Structure of the Section: Doxology  (i.e. an expression of praise to God) (1-10) Acknowledgment of the power of God (11-14) Background on the question that led to the vision (15-19) Vision and testimony of the Father and the Son (20-24) Vision and testimony of the fall of Lucifer (25-29) Vision of the sons of perdition (30-38; 44-49) Definition of the gospel (39-43) Vision of the celestial glory (50-70,92-96) Vision of the terrestrial glory (71-80,91,97) Vision of the telestial glory (81-90,98-112) Final doxology (113-119)

According to brother Philo Dibble, about 12 men were present, and the vision lasted for over one hour (read D&C Student Manual (2017), chapter 27; p.386)

The importance of meditation as a preparation for revelations  (19)

Notice the pattern in these examples: Nephi (1 Nephi 11:1); the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 14:23); President Joseph F. Smith (D&C 138:1,11)

The Vision of Father and the Son  (20-24)

. All things bow in humble reverence before the Father  (93)

. What insights can we gain out of this description?  How can we apply them in relation to the way we address the Lord in our prayers?  Or the way we behave in the houses of the Lord-both temples and chapels?  Or even the way we act and portray ourselves when representing the Lord while giving a talk or testimony, or while home or visiting teaching?

. Allow me to share my own imagination of how it would be like to see the Lord:

"If we, in our present mortal condition, would pierce the veil and see our Father in Heaven, we would see a man so indescribably perfect in appearance and manner that as mortal beings we would feel as less than nothing in his presence.  The power that would be radiating from his glorious person would be so magnificent that we would feel as if our very bones were about to melt completely.  Finally, we would be instantly struck and filled with a vivid and powerful sense of his perfect, incomprehensible, and infinite love for us, to the point that we would likely feel constrained to break forth in exclamations and songs of praise."  (Marcus H. Martins, 1995)

The Prophet Joseph Smith stated that could say much more than what is currently recorded in the Doctrine & Covenants:

"Paul ascended into the third heavens, and he could understand the three principal rounds of Jacob's ladder -- the telestial, the terrestrial, and the celestial glories or kingdoms, where Paul saw and heard things which were not lawful for him to utter.

I could explain a hundred fold 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)

These things are not secrets: it is just impossible for any human language to describe, or for the mortal mind to fully grasp the beauty and glory of what God has reserved for his faithful children

Consider the following statement attributed to the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"If the people knew what was behind the veil, they would try by every means to commit suicide that they might get there.  But the Lord in his wisdom ... implanted the fear of death in every person that they might cling to life and thus accomplish the designs of their Creator."  (Quoted by President Wilford Woodruff - 17 August 1877 - In Larson & Larson, "Diary of Charles Lowell Walker, 1:465-466)

At this point it is not quite clear what the Prophet meant when he used the expression "behind the veil."  Some authors believe that he could be referring to the telestial kingdom instead of the spirit world.

• They know the power of God, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy God's power.   They denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.  (31, 35)

• They are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity.  They are the sons of perdition, and it had been better for them never to have been born.  (32-33)

• There is no forgiveness for them in this world nor in the world to come.  The second death will have power over them.  They will not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.  (34, 37-38)

• They will go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels.  No one knows the place nor their torment.  The end, the width, the height, the depth, and the misery of that place will never be revealed unto man–except to those who are ordained unto this condemnation.  (36, 45-46, 48)

• They will have part in the first resurrection--the resurrection of the just.  (64-65)

• They will dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.   They will be made equal with God, in power, and in might, and in dominion.  (62, 95)

• They received the testimony of Jesus, believed on his name and were baptized so that by keeping the commandments they were washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands.  (51-52)

• They overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.  And they shall overcome all things.  (53, 60)

• They are the church of the Firstborn.  They are priests and kings, and receive the fulness of the Father and of his glory.  (54-56)

• They are gods, even the sons of God.  All things are theirs: life, death, things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's  (58-59)

• They who died without law–they did not receive the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but received it later.  (72, 74)

• They are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.  (75)

• They were not valiant in the testimony of Jesus.  (79)

• They receive of God's glory, but not of his fulness.  They receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father, through the ministration of the celestial kingdom.  (76-77, 87)

• They did not receive the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.  They claim to be followers of Paul, of John, of Moses, of Cephas, of Isaiah, but never received the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.  (82, 99-101)

• They are liars, sorcerers, adulterers, whoremongers, and whoever loves and makes a lie.  (103)

• They are thrust down to hell, and will only be redeemed from the devil in the last resurrection, when Christ will have finished his work.  These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth and the vengeance of eternal fire.  (84, 104-105)
   
• They do not receive of God's fulness, but will receive the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial, and the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them.  (86,88)

• The inhabitants of the telestial world are as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore.  (109)

Added to the Pearl of Great Price in1976 and placed in the Doctrine & Covenants in 1979

Description of the beauty of the celestial kingdom  (1-5)

All those individuals who die without an opportunity to hear the gospel and who might otherwise have received it are heirs of the celestial kingdom  (7-8)

The Lord will judge us according to our works and the desires of our hearts  (9)

Little children who die before the age of accountability are also heirs of the celestial kingdom (10)

Here is the Prophet Joseph Smith's account of the vision of the celestial kingdom:

"On the twenty-first day of January, 1836, the First Presidency, and a number of the presiding brethren in the Church, assembled in the Kirtland Temple where they engaged in the ordinances of the endowment, as far as it had at that time been revealed. After this was done the Prophet states that "All of the Presidency laid their hands upon me, and pronounced upon my head many prophecies and blessings, many of which I shall not notice at this time." "All of the Presidency" included Oliver Cowdery and Father Joseph Smith as well as the two counselors, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams.

Following this ordinance the following vision and revelation were given to the Prophet, making known to him and through him to the Church one of the most important principles pertaining to the salvation of men.

(At this point comes the text of D&C 137)

"I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold Him.  The Savior looked upon them and wept.

I also beheld Elder [William E.] M'Lellin in the south, standing upon a hill, surrounded by a vast multitude, preaching to them, and a lame man standing before him supported by his crutches; he threw them down at his word and leaped as a hart, by the mighty power of God.

Also, I saw Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile.  He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it.

And I finally saw the Twelve in the celestial kingdom of God.  I also beheld the redemption of Zion, and many things which the tongue of men cannot describe in full." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp.106-108;  brackets added)

Questions for Review

1. How is the Lord going to judge all his children? (137:9)