Proofs, Prophets, and Covenants

Understandings of Truth, the Manifestations, and Their Covenants with the Believers

By I’an RoeBuck

Proofs, Prophets, and Covenants

Understandings of Truth, the Manifestations, and Their Covenants with the Believers

By I’an RoeBuck

About the Author

I’an RoeBuck was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina. He presently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is married with two children. A one-time Sans-Guardian Bahá’í, he left the Sans-Guardian tradition of the Bahá’í Faith after becoming more and more convinced that for the Faith to be real there needed to be a living Guardian.

He wandered for a while in the New Age Movement and Wicca. Still looking for a stable and satisfying experience with God, He became a Christian.

He received a B.A. in Education from the University of South Carolina, and has a Master of Divinity from Harvest Christian College and Seminary, Tavares, Florida.

After coming across several websites for the Orthodox Bahá’í Faith, and contact with Hand of the Cause of God Frank Schlatter, he found that the Bahá’í Faith was indeed real because it does have a living Guardian.

Other Books by the Author:

Grace, Will and Faith

Prophecy and the Orthodox Bahá’í

Copyright © 2002

I’an RoeBuck

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

First Edition June 2002

Second Edition September 2002

Approved by the Review Committee of the National Orthodox Bahá’í Council

Printed and Published in the U.S.A. by

The Orthodox Bahá’ís of the Greater Salt Lake City Area

P.O. Box 702104

West Valley City, UT 84118

Dedicated to Hand of the Cause of God Frank Schlatter without whom I would never have become a Bahá’í

Acknowledgements

I am first of all indebted to my wife, Julia. Without her constant support I would have given up long ago. I also wish to thank my two sons, Andrew and Joshua, who not only have made life interesting, but also without whom I would never have been persuaded to re-evaluate my personal stances on many issues within my life. Joshua RoeBuck, who has so wanted to understand the truth and what life is all about, is special in this endeavor.

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Preface

In the summer of 2001, at the International Orthodox Bahá’í Conference, those attending were asked to make a presentation on the Faith. Among the things that I was privileged to present were four pass around items that I later collected. These four items were my research and thoughts upon four subjects that I had been studying in personal deepening of the Scriptures and teachings of the Faith. They were only 10% complete.

I received some interesting comments and aid from several of the participants including Mrs. Marilyn Meyers.

In the intervening months, I have been able to conclude initial research on three of the topics, one of which has now become this third book. Let me state from the first, this is not an interpretation of Scriptures. What follows are simply my insights (personal) and meditations, as well as some explanations, of Scriptures within and without the Orthodox Bahá’í Faith.

It is my hope that for those who are Bahá’ís, this will give them a starting point for even further study and deepening. Those who are not Bahá’í, and who are from a other than Bahá’í background may find the topics covered in this book to be of some interest. The main thing they may take from it is the extreme similarity of thought between Krishna, the Old and New Testaments, Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh on these subjects. This should not surprise Bahá’ís, whose main presupposition is that all religions come from Major Prophets whose lives and words are the very emanation of God Himself. For a Christian, this idea will be both challenging and new, and this book it is hoped may give them a reference point to see those similarities in a positive light.

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Introduction

The Orthodox Bahá’í Faith has its early roots in that of Islam. A young Muhammadan Man announced in Persia on May 23^rd, 1844, that He was the forerunner of the Promised One of all the previous religions. It created uproar in that area of the world. No less than 20,000 of His followers, known as Bábi’s were martyred. In 1850, the Báb was publicly executed.

One of the Báb’s followers became known as Bahá’u’lláh. That title roughly translates as “the Glory of God”. Bahá’u’lláh announced that He was the One foretold by the Báb. He began his ministry in 1853, and publicly announced it in 1863. Bahá’u’lláh was banished successively from Persia to Baghdad to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and finally to the prison city of Akka located across the bay from Haifa, Israel. He later pitched His tent upon Mount Carmel. He passed away in 1892.

`Abdu’l-Bahá, another title meaning “Servant of Bahá’u’lláh”, was the appointed successor and Center of the Covenant and Interpreter of the Word. Released from imprisonment, He traveled to Europe and America in 1911 – 1912. He passed away in 1921.

Shoghi Effendi, the eldest grandson of `Abdu’l-Bahá, was appointed by Him to be Guardian of the Faith, and under his leadership the Faith expanded to over 250 different countries. Shoghi Effendi passed away in London in 1957.

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Shoghi Effendi, in the only Proclamation he ever issued, appointed Charles Mason Remey as the Head of the International Bahá’í Council, the embryonic Universal House of Justice. Mason Remey remained silent until 1960, as he tried to preserve unity among the believers. In 1960 he publicly announced that Shoghi Effendi has appointed him second Guardian of the Faith. The appointment being in the known fact that only a Guardian can be the Head or President of the Universal House of Justice, whether fully formed or in embryonic condition. With the passing of Shoghi Effendi the embryonic House of Justice, provisionally designated as the International Bahá’í Council, which had never been activated, had immediately become the active organ, and Mason as its president, the Guardian.

Mason himself both appointed in writing, and by appointing to the second International Bahá’í Council as President, Joel Bray Marangella third Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. When Mason activated the Council in 1965, Joel, as its President and Head, became the Guardian.

The Orthodox Bahá’í Faith teaches the unity of God and His Prophets, the unity of the human race, the independent investigation of the truth, elimination of all forms of prejudice, the fundamental agreement of science and religion, equal opportunities, rights, and privileges for both sexes, abolishes extremes of poverty and wealth, establishes the need for an international script and language, universal education, a universal system of currency, weights, and measures, and promotes the establishment of world peace.

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I. The Truth, Prophet, Man, and Proof

How to Know Truth

To know the truth requires being fair and being just. If you are to be able to spiritually see and hear (that is, know and understand), if you use fairness and justice, you can have God speak to you. You can recognize His Voice in His Prophet.

“The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 9.

You must seek knowledge of spiritual things only from God. If your spiritual sight is to know your real attributes, you will see that they are from the Manifestations of God.

“Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 15.

If you spiritually hear and see, you will know the Manifestation of God. He will raise you up to eternal life.

“Thy hearing is My hearing, hear thou therewith. Thy sight is My sight, do thou see therewith, that in thine inmost soul thou mayest testify unto My exalted sanctity, and I within Myself may bear witness unto an exalted station for thee.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 31.

You must give up what men teach, and see for yourself what the truth is. The City of God is the realm of the Spirit and the Word of God.

“That is, whatever he hath seen, and heard, and understood, all must he set at naught, that he may enter the realm of the spirit, which is the City of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 7.

True spiritual knowledge is based on the love of God. It will allow you to do away with imitation and accept the truth.

“. . . he will enter THE VALLEY OF KNOWLEDGE and come out of doubt into certitude, and turn from the darkness of illusion to the guiding light of the fear of God. His inner eyes will open and he will privily converse with his Beloved; he will set ajar the gate of truth and piety, and shut the doors of vain imaginings.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 11.

With this knowledge, you will see the Book of God as true.

“He breaketh the cage of the body and the passions, and consorteth with the people of the immortal realm. He mounteth on the ladders of inner truth and hasteneth to the heaven of inner significance. He rideth in the ark of "we shall show them our signs in the regions and in themselves," and journeyeth over the sea of "until it become plain to them that (this Book) is the truth."(Qur’án 41:53)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 12-13.

Fairness is a grace given by God through which one is able to discover the truth of God and abide in His Laws.

“By My life! He who hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the hands of My bountiful favour will circle around My commandments that shine above the Dayspring of My creation.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 23.

To know the truth is to judge by God’s standards as laid down in the Scriptures.

“These are the ordinances of God that have been set down in the Books and Tablets by His Most Exalted Pen. Hold ye fast unto His statutes and commandments, and be not of those who, following their idle fancies and vain imaginings, have clung to the standards fixed by their own selves, and cast behind their backs the standards laid down by God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 27.

Cleansing the heart and soul is very important in knowing the truth.

“When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 126.

If we reflect upon revealed Scripture with fairness and justice, we will gain true knowledge.

“We ask thee to reflect upon that which hath been revealed, and to be fair and just in thy speech, that perchance the splendors of the daystar of truthfulness and sincerity may shine forth, and may deliver thee from the darkness of ignorance, and illumine the world with the light of knowledge.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 11.

Do the Scriptures promote the knowledge and attributes of God, and do they bring men together in unity and fellowship?

“The Divine Messengers have been sent down, and their Books were revealed, for the purpose of promoting the knowledge of God, and of furthering unity and fellowship amongst men.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 12.

We are called to study the signs, proofs, and tokens of this revelation, its mission and its glory.

“It behoveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His glory.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 11.

Do not let the matter of names stop you from belief.

“Say, O followers of the Son! Have ye shut out yourselves from Me by reason of My Name? Wherefore ponder ye not in your hearts? Day and night ye have been calling upon your Lord, the Omnipotent, but when He came from the heaven of eternity in His great glory, ye turned aside from Him and remained sunk in heedlessness.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 9.

Man must know his own self in order to be able to fully comprehend the greatness of God.

“The object of God's teaching to man is that man may know himself in order to comprehend the greatness of God.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 80.

Spiritual Progress

You can progress spiritually and advance quickly if you are given the confirmations of the Holy Spirit and the Guardian of the Cause assists you.

“These journeys have no visible ending in the world of time, but the severed wayfarer--if invisible confirmation descend upon him and the Guardian of the Cause assist him--may cross these seven stages in seven steps, nay rather in seven breaths, nay rather in a breath, if God will and desire it.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 40-41.

The Mixing of Good and Evil Stops Progress

The story of the “sons of God” marrying the daughters of men has three possible explanations. The first put forward by Jewish and Christian literalists is that the “sons of God” are fallen angels, demons that took bodily form and married women. If we do not believe this interpretation, then we are left only with two major understandings. Either the sons of God are creatures from the visible heavens i.e., space aliens who came down and interbred with man, or more likely, an allegory. The sons of God represent the godly followers of the Prophets, and the daughters of men represent the ungodly line of unbelievers. Since there appears to be no open restriction in this early age of man to either marrying outside the faith, or to take care as to whether the families they married into were godly or not, (since the population was very small and vulnerable) the allegory represents the results of such unions. The children were often “giants” or “mighty ones,” i.e., tyrants. The children most often followed the ungodly rather than the godly influence of the parents.

Old Testament Genesis 6:2, 4 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

Unless we do away with our selfish motives and desires, we can never come to a true knowledge of the Lord. This form of mixing good and evil is not from outside the person but rather mixing good and evil desires. We must strive to be consistently godly.

“Wherefore must the veils of the satanic self be burned away at the fire of love, that the spirit may be purified and cleansed and thus may know the station of the Lord of the Worlds.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 11.

Again:

“None have believed in Him except them who, through the power of the Lord of Names, have shattered the idols of their vain imaginings and corrupt desires and entered the city of certitude. The seal of the choice Wine of His Revelation hath, in this Day and in His Name, the Self-Sufficing, been broken. Its grace is being poured out upon men.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 12.

Ask and God Will Reveal

If we ask for help, God will aid us to know and accept His Prophet.

“Thou art He Who from everlasting hath succored whosoever hath sought Thee, and bountifully favored him who hath asked Thee.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 13.

Doing God’s Will is a Way to Know

Jesus says that the desire to do God’s Will makes it possible to know whether He speaks the truth.

New Testament John 7:16 - 17 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

The Rewards of Obedience

The Prophets speak as God, and each person by obedience speaks like the Prophets. This assurance becomes a sign to those who see you.

“The first is His statement: "O My Servant! Obey Me and I shall make thee like unto Myself. I say `Be,' and it is, and thou shalt say `Be,' and it shall be."” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 63.

Good Fruits – Good Trees

Christ said that every good Tree gives good fruit. The way you know a true Prophet from a false one is by the results of the tree (religion) that he plants.

New Testament Matthew 7:15 - 20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The good fruits of the new religion founded by Bahá’u’lláh should be apparent to all.

“A new springtime appeared through Him, for the Sun of Truth had risen again. In the fields and meadows of human hearts variegated flowers of inner significance were blooming, and the good fruits of the Kingdom of God became manifest.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 16.

Every Prophet Proves By His Life His Truth

It is through the life, as well as the Word, of the Prophet that you may judge the truth of His mission. How does the prophet respond to adversity and persecution?

Old Testament Job 2:10 What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Even in great distress, a prophet does not hide the words of God.

Old Testament Job 6:10 I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

John the Baptist states to the Jewish leaders that they and their religion were to be judged as wanting. He uses the analogy of fruit for the acts of their lives. He states that they and their religion are about to be brought to an abrupt end like a tree cut down.

New Testament Matthew 3:7 – 10 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Jesus also uses the analogy of John the Baptist concerning how to discern a true Prophet.

New Testament Matthew 7:18 - 19 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The life of the Prophet is His first proof. When a Prophet reveals Himself, it is so the ones to be raised from spiritual death may live and those who remain dead may perish.

“God beareth Me witness, I was not a man of learning, for I was trained as a merchant. In the year sixty God graciously infused my soul with the conclusive evidences and weighty knowledge which characterize Him Who is the Testimony of God--may peace be upon Him--until finally in that year I proclaimed God's hidden Cause and unveiled its well-guarded Pillar, in such wise that no one could refute it. `That he who should perish might perish with a clear proof before him and he who should live might live by clear proof.'” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 12 – 13.

The Prophet is His proof! Each Prophet is rejected because of the selfish desires of mankind.

“O people of the earth! To attain the ultimate retreat in God, the True One, are we to seek a Gate other than this exalted Being?...

When God created the Remembrance He presented Him to the assemblage of all created beings upon the altar of His Will. Thereupon the concourse of the angels bowed low in adoration to God, the Peerless, the Incomparable; while Satan waxed proud, refusing to submit to His Remembrance; hence he is identified in the Book of God as the arrogant one and the accursed.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 64.

To come to faith in the Prophet, one of the proofs is the tests He endured.

“Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets of God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 5.

The Prophets words and deeds match.

“Behold how contrary are the ways of the Manifestations of God, as ordained by the King of creation, to the ways and desires of men! As thou comest to comprehend the essence of these divine mysteries, thou wilt grasp the purpose of God, the divine Charmer, the Best-Beloved. Thou wilt regard the words and the deeds of that almighty Sovereign as one and the same; in such wise that whatsoever thou dost behold in His deeds, the same wilt thou find in His sayings, and whatsoever thou dost read in His sayings, that wilt thou recognize in His deeds. Thus it is that outwardly such deeds and words are the fire of vengeance unto the wicked, and inwardly the waters of mercy unto the righteous. Were the eye of the heart to open, it would surely perceive that the words revealed from the heaven of the will of God are at one with, and the same as, the deeds that have emanated from the Kingdom of divine power.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 37.

These fruits of man magnified are also in infinitely greater degree than those of the Prophet.

“The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 26.

The Life, Revelation, and Words of the Prophet are His Proof.

“Say: The first and foremost testimony establishing His truth is His own Self. Next to this testimony is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize either the one or the other He hath established the words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and truth.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 105.

He overcomes all the oppositions mustered against the Prophet in His life.

“Thou didst raise Him up to such heights that the wrongs inflicted by the oppressors have been powerless to deter Him from revealing Thy sovereignty, and the ascendancy of the wayward hath failed to prevent Him from demonstrating Thy power and from exalting Thy Cause.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 36.

Education from the Prophet is because of Divine power.

“It has now been proved by rational arguments that the world of existence is in the utmost need of an educator, and that its education must be achieved by divine power. There is no doubt that this holy power is revelation, and that the world must be educated through this power which is above human power.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 11.

