443. The ushering in of the Millennium will occur with the Second Coming of Christ.
444. Christ will reign on earth for the space of a thousand years.
445. In the Millennium, Satan will be bound and unable to tempt any person.
449. In the Millennium not everyone will belong to the Lord's church.
451. In the Millennium there will be no more weeping, no sorrow or pain, and no fear of death.
452. In the millennial era of peace, there will be a mingling of mortal and immortal beings.
453. The great work of the Millennium shall be temple work for the redemption of the dead.
443. The ushering in of the Millennium will occur with the Second Coming of Christ.
receiving the Word of the Lord
For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand. (Revelation received Sept. 1830; Christ's second coming ushers in the Millennium) D&C 29:11
The time for the Second Coming of Christ is as fixed and certain as was the hour of his birth. It will not vary as much as a single second from the divine decree. He will come at the appointed time. The Millennium will not be ushered in prematurely. . . . (The Millennial Messiah, p. 26) DGSM:104
translating the Book of Moses
And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years; (Revelation to Moses recording the word of the Lord to Enoch) Moses 7:65
We speak of the time when the earth shall be cleansed from sin as the millennium. We look forward to it; the prophets have spoken of it.
In our own day messengers have come from the presence of the Lord declaring that it is even now at our doors, and yet many, even among the Latter-day Saints, go about their affairs as though this coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the ushering in of this reign of peace had been indefinitely postponed for many generations. I say to you that it is at our doors. I say this with all confidence because the Lord has said it. His messengers have said it as they have come from his presence bearing witness of him. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:55) TLDP:399
The millennial day is one in which the Lord himself will dwell with men. This is a boon of inestimable worth. We can scarcely conceive of the glory and wonder of it all. The Lord Jesus Christ, the King of heaven, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Omni potent dwelling among men (The Millennial Messiah, p. 652) TLDP:403
Related Witnesses:
This new heaven and new earth are our own earth and its heavens renewed to the primitive beauty and condition. This is not the great last change which shall come at the end of the earth, but the change to take place at the coming of Jesus Christ. Moreover, when this change comes all things will be set in order. Enmity between man and man and beast and beast will cease. . . .
In this restitution the sea will be driven back to the north and the land will again be in one place. The mountains shall be thrown down and the valleys exalted. This scripture has been looked upon as being merely a figure of speech, but it is a literal change which will take place when Christ comes. . . . (The Restoration of All Things, pp. 23-24) TLDP:399-400
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2Thess. 1:7-8
444. Christ will reign on earth for the space of a thousand years.
[W]hen we speak of the Lord returning to reign personally upon the earth, we are talking about a literal return. We have in mind a King ruling on a throne. We mean that laws will come forth from a Lawgiver; that judges will be restored as of old; that there will be a full end of all nations as these now exist: that earth's new King will have dominion and power over all the earth; and that Israel, the chosen people, will possess the kingdom and have everlasting dominion. . . .
. . . Christ shall provide the government. He shall reign on the throne of David forever. Peace shall prevail, and justice and judgment shall be the order of the day. And it is Israel, the chosen ones, over whom he shall reign in a kingdom that shall never cease. There is nothing figurative about this; it is not something that can be spiritualized away. It is the coming reality; it shall surely come to pass. . . . (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 596-97, 600) TLDP:401
[C]hrist and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth. (In a conversation with Judge Adams, Springfield, Ill., Dec. 30, 1842) HC5:212
translating the Book of Moses
And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest.
65. And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years; (Revelation to Moses recording the word of the Lord to Enoch) Moses 7:64-65
Through the revelations given to the prophets we learn that during the reign of Jesus Christ for a thousand years, eventually all people will embrace the truth. (Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:108-11) TLDP:406
receiving the Word of the Lord
For in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment, and my people shall be redeemed and shall reign with me on earth.
30. For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come.
31. For Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth.
32. And he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire.
33. And the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire, and their end no man knoweth on earth, nor ever shall know, until they come before me in judgment. (Message for the nations of the earth, Feb. 1831) D&C 43:29-33
Related Witnesses:
When all nations are so subdued to Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, there will still be millions on the earth who will not believe in him; but they will be obliged to acknowledge his kingly government. (In Tabernacle, May 22, 1859, JD7:142) TLDP:400
445. In the Millennium, Satan will be bound and unable to tempt any person.
receiving the Word of the Lord
For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come.
