~ R E S U R R E C T E D     B E I N G ~
Spirit — United to Immortal Body

prepared and presented by Don R. Hender

(Progression, The Design of Eternity — Section V)



    "THERE are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—
    "For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
    ~ D&C Section 129:1-2 ~


    "¶ And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
    "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
    "And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
    "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
    ~ Luke 24:36-39 ~


   After his resurrection Jesus came and visited the Apostles as they met together. As he suddenly appeared unto them, for the room was locked, they supposed him to be a spirit or ghost and were afraid. But Jesus quieted them and reasoned with them that it was he himself with his resurrected body of flesh and bones. And thus it ought to be forever settled that when we are also resurrected, we too will be housed, our spirit body and spirit intelligence, within our resurrected immortal body of flesh and bones.

In the first reference above from the Doctrine and Covenants, it is revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith that in 'heaven' there are two kinds of beings. Not that they are not the same persons but they are that individual at two different stages or states of progression. One understandably is the Spirit Body state and the other is the Resurrected Immortal Body of flesh and bone state in which the spirit body and its housed spirit intelligence is housed. It is of interest that Jesus is given as the example in of an 'Angel' who is a resurrected personage and the reference of the gospel of Luke when Jesus appeared to the Aposltes in his Resurrected body of flesh and bones is given. Of interest, though an example of the other kind of being is not given, Jesus as Jehovah the Firstborn spirit son of Elohim the Father of Spirits, could have also been given as an example of that other 'kind of being' and though though we know him to be the same individual in both cases.

As to these two kinds of beings in heaven, the resurected Jesus is an example of 'an angels' who is a resurrected personage. Now it is not that Jesus are Jehovah the Firstborn spirit son and heir of the Father in the preexistent heaven was not also and angel of whom the scriptures have also spoken of. For he has been so spoken of an an angel then as well and whe know that then he was a being as angel having a 'Spirit Body.' And as such, Jehovah was selected and by divine investiture he was annointed and ordained as the Spirit God of the Old Testament, our Ministering God in the name of the Father and in the stead of the Father in all things then.

So in short, there are two kinds of beings in heaven, Spirit Body beings and Resurrected beings and Jehovah who is the same as Jesus Christ is an example of each kind at difference stages or phases of his Eternal Progression. We have in an earlier phase referenced Jesus appearing to Mahonri Moriancumr, the brother of Jared, as then Jehovah the Spirit God of the Old Testament as recorded in Ether chapter 3. That was before Jehovah condescended to be physically born of Mary as Jesus in the flesh. Until being born of the virgin Mary, Jesus was but that prior being of Spirit only. During his mortal ministry, Jehovah as Jesus, was embodied in a temporal mortal tabernacle the likes which was make for Adam. And Jesus as son of Mary, was also a mortal descendant of Adam as well. But Jesus' immediate Father of his flesh was also that some God who was the Father of his Spirit as well, Elohim. Jesus thus gain the power to die from his mortal mother and the powers to be resurrected agains he obtained from his Immortal Celestial Father Elohim.

Once Jesus died and was resurrected he then returned to the presence our Father in Heaven. And then Jesus-Jehovah was the second kind of being, a resurrected angel of a flesh and bone immortal body that then housed his spirit body and his spirit intelligence. Not that he was not the same individual and person, but that he has existed in and through the various phases or stages of progression according the the Eternal Plan of Progression. Now keeping that larger panoramic view from Jehovah's/Jesus' Spirit birth in the preexistence through and including his resurection and on through he being our reigning King and Lord of the Millenial day, listen to the Apostle Pauls such understand of Jehovah - Jesus as he records in the book of Hebrews of the New Testament.

    "GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
    "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
    "Who being the brightness of his aglory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
    "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
    "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
    "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
    "And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
    "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
    "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
    "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
    "They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
    "And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
    "But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
    "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"
    ~ Hebrews 1:1-14 ~

There in has Paul seen and understood from the very beginning unto the end the work of God's Eternal Progress. From all our spirit births beginning with the Firstborn son, the firstborn spirit of every creature. And Elohim having selected him and by divine investiture empowered him, did the 'Word' Jehovah-Jesus creat the termporal heavens and earth under the direction of the Father. And he was also placed to be our Ministering God of the Old Testament Jehovah. And as Jesus did he condescend to take upon himself flesh that by, through and in him all mankind might be redeemed. And thence by the power of God was he resurrected unto glory at the right hand of the Father. And it has been his church restored in the latter days prepareing for his Second Coming when he will rule and reign as our beloved King David of the Millennial Day. And in the end he will judge us as our Final Judge when we will gain our own kingdoms of glory in and through his Salvation and Exhaltation. Did not Paul see and understand it all?