The Millennium and First Resurrection

Life, Death, and Temple Work During the Millennium

During the millennium, this fallen, telestial world will be renewed, restored, and transfigured (D&C 63:20-21) to the paradisiacal and terrestrial conditions found in the Garden of Eden before the fall of Adam. Disease, premature death, and warfare will cease during the millennium. Enmity between people and between animals will cease. The wolf will dwell with the lamb and the lion will eat straw like the ox. (Isa 11:7) The earth will produce food in abundance as waters flow through lands once barren. The desert shall blossom as a rose. (Isa 35:1)

Mortality itself will not cease. “Millennial mortals” will marry and bear children. Their translated bodies will not be afflicted by sickness, physical infirmities or deformities of any kind. They will live to the age of a tree (100 years). (D&C 101:23-31; Isa. 65:17-25) Celestial-worthy people who reach this age will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from mortality to immortality. (D&C 43:32; 63:51) Those who are exalted will live and rule with Christ during the millennium and beyond. Those who don’t live celestial law will die accursed. (Isa 65:20) They will not be resurrected until after the millennium. (Rev 20:6)

Temple work is one of the great purposes of this peaceful age. Countless people from all generations will vicariously receive their saving and exalting ordinances. This work is now impossible because we lack the necessary family history records and we don’t have enough time or temples. Those barriers will be removed during the millennium. Saviors on Mount Zion on both sides of the veil will cooperate to perform both living and proxy ordinances in thousands of temples that will dot the earth. Through the sealing power, worthy families will be joined generation to generation in a patriarchal chain extending back to Adam and Eve called the house of Israel.

The First Resurrection (Rev 20:4-6)

Revelation 20:4-6 describes the first resurrection during the millennium. Exaltation-worthy people are “blessed and holy” to have part in this resurrection because they will rule and reign with Christ in their exalted condition. The resurrection proceeds in an ordered sequence based on the law of obedience according to the glory each person is worthy of. The first resurrection of the just includes all celestial-worthy and terrestrial-worthy people. The last and second resurrection of the unjust is for telestial-worthy people, followed by sons of perdition who inherit no glory.

The first resurrection involves several stages and different groups of people. The morning of the first resurrection began when Christ was resurrected with all exaltation-worthy saints from the Old Testament. The “morning” will resume at the end of the Second Woe (Rev 11:11-14), when all exaltation-worthy saints since the time of Christ will come forth from their graves. (D&C 88:97; 133:56) The afternoon of the first resurrection includes celestial-worthy but unexalted people who come forth shortly after the Second Coming. The morning and afternoon will continue for all exalted and unexalted celestial-worthy people throughout the thousand years. The evening of the first resurrection is for terrestrial-worthy people who will come forth from their graves in one large group at the end of the millennium.

The resurrection is universal because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every person will eventually rise from the grave with an immortal body of flesh and bones that will be perfect in every way. (Alma 11:43) Children will resurrect and their bodies will then grow during the millennium to the full stature of their spirits. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:54) For more on the resurrection and the rearing of resurrected children, check out my podcasts from September 27 and 29, 2026.

September 27, 2026 — Podcast

September 29, 2026 — Podcast