31. For Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth. (Message for the nations of the earth, Feb. 1831) D&C 43:30-31
[A]nd Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years. (Revelation received Dec. 27/28, 1832) D&C 88:110
We read that Satan shall be bound a thousand years. How is this to be accomplished? By our becoming so impregnated with the principles of the Gospel—with the Holy Ghost—that the enemy will have no place in us or in our families, and shedding forth that influence in our neighborhoods. . . . Then will he not be bound? Yes, so far as this earth is concerned; and that is the way in which it is to be done, in my humble opinion. He will be chained to all intents and purposes when he can have no influence—no power—no tabernacles into which he can enter; he will then have no place of entertainment. When he finds that he is cornered that close, will he not consider himself bound? I think he will, whether he thinks so or not. (In Tabernacle, March 22, 1857, JD5:43) TLDP:401
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. . . . (John sees Satan bound during the Millennium) Revelation 20:1-3
quoted by John A. Widtsoe
The Millennium consists in this—every heart in the Church and kingdom of God being united in one: the Kingdom increasing to the overcoming of everything opposed to the economy of heaven, and Satan being bound, and having a seal set upon him. All things else will be as they are now, we shall eat, drink, and wear clothing. (At opening of the new Tabernacle, April 6, 1852, JD1:203) DBY:115
What does it mean to bind Satan? How is he Bound? Our revelation says: "And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man." (D&C 101:28) Does this mean that power is withdrawn from Satan so that he can no longer entice men to do evil? Or does it mean that men no longer succumb to his enticements because their hearts are so set on righteousness that they refuse to forsake that which is good to follow him who is evil? Clearly it means the latter. Satan was not bound in heaven, in the very presence of God, in the sense that he was denied the right and power to preach false doctrine and to invite men to walk away from that God whose children they were: nay, in this sense, he could not have been bound in heaven, for even he must have his agency.
How, then, will Satan be bound during the Millennium? It will be by the righteousness of the people. . . .
. . . . Thus Satan is bound because he "shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time." (2 Nephi 30:18) Thus the probationary nature of man's second estate is preserved even during the Millennium. It is not that men cannot sin, for the power is in them to do so—they have their agency—but it is that they do not sin because Satan is subject to them, and they are not enticed by his evil whisperings. (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 668-69) TLDP:401
We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of God. . . .
Satan only gains power over man through man's exercise of his own agency; and when Satan shall be bound, as the Lord says he will be for a thousand years, one of the great powers that will help bring this to pass will be man's agency. The Lord has never forced men against their will to obey Him. He never will do so. If Satan, therefore, has power with man, it is because man yields to his influence. . . .
The time is not far distant when great judgments will be poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every Prophet who has looked forward to our day has seen and predicted that the wicked would be destroyed. Their destruction means the destruction of Satan's power. The righteous will be left, and because of their righteousness the Lord will have mercy upon them; they, exercising their agency in the right direction, will bring down His blessings upon them to such an extent that Satan will be bound. CR1897Oct:64
Related Witnesses:
And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man. (The nature of life during the Millennium is set forth) D&C 101:28
And Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men. (Revelation March 7, 1831; signs and wonders to attend the Second Coming) D&C 45:55
For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned. . . .
26. And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. (Nephi explains to his brethren the meaning of the things which he read from the plates of brass, about 588-570 B.C.) 1 Nephi 22:15,26
Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings. (Nephi foretells of the last days, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 30:18
The only way Satan can be bound is for people to forsake his temptations and enticements to do evil, and to walk uprightly and circumspectly before the Lord. (See 1 Timothy 6:5-7CR1971Oct:101
446. The devil will be loosed for a short time after the Millennium and wickedness will again abound upon the earth.
receiving the Word of the Lord
For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come.