Prophet Gives Spirit of Self-Sacrifice as a Proof

Every Prophet, though a Perfect Reflection of Godhood, is fully human as well as fully perfect in the reflection of God’s attributes. The story of the temptation of Christ is a good example. In an allegorical explanation of the Divine Mission and humanity of Jesus, we find that in the human nature even the Prophet is tempted by his own desires. But, always the Prophet deals with the temptation in such a way as to never sin.

New Testament 4:1 – 10 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Jesus, sums up how He came and why He would endure His fate. He shows clearly that the spirit of self-sacrifice for others is a proof.

New Testament Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Again,

New Testament Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The conditions of adversity the Prophets are made to endure are part of the proof of their mission. When one persecutes the Prophets, it is reckoned that he has persecuted all the Prophets and saints.

“I swear by the Most Great Lord! Wert thou to be told in what place I dwell, the first person to have mercy on Me would be thyself. In the heart of a mountain is a fortress [Mákú] ... the inmates of which are confined to two guards and four dogs. Picture, then, My plight... I swear by the truth of God! Were he who hath been willing to treat Me in such a manner to know Who it is Whom he hath so treated, he, verily, would never in his life be happy. Nay-- I, verily, acquaint thee with the truth of the matter--it is as if he hath imprisoned all the Prophets, and all the men of truth and all the chosen ones...” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 14.

A criterion of truth is that the Prophet suffers because of other men.

“In this mountain I have remained alone, and have come to such a pass that none of those gone before Me have suffered what I have suffered, nor any transgressor endured what I have endured!” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 16.

From the human point of view, the Prophets suffer because people are not spiritually looking for Them.

“Everyone is eagerly awaiting His appearance, yet since their inner eyes are not directed towards Him sorrow must needs befall Him.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 96.

The Prophet and His Words give the believers a spirit of self-sacrifice as a proof of the truth.

“Furthermore, the sign of truth and falsehood is designated and appointed in the Book. By this divinely-appointed touchstone, the claims and pretensions of all men must needs be assayed, so that the truthful may be known and distinguished from the imposter. This touchstone is no other than this verse: "Wish for death, if ye are men of truth." (Qur’án 2:94) Consider these martyrs of unquestionable sincerity, to whose truthfulness testifieth the explicit text of the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed, have sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives, their children, their all, and ascended unto the loftiest chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject the testimony of these detached and exalted beings to the truth of this pre-eminent and glorious Revelation and to regard as acceptable the denunciations which have been uttered against this resplendent Light by this faithless people, who for gold have forsaken their faith, and who for the sake of leadership have repudiated Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind?” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 145.

A proof of Jesus Christ’s truth was His endurance under persecution.

“Reflect how Jesus, the Spirit of God, was, notwithstanding His extreme meekness and perfect tender-heartedness, treated by His enemies. So fierce was the opposition which He, the Essence of Being and Lord of the visible and invisible, had to face, that He had nowhere to lay His head. He wandered continually from place to place, deprived of a permanent abode.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 56.

A proof, then, is the opposition to the Prophet.

“At no time, in no Dispensation, have the Prophets of God escaped the blasphemy of their enemies, the cruelty of their oppressors, the denunciation of the learned of their age, who appeared in the guise of uprightness and piety.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 57.

They come to advance and develop man spiritually. Their proof is in doing so.

“Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 67.

The Prophet suffers for a purpose.

“Do ye imagine that He seeketh His own interests, when He hath, at all times, been threatened by the swords of the enemies; or that He seeketh the vanities of the world, after He hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of cities? Be fair in your judgement and follow not the footsteps of the unjust.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 10.

Only the Prophets suffer and still summon mankind.

“Though beset with countless afflictions, We summon the people unto God, the Lord of names.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 11.

How to Present the Truth

It is action that ultimately gives the truth its believability to mankind. It is better to do a righteous deed than to talk about doing it for a lifetime.

“A man is not a follower of righteousness because he talks much learned talk; but although a man be not learned, if he forgets not the right path, if his work is rightly done, then he is a follower of righteousness.” The Buddha, Buddhism and the Bahá’í Faith, p.7.

Bahá’ís should follow this injunction when presenting the truth to another.

“Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one another. Should any one among you be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be striving to comprehend it, show forth, when conversing with him, a spirit of extreme kindliness and good-will. Help him to see and recognize the truth, without esteeming yourself to be, in the least, superior to him, or to be possessed of greater endowments.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 8.

Character of the Believers a Proof

The Báb enumerates many of the things that believers undergo which are in themselves proofs of the creative and regenerating power of God working through the Prophet.

“How numerous the souls raised to life who were exposed to dire humiliation in Thy Path for exalting Thy Word and for glorifying Thy divine Unity! How profuse the blood that hath been shed for the sake of Thy Faith to vindicate the authenticity of Thy divine Mission and to celebrate Thy praise! How vast the possessions that were wrongfully seized in the Path of Thy love in order to affirm the loftiness of Thy sanctity and to extol Thy glorious Name! How many the feet that have trodden upon the dust in order to magnify Thy holy Word and to extol Thy glory! How innumerable the voices that were raised in lamentation, the hearts that were struck with terror, the grievous woes that none other than Thee can reckon, and the adversities and afflictions that remain inscrutable to anyone except Thyself; all this to establish, O my God, the loftiness of Thy sanctity and to demonstrate the transcendent character of Thy glory.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 188 – 189.

We guide others to Bahá’u’lláh by our good character.

“A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to the Straight Path and are led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the Concourse on High.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 36.

How the Word changes hearts proves the power of the Word Giver.

“The proof of the validity of a Manifestation of God is the penetration and potency of His Word, the cultivation of heavenly attributes in the hearts and lives of His followers and the bestowal of divine education upon the world of humanity. This is absolute proof. The world is a school in which there must be Teachers of the Word of God. The evidence of the ability of these Teachers is efficient education of the graduating classes.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 341.

Living the Life is an Evidence

Adversity also may come to you, but if you remain true to your Faith you will be enabled to remain steadfast.

Old Testament Job 1:20 – 22 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

God sends His Prophets in another sense as a test of His servants.

“Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 6.

We must strive for this.

Should one of them turn his face toward some direction and summon the people to the Kingdom of God, all the ideal forces and lordly confirmations will rush to his support and reinforcement. He will behold all the doors open and all the strong fortifications and impregnable castles razed to the ground. Singly and alone he will attack the armies of the world, defeat the right and left wings of the hosts of all the countries, break through the lines of the legions of all the nations and carry his attack to the very center of the powers of the earth. This is the meaning of the Hosts of God. Any soul from among the believers of Bahá'u'lláh who attains to this station will become known as the Apostle of Bahá'u'lláh. `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, pp. 49 – 50.

When we reflect the virtues God has designed for us, we give evidence of the validity of the Prophet’s Mission.

“God sent His Prophets into the world to teach and enlighten man, to explain to him the mystery of the Power of the Holy Spirit, to enable him to reflect the light, and so in his turn, to be the source of guidance to others. The Heavenly Books, the Bible, the Qur'án, and the other Holy Writings have been given by God as guides into the paths of Divine virtue, love, justice and peace.

Therefore I say unto you that ye should strive to follow the counsels of these Blessed Books, and so order your lives that ye may, following the examples set before you, become yourselves the saints of the Most High!” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 57.

How we reveal the spirit of love is a method of validating the truth.

“The all-conquering Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh cannot prove effective in this world of strife and turmoil, and cannot achieve its purpose for mankind, unless we, who are named after His Name, and who are the recipients of His Grace, endeavour, by our example, our daily life and our dealings with our fellow-men, to reveal that noble spirit of love and self-sacrifice of which the world stands in need at present.” Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 14.

Miracles Not A Proof

While the Prophets perform miracles, they are not proofs of their mission. People who saw the miracles were able to rationalize them away. Further, many miracles recorded have a spiritual meaning rather than a physical one.

“Also, most of the miracles of the Prophets which are mentioned have an inner significance. For instance, in the Gospel it is written that at the martyrdom of Christ darkness prevailed, and the earth quaked, and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the dead came forth from their graves. If these events had happened, they would indeed have been awesome, and would certainly have been recorded in the history of the times. They would have become the cause of much troublings of heart. Either the soldiers would have taken down Christ from the cross, or they would have fled. These events are not related in any history; therefore, it is evident they ought not to be taken literally, but as having an inner significance.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 37 – 38.

Miracles Actually Happen

This is a miracle of Jesus confirmed to have physically occurred by Bahá’u’lláh.

“It is also recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that on a certain day Jesus passed by a Jew who was sick of the palsy, and lay upon a couch. When the Jew saw Him, he recognized Him, and cried out for His help. Jesus said unto him: "Arise from thy bed; thy sins are forgiven thee." Certain of the Jews, standing by, protested saying: "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" And immediately He perceived their thoughts, Jesus answering said unto them: "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, arise, and take up thy bed, and walk; or to say, thy sins are forgiven thee? that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins." (Mark 2:3-12) This is the real sovereignty, and such is the power of God's chosen Ones!” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 86.

II. God, the Prophet, and Man

God Is One

God is one God.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD

God Unchangeable and Uncreated

Without God, there is no escape from the physical world and death. The world is obviously born, originated, created, and formed. As such it depends on an Uncreated.

“There is, O monks, an Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed. Were there not, O monks, this Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed, there would be no escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed.” The Buddha, Udana, 80-81, quoted in page facing contents, The God of Buddha.

God is eternally the same Being.

Old Testament Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not

God Is Infinite and Cannot Be Contained by His Creation

God is an infinite Being. There is nothing on earth that can contain the unknowable God, which is why His Manifestations reflect His Glory while never truly being Him Incarnate.

Old Testament 1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Job states that God is so “other” that no one can really understand him.

Old Testament Job 9:32 – 33 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

God is Unknowable

God can be somewhat explained in attributes, but not in essence. Indeed, it is the Prophet who alone knows what the spirit world and God are in attribute completely.

“When the Buddha had thus spoken, one of the Brahmins said, “We are told, Gotama, that the Sakyamuni knows the path to a union with Brahma.” And the Blessed One said: “What do you think, O Brahmins, of a man born and brought up in Manasakata? Would he be in doubt about the most direct way from this spot to Manasakata?” “Certainly not, Gotama.” “Thus,” replied the Buddha, “the Tathagata knows the straight path that leads to a union with Brahma. He knows it as one who has entered the world of Brahma and has been born in it. There can be no doubt in the Tathagata.” And the two young Brahmins said: “If thou knowest the way, show it to us.” And the Buddha said: “The Tathagata sees the universe face to face and understands its nature. He proclaims the truth both in its letter and its spirit, and his doctrine is glorious in its origin, glorious in its progress, glorious in its consummation. The Tathagata reveals the higher life in its purity and perfection.” The Buddha, Digha-nikaya, quoted in The God of Buddha, p. 113.

The Manifestations of God can know perfectly the attributes of God, but never the essence of what God truly is. This is expressed in various ways. In the Old Testament it was the fear that looking directly on the Face of God, that is His Essence, would cause one to die. In other words, it could not be done.

Old Testament Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

This passage also reflects the unknowableness of God, and how the Manifestation of God is able to see and reflect to us his attributes. It is allegorical and figurative.

Old Testament Exodus 33:17 - 23 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

God in Essence cannot be known. All man’s imaginations of Him are but something else other than Him. It is only through the Prophets that we can understand the attributes of God.

“This people, all of them, have pictured a god in the realm of the mind, and worship that image which they have made for themselves. And yet that image is comprehended, the human mind being the comprehender thereof, and certainly the comprehender is greater than that which lieth within its grasp; for imagination is but the branch, while mind is the root; and certainly the root is greater than the branch. Consider then, how all the peoples of the world are bowing the knee to a fancy of their own contriving, how they have created a creator within their own minds, and they call it the Fashioner of all that is--whereas in truth it is but an illusion. Thus are the people worshipping only an error of perception.

But that Essence of Essences, that Invisible of Invisibles, is sanctified above all human speculation, and never to be overtaken by the mind of man. Never shall that immemorial Reality lodge within the compass of a contingent being. His is another realm, and of that realm no understanding can be won. No access can be gained thereto; all entry is forbidden there. The utmost one can say is that Its existence can be proved, but the conditions of Its existence are unknown.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 57 – 58.

Man’s Intellect from God

Bahá’u’lláh recognizes the intellect of man and advises those who teach His Cause to teach it in a way that does not offend that intellect.

“Consort with all men, O people of Bahá, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 15.

The intellect of man is from God.

“This supreme emblem of God stands first in the order of creation and first in rank, taking precedence over all created things. Witness to it is the Holy Tradition, "Before all else, God created the mind." From the dawn of creation, it was made to be revealed in the temple of man.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 1.

Man Created to Reflect God’s Attributes

Again, we find the affirmation of our own true nature will cause us to affirm God, and denial of our spiritual nature will cause us to deny God. This is the great curse of materialism that denies the spiritual nature of man.

“Who denies God, denies himself. Who affirms God, affirms himself.” Hindu Scriptures, Taittiriya Upanishad, II.6.i, quoted in The God of Buddha, page before contents.

Man was created for the purpose of reflecting the attributes of God.

Old Testament Genesis 9:6 . . . in the image of God made he man.

One of the proofs of the Prophet can only come through knowing and loving Him. When we know and love the Prophet we will know Him close to us and no other proof is really necessary then.

“Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 13.

By reflecting on our spiritual nature as outlined in the Words of God we will also find proof of the Prophet’s mission.

“Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 15.

The Prophet Reflects the Attributes of God to Man

There is only one God, only one deity worthy of worship. This one God can only be known by and through the Manifestations of God that the God of the Universe sends to make his attributes and Will known.

Old Testament Hosea 13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

Moses manifested the attributes of God.

Old Testament Exodus 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Prophets are the mediator between God and man.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

Jesus revealed the attributes of God as He was manifesting the Holy Spirit of God.

New Testament Matthew 1:20 - 21 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The Prophets must reveal the attributes of God. God’s Manifestation will bear witness to the Prophets before and after Him.

“Every Manifestation is but a revelation of Thine Own Self, with each of Whom we have truly appeared and we bow down in adoration before Thee. Thou hast been, O my Best Beloved, and shalt ever be my witness throughout bygone times and in the days to come. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Ever-Faithful, the Omnipotent.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 4.

The Holy Prophets have been created to perfectly manifest the attributes of God to mankind.

“. . . Thy lamp which sheddeth the radiance of Thine own Self over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 7.

The Names of God and His Attributes should be revealed in the lives of His Prophets.

“The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty, and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme Mediator, the Most Exalted Pen, Him Whom God hath made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Dayspring of His most exalted attributes.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 1 – 2.

A good tree bears good fruit. Moses invites us to have the attributes of faithfulness that come from the Tree of Faithfulness, which in His day was Moses.

“Consider Moses! Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of Divine knowledge, and proceeding from the Párán of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 19.

Another possible criterion after the span of time the Prophet is honored.

“This sovereignty must needs be revealed and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 26.

All we can know of God’s purpose is through the Manifestation.

“The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same. By this is meant that whatever pertaineth to the former, all His acts and doings, whatever He ordaineth or forbiddeth, should be considered, in all their aspects, and under all circumstances, and without any reservation, as identical with the Will of God Himself. This is the loftiest station to which a true believer in the unity of God can ever hope to attain. Blessed is the man that reacheth this station, and is of them that are steadfast in their belief.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 166.

The Prophet is not the Essence of God. Yet, all we can ever know about God is what is revealed by His Manifestations.

“Is the Divine Manifestation, God? Yes, and yet not in Essence. A Divine Manifestation is as a mirror reflecting the light of the Sun. The light is the same and yet the mirror is not the Sun.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 66.

