Understanding Our Pre-earth Existence
To understand parts of what is called our preexistence and the creation of an earth for human mortality, the end of one earthly creative cycle, of which we have some information, must be examined. Joseph Smith Jr. the prophet and head of our current dispensation shared important information with the saints of his day by turning their attention to the beginning so they could start right and consequently, go right in their thinking else they start wrong and it be a hard thing to then get one’s thinking right. He was correct of course, but to add a view from a slightly different perspective may lend some insight into the understanding of the heavens and the operations of the Eternal Godhead.
It should be kept in mind that the overall starting place of this paper is after the conclusion of this earth, which would be the beginning of the next earth, but identical to what we went through before.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.343
In the first place, I wish to go back to the beginning — to the morn of
creation. There is the starting point for us to look to, in order to understand and be fully acquainted with the mind, purposes and decrees of the Great Elohim, who sits in yonder heavens as he did at the creation of this world. It is necessary for us to have an understanding of God himself in the beginning. If we start right, it is easy to go right all the time; but if we start wrong, we may go wrong, and it be a hard matter to get right.
There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything, either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship to God. They do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and consequently they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink and sleep. This is all man knows about God or his existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty.
If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink and sleep, and does not comprehend any of the designs of God, the beast comprehends the same things. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God; yet it knows as much as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the inspiration of Almighty God. If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. I want to go back to the beginning, and so lift your minds into a more lofty sphere and a more exalted understanding than what the human mind generally aspires to.
The approach here will be to look at what information we have about the end of this earthly creation to understand what exists after this probationary creation and before the next. We have been taught by Joseph that at the end of this creation Christ Jesus will be exalted to the eternal position of Father or an Elohim.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 p.347
… My Father worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself. So that Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all his children. It is plain beyond disputation, and you thus learn some of the first principles of the Gospel, about which so much hath been said.
The structure of the Holy Priesthood is eternal and we are told by Joseph the Prophet in various places how it is arranged at the top. TPJS page:158 “…Christ is the Great High Priest; Adam next…”
After Christ’s final exaltation and elevation to Father, our Michael-Adam will also be exalted and sit upon a rulers throne as seen by Daniel.
Daniel 7:9-14
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
The Lord through Joseph defines the “Ancient of Days.”
D&C 27:11
11 And also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days;
D&C 116:1
1 SPRING Hill is named by the Lord Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is
the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet.
D&C 138:38
38 Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast
congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all,
Every interim period between created earths is of identical arrangement. In service to a new Godhead there will be Exalted Kings and Priests unto God, approximately 144,000 in number, who are administrative Gods over branches of Adam’s eternal family structure, which group are members of what I call the Holy Quorum. The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit who is anointed and sent forth from the throne of God and continues under the auspices of a Father until eventually entering mortality in the following creative cycle.
After the conclusion of one creative cycle is finished the work of preparing for the next is commenced. Under the authority of The Father and under the direction of Ancient of Days, the Holy Quorum with the assistance of the Holy Ghost and the Angels of the Celestial Kingdom undertake the work of teaching and converting wandering spirits to the articles of the Father’s adoption and collecting them to participate in a subsequent first estate sorting.
Although possible, a detailed explanation of these things and their impingement on other aspects and teachings of the fullness of the Gospel will not be undertaken here but must remain with the Holy Ghost based on personally sincere, honest, humble and prayerful study of these things. This information however, is more than enough to springboard one toward understanding many more aspects of the of the Gospel in its Fullness.
The importance of the Gift of the Holy Ghost cannot be stressed enough. To enter the Celestial Kingdom one must have acquired the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and thus entered the strait and narrow gate to travel the straight and narrow path that leads to the fullness of the Gospel and Eternal Life in the presence of God. If, having gone through the properly executed ordinances, one is not positive they possess the Gift of the Holy Ghost to teach, inspire, and guide them through this mortality, they should work for that assurance until God sees fit to verify the gift has been received or finally bestow that first comforter and from then on grow in the gospel until the grave. If one doesn’t know of a surety when the gift of the Holy Ghost was bestowed in their life and the circumstances of that event, then one should not assume it has been accomplished, but should pursue that Gift until one is sure. There is nothing more important in this life than this assurance.
It is my sincere prayer to God that He be merciful in these times to those who seek Him with honest hearts and bless them with understandings of His uncorrupted Gospel. That as He turns His face back toward His first flock and the redemption of Jerusalem, He continue to gather and protect His gentile children who will not wander away from Him, and hold them in the caress of His unfailing and eternal care. That He raise up faithful servants and saints in times to come for the redemption of Zion and clothe them with sufficient power to accomplish the immense work that remains in preparation for the coming of the Great Day of the Lord. Amen.