansed and purified and when it becomes the kingdom that will be presided over by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Published by the Church in Deseret News, Church Section, May 26, 1945)
The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
9. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's.
10. Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known;
11. And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. (Revelation, April 2, 1830) D&C 130:8-11
After the thousand years here referred to [Revelation 20:5], this earth will die; it will pass through a change similar to that of our bodies; it will pass away, as an organized world, but not a particle, however, will be destroyed or annihilated; it will all exist, and when it is resurrected again, it will be a new earth. Then those immortal beings who come up out of their graves, at the beginning of the thousand years, will again descend from heaven upon the new earth; and the earth will be eternal; and the beings that inhabit it will be eternal. And the earth will at that time have no more need of the light of a luminary like our sun, or any artificial light, for it will be a globe of light; for when God makes this earth immortal, he will make it glorious like the inhabitants that will be permitted to live upon it. They will become immortal, and be crowned with crowns of glory, and light will radiate from their personages and countenances; so will the earth radiate its light, and shine forth in celestial splendor. (Fourteenth Ward, 1878, JD19:290) TLDP:148
Thus the inhabitants of Earth with the few exceptions that are beyond the power of redemption will eventually be saved. And the globe on which they passed their probation, having kept the law of its being, will come into remembrance before its Maker. It will die like its products. But it will be quickened again and resurrected in the celestial glory. It has been born of the water, it will also be born of the Spirit. Purified by fire from all the corruptions that once defiled it, developed into its perfections as one of the family of worlds fitted for the Creator's presence, all its latent light awakened into scintillating action, it will move up into its place among the orbs governed by celestial time, and shining "like a sea of glass mingled with fire," every tint and color of the heavenly bow radiating from its surface, the ransomed of the Lord will dwell upon it; the highest beings of the ancient orbs will visit it; the garden of God will again adorn it; the heavenly government will prevail in every part; Jesus will reign as its King; the river of life will flow out from the regal throne; the tree of life, whose leaves were for the healing of the nations, will flourish upon the banks of the heavenly stream, and its golden fruit will be free for the white-robed throng, that they may eat and live forever. This perfected Earth and its saved inhabitants will then be presented to the Eternal Father as the finished work of Christ, and all things will be subject unto the Great Patriarch, Architect, Creator, Ruler, the Almighty, to whom be obedience and reverence and praise in all the countless worlds that shine as jewels in His universal crown ("Leaves from the Tree of Life," Contributor, Sept. 1881, pp. 364-65) TLDP:145
also quoting Joseph Smith
As there is much misunderstanding in regard to the origin of the earth, so there is concerning its destiny. It is stated in scripture that "the earth and the works therein shall be burned up." The conclusion is leaped at from that remark that the earth is then to be destroyed and be no more. But those who entertain that notion neglect to read that which follows, i.e., "Nevertheless, we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:10-13The lesson learned from these verses is that this globe is to be purified by fire and the "elements to melt with fervent heat," but not to be annihilated. As it was once, in "the flood," cleansed by the baptism of water, so it is to be regenerated by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, and made a fit habitation for "righteousness" and the righteous, that God may dwell among men and stand upon his "footstool" and commune with man as he did before sin entered the world, and "death by sin." This globe will thus be restored to its primeval beauty and purity when God looked upon it and saw that everything therein was "very good." (See Revelation, chap. 21 and 22.)
The destiny of this globe is to be fitted as a habitation for the righteous and "meek" of the earth, who will inherit it in their resurrected state. The Lord has revealed that "the earth abideth the law of its creation," and when it has fully filled the measure thereof, "it shall be crowned with glory; even with the presence of the Father;" that "although it shall die, it shall be quickened again" and shall be inhabited by beings clothed with the celestial glory: that "for this intent was it made and created." (See D&C 88:17-26.) ("The Age and Destiny of the Earth," IE1909May:508-09) TLDP:147
According to the scriptures the earth has to undergo a change analogous to death, and is to be regenerated in a way comparable to a resurrection. References to the elements melting with heat, and to the earth being consumed and passing away, such as occur in many scriptures already cited, are suggestive of death; and the new earth, really the renewed or regenerated planet, may be likened to a resurrected organism. The change has been called a transfiguration. Every created thing that fills the measure of its creation is to advance in the scale of progression, be it an atom or a world, an animalcule, or man—the direct and literal offspring of Deity. In speaking of the degrees of glory provided for His creations, and of the laws of regeneration and sanctification, the Lord, in a revelation dated 1832, speaks plainly of the approaching death and subsequent quickening of the earth: "And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it." AF:341-42
Related Witnesses:
God has said if we will honor Him, and keep His commandments—if we will observe His laws He will fight our battles and destroy the wicked, and when the time comes He will come down in heaven—not from heaven—but He will bring heaven with Him—and this earth upon which we dwell, will be the celestial kingdom. CR1942Oct:49; DGSM:105
receiving the Word of the Lord
And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season;
