D&C 76:24 “That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.”
Study Insights
D&C Section 76:24 – All Worlds Are His (February 1832)
Doctrine and Covenants 76:24 is one of the most awe-inspiring verses in all of Restoration scripture. Nestled within the grand vision known as “The Vision,” received by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in Hiram, Ohio in February 1832, this verse opens the heavens wide to reveal a staggering truth: that by Jesus Christ, and through Him, and of Him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. In one sweeping statement, Section 76:24 expands our understanding of creation far beyond the confines of our earth—it places us within a divine tapestry of infinite worlds and divine parentage.
This verse is significant not just for its poetic rhythm, but for its theological magnitude. It reinforces the idea that Jesus Christ is not merely the Savior of our world, but the central creative and redemptive figure across countless worlds—worlds that were created by Him, through Him, and for Him. The language mirrors John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16, but adds a uniquely Latter-day Saint lens by explicitly stating that the inhabitants of these worlds are begotten sons and daughters of God. This means that the divine family extends far beyond humanity as we know it; it reaches across the universe to all of God’s creations. The implication is monumental: each soul in every world is known, loved, and valued by the same Eternal Father.
In a time when the telescope was still a relatively primitive instrument and galaxies were thought to be merely part of the Milky Way, this 1832 revelation was revolutionary. The idea of multiple worlds, each filled with intelligent beings, was not something theologians in Joseph Smith’s time were commonly preaching from pulpits. Yet here, in the quiet countryside of Ohio, came a cosmic proclamation that blends the grandeur of astronomy with the intimacy of divine parenthood. It was a concept far ahead of its time, foreshadowing the discoveries of modern astrophysics.
What makes this verse even more powerful is its personal relevance. If Christ’s creations are infinite, and each world is populated with God’s children, then we are part of something truly eternal. We are not alone, nor are we incidental. Instead, we are integral participants in God’s work and glory, woven into a universal family that stretches beyond imagination. D&C 76:24 invites us to see our own worth and potential in the same light as all the “inhabitants” of those other worlds—each one precious, each one divine.
Ultimately, D&C 76:24 opens our minds to cosmic theology and eternal identity. It stands as a luminous declaration that God’s love and Jesus Christ’s atoning power are boundless. Whether on this earth or another, every soul matters. And that realization shifts our perspective from the local to the eternal, from the finite to the infinite.