Shoghi Effendi references Bahá’u’lláh showing why the Prophets are sent.

“"The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days," Bahá'u'lláh further states in the Kitáb-i-Iqán, "being thus closed in the face of all beings, He, the Source of infinite grace ... hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence... All the Prophets of God, His well-favored, His holy and chosen Messengers are, without exception, the bearers of His names and the embodiments of His attributes... These Tabernacles of Holiness, these primal Mirrors which reflect the Light of unfading glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles."” Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 113 – 114.

God First Tells His Plans to the Prophet

Whatever God does to change the world, He first tells the Prophets.

Old Testament Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

God Leads By Means of His Prophets

Hosea states that God uses prophets to lead and deliver His people.

Old Testament Hosea 12:13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

The Prophets Mission Involves Deliverance

The Prophet comes to deliver or save mankind from sin and oppression.

Old Testament Exodus 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Prophets Do Not Do Their Own Will

Moses was not subject to his own will.

Old Testament Numbers 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

What the Prophet Says Comes to Pass

Part of the proof of a prophet is that what he says happens.

Old Testament Hosea 5:9 . . . among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

One of the criterions of prophethood is that the Prophet comes with signs and what he says will happen.

“How well hath a believer of the kindred of Pharaoh, whose story is recounted by the All-Glorious in His Book revealed unto His beloved One, observed: "And a man of the family of Pharaoh who was a believer and concealed his faith said: `Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who is a transgressor, a liar.'"(Qur’án 40;28)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 8.

Prophets are given signs that no mere man can produce.

“He hath come to you with signs which none can produce.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 48.

The Prophet Brings the City God

The City of God is nearness to the Prophet and His Laws.

“And after Him there appeared from the Ridván of the Eternal, the Invisible, the holy person of Salíh, Who again summoned the people to the river of everlasting life. For over a hundred years He admonished them to hold fast unto the commandments of God and eschew that which is forbidden. His admonitions, however, yielded no fruit, and His pleading proved of no avail. Several times He retired and lived in seclusion. All this, although that eternal Beauty was summoning the people to no other than the city of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 7.

Prophets Come Under Persecution

In the allegory of Satan speaking against Job in the Old Testament, one finds the story of how God permits man’s selfishness to persecute His Manifestation, and how man’s selfish ego allows man to think that by persecuting the Prophet he will succeed in turning Him from His mission.

Old Testament Job 2:1 - 6 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Bahá’u’lláh says, that to obtain assurance of the truth of His Revelation, look at how the Prophets were treated before Him. The “bread of heaven” is the Prophet in His life on earth. After His leaving this world, it is the Word He has given.

“Examine the wondrous behaviour of the Prophets, and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation and falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and holiness.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 4 – 5.

By studying the life of the Prophet, it can be seen that the proof of the Prophet is the persecution He endures.

“Accordingly, a brief mention will be made in this Tablet of divers accounts relative to the Prophets of God, that they may demonstrate the truth that throughout all ages and centuries the Manifestations of power and glory have been subjected to such heinous cruelties that no pen dare describe them.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 5.

Every religion foretells the next Prophet, but every Prophet comes under persecution.

“The advent of every true Manifestation of God hath been accompanied by such strife and tumult, by such tyranny and upheaval? This notwithstanding the fact that all the Prophets of God, whenever made manifest unto the peoples of the world, have invariably foretold the coming of yet another Prophet after them, and have established such signs as would herald the advent of the future Dispensation. To this the records of all sacred books bear witness.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 9.

The priests of the previous dispensations have opposed the new Promised One.

“Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 10.

God allows persecution for a reason.

“Already We have said: "Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed?” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 125.

God allows the Prophets to come under persecution for a reason.

“But for tribulations, how could the assured be distinguished from the doubters among Thy servants?” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 9.

Again Bahá’u’lláh states why the Prophets are persecuted.

“They that are shut out as by a veil from Thee have imagined that they have the power to put out Thy light, and to quench Thy fire, and to still the winds of Thy grace. Nay, and to this Thy might beareth me witness! Had not every tribulation been made the bearer of Thy wisdom, and every ordeal the vehicle of Thy providence, no one would have dared oppose us, though the powers of earth and heaven were to be leagued against us. Were I to unravel the wondrous mysteries of Thy wisdom which are laid bare before me, the reins of Thine enemies would be cleft asunder.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 14.

The purpose of God’s Prophets being hurt:

“The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and tribulations, in revealing the Holy Verses and in demonstrating proofs hath been naught but to quench the flame of hate and enmity, that the horizon of the hearts of men may be illumined with the light of concord and attain real peace and tranquillity.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 219.

Prophets cannot sustain the persecution of the people without the aid of God. That they are able to, proves they come from God.

“It is clear that human power is not able to fill such a great office, and that reason alone could not undertake the responsibility of so great a mission. How can one solitary person without help and without support lay the foundations of such a noble construction? He must depend on the help of the spiritual and divine power to be able to undertake this mission. One Holy Soul gives life to the world of humanity, changes the aspect of the terrestrial globe, causes intelligence to progress, vivifies souls, lays the basis of a new life, establishes new foundations, organizes the world, brings nations and religions under the shadow of one standard, delivers man from the world of imperfections and vices, and inspires him with the desire and need of natural and acquired perfections. Certainly nothing short of a divine power could accomplish so great a work. We ought to consider this with justice, for this is the office of justice.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 9 – 10.

Despite persecutions the Prophet prevails.

“In spite of His evil repute, how wonderfully He was guided by a supernatural power in establishing His great institutions and laws!” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 15.

Many Follow the Prophet who are not from His own People

When Moses redeemed Israel, many Egyptians also became believers and left in the Exodus to share the life of Israel.

Old Testament Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

Jethro was a believer in God and one of His priests from a Gentile nation.

Old Testament Exodus 18:10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

It is usually the Unlearned and Socially Outcast Who Believe

Jesus, clearly speaking of John the Baptist’s followers, condemns the learned of the Jewish religion.

New Testament Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The learned most often deny the new Prophet while the unlearned follow.

“Moreover, call thou to mind the one who sentenced Jesus to death. He was the most learned of his age in his own country, whilst he who was only a fisherman believed in Him. Take good heed and be of them that observe the warning.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 10.

Differences Arise

The differences between people increase just before and after the time of the Manifestation. The Manifestation solves and ends these differences.

“At the time when the Promise was fulfilled and the Promised One made manifest, differences have appeared amongst the kindreds of the earth and each people hath followed its own fancy and idle imaginings.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 32.

Evil People Become Bewildered

They that reject have lost part of their reasoning power. Spiritually their evil desires have impaired their spiritual reasoning power and made acceptance of the Message impossible.

“So bewildered are they in the drunkenness of their evil desires, that they are powerless to recognize the Lord of all being, Whose voice calleth aloud from every direction: "There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Wise."” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 34.

Rejection of Prophets and Believers

The people come to hate the Prophets. This hate is developed due to envy.

Old Testament Genesis 37:8, 11 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And his brethren envied him. . .

In the book of Exodus, the rejection of Christ is typified in the Passover lamb. The innocent sacrifice and blood shedding is to save or redeem Israel from Pharaoh’s fate.

Old Testament Exodus 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

Christ used this quote from Isaiah to show the ignorance of His own people.

Old Testament Jeremiah 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not.

God sent His Prophets and holy ones, but the people and leadership tried to make the believers unholy and silence the Prophets.

Old Testament Amos 2:11 - 12 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

Both the Prophets and believers have tribulations.

“Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 37.

Why is the Prophet rejected?

“Thus it is that certain invalid souls have confined the lands of knowledge within the wall of self and passion, and clouded them with ignorance and blindness, and have been veiled from the light of the mystic sun and the mysteries of the Eternal Beloved; they have strayed afar from the jewelled wisdom of the lucid Faith of the Lord of Messengers, have been shut out of the sanctuary of the All-Beauteous One, and banished from the Ka'bih of splendor.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 19.

The Prophet is rejected is stated another way.

“Even as the sun, bright hath He shined,

But alas, He hath come to the town of the blind!”(Jal’al-Din Rumi (1207-1273 A.D.) Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 39.

Any Prophet will be persecuted.

“And if a nightingale soar upward from the clay of self and dwell in the rose bower of the heart, and in Arabian melodies and sweet Iranian songs recount the mysteries of God-- a single word of which quickeneth to fresh, new life the bodies of the dead, and bestoweth the Holy Spirit upon the moldering bones of this existence--thou wilt behold a thousand claws of envy, a myriad beaks of rancor hunting after Him and with all their power intent upon His death.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 20.

Turning from God’s desire for you to your own is seeking a desire that dies. It cannot bring you spiritual life. It is therefore satanic or selfish to turn away.

“To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away from Our desire and seek thine own?” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 21.

Vain imaginings keep man from the Prophets.

“Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter into My court, that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet Me. Thus may death not come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 41.

Muhammad (Paran) entered into a Covenant for the Muslims to recognize the next Prophet.

“Call ye to mind that covenant ye have entered into with Me upon Mount Paran, situate within the hallowed precincts of Zaman. I have taken to witness the concourse on high and the dwellers in the city of eternity, yet now none do I find faithful unto the covenant. Of a certainty pride and rebellion have effaced it from the hearts, in such wise that no trace thereof remaineth. Yet knowing this, I waited and disclosed it not.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 98.

This opposition becomes one of the proofs of the prophet in every dispensation.

“And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away from His face--the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 4.

When the Prophet teaches, their people arose against them.

“And after Noah the light of the countenance of Húd shone forth above the horizon of creation. For well-nigh seven hundred years, according to the sayings of men, He exhorted the people to turn their faces and draw nearer unto the Ridván of the divine presence. What showers of afflictions rained upon Him, until at last His adjurations bore the fruit of increased rebelliousness, and His assiduous endeavours resulted in the wilful blindness of His people.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 6.

Abraham was among those who were persecuted.

“Later, the beauty of the countenance of the Friend of God appeared from behind the veil, and another standard of divine guidance was hoisted. He invited the people of the earth to the light of righteousness. The more passionately He exhorted them, the fiercer waxed the envy and waywardness of the people, except those who wholly detached themselves from all save God, and ascended on the wings of certainty to the station which God hath exalted beyond the comprehension of men. It is well known what a host of enemies besieged Him, until at last the fires of envy and rebellion were kindled against Him. And after the episode of the fire came to pass, He, the lamp of God amongst men, was, as recorded in all books and chronicles, expelled from His city.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 7 – 8.

Moses also came under persecution from Pharaoh and his people.

“And when His day was ended, there came the turn of Moses. Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and proceeding from the Párán of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp of everlasting dominion.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 8.

Whatever caused the people of the past to reject God’s prophets is what causes them to do so today.

“Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? What could have prompted such behavior towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious? Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause of the denial and opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of this age.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 17 – 18.

The reason for rejection is given.

“But having weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found it at variance with their limited understanding, they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts....” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 19.

Concerning the rejection of Christ by Israel, Bahá’u’lláh does not state they are Satanic, but that the vain imaginations they have set up for the Messiah are based on selfish ethnic desires, and so are allegorically related to Satan. The Devil in the Bahá’í cosmology does not exist, and is allegorical for selfishness.

“How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived!” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 20.

Having rejected Jesus, they used the same reasoning to reject Muhammad.

“When the Unseen, the Eternal, the Divine Essence, caused the Day Star of Muhammad to rise above the horizon of knowledge, among the cavils which the Jewish divines raised against Him was that after Moses no Prophet should be sent of God. Yea, mention hath been made in the Scriptures of a Soul Who must needs be made manifest and Who will advance the Faith, and promote the interests of the people of Moses, so that the Law of the Mosaic Dispensation may encompass the whole earth.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 22 – 23.

Muhammad rejected the arguments being used against him as false.

“Thus hath the King of eternal glory referred in His Book to the words uttered by those wanderers in the vale of remoteness and error: "`The hand of God,' say the Jews, `is chained up.' Chained up be their own hands; And for that which they have said, they were accursed. Nay, outstretched are both His hands!" "The hand of God is above their hands." Although the commentators of the Qur'án have related in divers manners the circumstances attending the revelation of this verse, yet thou shouldst endeavor to apprehend the purpose thereof. He saith: How false is that which the Jews have imagined! How can the hand of Him Who is the King in truth, Who caused the countenance of Moses to be made manifest, and conferred upon Him the robe of Prophethood--how can the hand of such a One be chained and fettered?” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 23.

Because of their wicked imaginations and selfish desires, the Priests of the past dispensation often arise against the new revelation.

“You are well aware of what befell His Faith in the early days of His Dispensation. What woeful sufferings did the hand of the infidel and erring, the divines of that age and their associates, inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most pure and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars which they have strewn over His path! It is evident that that wretched generation, in their wicked and satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being as a means to the attainment of an abiding felicity. . .” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 24 – 25.

When the Priests verbally incited attacks on the Prophet, the common followers carried out the torments.

“These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise and torment Him. And how fierce that torment, if the divines of the age be its chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from their midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this Servant, and been witnessed by all?” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 25.

Because of the veiling of peoples’ understandings, they reject the Prophet.

“Such things are as "clouds" that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not tasted the Salsabíl of detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such men, when acquainted with those circumstances, become so veiled that, without the least question, they pronounce the Manifestation of God as infidel, and sentence Him to death. You must have heard of such things taking place all down the ages, and are now observing them in these days.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 27.

Persecution of the Followers is also an Evidence

The Prophet raises up changed people who then find themselves persecuted. The Prophets themselves being persecuted are a proof.

New Testament Matthew 5:11 - 12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

All Men Are Able to Come to God, Not All Do, but All Are Judged

Every person will be judged and punished based on his own acts and not those of his parents or relatives.

Old Testament Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Their Creator endows all men with the ability to hear His call to come to Him, but not every man will answer that call.

“Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure?” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 142.

Why The People Deny

Muhammad states that the people of the previous revelation often are illiterate in the sense that, while they may be able to read or hear the Word, they cannot understand its spiritual meaning.

Qur’án 2:78 And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book, but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.

Muhammad also states that men often believe only part of the book, and reject the rest as myth or untrue.

Qur’án 2:85 Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? but what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life?- and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For God is not unmindful of what ye do.

Muhammad states that the people who deny have made their Priests their Lords instead of God.

Qur’án 9:31 They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of God.

The denial of the Prophets comes from mankind generally not understanding the spiritual meaning of the Book. Not understanding the real meaning of the Book, they revolted against the Prophet.

“The denials and protestations of these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. Those words uttered by the Revealers of the beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed. Hence they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition. It is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being, and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of the denizens of the everlasting realm.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 11 – 12.

The previous Book and its prophecies can never be fully understood without the aid of the next Prophet. The next Prophet can only be believed by the aid of the Holy Spirit. The people seek the interpretation of the Book from those who reject the Prophet, rather than from the Prophet Himself. The example of Jesus is clear. They looked for literal things to occur and they did not.

“Even as He saith: "None knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-grounded in knowledge." (Qur’án 3:7) And yet, they have sought the interpretation of the Book from those that are wrapt in veils, and have refused to seek enlightenment from the fountain-head of knowledge. And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamoured that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day--the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come?” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 12.

Since Israel depended on the interpretations of a hostile clergy, they took the Book literally and never understood the spiritual and allegorical meanings which Jesus fulfilled and so denied Him.

“. . . Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 13.

Prophets are also rejected because they are physically like any other human being.

