The Beginning Part I: Heaven (The Celestial Kingdom)

Orson Pratt, many years ago, made the mistake of preaching the “First Great Cause” as doctrine. I hope to avoid that pitfall, and state that the ideas here presented are my own postulates developed from the Scriptures and the Prophets.

Isaiah 33:14-21. 16…Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?  who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. 17  Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. … 20  Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. 21  But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; …

He that is righteous shall dwell with the devouring fire – heaven. There, he shall have water and bread. There will be land, cities, streams and rivers.

It might be surprising to some that heaven is a place of fire. We are taught that those who go to hell get fire and brimstone. Actually, those who go to hell go to “outer darkness,” Matt.25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If there were fire in outer darkness, then outer darkness would have light, and then it would not be outer darkness. The fire and brimstone (see Rev. 21:8) refers to the souls of those going to this place of extreme cold, likely their resurrected bodies burning immense energy to endure that place. As Brigham Young stated: “What principle does the devil work upon? It is to destroy, dissolve, decompose, and tear in pieces.” (JD 1:114-118) “To choose life is to choose an eternal increase in an organized capacity: to refuse life and choose death is to refuse an eternal existence in an organized capacity, and be contented to become decomposed, and return again to native element.” (JD1:439-353)
This burning or consumption of the matter that comprises the souls in hell Brigham Young refers to as “decomposition.”

 According to the Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2, one “governing planet” (Enish-go-on-dosh) is thought by the Egyptians of Abraham’s time to be the sun.

 Brigham Young agreed with Isaiah and the ancient Egyptians: “What is in the sun? Can astronomers tell who lives there? No. It is filled with the glory of the Gods. The fixed stars are glorified worlds, filled with beings who are passing through degrees of perfection; every one of those spheres is a glorified sun and has a ruler, God.” Journal History at the LDS Church Archives, (Ms/f/143/#34), May 14, 1876

Further Read: Book of Abraham, Facsimile 2 Explanation
http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/fac-2?lang=eng

Summary:

·        Heavens are in suns (stars),

·        The heavens are Celestial planets, and are governing planets filled with beings,

·        Celestial Beings have food and drink, and dwell in cities,

·       Celestial planets have land, streams and rivers (therefore, there must be higher elevations also).