During the temple sealing, we’re promised that if we live according to our covenants, we’ll be resurrected on the “morning of the First Resurrection.” Who is going to be resurrected in the afternoon? Or during the Second resurrection? Is there a third, or a fourth?
People who are sealed posthumously are also promised this same blessing, and we know that those who died without a knowledge of the gospel will have the same blessings. If so, that’s going to be a really long morning. But does time really matter in the resurrection?
Is this just a figure of speech, or is there some real theology going on here?
I generally associate D&C 88:97-98 with the morning of the first resurrection, D&C 88:99 with the afternoon of the first resurrection, and D&C 88:100-101 with the second resurrection. Is this helpful?
JI’s interpretation is the one I’ve always heard. With that idea, the morning of the first resurrection began with Christ, and is still ongoing.
According to “The Doctrines of the Gospel”, the idea is based in part on the two resurrections mentioned in John 5:29. So the first resurrection would be the resurrection of the just that Jesus mentions, while the second resurrection refers to the resurrection of the unjust. Based in large part on the D&C verses, Bruce R. McConkie in Mormon Doctrine fleshed out the idea. There’s even a nifty chart in the Doctrines of the Gospel manual (https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/gospel-library/manual/32499/32499_000_032_01-resurrection.pdf)
First Resurrection (Just):
Morning – those who’ve been resurrected since Christ (Celestial)
Morning – At the beginning of the Millennium the first trump sounds and the resurrection of celestial beings is in mass scale (this appears to be what the temple is referring to)
Afternoon – Sometime during the Millennium, the second trump sounds and those that are to receive a terrestrial glory are resurrected.
Second Resurrection (Unjust):
End of Millennium – third trump sounds and those who are to receive a telestial glory are resurrected.
End of Earth’s temporal existence – fourth trump sounds and the sons of perdition are kicked into outer darkness, I guess.
So yes, there is some theology in the concepts. The source quotes in the manual are *all* coming from McConkie’s _Mormon Doctrine_, though, so YMMV.
The morning of the first resurrection are those that will be resurrected with celestial bodies. Even though there were people that were resurrected after Christ was, the main resurrection for the morning of the first resurrection will be when Christ comes in the clouds and makes his second appearance to the world, and into the first stages of the millennium.
I got no references to quote but I’m sure it won’t be too hard to find some if you would like me to.
Guy:
Nothing wrong with those questions but for me,I guess I’ve always wanted to be the first so I don’t worry about the others. Maybe I’ll be surprised when they happen.