“Even as the clouds prevent the eyes of men from beholding the sun, so do these things hinder the souls of men from recognizing the light of the divine Luminary. To this beareth witness that which hath proceeded out of the mouth of the unbelievers as revealed in the sacred Book: "And they have said: `What manner of apostle is this? He eateth food, and walketh the streets. Unless an angel be sent down and take part in His warnings, we will not believe.'"(Qur’án 25:7)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 46 – 47.

Changes that occur with each dispensation also cause men to reject.

“It is evident that the changes brought about in every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that intervene between the eye of man's understanding and the divine Luminary which shineth forth from the dayspring of the divine Essence. Consider how men for generations have been blindly imitating their fathers, and have been trained according to such ways and manners as have been laid down by the dictates of their Faith. Were these men, therefore, to discover suddenly that a Man, Who hath been living in their midst, Who, with respect to every human limitation, hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every established principle imposed by their Faith--principles by which for centuries they have been disciplined, and every opposer and denier of which they have come to regard as infidel, profligate and wicked,--they would of a certainty be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 47 – 48.

Christians have rejected Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh. It was due to taking the prophecy of Christ literally, and had it occurred literally no one would be able to deny it, and free will would be violated.

“As the adherents of Jesus have never understood the hidden meaning of these words, and as the signs which they and the leaders of their Faith have expected have failed to appear, they therefore refused to acknowledge, even until now, the truth of those Manifestations of Holiness that have since the days of Jesus been made manifest. They have thus deprived themselves of the outpourings of God's holy grace, and of the wonders of His divine utterance. Such is their low estate in this, the Day of Resurrection! They have even failed to perceive that were the signs of the Manifestation of God in every age to appear in the visible realm in accordance with the text of established traditions, none could possibly deny or turn away, nor would the blessed be distinguished from the miserable, and the transgressor from the God-fearing. Judge fairly: Were the prophecies recorded in the Gospel to be literally fulfilled; were Jesus, Son of Mary, accompanied by angels, to descend from the visible heaven upon the clouds; who would dare to disbelieve, who would dare to reject the truth, and wax disdainful? Nay, such consternation would immediately seize all the dwellers of the earth that no soul would feel able to utter a word, much less to reject or accept the truth. It was owing to their misunderstanding of these truths that many a Christian divine hath objected to Muhammad. . .” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 51 – 52.

Not understanding the allegorical and symbolic meaning of Scripture, they rejected Muhammad.

“By the terms "life" and "death," spoken of in the scriptures, is intended the life of faith and the death of unbelief. The generality of the people, owing to their failure to grasp the meaning of these words, rejected and despised the person of the Manifestation, deprived themselves of the light of His divine guidance, and refused to follow the example of that immortal Beauty.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 74.

The denials put forth in the previous dispensations against the new prophet are the very same denials being used today.

“What proof did the Jewish doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him Who was the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ), when He came unto them with truth? What could have been the evidence produced by the Pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify their denial of Muhammad, the Apostle of God when He came unto them with a Book that judged between truth and falsehood with a justice which turned into light the darkness of the earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as had known Him? Indeed thou hast produced, in this day, the same proofs which the foolish divines advanced in that age. Unto this testifieth He Who is the King of the realm of grace in this great Prison.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 81.

The people of the previous dispensation always seem to deny the next.

“The people of the Qur'án have risen up against Us without any clear proof or evidence, tormenting Us at every moment with a fresh torment. They idly imagine that tribulations can frustrate Our Purpose. Vain indeed is that which they have imagined.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 15.

The Characteristic of Faithless

Hitler has these qualities. Therefore, we know he was faithless.

“The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four things: first, the shedding of blood; second, the burning of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities and groups.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 91.

The Results of Ultimate Rejection

Muhammad declares that a truly unforgivable sin is to die in unbelief.

Qur’án 3:91 As to those who reject Faith, and die rejecting,- never would be accepted from any such as much gold as the earth contains, though they should offer it for ransom. For such is (in store) a penalty grievous, and they will find no helpers.

III. Symbolism, Allegory, and Truth

Literalism Blinds

Muhammad declares that God uses likeness, allegory, and symbol to proclaim deep spiritual truths for those who will believe.

Qur’án 2:26 God disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means God by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path)

Muhammad states that the spiritual hearing and sight of those who heard His revelation was absent. That He spoke in symbols and explained them.

Qur’án 6:46 Say: "Think ye, if God took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, who - a god other than God - could restore them to you?" See how We explain the signs by various (symbols); yet they turn aside.

Again:

Qur’án 10:42 – 43 Among them are some who (pretend to) listen to thee: But canst thou make the deaf to hear,- even though they are without understanding? And among them are some who look at thee: but canst thou guide the blind,- even though they will not see?

Again:

Qur’án 11:24 These two kinds (of men) may be compared to the blind and deaf, and those who can see and hear well. Are they equal when compared? Will ye not then take heed?

A literal understanding of Scripture without the spiritual import causes spiritual blindness, hardness of heart, and inability to hear the real Word of God.

“This is the significance of the well-known words: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together." (Isaiah 65:25) Behold the ignorance and folly of those who, like the nations of old, are still expecting to witness the time when these beasts will feed together in one pasture! Such is their low estate. Methinks, never have their lips touched the cup of understanding, neither have their feet trodden the path of justice. Besides, of what profit would it be to the world were such a thing to take place? How well hath He spoken concerning them: "Hearts have they, with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not!" (Qur’án 7:178)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 73.

One interpretation of the stones mentioned here is that they are same stones mentioned by Jesus and John the Baptist in Matthew. God is able to raise up children to Abraham from the stones, and later Jesus will declare that had not this people raised their voices in praise of His coming into Jerusalem then the very stones would have cried out. The stones are men and women who do not have belief. Yet, if God so wishes, He can change their hearts of stone to those of belief. In the same way, trees stand and are silent, but God is able to make a living martyr of the wooden heart.

“Prefer ye to be silent, whilst every stone and every tree shouteth aloud: `The Lord is come in His great glory!'?” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 13.

Those who deny the Prophet are considered as dead.

“Truly they are even as dead, and not living. Leave them unto the dead, then turn thy face towards Him Who is the Life-Giver of the world.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 15.

The Revealer of Verses, the Prophet Himself, is the Trumpet of God.

“Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath swooned away before it, save them whom God pleaseth to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty, the Ancient of Days.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 61.

It is the literalism of materialism and also Fundamentalist thinking which bars our understanding and hopelessly ensnares us in doubt. Only by attempting to come closer to the Prophet can we find ourselves more assured of His mission.

“. . . they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly--their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 3.

This literalism will cause malice against the Prophet when He comes since he will explain the inner non-literal meaning. If a man overcomes that malice he will be able to find the Prophet true.

“Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word of God made manifest in every Dispensation, and wouldst discover the mysteries of divine knowledge.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 44.

Literal interpretations of Scripture can more often than not lead to a false understanding.

“The people of Christianity have clung to literal interpretation of the statement in the Gospel that Christ came from heaven. The Jews, likewise, at the time of His manifestation held to outward and visible expectation of the fulfillment of the prophecies. They said, "The Messiah shall appear from heaven. This man came from Nazareth; we know his house; we know his parents and people. It is only hearsay that he descended from heaven; this cannot be proved."

The text of the Gospel states that He came from heaven although physically born of the mother. The meaning is that the divine reality of Christ was from heaven, but the body was born of Mary. Therefore, He came according to the prophecies of the Holy Book and, likewise, according to natural law--His reality from heaven, His body earthly. As He came before, so must He come this time in the same way. But some arise with objections, saying, "We must have literal proof of this through the senses."

The reality of Christ was always in heaven and will always be. This is the intention of the text of the Gospel. For while Jesus Christ walked upon the earth, He said, "The Son of Man is in heaven." Therefore, holding to literal interpretation and visible fulfillment of the text of the Holy Books is simply imitation of ancestral forms and beliefs; for when we perceive the reality of Christ, these texts and statements become clear and perfectly reconcilable with each other. Unless we perceive reality, we cannot understand the meanings of the Holy Books, for these meanings are symbolical and spiritual--such as, for instance, the raising of Lazarus, which has spiritual interpretation. We must first establish the fact that the power of God is infinite, unlimited, and that it is within that power to accomplish anything.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 245.

The Prophet Uses Two Languages

The Prophets speak in two types of language, one allegorical, and the other plain.

“It is evident unto thee that the Birds of Heaven and Doves of Eternity speak a twofold language. One language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled; that it may be a guiding lamp and a beaconing light whereby wayfarers may attain the heights of holiness, and seekers may advance into the realm of eternal reunion. Such are the unveiled traditions and the evident verses already mentioned. The other language is veiled and concealed, so that whatever lieth hidden in the heart of the malevolent may be made manifest and their innermost being be disclosed.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 162 – 163.

Understanding the Spiritual Meanings

People in the days of the Prophet are literalistic, and are not able to easily understand the spiritual meaning of the Prophets words.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 29:1 - 6 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.

These verses must be understood in a spiritual sense. The killing and making alive are both spiritual and physical. The "brings down to the grave" is physical and "brings up" is spiritual.

Old Testament 1 Samuel 2:6 - 8 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.

The heart of man is meant to have spiritual insight and understanding. Without it the spiritual things of God will never be understood.

Old Testament Job 17:4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

Israel is at one point called in a spiritual way Sodom and Gomorrah.

Old Testament 1:9 - 10 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

In another instance Jesus speaks of the blind (Pharisees) leading the blind. This image clearly comes from a section in Isaiah.

Old Testament Isaiah 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

Another obviously allegorical or symbolic meaning not to be taken literally is that God will hit the earth with his mouth. One cannot possibly imagine the God of the universe deliberately bumping into the earth like some clumsy fool and bumping his mouth upon it; nor that his breath is so bad that it kills bad people.

Old Testament Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

The spiritual meaning of water is given by Isaiah as the Word of God.

Old Testament Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Sight and hearing are terms used allegorically to explain the effect of the Word of God upon the heart.

Old Testament Isaiah 35:5 - 7 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water

Hosea is clear that God speaks in symbols. The words "similitudes" or "likenesses" also has the meaning of symbols. Indeed, the new King James Version translates the word as “symbols”.

Old Testament Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

This Scripture is quoted by the Apostle Peter to prove that Christ had already come in Jesus. Therefore, it also is a prophecy which is already fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ and can obviously only have a spiritual meaning. The literal sun and moon had none of these things happen, nor pillars of smoke. They were all to occur before the coming of the day Peter is referring to as having occurred with the first coming of Christ.

Old Testament Joel 2:28 – 3:1 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem

Jesus takes the story of Jonah and uses it to explain part of His Mission. He likens the period of Jonah in the whale to the time from His death until the time Mary Magdalene and others began to see that His Faith had not died with His body, but they the believers had indeed become His body on earth. He uses that period when Jonah was in the belly of the whale as a figurative way of explaining it. Jonah had taught the sailors about God, and after coming out of the whale the teaching about God would be given to Nineveh, hence the period in the whale when Jonah’s teaching did not go forth is like death, and the vomiting up out of the whale like Christ’s teachings raised again in the world through His body, the church.

Old Testatment Jonah 1:17 And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Again:

New Testament Matthew 12:38 - 41 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Bahá’ís view the references to the Day of the Lord as referring to the Day of the Manifestation of God. This Day is a day of wrath, darkness, devastation, and gloominess because men are blind to God’s Prophet and so sin against God. They refuse to recognize His Manifestation on earth. It is also darkness, since the Prophet comes when spiritual darkness has enveloped the world.

Old Testament Zephaniah 1:15 - 17 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

You will with a pure heart understand the Prophet’s endlessness and what the resurrection means.

“With inward and outward eyes he witnesseth the mysteries of resurrection in the realms of creation and the souls of men, and with a pure heart apprehendeth the divine wisdom in the endless Manifestations of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, p. 12.

The body dies. You must set affections on the spiritual resurrection.

“Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 57.

Spiritual death and being without fruit is equivalent to being dead.

“The basest of men are they that yield no fruit on earth. Such men are verily counted as among the dead, nay better are the dead in the sight of God than those idle and worthless souls.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 108.

Interpretation is spiritual and verses have manifold meanings.

“Myriads of mystic tongues find utterance in one speech, and myriads of hidden mysteries are revealed.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 58.

Many words of the Prophet are not literal but figurative.

“Shouldst thou attain this station, thou wouldst be freed from destruction and death, from toil and sin.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 97.

Bahá’u’lláh explains the Manifestations speak in symbolic language.

“Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God's holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil. From time immemorial such hath been the way of God amidst His creatures, and to this testify the records of the sacred books.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 32.

We must meditate on Scriptures.

“Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 13.

Our comprehension is likened to seeing or sight. But, there is a reason that not everyone sees.

“The Sage of Ghazná (the poet Sinai) told the mystic story To his veiled hearers, in an allegory: If those who err see naught in the Qur'án But only words, it's not to wonder on; Of all the sun's fire, lighting up the sky Only the warmth can reach a blind man's eye.(Rumi, The Mathnavi, III, 4229 – 4231) "Many will He mislead by such parables and many guide: but none will He mislead thereby except the wicked..."(Qur’án 2:25)” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 73.

The idea expressed in the Gospels that every good tree brings forth good fruit is a symbol.

“I hope that each and all of you may become like unto verdant and green trees so that through the breezes of the divine spring, the outpouring of heaven, the heat of the Sun of Truth, you may become eternally refreshed; that you may bear blossoms and become fruitful; that you may not be as fruitless trees. Fruitless trees do not bring forth fruits or flowers.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 10 – 11.

The reason in part of the use of parables and symbols in Scripture:

“Divine things are too deep to be expressed by common words. The heavenly teachings are expressed in parable in order to be understood and preserved for ages to come. When the spiritually minded dive deeply into the ocean of their meaning they bring to the surface the pearls of their inner significance. There is no greater pleasure than to study God's Word with a spiritual mind.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 80.

Bahá’ís maintain that the meaning of the Old Testament references to the Messiah were fulfilled in Christ, though the meaning was not literal but allegorical.

“In this wise did they object to that Sun of Truth, although that Spirit of God was indeed the One promised in the Torah. But as they did not understand the meaning of these signs, they crucified the Word of God. Now the Bahá'ís hold that the recorded signs did come to pass in the Manifestation of Christ, although not in the sense which the Jews understood, the description in the Torah being allegorical.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 49.

Allegorical Meaning of Adam and Eve

What follows is an allegory of mankind. The word “Adam” is here generic of humanity and not the Prophet Adam mentioned by Muhammad. Whenever the word Adam appears here it would be better to translate “the man”. This particular part explains that man is given mind and intelligence.

Old Testament Genesis 2:16-19 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

This is an allegory of the relationship both of the soul to the human being (Eve=soul, Adam the physical man) and the husband-wife relationship.

Old Testament Genesis 2:21-23 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Herein follows a very deep allegory as to how man came to know good and evil. The serpent represents the selfish side of man’s desires. The woman represents the man’s soul being tempted by selfish desires.

Old Testament Genesis 3:1-7, 13 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Again the man’s soul is Eve.

Old Testament Genesis 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Unless you believe that God truly feared man, this is most assuredly an allegory as to why death is in the world.

Old Testament Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Allegorical Meaning of “Sons of God” and Satan

A day is described when the sons of God came to present themselves before God in heaven. This is allegorical. If taken literally, then God had more than one only begotten son according to Christian dogma. If the meaning of “sons of God” is parabolic in referring to angels, then so is Satan parabolic, and what is being said is that God permits tests so that truth can be known. It also indicates that in this world man may not know all the reasons why things happen to him.

Old Testament Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Again, God, in this allegorical story, permits adversity so that His true people may be seen to endure for love of Him.

Old Testament Job 1:8 - 10 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Satan in the allegory of Job is used to show that God permits all things that happen.

