The Lord seems to have taken pleasure in revealing to his ancient prophets the wonders of the heavens, the planets, and the great organizations that support them.
When the Reader's Digest published an atlas of the world, the editors introduced it with a preface telling of the beliefs and superstitions of men before the genuine facts became available. This atlas quoted people of the dark ages as saying: "Paradise is somewhere in the Far East. Jerusalem is the center of all nations and countries, and the world itself is a flat disk surrounded by oceans of water."
The publishers then went on to provide in contrast colored maps and pictures of various parts of the world, revealing that the earth is a globe and is but a minor part of vast creations in the heavens.
Ancient prophets knew that our solar system was but a small part of the vast creations of God in which there were many planets and stars. They knew that creation goes on and on, and that there is no space in which there is not a "kingdom." "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." (Moses 1:38.)
Abraham "saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it." (Abr. 3:2.)
As he showed Abraham the vastness of creation, with all the stars and other heavenly bodies, he stated that his purpose was to give Abraham a posterity as numerous as these. (Abr. 3:14.)
Abraham possessed the Urim and Thummim. The Lord had given it to him while he was yet in Ur. Through it he not only received the word of God, but it also became an instrument through which the Lord revealed to him the secrets of the skies. He studied the stars with God himself as the instructor.
"And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
"And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord's time, according to the reckoning of Kolob." (Abr. 3:3-4.)
The planet Kolob became of great interest to Abraham. The Lord explained that it "is set nigh unto the throne of God" and that it governs "all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." (Abr. 3:9.)
It is interesting to note that the throne of God is on a separate planet in the sky, with Kolob being nearby.
Reference made here to the planets of the same order as this earth is enlightening in view of other scriptures. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we have this:
"All kingdoms have a law given;
"And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
"And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions." (D&C 88:36-38.)
As our hymn by W. W. Phelps says:
The works of God continue,
And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression
Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter;
There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit;
There is no end to race.
—Hymns, no. 257
Moses, too, was shown the vastness of creation, as indeed was Enoch. When Moses described what he saw he wrote:
"And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.
"And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
"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." (Moses 1:31-33.)
And Enoch said: "And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, is would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever." (Moses 7:30.)
The Book of Mormon people knew about the stars and their movements, and they understood about the sun "standing still" in the days of Joshua. Says Helaman: "Yea, if he [God] say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done; And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun." (Hel. 12:14-15.)
It is clear, then, that these early Americans knew about the movement of the heavenly orbs. Archaeology has proven this.
When the prophets were shown the heavens, one thing was made certain and clear: God created them all. The doctrine of a divine creation was no problem to them, and it never will be to believers in the revelations.
Are there other planets which are inhabited? The answer to that, of course, is affirmative, as we read in the Doctrine and Covenants:
"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22-24.)
No doubt many other earths are mortal like ours and have on them human beings like ourselves. They must look like us because we are all the children of God and he made us all in his image.
The May 1978 issue of the magazine of the Smithsonian Institution features an article on possible life in space, written by Dr. Carl Sagan, director of Cornell University's Laboratory for Planetary Studies. He begins his article by saying: "Through all of our history we have pondered the stars and mused whether mankind is unique or if, somewhere else out there in the dark of the night sky, there are other beings who contemplate and wonder as we do, fellow thinkers in the cosmos."
He does not stop to discuss the kind of microscopic life other scientists are searching for, both here and on Mars, but do not find. He talks in terms of intelligent adult life that may enjoy "advanced technical civilizations" on these other orbs. He looks at our Milky Way galaxy and estimates that among the 250 billion stars in that formation, there probably are a million planets that support advanced civilizations.
Serious efforts are presently being made to communicate with possible life "out there." Dr. Sagan mentions eight such programs being conducted by the United States, Canada, and the Soviet Union. Since he estimates that there may be intelligent civilized life on a million planets in our galaxy, what does the rest of creation have to offer? As we contemplate such things, we can begin to understand in some degree the infinitude of God.