31. For Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth. (Message to the nations of the earth, Feb. 1831) D&C 43:30-31
[A]nd Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years. 111. And then he shall be loosed for a little season, that he may gather together his armies. 112. And Michael, the seventh angel, even the archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of heaven. 113. And the devil shall gather together his armies; even the hosts of hell, and shall come up to battle against Michael and his armies. 114. And then cometh the battle of the great God; and the devil and his armies shall be cast away into their own place, that they shall not have power over the saints any more at all. (Revelation, Dec. 27/28, 1832) D&C 88:110-14
After the thousand years Satan will be loosed again and will go forth again to deceive the nations. Because men are still mortal, Satan will go out to deceive them. Men will again deny the Lord, but in doing so they will act with their eyes open and because they love darkness rather than light, and so they become sons of perdition. Satan will gather his hosts, both those on the earth and the wicked dead who will eventually also be brought forth in the resurrection. Michael, the Prince, will gather his forces and the last great battle will be fought. Satan will be defeated with his hosts. Then will come the end. Satan and those who follow him will be banished into outer darkness. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:87-88) TLDP:407:08
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (John sees the judgment of man at the end of the Millennium) Revelation 20:7-8
John tells us, "Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." (Revelation 20:7) This means that once again men will begin to give heed to his enticements. Satan was bound among the Nephites during their golden era. None of the people were then subject to his wiles; all lived in righteousness, and all were saved. But in A.D. 201, "there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world. And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them. And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ." (4 Nephi 1:24-26. . . .
Satan will be loosed because he is no longer bound by the righteousness of the people.
"And when he [Satan] is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth." (D&C 43:31) (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 694-95) TLDP:408-09
447. After the Millennium, a final war between the devil with his hosts and the hosts of heaven will result in the expulsion of the devil from the earth forever.
. . .Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years. 111. And then he shall be loosed for a little season, that he may gather together his armies. 112. And Michael, the seventh angel, even the archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of heaven. 113. And the devil shall gather together his armies; even the hosts of hell, and shall come up to battle against Michael and his armies. 114. And then cometh the battle of the great God; and the devil and his armies shall be cast away into their own place, that they shall not have power over the saints any more at all. (Revelation, Dec. 27/28, 1832) D&C 88:110-14
After the thousand years Satan will be loosed again and will go forth again to deceive the nations. Because men are still mortal, Satan will go out to deceive them. Men will again deny the Lord, but in doing so they will act with their eyes open and because they love darkness rather than light, and so they become sons of perdition. Satan will gather his hosts, both those on the earth and the wicked dead who will eventually also be brought forth in the resurrection. Michael, the Prince, will gather his forces and the last great battle will be fought. Satan will be defeated with his hosts. Then will come the end. Satan and those who follow him will be banished into outer darkness. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:87-88) TLDP:407-08
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (John sees the judgment of man at the end of the Millennium) Revelation 20:7-10
Related Witnesses:
The battle of Gog and Magog will be after the millennium. (In his office in Nauvoo, Ill., the Prophet spoke about a number of things to his scribe, March 4, 1843) HC5:298
448. The earth will undergo a purifying process to make it a fit residence for its millennial inhabitants; it will be cleansed from sin and shall rest a thousand years from the wickedness that has been upon it.
We speak of the time when the earth shall be cleansed from sin as the millennium. We look forward to it; the prophets have spoken of it. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:55) TLDP:399
also quoting Franklin D. Richards
As Isaiah has predicted, we will, when Christ comes, have "new heavens and a new earth:" for, "behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17-25This great change will be when the earth is cleansed of its iniquity and becomes a terrestrial body. Speaking of this, the authors in the "Compendium," have said: "The earth will go through a purifying process to fit it for the residence of its millennial inhabitants" [Franklin D. Richards and James A. Little, A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel, rev. ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1925), pp. 185-86]. CHMR1:294
translating the Book of Moses
And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.
48. And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face? . . .
64. And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest.
65. And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years; (Revelation to Moses recording the word of the Lord to Enoch) Moses 7:47-48,64-65
The Savior will come in judgment with rewards for the righteous and destruction for the wicked. When he begins his millennial reign, there must be a cleansed earth to receive him. He will not reign over a sinful world. Hence wickedness will be overthrown, wars will end, and peace will come.
