The Blazing Throne of God

Doctrine and Covenants 137 is best known for the verses in the latter part of the section describing how those who have died without a knowledge of the gospel, who would have received it if given the chance, will inherit the celestial kingdom of God. It is interesting to also consider the description Joseph gave us of heaven in the first half of the section. He wrote, “The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire; Also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold” (v1-4). The words glory, beauty, flames, fire, blazing, and gold suggest that it is a glorious place of light and warmth. It is interesting to me that the streets are paved with gold, suggesting perhaps that if it is the stuff we walk on there, then gold is the stuff of least importance there.

               Joseph’s vision of God sitting on a throne is similar to other scriptural accounts. John spoke frequently of the throne of God in the book of Revelation. He wrote, “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold” (Revelation 4:2-4). In the same revelation we have these words of the Savior: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21). Those who “have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” are those who are “before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple” (Revelation 7:14-15). A description of heaven is also given in these words, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face” (Revelation 22:3-4). The book clearly suggests that there is a real throne in heaven where God sits.

               In Joseph’s own vision of the celestial kingdom recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76, he also referenced the throne of God multiple times. He recorded, “And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever” (v20-21). He summarized the glory of the celestial kingdom with these words: “And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever; Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever” (v92-93). Joseph also described the victory of the Son of God in these words, “He shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign forever and ever” (v107-108). He also beheld how “all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever” (v110). All of us will bow before the literal throne of God to worship the Father and the Son.

Other scriptural passages also refer to God’s throne. Isaiah wrote, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). He saw God sitting on His throne just as Joseph did. In the first chapter of the Book of Mormon Lehi also beheld God on His throne: “And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God” (1 Nephi 1:8). Alma referred to this experience of Lehi when he recounted to his son Helaman, “Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there” (v22). Mormon made reference to this throne when he wrote to his son Moroni, “And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever” (v26). The Savior even referred to His throne when He said, “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). All of these passages suggest that the throne of God is not figurative—there is indeed a real place where God and the Son sit in the heavens. The “transcendent beauty” of that place we cannot understand now, but if we were to see it like Alma and so many other prophets, we would all “long to be there.”