19 Now, whether the
souls and the bodies of those of whom has been spoken shall all be reunited at
once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice, that I
say that they all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to
pass before the resurrection of those who die after the resurrection of Christ.
20 Now, my son, I do
not say that their resurrection cometh at the resurrection of Christ; but
behold, I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of
the righteous, at the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.
21 But whether it be
at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is
a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul
in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the
dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to
stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
22 Yea, this bringeth
about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of
the prophets.
23 The soul shall be
restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint
shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost;
but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.
24 And now, my son,
this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets—
25 And then shall the
righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.
26 But behold, an
awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to
things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit
the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the
fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the
dregs of a bitter cup. (Alma 40:19-26)
Alma continues discussing the resurrection.
Will all the souls and bodies be reunited at once, both the
righteous and wicked? Alma does not say.
Eventually all will be resurrected after Christ’s
resurrection. “But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to
tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in
their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the
world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the
commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part
in the first resurrection” (Mosiah 15:26).
Alma doesn’t say they will be resurrected at Christ’s
resurrection. It is his opinion the bodies of the righteous are reunited at His
resurrection and ascension into heaven.
There is a period between death and the resurrection. The
souls of the righteous will be in a state of happiness. “He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise
of God” (Revelation 2:7).
“O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the
paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave
deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored
to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are
living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be
that our knowledge shall be perfect” (2 Nephi 9:13).
The wicked will be in a state of misery. “For Christ also
hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
“By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
prison” (1 Peter 3:18-19).
“And this death of which I have spoken, which is the
spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell;
wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up
its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the
bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by
the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel” (2 Nephi 9:12).
The will remain in this state until the time God has
appointed for the dead to be resurrected. “[T]he atonement bringeth to pass the
resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men
into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be
judged according to their works, according to the law and justice” (Alma
42:23).
At that time, they will stand before God and be judged
according to their works and the law and justice. This is what brings “about
the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the
prophets” (Alma 40:22).
The soul will be restored to the body.
“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out
of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
“And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened
your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
“And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I
shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have
spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:12-14).
“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” (D&C 88:15-17).
And, the body will be restored to the soul. “Behold, it is
requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the
soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body
should be restored to itself” (Alma 41:2).
“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” (D&C 88:28).
Not even a hair on the head will be lost. “[T]he plan of restoration
is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things
should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just,
according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should
be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to
itself” (Alma 41:2).
“And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is
the workmanship of mine hand” (D&C 29:25).
“Who shall change our vile [GR humble, of low estate] body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working
whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:21).
They will be restored to a perfect frame.
“The gift of resurrection is the Lord’s consummate act of
healing. Thanks to Him, each body will be restored to its proper and perfect
frame. Thanks to Him, no condition is hopeless. Thanks to Him, brighter days
are ahead, both here and hereafter. Real joy awaits each of us—on the other
side of sorrow.”[1]
This, Alma tells Corianton, is the restoration the prophets
have taught. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they
arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of
herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isaiah 26:19).
Then, the righteous will shine in the kingdom of God. “And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that
turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:43).
“[L]et the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God:
yea, let them exceedingly rejoice” (Psalm 68:3).
An awful death will come upon the wicked. “Wherefore, if
they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the
things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore,
they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if
their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so,
the kingdom of God must be filthy also” (1 Nephi 15:33).
“And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a
second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that whosoever dieth
in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also die a spiritual death; yea, he
shall die as to things pertaining unto righteousness” (Alma 12:16).
They die as to things of righteousness because they are
unclean. No unclean thing can inherit in the kingdom of God. “And I say unto
you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word,
and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven;
therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven?
Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins” (Alma 11:37).
They are cast out and partake of the fruits of their labor
which were evil. They will drink the dregs of a bitter cup. “For in the hand of
the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he
poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth
shall wring them out, and drink them” (Psalm 75:8).
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