For such a vast and world-shaking appearance, a worldwide preparation is required. The people—those who will survive the great events of that day—will have to be taught, as the people in the Meridian of Time were taught by John the Baptist. A modern people must be prepared to receive the Lord.
This preparation will come only through a worldwide preaching of the restored gospel "in the hour of God's judgment." The scriptures say it would be brought to earth by angelic ministry (see Revelation 14:6-7and then be preached in all the world as a warning to all nations (Matthew 24:14).
This preaching will convert the righteous who earnestly look forward to Christ's coming, and they will join his Church. It is to be by the same means used by John the Baptist. . . .
Millions of people now converted to the restored gospel are preparing to meet him. When the time comes, they will be ready. (Malachi and the Great and Dreadful Day, p. 21) TLDP:624
Related Witnesses:
The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. (Israel shall be gathered and enjoy millennial rest) Isaiah 14:7
In the resurrection which now approaches, and in connection with the glorious coming of Jesus Christ, the earth will undergo a change in its physical features, climate, soil, productions; and in its political, moral, and spiritual government.
Its mountains will be levelled, its valleys exalted, its swamps and sickly places will be drained and become healthy, while its burning deserts, and its frigid polar regions, will be redeemed and become temperate and fruitful. (Key to the Science of Theology, pp. 139-40) TLDP:621
449. In the Millennium not everyone will belong to the Lord's church.
Some members of the Church have an erroneous idea that when the millennium comes all of the people are going to be swept off the earth except righteous members of the Church. That is not so. There will be millions of people, Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, Mohammedans, people of all classes, and of all beliefs, still permitted to remain upon the face of the earth, but they will be those who have lived clean lives, those who have been free from wickedness and corruption. All who belong, by virtue of their good lives, to the terrestrial order, as well as those who have kept the celestial laws, will remain upon the face of the earth during the millennium.
Eventually, however, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters do the sea. But there will be need for the preaching of the gospel, after the millennium is brought in, until all men are either converted or pass away. (Church News, Nov. 3, 1934; Doctrines of Salvation, 1:86) DGSM:105
When the reign of Jesus Christ comes during the millennium, only those who have lived the telestial law will be removed. It is recorded in the Bible and other standard works of the Church that the earth will be cleansed of all its corruption and wickedness. Those who have lived virtuous lives, who have been honest in their dealings with their fellow man and have endeavored to do good to the best of their understanding shall remain. . . .
So we learn that all corruptible things, whether men or beasts or element, shall be consumed; but all that does not come under this awful edict shall remain. Therefore, the honest and upright of all nations, kindreds, and beliefs who have kept the terrestrial as well as the celestial law, will remain. Under these conditions people will enter the great reign of Jesus Christ, carrying with them their beliefs and religious doctrines. Their agency will not be taken from them. . . .
The saying that there will be wicked men on the earth during the millennium has been misunderstood by many, because the Lord declared that the wicked shall not stand, but shall be consumed. In using this term "wicked" it should be interpreted in the language of the Lord as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 84, verses 49-53. Here the Lord speaks of those who have not received the gospel as being "wicked" as they are still under the bondage of sin, having not been baptized. "The inhabitants of the terrestrial order will remain on the earth during the Millennium, and this class is without the gospel ordinances.". . . (Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:108-11) TLDP:406
In the millennium men will have the privilege of being Presbyterians, Methodists or Infidels, but they will not have the privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as they have done heretofore. No, but every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father that Jesus is the Christ. (In new Tabernacle, Aug. 16, 1868, JD12:274) TLDP:406
If the Latter-day Saints think, when the kingdom of God is established on the earth, that all the inhabitants of the earth will join the Church called Latter-day Saints, they are egregiously mistaken. I presume there will be as many sects and parties then as now. Still, when the kingdom of God triumphs, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of the Father. Even the Jews will do it then, but will the Jews and Gentiles be obliged to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? No; not by any means. . . . They will cease their persecutions against the Church of Jesus Christ, and they will be willing to acknowledge that the Lord is God and that Jesus is the Savior of the world. (In Tabernacle, [On the murder of Dr. Robinson, Dec. 23, 1866, JD11:275) TLDP:405-06
When all nations are so subdued to Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, there will still be millions on the earth who will not believe in him; but they will be obliged to acknowledge his kingly government. (In Tabernacle, May 22, 1859, JD7:142) TLDP:400
The prophetic word that sets forth what is to be during the Millennium speaks of "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13) It says that every corruptible thing shall be consumed when the vineyard is burned. And yet the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth." (TPJS:268-69) Taken together, these concepts mean that wickedness that is telestial in nature, wickedness that consists of living after the manner of the world, that wickedness which is carnal, sensual, and devilish by nature—all such shall cease. Those who so live will be destroyed. They are the tares of the earth.