Most likely there are many orbs on which dwell people who already have passed through mortality. It is certain that we who belong to this earth will eventually occupy such eternal homes as resurrected persons.
Paul spoke of this in his epistle to the Corinthians:
"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. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." (1 Cor. 15:40-42.)
D&C 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants makes this doctrine clear. What D&C 88 tells us is also remarkable. First the Lord speaks there of the earth itself being celestialized. Then he tells us concerning the people who will occupy it after the resurrection:
"Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead.
"And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.
"And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.
"And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
"Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;
"For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;
"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.
"And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
"For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
"And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
"And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.
"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.
"For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body.
"They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
"Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
"And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
"And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
"And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received." (D&C 88:14-32.)
After the resurrection, the planets to be occupied by the redeemed apparently will be in new orbits, in separate classified areas of space. Their locations are not revealed. But is it not of great importance to learn that the earth will become like a giant Urim and Thummim in its celestialized state?
"In answer to the question—Is not the reckoning of God's time, angel's time, prophet's time, and man's time, according to the planet on which they reside?
"I answer, Yes. But there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.
"The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
"But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
"The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
"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.
"Then the white stone mentioned in Rev. 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known." (D&C 130:4-10.)
Elder Parley P. Pratt, a member of the Council of Twelve in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, also wrote of the many worlds:
"All these kingdoms, with all their intelligences . . . are so many colonies of our race, multiplied, extended, transplanted, and existing for ever and ever, as occupants of the numberless planetary systems that do now exist or that will roll into order and be peopled by the operations of the Holy Spirit in obedience to the mandates of the sons of God.
"These kingdoms present every variety and degree in the progress of the great science of life, from the lowest degradation amid the realms of death, or the rudimental states of elementary existence, upward through all the ascending scale or all the degrees of progress in the science of eternal life and light, until some of them in turn rise to thrones of eternal power. . . .
"The earth and other systems are to undergo a variety of changes in their progress toward perfection. . . .
"A new heaven and a new earth are promised by the sacred writers. Or, in other words, the planetary systems are to be changed, purified, refined, exalted, and glorified, in the similitude of the resurrection, by which means all physical evil or imperfection will be done away. . . .
"When man and the planet on which he lives, with all its fulness, shall have completed all their series of progressive changes so as to be adapted to the highest glories of which their several characters and species are capable, then the whole will be annexed to or numbered with the eternal heavens, and will there fulfil their eternal rounds, being another acquisition to the mansions or eternally increasing dominions of the great Creator and Redeemer." (Key to the Science of Theology, Deseret Book Company, 1978 edition, pp. 22, 34-35.)
Interestingly enough, President Brigham Young said this about our research into astronomy:
"Mankind have degenerated; they have lost the physical and mental power they once possessed. In many points pertaining to mechanism, men have in modern times been instructed by revelation to them, and this mechanical knowledge causes them almost to boast against their Creator, and to set themselves up as competitors with the Lord Almighty, notwithstanding they have produced nothing but what has been revealed to them.
"In the knowledge of astronomical and other philosophical truths, which our modern great men are searching after and pride themselves in, they are but babes, compared with the ancient fathers. Do the wise men of modern ages understand the laws which govern the worlds that are, that were, and that are to come? They cannot fathom this matter. They have grown weaker when they ought to have grown stronger and wiser." (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 106.)
As yet our greatest researchers have hardly begun to learn about astronomy. Not only are there those countless orbs in their present state, but there will also be an entirely new field of knowledge and experience awaiting those who will be redeemed from mortality and will then reach their final eternal state.
Is that what John the Revelator saw when he wrote: "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"? (Rev. 21:1.)
Peter also spoke of it in these words: "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Pet. 3:13.)
As W. W. Phelps further expressed himself:
There is no end to glory;
There is no end to love;
There is no end to being;
There is no death above.
