". . . All That Are in Their Graves Shall Hear His Voice"
Question: "There are those who teach that the wicked shall be annihilated at death—the destruction of the spirit as well as of the body. Others teach that the spirit sleeps. What assurance is there that the dead shall hear the voice of God?"
Answer: The following quotation from the words of the Savior as recorded in the Gospel of John give answer to the question:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:25-29.)
The resurrection must be just as universal as was the fall. Therefore it embraces everything on the earth and the earth itself, for the earth partook of the changed condition after the transgression of Adam and Eve. Not only was the earth changed, but the same condition of mortality also came upon every living creature. Therefore there must be a restoration not only of Adam and Eve and their posterity, but also of the earth itself and all living creatures on its face.
We have received witnesses of the fulfilment in part at least of the predictions made by Jesus to his disciples in relation to the restoration of all things. At the time of the coming forth of Jesus from the tomb, there followed a resurrection, and Matthew speaking of this has written:
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 27:52-53.)
Why should any person doubt the truth of the universal resurrection? That our Savior lived, that he died on the cross and arose on the third day is attested by divine witnesses. The writings of Matthew, John, and Peter in relation to the resurrection bearing witness is, or should be, beyond dispute. It is the duty and privilege of every member of the Church to have a divine testimony of this great truth. We know, for the witness is before us in definite and positive testimony from the Prophet Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and others, who in this dispensation have stood in the divine presence of the Son of God! It is, moreover, the duty of every faithful member of the Church to know for himself through the power of the Holy Ghost which is given him that Jesus lives, that he died and is alive again clothed with glory and majesty and that he rules with his Father in the heavens.
We also know, because the Lord has revealed it, that through the love of our Redeemer not only those who believe in him and keep his commandments shall come forth from the grave, but this great blessing has been bestowed on all, not only the righteous, but that it will come to every living creature also. Justice demands that there shall be this universal restoration. Jacob, brother of Nephi, has declared this great truth by the spirit of revelation in the following words:
For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more. (2 Nephi 9:6-7.)
We therefore have the assurance that the resurrection shall reach out and embrace every creature, even the earth itself. For this earth must be cleansed from all unrighteousness and be crowned with glory and eternal life.
To the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord gave this glorious revelation:
And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season;
And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth.
For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea;
And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.
But, behold, verily I say unto you, before the earth shall pass away, Michael, mine archangel, shall sound his trump, and then shall all the dead awake, for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth—yea, even all.
And the righteous shall be gathered on my right hand unto eternal life; and the wicked on my left hand will I be ashamed to own before the Father;
Wherefore I will say unto them—Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
And now, behold, I say unto you, never at any time have I declared from mine own mouth that they should return, for where I am they cannot come, for they have no power.
But remember that all my judgments are not given unto men; and as the words have gone forth out of my mouth even so shall they be fulfilled, that the first shall be last, and that the last shall be first in all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit. (D. & C. 29:22-30.)
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