But wickedness is a matter of degree, and even those who are upright and decent by worldly standards but who reject the gospel and do not worship the true God are considered to be wicked by gospel standards. They are "under the bondage of sin." They do not accept the message of the restoration and gain a remission of their sins in the waters of baptism. "And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now." (D&C 84:49-53. . . . There will be many churches on earth when the Millennium begins. False worship will continue among those whose desires are good, "who are honorable men of the earth," but who have been "blinded by the rest upon them until they repent and believe the gospel or are destroyed," as the Prophet said. It follows that missionary work will continue into the Millennium until all who remain are converted. Then "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:9) Then every living soul on earth will belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 651-52) TLDP:407
[C]hrist and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth. (In a conversation with Judge Adams, Springfield, Ill., Dec. 30, 1842) HC5:212
450. There shall be harmony, love, and peace in the Millennium; the violence of both people and beasts will cease.
receiving the Word of the Lord
And in that day the enmity of man, and the enmity of beasts, yea, the enmity of all flesh, shall cease from before my face. (Revelation Dec. 16, 1833; the nature of life during the Millennium is set forth) D&C 101:26
This new heaven and new earth are our own earth and its heavens renewed to the primitive beauty and condition. This is not the great last change which shall come at the end of the earth, but the change to take place at the coming of Jesus Christ. Moreover, when this change comes all things will be set in order. Enmity between man and man and beast and beast will cease. . . . (The Restoration of All Things, pp. 23-24) TLDP:399-400
It shall be in that day that the lion shall lie down with the lamb and eat straw as the ox, and all fear, hatred, and enmity shall depart from the earth because all things having hate in their hearts shall pass away; and there shall come a change, a change over men, a change over the beasts of the field, and upon all things living upon the face of the earth.
According to this word I have read there shall be harmony, and love, and peace, and righteousness because Satan is bound that he cannot tempt any man, and that will be the condition that shall be upon the earth for 1,000 years. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:58) DGSM:104
It is then that the enmity of the beasts of the field as well as that of all flesh will cease; no more one beast of prey devouring and feasting upon another that is more harmless in its nature; no more will this enmity be found in the fish of the sea, or in the birds of the air. This change will be wrought upon all flesh when Jesus comes; not a change to immortality, but a change sufficient to alter the ferocious nature of beasts, birds and fishes. In those days the lion will eat straw like the ox; he will no more be the terror of the forest, but will be perfectly harmless, and gentleness will characterize all the wild and ferocious animals, as well as the venomous serpents, so much so that the little child might lead them and play with them, and nothing shall hurt or destroy in all the holy mountain of the Lord, all things becoming, in some measure, as when they were first created. (In Tabernacle, June 23, 1878, JD20:18) TLDP:402
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah sees the latter-day temple, the gathering of Israel, and millennial judgment and peace) Isaiah 2:4
Related Witnesses:
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah's prophecies, near 700 B.C.) Isaiah 11:5-9 (See JS-H 1:40)
Thus, when we speak of the Lord returning to reign personally upon the earth, we are talking about a literal return. . . .
He shall reign on the throne of David forever. Peace shall prevail, and justice and judgment shall be the order of the day. And it is Israel, the chosen ones, over whom he shall reign in a kingdom that shall never cease. There is nothing figurative about this; it is not something that can be spiritualized away. It is the coming reality; it shall surely come to pass. . . .
