the other peoples; "and Thy wrath is come"(64)--that is to say, all will be
afflicted by evident loss; because they do not follow Thy precepts,
counsels and teachings, they will be deprived of Thy everlasting bounty,
and veiled from the light of the Sun of Reality.
"And the time of the dead, that they should be judged" means that the time
has come that the dead(65)--that is to say, those who are deprived of the
spirit of the love of God and have not a share of the sanctified eternal
life--will be judged with justice, meaning they will arise to receive that
which they deserve. He will make the reality of their secrets evident,
showing what a low degree they occupy in the world of existence, and that
in reality they are under the rule of death.
"That Thou shouldst give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and the
saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great"(66)--that is to say,
He will distinguish the righteous by endless bounty, making them shine on
the horizon of eternal honor, like the stars of heaven. He will assist
them by endowing them with behavior and actions which are the light of the
world of humanity, the cause of guidance, and the means of everlasting
life in the Divine Kingdom.
"And shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth"(67) means that He will
entirely deprive the neglectful; for the blindness of the blind will be
manifest, and the vision of the seers will be evident; the ignorance and
want of knowledge of the people of error will be recognized, and the
knowledge and wisdom of the people under guidance will be apparent;
consequently, the destroyers will be destroyed.
"And the temple of God was opened in heaven"(68) means that the divine
Jerusalem is found, and the Holy of Holies has become visible. The Holy of
Holies, according to the terminology of the people of wisdom, is the
essence of the Divine Law, and the heavenly and true teachings of the
Lord, which have not been changed in the cycle of any Prophet, as it was
before explained. The sanctuary of Jerusalem is likened to the reality of
the Law of God, which is the Holy of Holies; and all the laws,
conventions, rites and material regulations are the city of Jerusalem--this
is why it is called the heavenly Jerusalem. Briefly, as in this cycle the
Sun of Reality will make the light of God shine with the utmost splendor,
therefore, the essence of the teachings of God will be realized in the
world of existence, and the darkness of ignorance and want of knowledge
will be dispelled. The world will become a new world, and enlightenment
will prevail. So the Holy of Holies will appear.
"And the temple of God was opened in heaven"(69) means also that by the
diffusion of the divine teachings, the appearance of these heavenly
mysteries, and the rising of the Sun of Reality, the doors of success and
prosperity will be opened in all directions, and the signs of goodness and
heavenly benedictions will be made plain.
"And there was seen in His temple the ark of His Testament"(70)--that is to
say, the Book of His Testament will appear in His Jerusalem, the Epistle
of the Covenant(71) will be established, and the meaning of the Testament
and of the Covenant will become evident. The renown of God will overspread
the East and West, and the proclamation of the Cause of God will fill the
world. The violators of the Covenant will be degraded and dispersed, and
the faithful cherished and glorified, for they cling to the Book of the
Testament and are firm and steadfast in the Covenant.
"And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an
earthquake, and great hail,"(72) meaning that after the appearance of the
Book of the Testament there will be a great storm, and the lightnings of
the anger and the wrath of God will flash, the noise of the thunder of the
violation of the Covenant will resound, the earthquake of doubts will take
place, the hail of torments will beat upon the violators of the Covenant,
and even those who profess belief will fall into trials and temptations.
12: COMMENTARY ON THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH
In Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 1 to 10, it is said: "And there shall come
forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his
roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the
sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 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. And
righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the
girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the
leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and
the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and
the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the
lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the
hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the
cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain:
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea."
This rod out of the stem of Jesse might be correctly applied to Christ,
for Joseph was of the descendants of Jesse, the father of David; but as
Christ found existence through the Spirit of God, He called Himself the
Son of God. If He had not done so, this description would refer to Him.
Besides this, the events which he indicated as coming to pass in the days
of that rod, if interpreted symbolically, were in part fulfilled in the
day of Christ, but not all; and if not interpreted, then decidedly none of
these signs happened. For example, the leopard and the lamb, the lion and
the calf, the child and the asp, are metaphors and symbols for various
nations, peoples, antagonistic sects and hostile races, who are as
opposite and inimical as the wolf and lamb. We say that by the breath of
the spirit of Christ they found concord and harmony, they were vivified,
and they associated together.