Old Testament Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

The story of Hagar and Sarah Paul States is an Allegory

According to Paul, the story of Hagar, Ishmael, Sarah, and Isaac has an allegorical meaning.

Old Testament Genesis 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

Again Paul refers to this section as allegorical in meaning.

Old Testament Genesis 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Paul interprets this passage allegorically.

Old Testament Genesis 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

For proof:

New Testament Galatians 4:22 - 28 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

The Story of Jacob and Esau Allegorically Interpreted

Paul interprets the story of the birth of Jacob and Esau allegorically.

Old Testament Genesis 25:22 - 23 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

In Hebrews, the story of the despising of the birthright by Esau is mentioned, and spiritualized.

Old Testament Genesis 25:31 - 34 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

The selling of the birthright is equivalent to being godless and a fornicator, that is, is one who is profane. It was Esau’s godlessness and immorality that Esau would not give up.

New Testament Hebrews 12:16 - 17 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

The False Gods Result From Man’s Vain and Selfish Imaginations

The imagination of inner thoughts of man, the intent of the heart of man without spiritual rebirth is evil or non-spiritual from his birth. These evil and selfish thoughts cause man to value other things more than God. Whatever is valued more than God is deemed in Scripture to be a false god.

Old Testament Genesis 8:21 . . . the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. . .

The Crossing of the Red Sea is Allegorical of the Baptism Under Moses According to Paul

Paul states that the crossing of the Red Sea was the baptism under the Prophet Moses.

Old Testament Exodus 14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

He states it in this manner:

New Testament 1 Corinthians 10:1 - 2 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea

The Manna Interpreted Figuratively

Jesus says that He was the manna or bread that came down out of heaven. That this bread refers to His Words or teachings is also quite clear in the New Testament. So, Jesus allegorically interprets the manna as the Teachings of Moses that sustained spiritually starved Israel in the desert.

Old Testament Exodus 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

Spiritually the Word of Moses stopped being written down at the crossing of the Jordan. The Word of God revealed through the Major Prophet had stopped.

Old Testament Joshua 5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Jesus says that Moses did not give them literal bread from heaven. The true bread from heaven is the Prophet and His teachings.

New Testament John 6:31 - 35 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Bahá’u’lláh speaking of this spiritual manna:

“This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at all seasons from the heavens of justice and mercy.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 15.

Paul Interprets the History of Moses Striking the Rock Allegorically

Paul states that Jesus Christ was the rock in this passage. The water flowing from the rock is the living water of His words. In other words, Moses gave Israel to drink of God’s spiritual teachings when they were spiritually thirsting in the desert of sin.

Old Testament Exodus 17:1, 3 - 7 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

Again:

New Testament 1 Corinthians 10:3 - 5 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

The Veil on Moses Face Figurative

Paul interprets this passage in an allegorical manner.

Old Testament Exodus 34:29 - 35 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Paul speaking of this figurative glorification:

New Testament 2 Corinthians 3:6 - 8 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

Jesus Figuratively a Serpent

John likens Jesus figuratively to a serpent.

Old Testament Numbers 21:8 - 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Jesus lifted up on the cross shows the allegorical meaning of the serpent lifted up on a pole by Moses.

New Testament John 3:14 – 15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Veil of the Temple Spiritual Meaning

The Veil of the Temple being torn by the great earthquake at the moment of Christ’s death on the cross, while it may have literally happened, has a spiritual significance. It represents the old religion of Judaism having, through the sacrifice of Christ, removed the vain imaginations of the Jewish people as to how God would ultimately reveal Himself and come forth from the Holy of Holies.

“Tear asunder with the hand of Thy transcendent power, O my Lord, the veil of vain imaginings, that they who are wholly devoted to Thee may see Thee seated on the throne of Thy majesty, and the eyes of such as adore Thy unity may rejoice at the splendors of the glory of Thy face.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 7.

The Meaning of “Angels”

The meaning of “angels’ in Scripture referring to the next prophet is explained.

“And now, concerning His words: "And He shall send His angels...." By "angels" is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings and of the Cherubim.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 50 –51.

Heaven and Hell

To hear and obey is equated with heaven. To reject is equated with hell.

“Even as Jesus said: "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7) Again He saith: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6) The purport of these words is that whosoever in every dispensation is born of the Spirit and is quickened by the breath of the Manifestation of Holiness, he verily is of those that have attained unto "life" and "resurrection" and have entered into the "paradise" of the love of God. And whosoever is not of them, is condemned to "death" and "deprivation," to the "fire" of unbelief, and to the "wrath" of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 76.

The Water of Life

The Prophet and the Laws and Teachings he reveals are the water of life.

“The sincere among His servants will regard the precepts set forth by God as the Water of Life to the followers of every faith, and the Lamp of wisdom and loving providence to all the denizens of earth and heaven.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 30.

Jews the Children of God

Moses calls the Israelites the children of God.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God

The Sonship Station of Christ

The Jews in Christ’s day prided themselves in being sons of Abraham, thus excluding from themselves the entire peoples of the rest of the known world. Christ as a Manifestation of God for the world, again had to stress, not that they were the children of Abraham, for God could raise up stones to be Abraham’s children, but to either be sons of the devil (that is to remain in wickedness) or to be sons of God. So Christ came in the Mission of the Ultimate Son of God that all men might find themselves to be spiritual sons of God. Thus Hosea spoke of the station of the believer and the reason Christ stressed His ultimate Sonship.

Old Testament Hosea 1:10 . . . it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

The Name(s) of God

While the essence of God is unknowable, the Manifestations of God reveal or manifest to mankind His attributes referred to in the Scriptures as His Name. It will be noted that each major Prophet reveals a new name or attribute of God for the age to which he comes. That particular revelation of God’s Name(s) or attributes is the only means by which mankind can attain to the presence of God during that period.

Old Testament Exodus 3:13 - 15 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Yahoah, I AM is the name of God by which the Hebrews and Egyptians must come to terms with God under Moses. And the redemption itself comes from God through Moses.

Old Testament Exodus 6:2 – 3, 6 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments. . .

The Tomb Allegorical

The Old Testament shows that the body, or a part of it, may be likened to a tomb. Hence, the New Testament account of going to the “tomb” and not finding the Christ in it, is allegorical to going to the body of the Christ and finding that the essence of the Lord no longer abided in the body.

Old Testament Psalms 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Ascension Of Angel of God is Visionary

The Old Testament records an ascension like vision. Visions in both the Old and New Testament appear to be not always dream like but often quite real appearing, as real as any waking reality.

Old Testament Judges 13:19 – 23 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

Resurrection is Allegorical

According to the Bible, death is a condition from which man cannot return to this life.

Old Testament Job 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death.

Death is final. “Sleep” or physically dying has no remedy. There is no physical resurrection. Rather the spiritual is raised to new life by the prophet when he comes. When you die, it is your spirit that is raised to heaven.

Old Testament Job 14:10, 14 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Resurrection is allegorical even in the Old Testament, and since God gives us spiritual life, we must understand that this new spiritual life we are brought to is the resurrection. The spiritually dead shall be brought forth into spiritual life. The dead body is the tomb, and in this case, whether alive or dead, if God gives spiritual life we are brought to eternal life.

Old Testament Isaiah 6:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.

Resurrection here in this passage is shown to be allegorical and not literal. The dead is Israel raised to spiritual life from its place of being dead to the word of God.

Old Testament Ezekiel 37:3 – 14 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Jesus very clearly shows that when He speaks of resurrection the important matter is the spirit and not the body. Indeed, he speaks of the living that are lost in unbelief as being dead.

New Testament Matthew 8:21 - 22 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Again,

New Testament Luke 9:59 - 60 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Jesus considered Himself to be the Resurrection. All those He was speaking to He considered dead until and unless they heard His Word and believed.

New Testament John 5:24 - 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Paul is clear that the resurrected body of Christ, of which he was a witness, (except for the Damascus vision) is the corporate body of believers - the church.

New Testament Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

Muhammad makes clear that resurrection is spiritual with this statement about bringing the dead out of the living and the reverse.

Qur’án 3:27 "Thou causest the night to gain on the day, and thou causest the day to gain on the night; Thou bringest the Living out of the dead, and Thou bringest the dead out of the Living; and Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou pleasest, without measure."

The resurrection spoken of here is that of a man coming out of spiritual death and becoming a believer.

Qur’án 6:122 Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a light whereby he can walk amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out? Thus to those without faith their own deeds seem pleasing.

Resurrection is the bringing of the unsaved to salvation.

“Nay, by "trumpet" is meant the trumpet-call of Muhammad's Revelation, which was sounded in the heart of the universe, and by "resurrection" is meant His own rise to proclaim the Cause of God. He bade the erring and wayward arise and speed out of the sepulchres of their bodies, arrayed them with the beauteous robe of faith, and quickened them with the breath of a new and wondrous life.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 75.

Part of the meaning of resurrection is explained.

“It hath been demonstrated and definitely established, through clear evidences, that by "Resurrection" is meant the rise of the Manifestation of God to proclaim His Cause, and by "attainment unto the divine Presence" is meant attainment unto the presence of His Beauty in the person of His Manifestation.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 109.

Physical Resurrection Both Unnecessary and Scripturally Contradictory

The idea of physical resurrection is Biblically unnecessary, since according to the Old Testament the righteous never die. Since it is obvious in the Old Testament that righteous people physically die, the only reasonable conclusion that can be drawn is that the body of the righteous may die but the essence, the soul, lives on. Indeed, since the righteous never die, and since Jesus was righteous, Jesus could never die. The death on the cross was to His physical body. His Soul lived on even at the moment of physical death, or the Old Testament is broken, and Scripture cannot be broken. For had the essence of Jesus, His Soul, died, then the righteous also die, and this contradicts some very clear words in the Bible.

Old Testament Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Muhammad makes a statement concerning the death of Jesus, which has been variously misunderstood by Muslims for centuries. Some say it means that another died in His place, others that no death on the cross occurred in some manner. The truth of the matter is, Muhammad is stating that the evil ones thought they had destroyed and killed Christ by the destruction of his body. But what they had was only a likeness of death, a similitude of destruction, since they never understood that Christ was an eternal being who could not be destroyed. The body died, but God raised up the spirit of Jesus. This was the true resurrection of Jesus, just as the Old Testament states that the righteous can never die.

Qur’án 4:157 – 158 That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- Nay, God raised him up unto Himself; and God is Exalted in Power, Wise

Term “Sun,” “Moon,” and “Stars” Defined

This passage refers literally to the city of Babylon and the “Day of the Lord” which would descend on it in judgment. Spiritually, the stars, sun, and moon, refer to the spiritual guidance that will not henceforth shine on man during the real Day of the Lord when the Prophet has not yet appeared to rain the new Word down on man.

Old Testament Isaiah 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Bahá’u’lláh gives the allegorical meaning of the terms sun and moon. It can refer to the Prophet and his laws and religion, to the Priests of the previous dispensation, the changed laws and teachings.

“The term "suns" hath many a time been applied in the writings of the "immaculate Souls" unto the Prophets of God, those luminous Emblems of Detachment. Among those writings are the following words recorded in the "Prayer of Nudbih"(“Lamentation” written by the Imam Ali): "Whither are gone the resplendent Suns? Whereunto have departed those shining Moons and sparkling Stars?" Thus, it hath become evident that the terms "sun," "moon," and "stars" primarily signify the Prophets of God, the saints, and their companions, those Luminaries, the light of Whose knowledge hath shed illumination upon the worlds of the visible and the invisible. In another sense, by these terms is intended the divines of the former Dispensation, who live in the days of the subsequent Revelations, and who hold the reins of religion in their grasp. If these divines be illumined by the light of the latter Revelation they will be acceptable unto God, and will shine with a light everlasting. Otherwise, they will be declared as darkened, even though to outward seeming they be leaders of men, inasmuch as belief and unbelief, guidance and error, felicity and misery, light and darkness, are all dependent upon the sanction of Him Who is the Day-star of Truth. . . In another sense, by the terms `sun', `moon', and `stars' are meant such laws and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting. These have, according to the law of the Qur'án, been regarded, when the beauty of the Prophet Muhammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental and binding laws of His dispensation. . . Inasmuch as every subsequent Revelation hath abolished the manners, habits, and teachings that have been clearly, specifically, and firmly established by the former Dispensation, these have accordingly been symbolically expressed in terms of `sun' and `moon'. "That He might prove you, which of you excel in deeds."(Qur’án 67:2)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 23 – 26.

The Priests of the previous religion are stars in the heaven of that religious understanding. If they fail to recognize the new Prophet, they fall to the earth of error.

“O concourse of bishops! Ye are the stars of the heaven of My knowledge. My mercy desireth not that ye should fall upon the earth. My justice, however, declareth: `This is that which the Son hath decreed.' And whatsoever hath proceeded out of His blameless, His truth-speaking, trustworthy mouth, can never be altered.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 14.

The clergy are in a sense clouds, and fallen stars if they deny the next prophet.

“These "fallen stars" of the firmament of Christendom, these "thick clouds" that have obscured the radiance of the true Faith of God, these princes of the Church that have failed to acknowledge the sovereignty of the "King of kings," these deluded ministers of the Son who have shunned and ignored the promised Kingdom which the "Everlasting Father" has brought down from heaven, and is now establishing upon earth--these are experiencing, in this "Day of Reckoning," a crisis, not indeed as critical as that which the Islámic sacerdotal order, the inveterate enemies of the Faith, has had to face, but one which is no less widespread and significant. "Power hath been seized" indeed, and is being increasingly seized, from these ecclesiastics that speak in the name, and yet are so far away from the spirit, of the Faith they profess.” Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 169.

Wormwood is Symbolic

Wormwood is a word found in the book of Revelation. It is symbolic of unrighteousness, just as gall that was given to Jesus was symbolic of injustice being done to Him. The word in the Kings James below is hemlock, but most modern translations have the word’s real meaning - “wormwood”.

Old Testament Amos 6:12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock.

For reference, this star which falls on the waters (waters are symbolic of peoples and nations):

New Testament Revelation 8:10 - 11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

The Meaning of the Heavens Being Rolled Up

There is a spiritual meaning to the concept of the heavens being rolled up like an old scroll.

“In like manner, strive thou to comprehend from these lucid, these powerful, conclusive, and unequivocal statements the meaning of the "cleaving of the heaven"--one of the signs that must needs herald the coming of the last Hour, the Day of Resurrection. As He hath said: "When the heaven shall be cloven asunder."(Qur’án 82:1) By "heaven" is meant the heaven of divine Revelation, which is elevated with every Manifestation, and rent asunder with every subsequent one. By "cloven asunder" is meant that the former Dispensation is superseded and annulled. I swear by God! That this heaven being cloven asunder is, to the discerning, an act mightier than the cleaving of the skies! Ponder a while. That a divine Revelation which for years hath been securely established; beneath whose shadow all who have embraced it have been reared and nurtured; by the light of whose law generations of men have been disciplined; the excellency of whose word men have heard recounted by their fathers; in such wise that human eye hath beheld naught but the pervading influence of its grace, and mortal ear hath heard naught but the resounding majesty of its command--what act is mightier than that such a Revelation should, by the power of God, be "cloven asunder" and be abolished at the appearance of one soul? Reflect, is this a mightier act than that which these abject and foolish men have imagined the "cleaving of the heaven" to mean?” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 29.

Tribulation Spiritually Defined

Oppression equals tribulation. Tribulation is spiritually defined.