The eventual triumph of the Lord's people is assured; there is to be a millennial day of glory and honor and peace; (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 596-97, 600) TLDP:401
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. (Isaiah speaks of the Millennium) Isaiah 65:25
451. In the Millennium there will be no more weeping, no sorrow or pain, and no fear of death.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (The Apostle John sees the earth in its millennial state) Revelation 21:4
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. (Isaiah's words prophesying of the rejoicing and triumph of the Lord's people during the Millennium) Isaiah 65:19
And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man.
29. And there shall be no sorrow because there is no death.
30. In that day an infant shall not die until he is old; and his life shall be as the age of a tree; 31. And when he dies he shall not sleep, that is to say in the earth, but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up, and his rest shall be glorious. (Revelation, Dec. 16, 1833; the nature of life during the Millennium is set forth) D&C 101:28-31
Related Witnesses:
[M]en shall live free from sin and free from the ravages of disease and death until they reach the age of 100 years. Infants shall not die, they shall live until they have filled the measure of their mortal creation. In fact, mortality shall be reduced to a minimum. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:58) TLDP:402
In the course of the thousand years all men will either come into the Church, or kingdom of God, or they will die and pass away. In that day there will be no death until men are old. Children will not die but will live to the age of a tree. Isaiah says this is 100 years. When the time comes for men to die, they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and there will be no graves. (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:86-87) TLDP:406
It is evident from citations given and from all Scripture bearing upon the subject, that the Millennium is to precede the consummation spoken of as "the end of the world." In the era of peace both mortal and immortalized beings will tenant the earth; and though sin will not be wholly abolished nor death banished, the powers of righteousness shall be dominant. (The Vitality of Mormonism, p. 178) TLDP:405
452. In the millennial era of peace, there will be a mingling of mortal and immortal beings.
It is evident from citations given and from all Scripture bearing upon the subject, that the Millennium is to precede the consummation spoken of as "the end of the world." In the era of peace both mortal and immortalized beings will tenant the earth; and though sin will not be wholly abolished nor death banished, the powers of righteousness shall be dominant. (The Vitality of Mormonism, p. 178) TLDP:405
During the Millennium there will, of course, be two kinds of people on earth. There will be those who are mortal, and those who are immortal. There will be those who have been changed or quickened or transfigured or translated (words fail us to describe their state), and those who have gone through a second change, in the twinkling of an eye, so as to become eternal in nature. There will be those who are on probation, for whom earth life is a probationary estate, and who are thus working out their own salvation, and those who have already overcome the world and have entered into a fulness of eternal joy. There will be those who will yet die in the sense of being changed from their quickened state to a state of immortality, and those who, having previously died, are then living in a resurrected state. There will be those who are subject to the kings and priests who rule forever in the house of Israel, and those who, as kings and priests, exercise power and dominion in the everlasting kingdom of Him whose we are. There will be those who, as mortals, provide bodies for the spirit children of the Father, for the spirits whose right it is to come to earth and gain houses for their eternal spirits, and those who, as immortals (Abraham is one), are already begetting spirit children of their own. There will be those for whom the fulness of eternal glory is ahead, and those who, again like Abraham, have already entered into their exaltation and sit upon their thrones and are not angels but are gods forever and ever. (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 644-45) TLDP:405
During this time of peace, when the righteous shall come forth from their graves, they shall mingle with mortal men on the earth and instruct them. The veil which separates the living from the dead will be withdrawn and mortal men and the ancient saints shall converse together. Moreover, in perfect harmony shall they labor for the salvation and exaltation of the worthy who have died without the privileges of the gospel. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:251-52) TLDP:405
Related Witnesses:
With Christ shall come those who have already been resurrected; and His approach shall be the means of inaugurating a general resurrection of the righteous dead, while the pure and just who are still in the flesh shall be instantaneously changed from the mortal to the immortal state and shall be caught up with the newly resurrected to meet the Lord and His celestial company, and shall descend with Him. JTC:787
