Jesus Christ

A millennium is a period of a thousand years. By Divine decree, the earth's temporal existence will continue for seven thousand years. The 7th millennium commences with the second coming of Jesus Christ, when the resurrected Lord returns to earth in glory.

Exactly what is God’s purpose for this thousand year period? And how is the last millennium related to eternal marriage?

First consider what Christ taught about marriage: “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22: 30). Based upon this particular passage of scripture, some incorrectly conclude that marriage is not a union that continues in heaven; but as we read Luke’s account of this same teaching, a key phrase helps clarify what the Savior really meant about marriage:

“And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage” (Luke 20: 34, 35).

When all scriptural passages pertaining to this truth are accounted for, we can see that Christ was essentially saying that marriage ceremonies do not happen in heaven. Being “given in marriage” is only for “the children of this world.” The ceremony of marriage, then, is an earthly ordinance.

Now consider what happens when “the children of this world” are married by the priesthood power that Jesus bestowed upon His apostle Peter:

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16: 19).

When “the children of this world” are married by proper priesthood authority, their marriage is indeed “bound in heaven”--in force throughout eternity. But this is not a conclusion derived by logic alone, it is a doctrine explicitly declared by Christ through a latter-day prophet:

“And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; . . . it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world” (D&C 132: 19).

One of the central purposes of the 7th millennium, when Christ personally reigns upon the earth, is to perform the ordinances of eternal life and exaltation for those who did not have the chance to receive them during their mortal life.

Baptism is the first ordinance that opens the way to eternal life (Mark 16: 16). If people do not get the chance to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life, they will get the chance to receive it in the spirit world; and the ordinance of baptism can be performed vicariously in their behalf. This is what Paul was referring to when he said:

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Cor. 15: 29).

Reinforcing the reality and necessity of performing vicarious baptisms “for the dead” is this truth taught by the apostle Peter:

“By which also [Christ] went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (1 Peter 3: 18-20). “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4: 6).

So what does eternal marriage have to do with the 7th and last millennium?

In another latter-day revelation, Christ declared that marriage is an ordinance necessary to attaining exaltation in the highest heaven (D&C 131: 1-3). And like baptism for the dead, the vicarious ordinance of eternal marriage can only be performed in the house of the Lord.

Considering the billions of people born from the time of Adam until today and projecting the enormous numbers of people who did not have the chance to be blessed by the ordinances of eternal marriage and baptism, it is easy to see that there are many millions of ordinances that will need to be performed on behalf of the dead, during the last millennium.

The work of redeeming the dead is already taking place in hundreds of “Mormon” Temples throughout the world; a work that will be completed during the 7th millennium. Doing genealogy and performing vicarious ordinances for our kindred dead is one facet of the three-fold mission of Christ’s Church.

Because members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (the “Mormons”) represent only 0.23% of the 6.6 billion people who populate this planet, the logistics of getting this enormous amount of work done will require many centuries of time to complete. Some argue, if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were really Christ's Church, then more people would be members of it. But recall the Savior's teaching that only “few” would be able to find His strait and narrow way (Matt 7: 14).

Because God is no respecter of persons and provides an equal chance for all to partake of His richest blessings, He has decreed the last millennium to be a time when all injustices become just. The final millennium is a time for those who remain on the earth to perform the exalting ordinance of eternal marriage in behalf of their kindred dead--couples who did not have the opportunity of receiving this blessing during mortal life.

“[Jesus] shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, . . . they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, . . . And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 3-11).

The return of Jesus Christ is based upon the reality of His first coming--the reality of the babe of Bethlehem, the growing Boy of Nazareth, the Master of mighty miracles, and the Savior slain for the sins of the world. Mormons believe in, and look forward to, the second coming of the resurrected Messiah, for biblical prophecies plainly testify of His glorious return to earth:

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him” (Rev. 1: 7). “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes. 4: 16, 17).

Even though the New Testament clearly foretells of the Son of God's second coming, yet the majority of the world dismisses the Bible’s clear witness; most people on earth have yet to receive the reality of the Messiah's first coming, and therefore deny His second coming.

According to Government statistics, 67% of the world’s population is non-Christian (about 4,421,000,000). The total population of the planet is estimated at 6,602,224,000 as of 2007, and the major religions of the world distribute this way:

             1) Christians   2,181,000,000 (33%)
             2) Muslims      1,328,000,000 (20%)
             3) Hindus         881,000,000 (13%)
             4) Buddhists    389,000,000 (6%)
             5) Sikhs             25,750,000 (0.4%)
             6) Jews             15,190,000 (0.23%)

        * Other Religions  833,000,000 (12.6%)
        * Non-Religious    794,000,000 (12%)
        * Atheists            155,800,000 (2.4%)

Because 2/3rds of the world’s population have not yet realized the divinity of Jesus Christ as Son of God, in the infinite wisdom of the Almighty, Another Testament of Jesus Christ has been given to the world. As prophesied by Ezekiel, the Book of Mormon has become “one in thine hand” (Ezek. 37: 15-20) in bearing witness of the Redeemer of the world.

The strength of this additional witness to the world is manifest by the Book of Mormon’s unmistakable and palpable prophecies of Christ’s birth, mission, and crucifixion. About 600 B.C., the prophet Nephi saw a vision of the land of Jerusalem and of Mary, the mother of Jesus (1 Nephi 11: 13-18); in his heavenly vision this prophet of ancient America also saw the Savior of the world "lifted up" upon a cross and crucified (1 Nephi 11: 26-33).

When the world comes to know that the Son of God has come a first time in humility, then they will fully realize that their Savior and Redeemer will come a second time in glory.