The Spirit of Elijah

"The dead will be after you, they will seek after you as they have after us in St. George [temple]. They called upon us, knowing that we held the keys and power to redeem them. I will here say before closing, that two weeks before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, p. 229, Wilford Woodruff)."

Someone questioned the following quote from Wilford Woodruff who was the 4th Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This person was concerned that this quote advocated the forbidden practice of spiritism or divination. First off, this question is a reflection of an unfortunate misunderstanding of the quote. Pres. Woodruff is not speaking of the living seeking to communicate with the dead, but the dead trying to inspire the living.

Let me be clear from the start that the LDS Church strictly forbids its members from praying to anyone other than Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ or from practicing any type of spiritism or seeking communication from anyone who has died. Any practices of this sort invites evil spirits who will deceive you.

Instead, the spirit that Pres. Woodruff is speaking of is the spirit of Genealogy and Family History work that so many feel to do. This spirit is referred to as the Spirit of Elijah. After completing the temple in St. George Utah, Pres. Woodruff recounts that he was unexpectedly visited by a host of spirits including the Founding Fathers and many great men of the Protestant Reformation. They wanted to know why the LDS church had forgotten them and had not provided them a baptism by vicarious proxy in the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They had faithfully completed the work God has given them to do which made the restoration of the church possible. In response, Pres. Woodruff immediately provided these ordinances for these great pioneers of freedom.

I and many other LDS and non-LDS have been prompted to do genealogy and family history work. Not in the same way as Pres. Woodruff. But the unseen motivation to seek out our dead ancestors is real. This desire to do Genealogy work which is the spirit of Elijah is why so many people are interested in family history research. This spirit is in fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi which says in the Last Days Elijah will appear and hearts of the fathers will turn to the children and the hearts of the children turn to their fathers.

Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Luke 1:7 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Luke 1:17 is speaking of the mission of John the Baptist to baptize the living before the first coming of Christ while Mal 4:6 is speaking of Elijah himself coming before the great and dreadful day of the Lord to restore the keys of baptism for the dead before the Second Coming of Christ. Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and restored the keys of this work in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836. So, John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah to baptize the living before the First Coming of Jesus Christ and Elijah himself came to baptize the dead before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Since names may be required to resurrect people and call them out of the Earth, it would be useful to do all the genealogy work so that the righteous can be resurrected during the Millennium. Christ could do it all himself. But that is not how he operates. He allows man to participate in this work just like He allows man to participate in the building up of His kingdom on Earth and in doing missionary work.

The Resurrection

Resurrection happens at different times. Christ was the first to be resurrected but many beings have already been resurrected at the time of Christ.

Ezek. 37: 12-13 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,
Matt. 27: 52-53 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

The righteous will be resurrected at the beginning of the Millennium so they can enjoy the full 1000 years with Christ and finish the work of sanctification. This is termed the "first resurrection" or the "resurrection of the just.." The unjust will also be eventually resurrected in the "second resurrection" more towards the end of the Millennium and therefore will be delivered from the spirit prison, outer darkness, and hell that they are experiencing.

John 5: 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Acts 24: 15, 21 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Heb. 11: 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Rev. 20: 5-6 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

But those who are resurrected at the end of the Millennium, Satan will begin to have power again and there will be a final conflict. But those who confess that it was by the power of Christ who resurrected them, will be saved from hell but will not receive the reward of eternal life. This is why LDS says that Salvation without Exaltation = Damnation (no eternal progression, like a damn stops the progression of a river)

Rom. 10: 9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation .

Those that confess Christ at the resurrection will be saved from hell, but not exalted. This is the resurrection of damnation. They will be resurrected to a glory, but a lesser glory or reward.

1 Cor 15:40-42 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.

The first resurrection has already started. Jesus Christ was first being the first-fruits of them that slept. Some have already been resurrected. Some like Elijah and Enoch were not resurrected but translated where they could not die, but the change in them was not the the same degree as a fully resurrected being. When Christ comes for His Second Coming those caught up with Christ in the air will be fully changed in a twinkling of an eye and receive a fully resurrected state.

1 Cor. 15: 51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Philip. 3: 21 Who shall change our vile 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.

The Celestial Kingdom

Irenaeus quotes Papias in Against Heresies talking about 3 distinct habitions in the next life and the gradation of arrangement of those who are saved:

"As the presbyters say, then, those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of Paradise, and others shall possess the splendour of the city; (The new Jerusalem on earth) for everywhere the Saviour will be seen, according as they shall be worthy who see Him. But that there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce an hundred-fold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold; for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second class will dwell in Paradise, and the last will inhabit the city; and that on this account the Lord said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions:” for all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place, even as His word says, that a share is given to all by the Father, according as each one is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch in which they shall recline who feast, being invited to the wedding. The presbyters, the disciples of the apostles, say that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature; and that, moreover, they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father."

Paul talks about being rewarded for works but saved by grace and even those who would not be reward and who "suffered loss" would still be saved.

1 Cor 2: 11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Both the just and the unjust will be resurrected

Acts 24: 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. There will be a differentiation of the glory of those who are ressurected.

Not everyone will be resurrected to the same glory or reward.

1 Cor 15:40-42 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.

Paul sees the third heaven.

2 Cor. 12: 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven.

While justification and salvation by hell by the grace of Christ is automatic, Paul says he only had a hope of eternal life.

Titus 3: 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Christ, Paul and John talk about denying Christ with our works even if we profess Him with our lips.

Titus 1: 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Rev. 3: 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Matt. 15: 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Christ taught that saying Lord Lord is not enough for the reward of eternal life.

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Jesus Christ, Paul, and John differentiated between the wise and the unwise virgin. Christ differentiated between the profitable and unprofitable servant and the sheep and the goats and the hot and the lukewarm, the children of the bondwoman vs. children of the flesh. If our works don't matter for eternal life, what was wrong with the the unprofitable servant?

Matt. 25: 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Matt. 25: 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 25: 32-33 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Gal 4: 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Rev. 3: 15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Paul says, that although works are expected, we should think that we save ourselves, because salvation and eternal life is a gift and reward of God. But that doesnt mean God doesn't expect it. He is just reminding us that our works are only possible through the grace and power of Christ within us. The key here is not not think we can do it alone without Christ. This is not saying that works are not important.

Eph 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Eternal life involves knowing the Father and having fellowship with the Father and not only Jesus Christ.

1 Jn 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

The righteous will inherit the Earth and the righteous and the Earth will be changed. The righteous wil be changed from flesh and blood to purified, glorified flesh and bone as Christ was changed after His resurrection. But we all will not be changed to the same glory in the resurrection.

Ps. 37: 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Matt. 5: 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
1 Cor 15: 50-53 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Cor 15:40-42 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

During the Millennium the Earth will be in a Paradisiacal state. But the Earth will change again when we are prepared to enjoy the presence and fellowship of the Father. The scene that John sees in vision is not in heaven but the Earth in its full Celestial glory.

Rev. 15: 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Rev. 4: 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:

The Earth and those on it will be blessed to progress through each change and stage of glory to the final Celestial glory when Christ yields up the Earth and the exalted being on it to the Father. However, some will cease to progress with the Earth. This is the definition of damnation. Just like a damn on a river stops its flow. Again, Irenaeus quotes Papias in the "sayings of the Apostles" saying that there are different habitations and a gradation of arrangement of those who are saved and that the righteous will pass through each stage untill they arrive at the Celestial state. Some will not advance to the highest state."that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature; and that, moreover, they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father; and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father."