453. The great work of the Millennium shall be temple work for the redemption of the dead.
HYMNS Written by Prophets Applicable to this Topic
That this work [the deliverance of spirits from prison] may be hastened so that all who believe, in the spirit world, may receive the benefit of deliverance, it is revealed that the great work of the Millennium shall be the work in the temples for the redemption of the dead; and then we hope to enjoy the benefits of revelation through the Urim and Thummim, or by such means as the Lord may reveal concerning those for whom the work shall be done, so that we may not work by chance, or by faith alone, without knowledge, but with the actual knowledge revealed unto us. (IE1901Dec:145-47, Gospel Doctrine, p. 438) DGSM:104
Do you know what the Millennium is for, and what work will have to be done during that period? Suppose the Christian world were now one in heart, faith, sentiment and works, so that the Lord could commence the Millennium in power and glory, do you know what would be done? Would you sit and sing yourselves away to everlasting bliss? No, I reckon not. I think there is a work to be done then which the whole world seems determined we shall not do. What is it? To build temples. . . . What are we going to do in these temples? . . . In these temples we will officiate in the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for our friends, for no man can enter the kingdom of God without being born of the water and of the Spirit. We will officiate for them who are in the spirit world, where Jesus went to preach to the spirits, as Peter has written in the third chapter, verses 18, 19, and 20, of his first epistle. . . .
We will also have hands laid on us for the reception of the Holy Ghost; and then we will receive the washing and anointings for and in their behalf, preparatory to their becoming heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. (In Tabernacle, April 24, 1870, JD13:329-30) TLDP:404
To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal. (In Bowery, June 22, 1856, JD3:372) TLDP:404
When the Savior comes, a thousand years will be devoted to this work of redemption; and Temples will appear all over this land of Joseph—North and South America—and also in Europe and elsewhere; and all the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who received not the Gospel in the flesh, must be officiated for in the Temples of God, before the Savior can present the kingdom to the Father, saying, "It is finished." (In new Tabernacle, Sept. 16, 1877, JD19:230) TLDP:404
The great work of the millennium shall be performed in the temples which shall cover all parts of the land and into which the children shall go to complete the work for their fathers, which they could not do when in this mortal life for themselves.
In this manner those who have passed through the resurrection, and who know all about people and conditions on the other side, will place in the hands of those who are in mortality, the necessary information by and through which the great work of salvation for every worthy soul shall be performed, and thus the purposes of the Lord, as determined before the foundation of the world, will be fully consummated. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:251-52) TLDP:405
Related Witnesses:
Before he comes, many of the lost sheep of Israel must be gathered out of Babylon into the stakes of Zion, stakes now organized and yet to be organized in all nations. Before he comes, Zion must be built up, temples must rise wherever there are stakes, and the promises made to the fathers must be planted in the hearts of the children. (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 572-73) TLDP:625-26
Come, O Thou King of Kings
HYMNS:59
Come, O thou King of Kings
We've waited long for thee,
With healing in thy wings
To set thy people free.
Come, thou desire of nations, come;
Let Israel now be gathered home.
Come, make an end to sin
And cleanse the earth by fire,
And righteousness bring in,
That Saints may tune the lyre
With songs of joy, a happier strain,
To welcome in thy peaceful reign.
Hosannas now shall sound
From all the ransomed throng,
And glory echo round
A new triumphal song;
The wide expanse of heaven fill
With anthems sweet from Zion's hill.
Hail Prince of life and peace
Thrice welcome to thy throne
While all the chosen race
Their Lord and Savior own,
The heathen nations bow the knee,
And ev'ry tongue sounds praise to thee.
Go, Ye Messengers of Glory
HYMNS:262
Go, ye messengers of glory;
Run, ye legates of the skies.
Go and tell the pleasing story
That a glorious angel flies,
Great and mighty, Great and mighty,
With a message from the skies.
Go to ev'ry tribe and nation;
Visit ev'ry land and clime.
Sound to all the proclamation;
Tell to all the truth sublime:
That the gospel, That the gospel
Does in ancient glory shine.
Go, to all the gospel carry;
Let the joyful news abound.
Go till ev'ry nation hear you,
Jew and Gentile greet the sound.
Let the gospel, Let the gospel
Echo all the earth around.
Bearing seed of heav'nly virtue,
Scatter it o'er all the earth.
Go Jehovah will support you;
Gather all the sheaves of worth.
Then, with Jesus, Then, with Jesus
Reign in glory on the earth.
