Friday, June 29, 2012

The place where angels live


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.  (D&C 130: 6-7)

It sounds like this is a place where the very atmosphere is full of good memories, pleasant doings of goodness, and happy anticipations of future delights of righteousness.  With all things manifest, it is a place of both revelation and memory, a place of faith pointed at the future and gratitude for the past, as well as drinking in the bliss of the present.

 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. (D&C 130:8-9)

I suppose we can learn from this that the lessons of lower kingdoms will be perfectly obvious to those who live on this earth in that day.  The very ground will testify.  To use a very weak comparison, I suppose it is something like a senior in high school looking at the schoolwork of those in the 6th and saying, “How easy that work is!”

10 Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 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;
 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. (D&C 130:10-11)

I really like the prospect of having this white stone spoken of, but as I was reading, I wondered just how this can help us today. 

I think that first, it can give us a hope of good things to come.  Anticipation of good things can buoy us up.  I also realized that the white stone is really all about personal revelation, so this scripture shows us that personal revelation is still an important part of life on a sanctified earth.  New names suggest receiving new identities, so it seems that the principle being taught her is personal revelation is part of what changes us into new people, and our exaltation will continue to be perfected.  Honing the ability to receive and act on personal revelation will be important to prepare for the next life.

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