Is there more than one Celestial Kingdom?

[Guest]

Scriptures say that the earth will become the Celestial Kingdom after the Millennium but where are those who have already been exalted and Heavenly Father and Jesus live, a different Celestial Kingdom? Or is the earth not really going to be our final dwelling place?

Edited April 24, 2017 by Zarahemla

[Rob Osborn]

1 hour ago, Zarahemla said:

Scriptures say that the earth will become the Celestial Kingdom after the Millennium but where are those who have already been exalted and Heavenly Father and Jesus live, a different Celestial Kingdom? Or is the earth not really going to be our final dwelling place?

It says that it will be this earth where Heavenly Father will place his throne to reign forever.

[Fether]

8 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

Scriptures say that the earth will become the Celestial Kingdom after the Millennium but where are those who have already been exalted and Heavenly Father and Jesus live, a different Celestial Kingdom? Or is the earth not really going to be our final dwelling place?

 

What a fantastic question! Never thought about it. 

What Comes to mind:

- I feel like it is safe to assume that heavenly father has, and lives on, a separate celestial kingdom at this moment (seeing as God was once like us and presumably went through the same plan of salvation as we did). And maybe when his throne comes to this earth, maybe it is just a throne, not his only throne.

- Time is man made, so can Heavenly Father and the exalted potentially be living on a celestialized earth that has not yet come? Idk, never really thought much about the time in heaven and how it works in relation to earth.

[Guest]

I don't know, but along with what Fethet said, the Temple is God's house and how many of those are there? 

 

[The Folk Prophet]

The problem with the question is it presupposes the the Celestial Kingdom is a place instead of a state.

[estradling75]

We might be in error in thinking to much about the Kingdom aspect as compared to our earthly standard of such.

I do not envision the Celestial Kingdom as having the kind of boundaries as we commonly think of boundaries.  Anything that can "bare the weight" of Celestial Glory is going to be part of the Celestial Kingdom... And if you can handle the Celestial then you can handle the lesser.. so no Kingdom is denied you (The reverse is not true though)

So the Earth becoming a Celestial body means it adds to the Celestial Kingdom.  So in that sense no.  But it seems like it will be our "Family Home" in a sense where we begin our efforts in so it will be important to us as part of our beginning in a sense.

 

[Edspringer]

As I have understood from scripture study and from the words of the living prophets, the Celestial Kingdom is an order, a state, just like has been said here previously. Our Heavenly Father lives in eternal burnings, in the celestial glory. This Celestial kingdom is a physical, but glorified place, just like our earth will be after its “celestialization”. But any kingdom our God and all exalted beings can abide will be of the a celestial order. When this earth is able to support the fullness of the Father and the glory of His Christ, then it will be a celestial kingdom.

So, it is reasonable to think that there will be (and surely there are already) many places that are of the celestial order, that can be God’s house. Jesus taught that in His Father’s house there were many mansions. This verse alone can be subject of study for many years.

[person0]

Quote

6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;

7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.

8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.

9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s.

10 Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known;

(D&C 130:6-10) emphasis added

So from this section of D&C we can gather that Heavenly Father currently resides on a glorified celestial planet (I would presume that currently celestially glorified beings from this earth would be using that location for now as well).  Eventually this earth will be made into a glorified celestial planet.  A glorified celestial planet is as a Urim and Thummim.  This part alone suggests more than one celestial planet, meaning more than one 'celestial kingdom' if you want to say it like that.  However, I believe @The Folk Prophet is on the right track in his thinking, and I would suggest we will all be celestial beings, and it doesn't really matter if there is more than one physical location because we will all be perfected and joint heirs with Christ of God's glory, etc.

Side Note:  We will each receive a smaller Urim and Thummim which, in my current personal interpretation of 'higher order of kingdoms' will be used to make known unto us all creation that has come before us (such as the celestial planet where Heavenly Father currently resides).  Either way, there is more than one physical location that can be considered celestial glory, according to the scriptures.

Edited April 24, 2017 by person0

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Edspringer said:

As I have understood from scripture study and from the words of the living prophets, the Celestial Kingdom is an order, a state, just like has been said here previously. Our Heavenly Father lives in eternal burnings, in the celestial glory. This Celestial kingdom is a physical, but glorified place, just like our earth will be after its “celestialization”. But any kingdom our God and all exalted beings can abide will be of the a celestial order. When this earth is able to support the fullness of the Father and the glory of His Christ, then it will be a celestial kingdom.

 

So, it is reasonable to think that there will be (and surely there are already) many places that are of the celestial order, that can be God’s house. Jesus taught that in His Father’s house there were many mansions. This verse alone can be subject of study for many years.

 

You mention eternal burnings. I heard the term everlasting burnings from Joseph Smith, he said we go from exaltation to exaltation until we reach everlasting burnings so is everlasting burnings a higher state than exaltation?

Edited April 24, 2017 by Zarahemla

[Edspringer]

"Everlasting burnigs" is the accurate term, not "eternal burnings", as I used it.

Exaltation is the ultimate state of salvation. It is to become a god. There's no higher level than to be a god, as I understand it. 

 

[Edspringer]

Now,  "we go from exaltation to exaltation until we reach everlasting burnings" is really intriguing. It could be related to increase in glory as gods, as we learn in Moses1:39. 

[mordorbund]

Reminds me of a conversation I had just the other day with @MormonGator.

MG: So this is the celestial kingdom. Wow Mordorbund, it sure is nice!
Me: It certainly is. I wonder if that's because @mirkwood isn't here?
MG: Yeah, where is he? I was certain he'd be in the celestial kingdom too.
Me: Oh, he's in the celestial kingdom, just not the celestial celestial kingdom <wink>
Me and MG: HAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111!!!!111!!

[Blackmarch]

On April 23, 2017 at 9:33 PM, Zarahemla said:

Scriptures say that the earth will become the Celestial Kingdom after the Millennium but where are those who have already been exalted and Heavenly Father and Jesus live, a different Celestial Kingdom? Or is the earth not really going to be our final dwelling place?

Good question. Not entirely sure in regards to that. I tend to lean rowards a kingdom being more as a state or phase of nature/existence more than a specific place. But thats just my opinion.

[Traveler]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 9:33 PM, Zarahemla said:

Scriptures say that the earth will become the Celestial Kingdom after the Millennium but where are those who have already been exalted and Heavenly Father and Jesus live, a different Celestial Kingdom? Or is the earth not really going to be our final dwelling place?

 

It is my impression that you are not understanding the Celestial Kingdom.  I think you are looking at it backwards or, if you will, putting the cart before the horse.  The Celestial Kingdom is not a place where all that is righteous is kept but rather we call those places where Celestial Laws are kept sacred – the Celestial Kingdom.

 

The Traveler