“Were this "oppression" (which literally meaneth pressure) to be interpreted that the earth is to become contracted, or were men's idle fancy to conceive similar calamities to befall mankind, it is clear and manifest that no such happenings can ever come to pass. They will assuredly protest that this pre-requisite of divine revelation hath not been made manifest. Such hath been and still is their contention. Whereas, by "oppression" is meant the want of capacity to acquire spiritual knowledge and apprehend the Word of God. By it is meant that when the Day-star of Truth hath set, and the mirrors that reflect His light have departed, mankind will become afflicted with "oppression" and hardship, knowing not whither to turn for guidance. Thus We instruct thee in the interpretation of the traditions, and reveal unto thee the mysteries of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest comprehend the meaning thereof, and be of them that have quaffed the cup of divine knowledge and understanding.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 21 – 22.

Anti-Christ Not Literal but Typical and Symbolic

John states that many anti-Christ types had come in his own day and time.

New Testament First John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

And what is the definition of Antichrist? - Denial of Christ and the Father.

New Testament First John 2:22 - 23 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

To deny that Jesus is the Messiah come literally to earth is to have the spirit of Antichrist.

New Testament First John 4:1 - 3 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Again:

New Testament Second John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Every Prophet has had a particular enemy that stood up against Him. Christ had Annias and Caiaphas, John the Baptist had Herod. Each of these in effect was an anti-Prophet, one who is against the Prophet.

Qur’án 25:31 Thus have We made for every prophet an enemy among the sinners: but enough is thy Lord to guide and to help.

Anti-Christ is used in singular and plural in the New Testament. `Abdu’l-Bahá explains the symbolic meaning. Denial of the true mission and station of Christ is part and parcel of the meaning.

“Therefore, these wars and cruelties, this bloodshed and sorrow are Antichrist, not Christ. These are the forces of death and Satan, not the hosts of the Supreme Concourse of heaven.

No less bitter is the conflict between sects and denominations. Christ was a divine Center of unity and love. Whenever discord prevails instead of unity, wherever hatred and antagonism take the place of love and spiritual fellowship, Antichrist reigns instead of Christ.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 6.

In the Bábi Dispensation, the Báb had His anti-Christ.

“Then Mullá Muhammad-i-Mamaqaní, that one-eyed white-bearded renegade, summoning sufficient courage, with characteristic insolence, reprimanded Him (Ed. Note: the Báb) as a perverse and contemptible follower of Satan; to which the undaunted Youth retorted that He maintained what He had already asserted.” Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 21.

New Earth and New Heaven

The idea of a new earth is a spiritual concept.

“In like manner, endeavour to comprehend the meaning of the "changing of the earth." Know thou, that upon whatever hearts the bountiful showers of mercy, raining from the "heaven" of divine Revelation, have fallen, the earth of those hearts hath verily been changed into the earth of divine knowledge and wisdom. What myrtles of unity hath the soil of their hearts produced! What blossoms of true knowledge and wisdom hath their illumined bosoms yielded! Were the earth of their hearts to remain unchanged, how could such souls who have not been taught one letter, have seen no teacher, and entered no school, utter such words and display such knowledge as none can apprehend? Methinks they have been moulded from the clay of infinite knowledge, and kneaded with the water of divine wisdom.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 30.

Again, the idea of new heaven and new earth is allegorical.

“And now, comprehend the meaning of this verse: "The whole earth shall on the Resurrection Day be but His handful, and in His right hand shall the heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted above the partners they join with him!" (Qur’án 39:67) And now, be fair in thy judgment. Were this verse to have the meaning which men suppose it to have, of what profit, one may ask, could it be to man? Moreover, it is evident and manifest that no such hand as could be seen by human eye could accomplish such deeds, or could possibly be ascribed to the exalted Essence of the one true God. Nay, to acknowledge such a thing is naught but sheer blasphemy, an utter perversion of the truth. And should it be supposed that by this verse are meant the Manifestations of God, Who will be called upon, on the Day of Judgment, to perform such deeds, this too seemeth far from the truth, and is surely of no profit. On the contrary, by the term "earth" is meant the earth of understanding and knowledge, and by "heavens" the heavens of divine Revelation. Reflect thou, how, in one hand, He hath, by His mighty grasp, turned the earth of knowledge and understanding, previously unfolded, into a mere handful, and, on the other, spread out a new and highly exalted earth in the hearts of men, thus causing the freshest and loveliest blossoms, and the mightiest and loftiest trees to spring forth from the illumined bosom of man. In like manner, reflect how the elevated heavens of the Dispensations of the past have, in the right hand of power, been folded together, how the heavens of divine Revelation have been raised by the command of God, and been adorned by the sun, the moon, and stars of His wondrous commandments. Such are the mysteries of the Word of God, which have been unveiled and made manifest, that haply thou mayest apprehend the morning light of divine guidance, mayest quench, by the power of reliance and renunciation, the lamp of idle fancy, of vain imaginings, of hesitation, and doubt, and mayest kindle, in the inmost chamber of thine heart, the new-born light of divine knowledge and certitude.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 31 – 32.

The Symbolic Works of the Word

The Word of God symbolically raises the dead, causes a Day of Reckoning, a final judgment, and a sword that divides and unites.

“The following is an evidence of the sovereignty exercised by Muhammad, the Day-star of Truth. Hast thou not heard how with one single verse He hath sundered light from darkness, the righteous from the ungodly, and the believing from the infidel? All the signs and allusions concerning the Day of Judgment, which thou hast heard, such as the raising of the dead, the Day of Reckoning, the Last Judgment, and others have been made manifest through the revelation of that verse. These revealed words were a blessing to the righteous who on hearing them exclaimed: "O God our Lord, we have heard, and obeyed." They were a curse to the people of iniquity who, on hearing them affirmed: "We have heard and rebelled." Those words, sharp as the sword of God, have separated the faithful from the infidel, and severed father from son. Thou hast surely witnessed how they that have confessed their faith in Him and they that rejected Him have warred against each other, and sought one another's property. How many fathers have turned away from their sons; how many lovers have shunned their beloved! So mercilessly trenchant was this wondrous sword of God that it cleft asunder every relationship! On the other hand, consider the welding power of His Word. Observe, how those in whose midst the Satan of self had for years sown the seeds of malice and hate became so fused and blended through their allegiance to this wondrous and transcendent Revelation that it seemed as if they had sprung from the same loins. Such is the binding force of the Word of God, which uniteth the hearts of them that have renounced all else but Him, who have believed in His signs, and quaffed from the Hand of glory the Kawthar of God's holy grace. Furthermore, how numerous are those peoples of divers beliefs, of conflicting creeds, and opposing temperaments, who, through the reviving fragrance of the Divine springtime, breathing from the Ridván of God, have been arrayed with the new robe of divine Unity, and have drunk from the cup of His singleness!” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 72 – 73.

The Revelation of Muhammad was the Trumpet Blast.

“They refuse to recognize the trumpet-blast which so explicitly in this text was sounded through the revelation of Muhammad.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 75.

The spiritual meaning is the most important for some of these terms.

“In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their chosen ones hath been no other but to affirm the spiritual significance of the terms "life," "resurrection," and "judgment."” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 77.

All the spiritual signs have been fulfilled.

“So blind hath become the human heart that neither the disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth, can shake off its torpor.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 39.

An Allegory of Alchemy Used

Using an allegory that compares an alchemic myth on how copper can be changed to Gold in a seventy year span, Bahá’u’lláh shows that it can take a lifetime of man (seventy years) sometimes to transmute evil into good.

“For instance, consider the substance of copper. Were it to be protected in its own mine from becoming solidified, it would, within the space of seventy years, attain to the state of gold. There are some, however, who maintain that copper itself is gold, which by becoming solidified is in a diseased condition, and hath not therefore reached its own state. Be that as it may, the real elixir will, in one instant, cause the substance of copper to attain the state of gold, and will traverse the seventy-year stages in a single moment. Could this gold be called copper? Could it be claimed that it hath not attained the state of gold, whilst the touch-stone is at hand to assay it and distinguish it from copper? Likewise, these souls, through the potency of the Divine Elixir, traverse, in the twinkling of an eye, the world of dust and advance into the realm of holiness; and with one step cover the earth of limitations and reach the domain of the Placeless.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 101.

The Words of God Infinite in Their Meanings

While Bahá’u’lláh has stated that every word of God has seventy and seven meanings, there still is the evident or apparent meaning. We can have our understanding (interpretation) of the meaning, but we can never make it an authorized interpretation or enforce it on others, nor can we alter the evident meaning of the word.

“Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 58.

IV. General and Progressive Revelation

The Golden Rule Spoken by Every Prophet

The Prophets all proclaim the same spiritual truth. The golden rule dominates.

“Wish not for others what ye wish not for yourselves. . .” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 72.

The General Revelation of God in Nature

Each Prophet is given a star that appears in the literal heavens. So it was with Jesus as well.

New Testament Matthew 2:1 – 2, 7, 9 - 10 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Paul says that God’s attributes, at least that He is the only God and that he has eternal power, are made known by the created universe.

New Testament Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

The natural signs of regulation of natural law should make it clear that we will have a Lord to reckon with.

Qur’án 13:2 God is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; is firmly established on the throne (of authority); He has subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law)! Each one runs (its course) for a term appointed. He doth regulate all affairs, explaining the signs in detail, that ye may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.

The general revelation of God in nature is enough to lead to the true religion of God and the Prophet of the Age.

“All these signs are reflected and can be seen in the book of existence, and the scrolls that depict the shape and pattern of the universe are indeed a most great book. Therein every man of insight can perceive that which would lead to the Straight Path and would enable him to attain the Great Announcement.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 60 – 61.

The general revelation of God in nature reveals Him as Maker and Creator.

“Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as manifested in the world of being, no one should question this assertion. It is endowed with a power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendour of Our Name, the Creator. Say: This is an existence which knoweth no decay, and Nature itself is lost in bewilderment before its revelations, its compelling evidences and its effulgent glory which have encompassed the universe.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 142.

The Revelations of the Beauty of the Prophet, which are his spiritual attributes, are imprinted upon all creatures seen and unseen.

“The portals of Thy grace have throughout eternity been open, and the means of access unto Thy Presence made available, unto all created things, and the revelations of Thy matchless Beauty have at all times been imprinted upon the realities of all beings, visible and invisible.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 63.

Both the Word of God in the special revelation of God, and everything created in the general revelation of God in nature proclaim evidences of a regeneration or recreation of the world.

“Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 92.

The Initial Revelation of God to the Prophet

The Prophetic announcement by God to His Prophet is explained by each Prophet differently, but the gist of it is always visionary and allegorical as well. Moses sees God revealed in a Burning Bush.

Old Testament Exodus 3:2 - 5 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Joshua records a spiritual vision that gave Joshua his Prophetic mission as a lesser prophet under Moses.

Old Testament Joshua 5:13 – 15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Why the Prophet Comes

Bahá’u’lláh explains why He accepted imprisonment for our sakes.

“Whatever, therefore, He saith unto you is wholly for the sake of God, that haply the peoples of the earth may cleanse their hearts from the stain of evil desire, may rend its veil asunder, and attain unto the knowledge of the one true God--the most exalted station to which any man can aspire. Their belief or disbelief in My Cause can neither profit nor harm Me. We summon them wholly for the sake of God. He, verily, can afford to dispense with all creatures.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 84 – 85.

In another passage he says:

“The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 99.

God sends His Prophets so that we can become aware of the beauty and power that lie within our own selves.

“The Purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 286.

God’s Prophet raises us up from the spiritual death.

“I render Thee thanks, therefore, and extol Thee, in the name of all them that are dear to Thee, for that Thou hast caused them to be born again, by reason of the living waters which have flowed down out of the mouth of Thy will. Since Thou didst quicken them by Thy bounteousness, O my God, make them steadfastly inclined, through Thy graciousness, towards Thy will; and since Thou didst suffer them to enter into the Tabernacle of Thy Cause, grant by Thy grace that they may not be kept back from Thee.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 42.

Bahá’u’lláh’s sufferings have earned us our reward with God if we believe in Him.

“I yield Thee thanks for that Thou hast made me the target of divers tribulations and the mark of manifold trials, in order that Thy servants may be endued with new life and all Thy creatures may be quickened.” Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, pp. 146 – 147.

The Prophets suffer for us.

“We, verily, have come for your sakes, and have borne the misfortunes of the world for your salvation. Flee ye the One Who hath sacrificed His life that ye may be quickened?” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 10.

Progressive Revelation

According to the Qur’án, God has sent a succession of Prophets to continually remind man of his duty to his Creator.

Qur’án 2:87 – 88 We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay! They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve God's Word: we need no more)." Nay, God's curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe.

Each Messenger confirms the one before, and speaks of those after, and no distinction should be made between any of the Messengers.

Qur’án 2:285 The Apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in God, His angels, His books, and His apostles. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."

Muhammad lists some Prophets and states that there are others He has not spoken of.

Qur’án 4:163 – 165 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismá'íl, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms. Of some apostles We have already told thee the story; of others We have not;- and to Moses God spoke direct;- Apostles who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the coming) of the apostles, should have no plea against God: For God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

Why do we need progressive revelation from God?

“It is unquestionable that in every succeeding Revelation the "sun" and "moon" of the teachings, laws, commandments, and prohibitions which have been established in the preceding Dispensation, and which have overshadowed the people of that age, become darkened, that is, are exhausted, and cease to exert their influence.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 27.

God has caused progressive revelation.

“Contemplate with thine inward eye the chain of successive Revelations that hath linked the Manifestation of Adam with that of the Báb. I testify before God that each one of these Manifestations hath been sent down through the operation of the Divine Will and Purpose, that each hath been the bearer of a specific Message, that each hath been entrusted with a divinely-revealed Book and been commissioned to unravel the mysteries of a mighty Tablet.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 74.

The Prophets Abrogate, Confirm, and Expand on the Laws and Teachings of the Previous Major Prophets

Moses required the death penalty for sexual fornication and adultery. Jesus did not.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

Jesus also states that He did not come to destroy the Law of Moses, but rather to complete His law and make it more perfect. The word translated “fulfilled” in the King James Version is better rendered “completed” or “perfected”.

New Testament Matthew 5:17 - 18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus also abrogated the Sabbath Law on Work and replaced it with the true spirit of the Sabbath.

New Testament Matthew 12:1 – 8, 12 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Again, the Jews had taken up traditions that they kept perfectly. Ordinary men had made these traditions. But they did not keep the spirit of the Law. Jesus condemns them for that.

New Testament Matthew 15:1 - 7 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites

Jesus pronounces a curse upon the Priests of His day for their hypocrisy, and for not understanding the spirit of the Law.

New Testament Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In this parable Jesus clearly indicates that His teachings are so new and radical that the old administration of the synagogue, Temple, and Priestcraft cannot handle it. These new teachings would destroy the practices current in His day. Another system of administration would be developed to contain His teachings. He also states that those who are familiar with the old system will not join the new right away since they will think the old way of doing things is better.

New Testament Luke 5:36 - 39 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Muhammad states that His revelation confirms the revelations before Him.

Qur’án 2:41 And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone.

When God does send down something, which abrogates a teaching of the past, He gives something similar or better.

Qur’án 2:106 None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that God Hath power over all things?

Taking this passage and literally applying it to the law of God caused denial of the next Prophet. It was spiritually intended to first state that the Scripture of the Prophet would be preserved, and secondly that God is continually renewing His Word by His Manifestation in history from time to time. Finally, the meaning of previous Scripture can only be fully unlocked by succeeding Prophets.

