The first resurrection is often used in our day as a definition of those who will be resurrected at the beginning of the millennium, or the resurrection of celestial beings. But Alma is using the first resurrection here as the first resurrection on this earth of the people from the day of Adam up to the time of Christ’s resurrection (vv. 16–18), a four thousand year period. He qualified the first resurrection: all those who lived before the time of Christ were to come forth before those who live after the time of Christ (v. 19). He then gave a second qualification: the souls [spirits] and bodies of the righteous will be resurrected at the time of Christ’s resurrection (v. 20). Alma gives the second qualification as his opinion. Some have labeled all of Alma’s words on this subject as an opinion, but the opinion is only expressed for the time of the righteous being resurrected. We must remember that he had these things made known to him by an angel (v. 11), and thus the other things he taught on the resurrection were factual. Alma’s opinion was apparently correct, as “many bodies of the [righteous] saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection” (Matthew 27:52–53; italics added). We will concentrate on what Alma came to know through the angel’s visit, and supplement his teachings with what we learn from Latter-day scripture and prophets.
The justice of God is again exemplified by the order of the resurrection. From Adam to Christ implies a sequential order, and raises the question of how we will be resurrected. The Prophet Joseph Smith was shown the resurrection in a vision:
So plain was the vision, that I actually saw men, before they had ascended from the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They took each other by the hand and said to each other, “My Father, my son, my mother, my daughter, my brother, my sister.” And when the voice calls for the dead to arise, suppose I am laid by the side of my father, what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my brother, my sister; and when they are by my side, I embrace them and they me. [TPJS, 295–96]
President Brigham Young enlarged on what the Prophet implied, that the order of the resurrection is patriarchal.
We first come in possession of the body. The spirit has overcome the body, and the body is made subject in every respect to that divine principle God has planted in the person. The spirit within is pure and holy, and goes back pure and holy to God, dwells in the spirit world pure and holy, and by and by, will have the privilege of coming and taking the body again. Some person holding the keys of the resurrection, having previously passed through that ordeal, will be delegated to resurrect our bodies, and our spirits will be there and prepared to enter into their bodies. Then, when we are prepared to receive our bodies, they are the first earthly objects that bear divinity personified in the capacity of the man. Only the body dies; the spirit is looking forth.
The patriarchal order is further substantiated by another statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
This doctrine presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of God in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in heaven and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. Those Saints who neglect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation. The dispensation of the fullness of times will bring to light the things that have been revealed in all former dispensations; also other things that have not been before revealed. He shall send Elijah, the Prophet, &c., and restore all things in Christ. [TPJS, 193]
The Prophet Joseph said further:
There are three grand orders of the priesthood referred to here… .
How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He will send Elijah the prophet… . Elijah shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers… .
The 2 Priesthood Patriarchal. Go to and finish the temple, and God will fill it with power, and you will then receive more knowledge concerning this priesthood. [TPJS, 322–23]
In September 1823, the angel Moroni told Joseph Smith: “Behold I will reveal unto you the Priesthood by the hand of Elijah” (D&C 2:1). Elijah came on April 3, 1836, after both the Aaronic and the Melchizedek Priesthood, the other two priesthoods referred to above by Joseph, had been restored (see the entire quote TPJS, 322–23). Wherefore, Elijah must have restored the Patriarchal Priesthood. Since Elijah was to seal the hearts of the children to the fathers, would not the same Patriarchal Priesthood keys be the power to bring forth the dead bodies from the graves as implied by both the Prophet Joseph and President Brigham Young above. The author thinks so. The Prophet Joseph further supports this theory:
The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. The Apostle says, “They without us cannot be made perfect;” (Hebrews 11:40) for it is necessary that the sealing power should be in our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fulness of the dispensation of times—a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of man.” [TPJS, 356]
In an epistle to the Church dated September 6, 1842 that has been accepted as doctrine by the Church, Joseph wrote:
15 And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect— neither can we without our dead be made perfect.
16 And now, in relation to the baptism for the dead, I will give you another quotation of Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:29: 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?
17 And again, in connection with this quotation I will give you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, namely, the baptism for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send youElijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
18 I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times. [D&C 128:15–18]
The doctrine of the Patriarchal Priesthood resurrection exemplifies the justice of God. It would be unfair to those who did not have an opportunity to accept the gospel to be passed over because no one had done their vicarious work, or were not sought out by someone to resurrect them. Through their patriarchal lines all will be given those opportunities. But some will say, what if none of my ancestors accept the gospel in the spirit world, or didn’t live worthy to be resurrected? The justice of God will again be shown. A grandfather, an uncle, or someone in that genealogical line will be delegated the keys to resurrect the next worthy generation that followed the unworthy link. As the practice of the Church illustrates today, no one will be left out. If none of the family is worthy, the bishop, the father of the ward, has the responsibility to see that the needed ordinances are performed. The resurrection will undoubtedly follow the same pattern. Justice will be met either in this life or the spirit world. When the soul [spirit] and the body are reunited to stand before God and be judged, it will be according to their works in both the flesh and the space between death and the resurrection (Alma 40:21).