But "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea." These conditions did not prevail in the time of the manifestation of
Christ; for until today various and antagonistic nations exist in the
world: very few acknowledge the God of Israel, and the greater number are
without the knowledge of God. In the same way, universal peace did not
come into existence in the time of Christ--that is to say, between the
antagonistic and hostile nations there was neither peace nor concord,
disputes and disagreements did not cease, and reconciliation and sincerity
did not appear. So, even at this day, among the Christian sects and
nations themselves, enmity, hatred and the most violent hostility are met
with.
But these verses apply word for word to Baha'u'llah. Likewise in this
marvelous cycle the earth will be transformed, and the world of humanity
arrayed in tranquillity and beauty. Disputes, quarrels and murders will be
replaced by peace, truth and concord; among the nations, peoples, races
and countries, love and amity will appear. Cooperation and union will be
established, and finally war will be entirely suppressed. When the laws of
the Most Holy Book are enforced, contentions and disputes will find a
final sentence of absolute justice before a general tribunal of the
nations and kingdoms, and the difficulties that appear will be solved. The
five continents of the world will form but one, the numerous nations will
become one, the surface of the earth will become one land, and mankind
will be a single community. The relations between the countries--the
mingling, union and friendship of the peoples and communities--will reach
to such a degree that the human race will be like one family and kindred.
The light of heavenly love will shine, and the darkness of enmity and
hatred will be dispelled from the world. Universal peace will raise its
tent in the center of the earth, and the blessed Tree of Life will grow
and spread to such an extent that it will overshadow the East and the
West. Strong and weak, rich and poor, antagonistic sects and hostile
nations--which are like the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and kid, the
lion and the calf--will act toward each other with the most complete love,
friendship, justice and equity. The world will be filled with science,
with the knowledge of the reality of the mysteries of beings, and with the
knowledge of God.
Now consider, in this great century which is the cycle of Baha'u'llah,
what progress science and knowledge have made, how many secrets of
existence have been discovered, how many great inventions have been
brought to light and are day by day multiplying in number. Before long,
material science and learning, as well as the knowledge of God, will make
such progress and will show forth such wonders that the beholders will be
amazed. Then the mystery of this verse in Isaiah, "For the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of the Lord," will be completely evident.
Reflect also that in the short time since Baha'u'llah has appeared, people
from all countries, nations and races have entered under the shadow of
this Cause. Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus and Persians
all associate together with the greatest friendship and love, as if indeed
these people had been related and connected together, they and theirs, for
a thousand years; for they are like father and child, mother and daughter,
sister and brother. This is one of the meanings of the companionship of
the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, and the lion and the calf.
One of the great events which is to occur in the Day of the manifestation
of that Incomparable Branch (Baha'u'llah) is the hoisting of the Standard
of God among all nations. By this is meant that all nations and kindreds
will be gathered together under the shadow of this Divine Banner, which is
no other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become a single nation.
Religious and sectarian antagonism, the hostility of races and peoples,
and differences among nations, will be eliminated. All men will adhere to
one religion, will have one common faith, will be blended into one race,
and become a single people. All will dwell in one common fatherland, which
is the planet itself. Universal peace and concord will be realized between
all the nations, and that Incomparable Branch will gather together all
Israel, signifying that in this cycle Israel will be gathered in the Holy
Land, and that the Jewish people who are scattered to the East and West,
South and North, will be assembled together.
Now see: these events did not take place in the Christian cycle, for the
nations did not come under the One Standard which is the Divine Branch.
But in this cycle of the Lord of Hosts all the nations and peoples will
enter under the shadow of this Flag. In the same way, Israel, scattered
all over the world, was not reassembled in the Holy Land in the Christian
cycle; but in the beginning of the cycle of Baha'u'llah this divine
promise, as is clearly stated in all the Books of the Prophets, has begun
to be manifest. You can see that from all the parts of the world tribes of
Jews are coming to the Holy Land; they live in villages and lands which
they make their own, and day by day they are increasing to such an extent
that all Palestine will become their home.
13: COMMENTARY ON THE TWELFTH CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN
We have before explained that what is most frequently meant by the Holy
City, the Jerusalem of God, which is mentioned in the Holy Book, is the
Law of God. It is compared sometimes to a bride, and sometimes to
Jerusalem, and again to the new heaven and earth. So in chapter 21, verses
1, 2 and 3 of the Revelation of St. John, it is said: "And I saw a new
heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they
shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their
God."