“Beside this passage, there is yet another verse in the Gospel wherein He saith: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away." (Luke 21:33) Thus it is that the adherents of Jesus maintained that the law of the Gospel shall never be annulled, and that whensoever the promised Beauty is made manifest and all the signs are revealed, He must needs re-affirm and establish the law proclaimed in the Gospel, so that there may remain in the world no faith but His faith. This is their fundamental belief. And their conviction is such that were a person to be made manifest with all the promised signs and to promulgate that which is contrary to the letter of the law of the Gospel, they must assuredly renounce him, refuse to submit to his law, declare him an infidel, and laugh him to scorn. This is proved by that which came to pass when the sun of the Muhammadan Revelation was revealed. Had they sought with a humble mind from the Manifestations of God in every Dispensation the true meaning of these words revealed in the sacred books--words the misapprehension of which hath caused men to be deprived of the recognition of the Sadratu'l-Muntahá, the ultimate Purpose--they surely would have been guided to the light of the Sun of Truth, and would have discovered the mysteries of divine knowledge and wisdom.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 18 – 19.

Bahá’u’lláh says that the Mohammedan commentators did not understand the reference to multiple suns and multiple Easts and Wests, trying to take them literally when they are symbolic of different prophets.

“This is the meaning of the sacred verse: "But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests,"(Qur’án 70:40) inasmuch as the "Suns" referred to have each their own particular rising and setting place. And as the commentators of the Qur'án have failed to grasp the symbolic meaning of these "Suns," they therefore were at pains to interpret the above-quoted verse. Some of them maintained that owing to the fact that the sun each day rises from a different point, the terms "easts" and "wests" have been mentioned in the plural. Others have written that by this verse the four seasons of the year are intended, inasmuch as the dawning and setting points of the sun vary with the change of the seasons. Such is the depth of their understanding! None the less, they persist in imputing error and folly to those Gems of knowledge, those irreproachable and purest Symbols of wisdom.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 28 – 29.

Adam, Peter, and Muhammad are mentioned as recipients of God’s bounty. At the same time, they obviously taught to meet the needs of the age they lived in.

“Dust-made Adam was raised up, through the Word of God, to the heavenly throne, and a mere fisherman was made the repository of Divine wisdom, and Abú-Dhar, the shepherd, became a prince of the nations!” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 19.

There are two kinds of laws which `Abdu’l-Bahá explains the Prophet must deal with.

“Each of the divine religions embodies two kinds of ordinances. The first is those which concern spiritual susceptibilities, the development of moral principles and the quickening of the conscience of man. These are essential or fundamental, one and the same in all religions, changeless and eternal--reality not subject to transformation. Abraham heralded this reality, Moses promulgated it, and Jesus Christ established it in the world of mankind. All the divine Prophets and Messengers were the instruments and channels of this same eternal, essential truth.

The second kind of ordinances in the divine religions is those which relate to the material affairs of humankind. These are the material or accidental laws which are subject to change in each day of manifestation, according to exigencies of the time, conditions and differing capacities of humanity.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 106.

Every Major Prophet Brings a New Religion

All the prophets proclaim a new religion.

“’They, verily, sought to supplant the Faith with a new religion!' If that which is ancient be what ye prefer, wherefore, then, have ye discarded that which hath been set down in the Torah and the Evangel? Clear it up, O men! By My life! There is no place for you to flee to in this day. If this be My crime, then Muhammad, the Apostle of God, committed it before Me, and before Him He Who was the Spirit of God (Jesus Christ), and yet earlier He Who conversed with God (Moses). And if My sin be this, that I have exalted the Word of God and revealed His Cause, then indeed am I the greatest of sinners! Such a sin I will not barter for the kingdoms of earth and heaven.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 52.

Only God Knows the Number of Worlds to Which He has Sent His Prophets

God has many worlds, each of which has been sent Prophets.

“O people! I swear by the one true God! This is the Ocean out of which all seas have proceeded, and with which every one of them will ultimately be united. From Him all the Suns have been generated, and unto Him they will all return. Through His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation have yielded their fruits, every one of which hath been sent down in the form of a Prophet, bearing a Message to God's creatures in each of the worlds whose number God, alone, in His all-encompassing Knowledge, can reckon. This He hath accomplished through the agency of but one Letter of His Word, revealed by His Pen--a Pen moved by His directing Finger-- His Finger itself sustained by the power of God's Truth.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 103 – 104.

The Prophet is the Essence of All Good

Each Prophet is the essence of all good.

“Verily, the One True God beareth Me witness that in this Day I am the true mystic Fane of God, and the Essence of all good.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 15.

God Rebukes His Prophets For The People

God sometimes rebukes his Prophets, though sinless, for the sake of the people who could not at the time bear the weight of the rebuke. An example of this is the rebuke of Moses. God did not allow Him to enter the Holy Land, though in the end it is the people who rebelled under Moses who do not enter the Holy Land.

Old Testament Numbers 20:9 - 13 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

Again the rebuke of Moses was really a rebuke of the people who did not enter the Holy Land.

Old Testament Numbers 20:23 - 24 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

Moses did not rebel in the wilderness, but accepted the rebuke on behalf of the people.

Old Testament Numbers 27:12 - 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

Moses states that God was angry with Him, for the sake of the people of Israel. God punished Him for the sake of the punishment of Israel.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 1:34 - 37 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Again, God was angry at Israel, and rebuked Moses instead of them.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 3:23 - 26 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

Moses states that God was really angry at Israel.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 4:21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance

It was Israel who did not hallow God at the waters. It was Moses who receives the rebuke for the people.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 32:51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

It is the people who did not go over Jordan, just as Moses was rebuked for their sake.

Old Testament Joshua 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Who is the Redeemer?

In one sense God is the Redeemer. In another it is the Prophet of the Dispensation - in the Day of Christ, Jesus, and in the Day of Muhammad, the Prophet of Arabia, and in our Day, Bahá’u’lláh.

Old Testament Isaiah 47:4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

The First and the Last

The Manifestation of God is the First and the Last, Alpha and Omega.

Old Testament Isaiah 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

V. The Prophets and Their Covenants

The Early Prophetic Line of the Adamic Cycle

Chapter Four of Genesis is an allegory of the line of prophets that came from the Prophet Adam and his consort. The Chapter abruptly switches from mankind, to the first Prophet of the previous Adamic Cycle. Some of the names of Prophets early in that cycle are listed with allegorical stories.

Old Testament Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel.

The first Prophet in the Adamic Cycle is mentioned as being persecuted.

Old Testament Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Seth is the second Prophet of God after Abel.

Old Testament Genesis 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

The story of Enoch is indicative of a very rare event, a Prophet that was not persecuted to death.

Old Testament Genesis 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Noah

Noah was both righteous and blameless before God, and did all that the Lord God commanded him.

Old Testament Genesis 6:22 – 7:1, 5 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

The following verse, while extremely allegorical in context with the rest of the verses, it shows that Canaan (Ham and through him Canaan his descendant) would prophetically be cursed at a future time. It does not show Noah in sin. This is for three sound reasons. First a Prophet is not under the laws that he gives. Moses married an Ethiopian when intermarriage had been forbidden. Second, NO law against drinking had at that time been given. Paul states that where there is no law there is no sin. Finally, neither nakedness while sleeping, nor drinking, is in itself a sin. Even in the era we live in, the Prophet, while forbidding drinking, allows it for medicinal purposes under a doctor’s prescription.

Old Testament Genesis 9:20-21 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Noah is the first major world Prophet mentioned in the Old Testament after Adam.

Old Testament Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

The Major Prophets establish one or more Covenants between themselves and God, and between themselves, God, and the believers.

Old Testament Genesis 6:18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

God, through Noah, made an everlasting Covenant with mankind and every living thing on earth. This covenant was a one sided covenant requiring nothing of man but obligating God.

Old Testament Genesis 9:8 – 11, 16 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Noah was sent to His people who rejected Him and were drowned.

Qur’án 21:76 - 77 (Remember) Noah, when he cried (to Us) aforetime: We listened to his (prayer) and delivered him and his family from great distress. We helped him against people who rejected Our Signs: truly they were a people given to Evil: so We drowned them (in the Flood) all together.

Bahá’u’lláh names Noah as one of the Major Prophets and mentions the great amount of persecution Noah came under.

“Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! Thus it hath been revealed: "And as often as a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. To them He said: `Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.'"(Qur’án 11:38)” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 5.

Job

Job, a prophet and priest, was not a Jew. The book that bears his name in the Bible is attributed to Moses, writing while in Midian of this non-Jewish prophet.

Old Testament Job 1:1, 3 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. . . this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Job was perfect.

Old Testament Job 12:4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

Abraham

Abraham is often shown by Christian commentators to be imperfect and committing sin. These verses they say prove he lied and deceived. But the verses are not a commentary on Abraham’s sinfulness. Nowhere does God chastise Abraham for saying that Sarah was his sister. God couldn’t since it was the truth. Sarah was the half-sister of Abraham. Notice that God does warn the Pharaoh, but Abraham is nowhere blameworthy.

Old Testament Genesis 12:10 - 20 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

This is another similar incident that is used to show the same premise of sin in Abraham. Again for the same reasons it does not. Nowhere is Abraham condemned by God. Rather, God supports Abraham. The king of course may feel betrayed, but that is all a “feeling” as Abraham did not lie to the king. Indeed, the king is told to seek the Prophet’s prayers.

Old Testament Genesis 20:1 - 18 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

God gave the Abrahamic Covenant to Abraham that the line of Prophets would primarily come through his seed.

Old Testament Genesis 17:4 - 5 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

In this covenant, the branches or seed of Abraham is referred to, and this seed and their descendants is first the followers of Judaism, and when Christ came, those who were grafted into the seed of Abraham, Jew and gentile Christians. With the coming of Muhammad, it then became the followers of Islam, the Faith of Abraham, and now with Bahá'u'lláh, those who follow His covenant.

Old Testament Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

The Covenant with Abraham is reiterated several times. This passage is through Jacob.

Old Testament Genesis 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

The lineage of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb comes from Abraham.

Old Testament Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

Abraham was upright and a monotheist, and to be copied in that.

Qur’án 3:67 – 68 Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to God's (Which is Islám), and he joined not gods with God. Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham, are those who follow him, as are also this Apostle and those who believe: And God is the Protector of those who have faith.

Abraham’s people, those who followed Him, and His descendants, were made a great nation by God.

Qur’án 4:54 – 55 We had already given the people of Abraham the Book and Wisdom, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Some of them believed, and some of them averted their faces from him: And enough is Hell for a burning fire.

Melchizedek

Melchizedek appears to be a Prophet to the people of Salem (Jerusalem), and is equal in spiritual station to Christ. Indeed, the author of Hebrews makes him to be the first coming, as it were, of Jesus.

Old Testament Genesis 14:18 - 20 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Again:

New Testament Hebrews 5:5 – 11 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

Lot

One of the Prophets was Lot. Whatever the meaning of acting as a judge, it is clear he acted as a Prophet to them. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah rejected his message. Spiritually blind (allegorical meaning) the people, because of their sensual madness, could not find the spiritual door of their salvation.

Old Testament Genesis 19:9, 11 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Peter speaks of Lot as a righteous man and godly.

New Testament 2 Peter 2:6 - 9 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

Muhammad calls Lot a righteous man and a Prophet of God sent to an evil people as a witness against them.

Qur’án 21:74 – 75 And to Lut, too, We gave Judgment and Knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practised abominations: truly they were a people given to Evil, a rebellious people. And We admitted him to Our Mercy: for he was one of the Righteous.

Ishmael

The Qur’án has Ishmael as the son that is to be sacrificed; the Bible has it as Isaac. In either case, the son is referred to as Abraham’s first-born son. The very first-born son of Abraham is Ishmael and not Isaac. The gloss of the name in the Bible would have been an easy mistake or scribal edition early on in the rendition. In either case it does no damage whatsoever to the lesson involved, or to the prophetic part of the story of the allegory of the future sacrifice of the Messiah.

Old Testament Genesis 22:1 - 2 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Later in the Biblical narrative it is to be noted that both sons of Abraham are on friendly terms and seen together at the funeral.

Old Testament Genesis 25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre.

Muhammad lists Ishmael among the Prophets.

Qur’án 19:54 Also mention in the Book (the story of) Ismá'íl: He was (strictly) true to what he promised, and he was an apostle (and) a prophet. He used to enjoin on his people Prayer and Charity, and he was most acceptable in the sight of his Lord.

The story of Ishmael and Abraham and the sacrifice, are typical of Christ and the Father, and Muhammad and Ali.

“That which thou hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up Ishmael as a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His detachment from all else but Him may be demonstrated unto men. The purpose of God, moreover, was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same honor, Jesus, the Son of Mary, besought the one true God, exalted be His name and glory, to confer upon Him. For the same reason was Husayn offered up as a sacrifice by Muhammad, the Apostle of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 75.

The Genealogy of the Prophets

The genealogy of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and Muhammad are given here. Muhammad is from Ishmael, as is the Báb. Bahá’u’lláh is from the line of Keturah.

Old Testament First Chronicles 1:29 - 33 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.

Moses

It is clear from the first part of the narrative that Moses had a miraculous experience designed by God to place Him in the heart of the Egyptian culture. An objective and fair observer of the Scripture we will quote will note that the accusations coming from the lips of the Hebrew to Moses were designed to be vindictive. They do not themselves indicate that Moses sinned in killing the Egyptian. Indeed, the story is more indicative that he defended the life of an oppressed slave against the cruelty of an abusive Master about to kill the slave. Would we all in that situation be such sinners!

Old Testament Exodus 1:22 – 2:15 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the Babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh. . .

This clearly indicates that Moses was a major Prophet different in status from other men, and from Minor Prophets like Isaiah or Jeremiah.

Old Testament Numbers 12:6 - 8 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Moses has a Covenant that a major Prophet would come from out of Israel or a related branch of Abraham, and would be like Moses in station. Obviously Jesus would fulfill this, as also would Muhammad.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.

The Covenant requires that Israel obey the new Prophet when He comes.

Old Testament Deuteronomy 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Joshua was appointed by Moses in a lesser covenant to lead Israel after Moses died. Also the meditation on the law is to result in works, for the one appointed. Joshua is a lesser prophet under the shadow of the major prophet Moses.

Old Testament Joshua 1:1, 5-8 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,. . . There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Joshua then becomes a covenantal successor to Moses though not himself a major Prophet.

Old Testament Joshua 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

Concerning Moses, Muhammad teaches:

Qur’án 2:53 And remember We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion (Between right and wrong): There was a chance for you to be guided aright.

One of the proofs that Moses was a Prophet of God:

“GOD sends Prophets for the education of the people and the progress of mankind. Each such Manifestation of God has raised humanity. They serve the whole world by the bounty of God. The sure proof that they are the Manifestations of God is in the education and progress of the people. The Jews were in the lowest condition of ignorance, and captives under Pharaoh when Moses appeared and raised them to a high state of civilization. Thus was the reign of Solomon brought about and science and art were made known to mankind. Even Greek philosophers became students of Solomon's teaching. Thus was Moses proved to be a Prophet.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 42.

David

God made a Covenant with David the King. While Bahá’ís may disagree about the Prophetic status of David, some say a minor prophet others a major, still it is clear he was prophetic and a covenant was made with him.

Old Testament 2 Samuel 7:12 – 14, 16 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

God further enlarges this Covenant to include not only Solomon who is spoken directly of in the passage, but also the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is alluded to in the same verses, Solomon being the type or representative of the Messiah.

Old Testament First Chronicles 17:11 - 14 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

Muhammad lists David as a Prophet.

Qur’án 17:55 And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some prophets more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.

Some Minor Prophets Also Given a Covenant of Succession

Elijah had a named successor through God Almighty.

