First Heaven

Occurrences: 21

First Reference: 4th Endowment 2:14

Thus did God place within the heart of a new dimension the cosmos of the First Heaven, and choosing for themselves a sun most similar to your own, God did set round about it a world of exquisite beauty, being fashioned itself of stardust and dreams together forged by love and deepest wisdom.

See: Eternal Round, Heaven, Telestial Kingdom

Summary: In the far distant past, the First God — as represented by Areta and The One — created a new universe wherein they could establish a glorious kingdom of noble and exalted humans. This ‘First Heaven’ was called by God: the Telestial Kingdom. Initially, the Telestial Kingdom was comprised of a single earth and moon. It was on this world of the First Heaven that Areta and The One created the framework for eternal progression, and organized the first operating Houses and Quorums of Heaven.

Areta and The One eventually had spirit children of their own (4:4:12-31). Tended by the Cherubim of Xandalea, all of God’s children were given the opportunity to enter mortality and determine the degree to which they would reflect the holiness of their Heavenly Parents. After twelve generations of spirit children had moved through the dispensations of mortal life, Areta and The One established the foundations for a second, more glorified kingdom of Heaven. This new, exalted realm was called by God: the Terrestrial Kingdom. A third, more exalted kingdom of glory was later established, called the Celestial Kingdom (4:32:1-24).

The Telestial Kingdom is presently the most populated of all the kingdoms of Heaven, containing hundreds of billions of galaxies (AZC — Eternal Round).

4th Endowment 13–15 God establishes the three principalities of the Telestial Kingdom

Notes/References:

Come then, my Love, and tell me what we should do. For here in the Deep shall we forever dwell, to be as One together in love and sweet communion. How then shall we proceed in this forever place, where you and I most happily dwell?”

And God, rising from his place, did look about; and holding his Beloved most closely to his bosom, he spoke, saying:

“I shall make for us some happy kingdom, a place of joy and hope, causing that we shall make from all our affections a far more nobler race.

And to this place shall I give a name, to call it Heaven; for from its bosom shall all light and glory, all love and beauty, all life and increase forever flow in constant abundance and rich reward.”

And Areta hearing this did smile, being herself content, saying: “We shall call it Heaven.” And being seized again by fiery longings, she fell midst waves of deepest yearnings, deep into the soul of God; to be herself all consumed midst flames of happy passion.

3rd Endowment 32:42-46

Let us then act as one together, and in this place which we call Heaven fashion for our children three kingdoms of glory; that in such kingdoms where they might dwell, even all might grow and become as they themselves might choose.

And these three kingdoms shall we make as one together in the hand of God to be called hereafter the Telestial Kingdom of Glory, being itself fashioned for the benefit of all our children, providing that everyone separately should find among the three lesser kingdoms of the Telestial Kingdom a place of happiness and life forever.

For in these three kingdoms shall be found the principalities wherein our children shall live as they desire, finding therein the fulfillment of such dreams as shall rise up from out of the very heart and soul together.

4th Endowment 13:33-35

3. And the assemblies of God grew ever more numerous, each being numbered in their many millions, causing that every principality within the Telestial Kingdom should expand, establishing through the aeons an even greater and greater dominion.

4. Ever building midst all their dreams the cities and palaces of the First Heaven, reaching out with measured increase into Olaha Shinehah; establishing throughout the generations of many assemblies the first design of God.

5. Now when there were established firmly the first twelve assemblies of God, each having achieved through mortality the glory of both dreams and effort, God did withdraw from the First Heaven.

6. And together did The One and Areta fashion a bright and newer world filled with greater glory, being bounded within and without by seven dimensions; [...]

9. And on the newer world would even all the Cherubim gather in the season of rejoicing, for this world did God establish to be the foundation of a far greater glory, becoming itself the second Heaven which God did call the Terrestrial Kingdom of Glory.

10. Causing that between the first and second Heaven should be built a bridge over which all who should desire might cross over, receiving to themselves a glory and a joy far greater than they had ever known.

11. For the bridge which God built was made of many mortal lives, being again guided by seven dispensations; yet were the dispensations of the second Heaven unlike those of the first, but were themselves fashioned to perfect the love between the man and the woman.

12. Being hopeful that by so doing the children of the second Heaven might come closer still to a truer likeness of God, having perfected within themselves the rule of holiness, establishing within themselves the first foundations of Emzahdeah.

4th Endowment 32:3-6, 9-12

First God

First Man