23. And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth.
24. For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea;
25. And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand. (Revelation in presence of six elders, Sept. 1830) D&C 29:22-25
Righteousness will abide upon its face, during a thousand years, and the Saviour will bless it with his personal presence: after which the end soon comes, and the earth itself will die, and its elements be dissolved through the agency of a fire. . . . But all mankind are made alive from the first death through the resurrection, so the earth will again be renewed, its elements will again be collected, they will be recombined and reorganized as when it first issued from the womb of chaos. (Discourse by "Professor Orson Pratt," JD1:331) TLDP:147
From these and other revelations, we are taught that this earth upon which we dwell, is passing through the same experiences and destiny that countless other earths have passed through; that is, to endure for a period of time in a temporal, or mortal state, as a habitation for mortal beings who are being schooled in the mortal probation. When that period of temporality is ended, then like its inhabitants it shall die, pass through the resurrection and be raised to an immortal, unchangeable condition, as the eternal abode for such inhabitants as the Lord in his wisdom will place upon it. When Adam fell, he brought death into the world, and that death was passed on to every living creature, even the earth, itself, partook of the fall. When it has filled the measure of its temporal existence, it will die and be consumed by fire, but that is not to be the end of this earth. Neither is this mortal death to be something which is to occur millions of years hence or even thousands of years in the future. The earth is now growing old. Soon it is to be changed and brought back very largely to the condition in which it was found before man transgressed in the Garden of Eden and brought upon himself and the earth the temporal change. In this changed condition, which is shortly to take place, the earth will endure for one thousand years as a terrestrial sphere in purity and sanctification. The Savior will come to reign and take his rightful place. All kingdoms and governments will come to an end, and be superseded by Christ's government. There will be no more war, but peace and righteousness, for the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters do the sea. (The Restoration of All Things, pp. 291-92) TLDP:147-48
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. . . .
3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (The Apostle John sees the earth in its millennial status) Revelation 21:1,3-4
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
The earth will abide its creation, and will be counted worthy of receiving the blessings designed for it, and will ultimately roll back into the presence of God who formed it and established its mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. These will all be retained upon the earth, come forth in the resurrection, and abide for ever and for ever. (In Tabernacle, March 1860, JD8:8) DBY:101-02; DGSM:105
And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. (Moroni's abridgement of the writings of Ether, who wrote, about 550 B.C.) Ether 13:9
I remarked to my family and friends present, that when the earth was sanctified and became like a sea of glass, it would be one great urim and thummim, and the Saints could look in it and see as they are seen. (Remarks at dinner, Feb. 1843) HC5:279; DGSM:105
Q. What is the sea of glass spoken of by John, 4th chapter, and 6th verse of the Revelation? A. It is the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state. (Revelation to Joseph Smith in connection with his translating of the scriptures, March 1832) D&C 77:1
And he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire. (Revelation: message for the nations of the earth, Feb. 1831) D&C 43:32
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. (Isaiah prophesies of the last days) Isaiah 51:6
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. (Isaiah prophesies the rejoicing and triumph of the Lord's people during the millennium) Isaiah 65:17
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. (Isaiah prophesies the rejoicing and triumph of the Lord's people during the millennium) Isaiah 66:22
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: Psalms 102:25-26
Come, O Thou King of Kings, 2nd verse HYMNS:59
Come, make an end to sin
And cleanse the earth by fire,
And righteousness bring in,
That Saints may tune the lyre
With songs of joy, a happier strain,
To welcome in thy peaceful reign.
