The sun the moon are one, the stars are all different.

[Metis_LDS]

Because of all the comments on the next life on the forum recently I reread some scriptures that I had read dozens of time.  I was humbled for what I had never seen or understood.  D&C 76: verses 96 to 98.  Verse 96 & 97 imply that the peoples in those kingdoms will all have the same glory matching the kingdom there are in whether First or Second.  Verse 98 seems to same that those populating the third kingdom will all be different.  I had someone else check the meaning for me they also see this.  What do you all think?  Is this old news?           

96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

97 And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Edited May 5, 2021 by Metis_LDS
grammar

[Robert F. Smith]

And yet the Celestial Glory includes ministering angels who do not have eternal increase.  Indeed, even among the gods in the Celestial Glory, there will necessarily be an infinite variety -- God the Father will always be way ahead of those  of his children who attain the Celestial Glory.  There will always be an infinite hierarchy.

[JustAnAustralian]

1 hour ago, Metis_LDS said:

.  Verse 98 seems to same that those populating the third kingdom will all be different.

In the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith it says 

Quote

Eternal Glories

Go and read the vision in the Book of Covenants.10 There is clearly illustrated glory upon glory—one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars;11 and as one star differeth from another star in glory,12 even so do they of the telestial world differ in glory,13 and every man who reigns in celestial glory is a God to his dominions.14 By the apostates admitting the testimony of the Doctrine and Covenants they damn themselves. Paul, what do you say? They impeached Paul15 and all went and left him. Paul had seven churches,16 and they drove him off from among them;17 and yet they cannot do it by me. I rejoice in that. My testimony is good.

Paul says, “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.”18 They who obtain a glorious resurrection19 from the dead, are exalted far above principalities, powers, thrones, dominions and angels,20 and are expressly declared to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ,21 all having eternal power.22

These Scriptures are a mixture of very strange doctrines to the Christian world, who are blindly led by the blind.1 I will refer to another Scripture. “Now,” says God, when He visited Moses in the bush,2 (Moses was a stammering sort of a boy like me)3 God said, “Thou shalt be a God unto the children of Israel.”4 God said, “Thou shalt be a God unto Aaron, and he shall be thy spokesman.”5 I believe those Gods that God reveals as Gods to be sons of God,6 and all can cry, “Abba, Father!”7 Sons of God who exalt themselves to be Gods, even from before the foundation of the world,8 and are the only Gods I have a reverence for.

Maybe there is more to glory than can be said in a few words.

[teddyaware]

5 hours ago, Metis_LDS said:

Because of all the comments on the next life on the forum recently I reread some scriptures that I had read dozens of time.  I was humbled for what I had never seen or understood.  D&C 76: verses 96 to 98.  Verse 96 & 97 imply that the peoples in those kingdoms will all have the same glory matching the kingdom there are in whether First or Second.  Verse 98 seems to same that those populating the third kingdom will all be different.  I had someone else check the meaning for me they also see this.  What do you all think?  Is this old news?           

96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

97 And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

When we read the expression ‘is one’ in the 3 verses, in each case it’s a shortened way of saying “the celestial is one of the three kingdoms of heavenly glory;” “the terrestrial is another one of the three kingdoms of heavenly glory;” “ the telestial is the last one of the three kingdoms of heavenly glory.” Yet within each of these three heavenly kingdoms there are an infinite number of gradations of light.

Think of the sun and the amount of light it’s able to shed on any given spot of the world depending on atmospheric conditions and how high it is in the sky. For instance, at the moment of sunrise on the first day of winter in the New York City area there is far less illuminating light in the sky when compared to the dazzling display of light shed on a clear day at the beginning of summer when the noon sun is directly overhead. Similarly, an early crescent moon sheds far less light on the earth than the moon does when it’s full and positioned high in the sky. In like manner, to the naked eye some stars are quite bright and clearly distinguishable, while others are exceedingly dim and barely visible.

So it appears that even though each kingdom of glory (divine light) is a separate and discrete kingdom, in each of these kingdoms there are infinite gradations of glory depending on the unique characteristics of each individual. This means it’s erroneous to imagine that each member of the celestial and terrestrial kingdoms receive the same amount of light available within each of these two kingdoms, while it’s only in the telestial kingdom that there are gradations of light and empowerment. Your thoughts are based on a simple misunderstanding of what each of the verses are actually saying.

Edited May 5, 2021 by teddyaware

[CV75]

7 hours ago, Metis_LDS said:

Because of all the comments on the next life on the forum recently I reread some scriptures that I had read dozens of time.  I was humbled for what I had never seen or understood.  D&C 76: verses 96 to 98.  Verse 96 & 97 imply that the peoples in those kingdoms will all have the same glory matching the kingdom there are in whether First or Second.  Verse 98 seems to same that those populating the third kingdom will all be different.  I had someone else check the meaning for me they also see this.  What do you all think?  Is this old news?           

96 And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.

97 And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.

98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

I think there is some symbolism for unity and oneness in how we see these objects with the naked eye from Earth: The Sun's luminosity never changes (everyone in the celestial kingdom is united); the moon's does, slightly and it also waxes and wanes (everyone in the terrestrial kingdom are less united, exhibiting the tendency to be laws unto themselves); the stars are scattered across the sky in varying magnitudes and size (not united at all, each inhabitant of the telestial kingdom are laws unto themselves).