Old Testament 2 Kings 2:1 – 3, 9 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

Jesus Christ

Muhammad praises Jesus Who He declares was strengthened with the Holy Spirit.

Qur’án 2:253 Those apostles We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them God spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit.

Bahá’u’lláh speaks of Jesus in very sinless terms.

“Thou hast dealt with the children of the Apostle of God as neither `Ád hath dealt with Húd, nor Thámúd with Salíh, nor the Jews with the Spirit of God (Jesus), the Lord of all being.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 100.

Bahá’u’lláh asks how can we ever conceive of God being powerless to raise up another prophet after Moses?

“How can He be conceived as powerless to raise up yet another Messenger after Moses? Behold the absurdity of their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path of knowledge and understanding! Observe how in this Day also, all these people have occupied themselves with such foolish absurdities.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 23.

Why Jesus sacrificed Himself and its results.

“Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit.” Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 85.

The Jewish prophets promised Christ, but the people denied Him by reason of their leaders.

“Consider those who rejected the Spirit when He came unto them with manifest dominion. How numerous the Pharisees who had secluded themselves in synagogues in His name, lamenting over their separation from Him, and yet when the portals of reunion were flung open and the divine Luminary shone resplendent from the Dayspring of Beauty, they disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Mighty. They failed to attain His presence, notwithstanding that His advent had been promised them in the Book of Isaiah as well as in the Books of the Prophets and the Messengers.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 9 – 10.

A proof of Christ is His education of the people.

“After the lapse of time the Israelites deteriorated, and became subject to the Romans and the Greeks. Then the brilliant Star of Jesus rose from the horizon upon the Israelites, brightening the world, until all sects and creeds and nations were taught the beauty of unity. There cannot be any better proof than this that Jesus was the Word of God.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 42.

Muhammad

According to the Qur’án, Muhammad was to be a Messenger to the whole world. And when he changes the direction of worship from Jerusalem to Mecca, it was a test to strengthen the faithful.

Qur’án 2:143 Thus, have We made of you an Ummat (Nation) justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Apostle a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Apostle from those who would turn on their heels (From the Faith). Indeed it was (A change) momentous, except to those guided by God. And never would God Make your faith of no effect. For God is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.

The Qur’án declares that Muhammad is a definite Prophet sent by God.

Qur’án 5:21 O People of the Book! Now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Apostle, after the break in (the series of) our apostles, lest ye should say: "There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil)": But now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil). And God hath power over all things.

Christ’s statement that He would go and come again, and in another spot that He would go and another would come, in one sense can refer to the Holy Spirit coming in fullness upon the Apostles. However, it clearly is a reference to the coming of the Paraclete, the next Prophet, Muhammad.

“. . . He the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: "I go away and come again unto you." And in another place He said: "I go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfill all that I have said." Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 14.

In the mission of Muhammad the beauty of Jesus is seen, and also in the coming of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

“Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the Qur'án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter of names, Muhammad, Himself, declared: "I am Jesus." He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus nor His writings hath differed from that of Muhammad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His commandments.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 14.

It can be seen that Bahá’u’lláh first affirms the signs that Jesus gave for the next Manifestation. Then, He nowhere denies that Jesus gave these signs, but firmly affirms them. Finally, Bahá’u’lláh states that what Jesus said was not to be taken literally, but the meaning was figurative and spiritual in its import. Because Christians failed to realize this and recognize the import, they also failed to recognize Muhammad of whom it was intended. Hence, Muhammad was denied and now after centuries of time a new revelation again comes and these prophecies are true of every prophet.

“These are the melodies, sung by Jesus, Son of Mary, in accents of majestic power in the Ridván of the Gospel, revealing those signs that must needs herald the advent of the Manifestation after Him. In the first Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: And when they asked Jesus concerning the signs of His coming, He said unto them: "Immediately after the oppression (The Greek word used (Thlipsis) has two meanings: pressure and oppression.) of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the earth shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet." (Matthew 24: 29-31) Rendered into the Persian tongue (The passage is quoted by Bahá’u’lláh in Arabic and interpreted in Persian), the purport of these words is as follows: When the oppression and afflictions that are to befall mankind will have come to pass, then shall the sun be withheld from shining, the moon from giving light, the stars of heaven shall fall upon the earth, and the pillars of the earth shall quake. At that time, the signs of the Son of man shall appear in heaven, that is, the promised Beauty and Substance of life shall, when these signs have appeared, step forth out of the realm of the invisible into the visible world. And He saith: at that time, all the peoples and kindreds that dwell on earth shall bewail and lament, and they shall see that divine Beauty coming from heaven, riding upon the clouds with power, grandeur, and magnificence, sending His angels with a great sound of a trumpet. Similarly, in the three other Gospels, according to Luke, Mark, and John, the same statements are recorded. As We have referred at length to these in Our Tablets revealed in the Arabic tongue, We have made no mention of them in these pages, and have confined Ourselves to but one reference. Inasmuch as the Christian divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these words, and did not recognize their object and purpose, and have clung to the literal interpretation of the words of Jesus, they therefore became deprived of the streaming grace of the Muhammadan Revelation and its showering bounties. The ignorant among the Christian community, following the example of the leaders of their faith, were likewise prevented from beholding the beauty of the King of glory, inasmuch as those signs which were to accompany the dawn of the sun of the Muhammadan Dispensation did not actually come to pass. Thus, ages have passed and centuries rolled away, and that most pure Spirit hath repaired unto the retreats of its ancient sovereignty. Once more hath the eternal Spirit breathed into the mystic trumpet, and caused the dead to speed out of their sepulchres of heedlessness and error unto the realm of guidance and grace. And yet, that expectant community still crieth out: When shall these things be? When shall the promised One, the object of our expectation, be made manifest, that we may arise for the triumph of His Cause, that we may sacrifice our substance for His sake, that we may offer up our lives in His path? In like manner, have such false imaginings caused other communities to stray from the Kawthar of the infinite mercy of Providence, and to be busied with their own idle thoughts.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 16 – 18.

Muhammad also was an educator of the people.

“So it was with the Arabian nations who, being uncivilized, were oppressed by the Persian and Greek governments. When the Light of Muhammad shone forth all Arabia was brightened. These oppressed and degraded peoples became enlightened and cultured; so much so, indeed, that other nations imbibed Arabian civilization from Arabia. This was the proof of Muhammad's divine mission.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 42 – 43.

Muhammad came and elevated an ignoble people to the heights of civilization at the time.

“Muhammad was sent from God to work among a people as savage and uncivilized as the wild beasts. They were quite devoid of understanding, nor had they any feelings of love, sympathy and pity. Women were so degraded and despised that a man could bury his daughter alive, and he had as many wives to be his slaves as he chose.

Among these half animal people Muhammad was sent with His divine Message. He taught the people that idol worship was wrong, but that they should reverence Christ, Moses and the Prophets. Under His influence they became a more enlightened and civilized people and arose from the degraded state in which He found them. Was not this a good work, and worthy of all praise, respect and love?” `Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 39

The Báb

The Báb also established a Covenant.

“Fear ye God and breathe not a word concerning His Most Great Remembrance other than what hath been ordained by God, inasmuch as We have established a separate covenant regarding Him with every Prophet and His followers. Indeed, We have not sent any Messenger without this binding covenant and We do not, of a truth, pass judgment upon anything except after the covenant of Him Who is the Supreme Gate hath been established. Ere long the veil shall be lifted from your eyes at the appointed time. Ye shall then behold the sublime Remembrance of God, unclouded and vivid.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 46.

The Báb even declares that the Words He speaks are not His but Bahá’u’lláh’s.

“Do not say, `How can He speak of God while in truth His age is no more than twenty-five?' Give ye ear unto Me. I swear by the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: I am verily a servant of God. I have been made the Bearer of irrefutable proofs from the presence of Him Who is the long-expected Remnant of God.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 47.

Indeed, the Báb proclaims that He is the Maid of Heaven (Note - Bahá’u’lláh receives in mystic terms the announcement of His Prophethood from the Maid of Heaven.) This same Maid of Heaven is also begotten by the Spirit of Bahá’u’lláh before the world was.

“O people of the earth! By the righteousness of the One true God, I am the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Bahá, abiding within the Mansion hewn out of a mass of ruby, tender and vibrant; and in this mighty Paradise naught have I ever witnessed save that which proclaimeth the Remembrance of God by extolling the virtues of this Arabian Youth. Verily there is none other God but your Lord, the All-Merciful. Magnify ye, then, His station, for behold, He is poised in the midmost heart of the All-Highest Paradise as the embodiment of the praise of God in the Tabernacle wherein His glorification is intoned.

At one time I hear His Voice as He acclaimeth Him Who is the Ever-Living, the Ancient of Days, and at another time as He speaketh of the mystery of His most august Name. And when He intoneth the anthems of the greatness of God all Paradise waileth in its longing to gaze on His Beauty, and when He chanteth words of praise and glorification of God all Paradise becomes motionless like unto ice locked in the heart of a frost-bound mountain. Methinks I visioned Him moving along a straight middle path wherein every paradise was His Own paradise, every heaven His Own heaven, while the whole earth and all that is therein appeared but as a ring upon the finger of His servants. Glorified be God, His Creator, the Lord of everlasting sovereignty. Verily He is none other but the servant of God, the Gate of the Remnant of God your Lord, the Sovereign Truth.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 54.

The Covenant is made for mankind to recognize the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

“God hath indeed sent down this Book unto Me with truth that ye may be enabled to recognize the true names of God, inasmuch as ye have strayed in error far from the Truth. Verily We have taken a covenant from every created thing upon its coming into being concerning the Remembrance of God, and there shall be none to avert the binding command of God for the purification of mankind, as ordained in the Book which is written by the hand of the Báb.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 65.

The Báb says a Covenant was made in the Qur’án to recognize the Báb.

“O ye concourse of the believers! Utter not words of denial against Me once the Truth is made manifest, for indeed the mandate of the Báb hath befittingly been proclaimed unto you in the Qur'án aforetime. I swear by your Lord, this Book is verily the same Qur'án which was sent down in the past.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 67.

Each prophet has a Covenant.

“The Lord of the universe hath never raised up a prophet nor hath He sent down a Book unless He hath established His covenant with all men, calling for their acceptance of the next Revelation and of the next Book; inasmuch as the outpourings of His bounty are ceaseless and without limit.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 87.

Bahá’u’lláh also refers to Isaiah here that the Báb is like John the Baptist and stands with John and Jesus in stating that the kingdom of God has drawn close in the person of the Prophet.

“Say, did ye not hearken to the Voice of the Crier, calling aloud in the wilderness of the Bayán, bearing unto you the glad-tidings of the coming of your Lord, the All-Merciful? Lo! He is come in the sheltering shadow of Testimony, invested with conclusive proof and evidence, and those who truly believe in Him regard His presence as the embodiment of the Kingdom of God.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 12.

The Báb declared that he came to Herald Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest, and that it was this great Prophet who was literally giving the Báb His Book.

“He began to speak and to declare the rank of Báb-hood. Now what He intended by the term Báb [Gate] was this, that He was the channel of grace from some great Person still behind the veil of glory, Who was the possessor of countless and boundless perfections, by Whose will He moved, and to the bond of Whose love He clung.” `Abdu'l-Bahá, A Traveler's Narrative, p. 4.

The station of the Báb, and His proclamation of the next Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh are clearly seen in the Báb’s Writings.

“In His Tablet to Muhammad Sháh the Báb, moreover, has revealed: "I am the Primal Point from which have been generated all created things. I am the Countenance of God Whose splendor can never be obscured, the Light of God Whose radiance can never fade.... All the keys of heaven God hath chosen to place on My right hand, and all the keys of hell on My left.... I am one of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God. Whosoever hath recognized Me, hath known all that is true and right, and hath attained all that is good and seemly.... The substance wherewith God hath created Me is not the clay out of which others have been formed. He hath conferred upon Me that which the worldly-wise can never comprehend, nor the faithful discover.... "By My life! But for the obligation to acknowledge the Cause of Him Who is the Testimony of God ... I would not have announced this unto thee....” Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 69 – 70.

Bahá’u’lláh

Muhammad, speaking in Arabic, uses the name Bahá’u’lláh that means “Light, Glory, or Splendor of God”, and is the name of the Prophet for this Day.

Qur’án 24:35 God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God doth guide whom He will to His Light: God doth set forth Parables for men: and God doth know all things.

The Báb, speaking of Bahá’u’lláh, states that the next Prophet (Bahá’u’lláh) will recite verses spontaneously, and that this is a proof.

“How can anyone besides God reveal a verse such as to overwhelm all mankind? Say, great is God! Who else but Him Whom God will make manifest can spontaneously recite verses which proceed from His Lord--a feat that no mortal man can ever hope to accomplish?” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 134.

The Báb states that salvation is from the source of the Báb’s revelation which elsewhere He has identified as being Bahá’u’lláh.

“Seek ye refuge in God from whatsoever might lead you astray from the Source of His Revelation and hold fast unto His Cord, for whoso holdeth fast unto His allegiance, he hath attained and will attain salvation in all the worlds.” The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 85.

When the Prophet speaks with the Voice of God, it is not that He has become the Unknowable, but rather that the Unknowable is speaking through the Manifestation of the Attributes of the Unknowable.

“This station is the station in which one dieth to himself and liveth in God. Divinity, whenever I mention it, indicateth My complete and absolute self-effacement. This is the station in which I have no control over mine own weal or woe nor over my life nor over my resurrection.” Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 41.

To know Bahá’u’lláh is to know the attributes of God Himself.

“And the knowledge of the King of everlasting days can in no wise be attained save by recognizing Him Who is the Bearer of the Most Great Name.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 50.

Prophets come only when prophecies about oppression on earth have come about, and this has happened over and over again with each Prophet’s dispensation.

“What "oppression" is greater than that which hath been recounted? What "oppression" is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth, and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where to go for it and from whom to seek it? For opinions have sorely differed, and the ways unto the attainment of God have multiplied. This "oppression" is the essential feature of every Revelation. Unless it cometh to pass, the Sun of Truth will not be made manifest. For the break of the morn of divine guidance must needs follow the darkness of the night of error. For this reason, in all chronicles and traditions reference hath been made unto these things, namely that iniquity shall cover the surface of the earth and darkness shall envelop mankind. As the traditions referred to are well known, and as the purpose of this servant is to be brief, He will refrain from quoting the text of these traditions.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 21.

All the signs Muhammad gave have been fulfilled.

“Great God! Notwithstanding their acceptance of the truth of this tradition, these divines who are still doubtful of, and dispute about, the theological obscurities of their faith, yet claim to be the exponents of the subtleties of the law of God, and the expounders of the essential mysteries of His holy Word. They confidently assert that such traditions as indicate the advent of the expected Qá'im have not yet been fulfilled, whilst they themselves have failed to inhale the fragrance of the meaning of these traditions, and are still oblivious of the fact that all the signs foretold have come to pass, that the way of God's holy Cause hath been revealed, and the concourse of the faithful, swift as lightning, are, even now, passing upon that way, whilst these foolish divines wait expecting to witness the signs foretold. Say, O ye foolish ones! Wait ye even as those before you are waiting!” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 53 – 54.

Like Muhammad, Bahá’u’lláh fulfills the Spirit of Truth spoken of by Jesus.

“Verily, He Who is the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 12.

We can ask for a testimony of His truth.

“And should we ask for a testimony of His truth, we should content ourselves with one, and only one; that thereby we may attain unto Him Who is the Fountain-head of infinite grace, and in Whose presence all the world's abundance fadeth into nothingness, that we may cease to cavil at Him every day and to cleave unto our own idle fancy.” Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 48.