“Chapter 54: God and Angels: February–April 1843,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories (2002), 194–97
“Chapter 54,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 194–97
Chapter 54
God and Angels
February–April 1843
One day a man who said he had seen an angel came to see Joseph Smith. The man told Joseph how the angel was dressed. Joseph said the man had not really seen an angel because angels do not dress the way the man had described.
The man was very angry. He commanded fire to come down from heaven to burn the Prophet and his house. But the man did not have the power of God, and no fire came down from heaven.
Jesus gave Joseph Smith a revelation about angels. Jesus said that angels are people who have lived on earth, died, and been resurrected. They have bodies of flesh and bones.
Jesus said Satan tries to trick people. Sometimes he makes people think he is an angel. He tries to get the people to do bad things. But righteous people are able to know when Satan is trying to trick them.
Later, Joseph Smith told the Saints other truths about heaven. He said that angels do not live on a planet like the earth. Instead, they live with God. Joseph also said that people in heaven will know everything they learned on earth.
Joseph Smith said that all of God’s laws were made in heaven before we came to earth. There is a blessing for each law. We must obey the law to receive the blessing.
Joseph Smith told the Saints about Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. Jesus looks like a man and has a body of flesh and bones.
Heavenly Father also has a body of flesh and bones. He lives in a beautiful, shining place.
Joseph Smith also said the Holy Ghost is a spirit. The Holy Ghost does not have a body of flesh and bones.