Notice how clear and evident it is that the first heaven and earth signify
the former Law. For it is said that the first heaven and earth have passed
away and there is no more sea--that is to say, that the earth is the place
of judgment, and on this earth of judgment there is no sea, meaning that
the teachings and the Law of God will entirely spread over the earth, and
all men will enter the Cause of God, and the earth will be completely
inhabited by believers; therefore, there will be no more sea, for the
dwelling place and abode of man is the dry land. In other words, at that
epoch the field of that Law will become the pleasure-ground of man. Such
earth is solid; the feet do not slip upon it.
The Law of God is also described as the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. It
is evident that the New Jerusalem which descends from heaven is not a city
of stone, mortar, bricks, earth and wood. It is the Law of God which
descends from heaven and is called new, for it is clear that the Jerusalem
which is of stone and earth does not descend from heaven, and that it is
not renewed; but that which is renewed is the Law of God.
The Law of God is also compared to an adorned bride who appears with most
beautiful ornaments, as it has been said in chapter 21 of the Revelation
of St. John: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."(73)
And in chapter 12, verse 1, it is said: "And there appeared a great wonder
in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and
upon her head a crown of twelve stars." This woman is that bride, the Law
of God that descended upon Muhammad. The sun with which she was clothed,
and the moon which was under her feet, are the two nations which are under
the shadow of that Law, the Persian and Ottoman kingdoms; for the emblem
of Persia is the sun, and that of the Ottoman Empire is the crescent moon.
Thus the sun and moon are the emblems of two kingdoms which are under the
power of the Law of God. Afterward it is said: "upon her head is a crown
of twelve stars." These twelve stars are the twelve Imams, who were the
promoters of the Law of Muhammad and the educators of the people, shining
like stars in the heaven of guidance.
Then it is said in the second verse: "and she being with child cried,"
meaning that this Law fell into the greatest difficulties and endured
great troubles and afflictions until a perfect offspring was produced--that
is, the coming Manifestation, the Promised One, Who is the perfect
offspring, and Who was reared in the bosom of this Law, which is as its
mother. The child Who is referred to is the Bab, the Primal Point, Who was
in truth born from the Law of Muhammad--that is to say, the Holy Reality,
Who is the child and outcome of the Law of God, His mother, and Who is
promised by that religion, finds a reality in the kingdom of that Law; but
because of the despotism of the dragon the child was carried up to God.
After twelve hundred and sixty days the dragon was destroyed, and the
child of the Law of God, the Promised One, became manifest.
Verses 3 and 4. "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; and behold a
great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon
his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and
did cast them to the earth."(74) These signs are an allusion to the
dynasty of the Umayyads who dominated the Muhammadan religion. Seven heads
and seven crowns mean seven countries and dominions over which the
Umayyads had power: they were the Roman dominion around Damascus; and the
Persian, Arabian and Egyptian dominions, together with the dominion of
Africa--that is to say, Tunis, Morocco and Algeria; the dominion of
Andalusia, which is now Spain; and the dominion of the Turks of
Transoxania. The Umayyads had power over these countries. The ten horns
mean the names of the Umayyad rulers--that is, without repetition, there
were ten names of rulers, meaning ten names of commanders and chiefs--the
first is Abu Sufyan and the last Marvan--but several of them bear the same
name. So there are two Muaviya, three Yazid, two Valid, and two Marvan;
but if the names were counted without repetition there would be ten. The
Umayyads, of whom the first was Abu Sufyan, Amir of Mecca and chief of the
dynasty of the Umayyads, and the last was Marvan, destroyed the third part
of the holy and saintly people of the lineage of Muhammad who were like
the stars of heaven.
Verse 4. "And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be
delivered, for to devour the child as soon as it was born."(75) As we have
before explained, this woman is the Law of God. The dragon was standing
near the woman to devour her child, and this child was the promised
Manifestation, the offspring of the Law of Muhammad. The Umayyads were
always waiting to get possession of the Promised One, Who was to come from
the line of Muhammad, to destroy and annihilate Him; for they much feared
the appearance of the promised Manifestation, and they sought to kill any
of Muhammad's descendants who might be highly esteemed.
Verse 5. "And she brought forth a man child, Who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron." This great son is the promised Manifestation Who was
born of the Law of God and reared in the bosom of the divine teachings.
The iron rod is a symbol of power and might--it is not a sword--and means
that with divine power and might He will shepherd all the nations of the
earth. This son is the Bab.
Verse 5. "And her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne." This
is a prophecy of the Bab, Who ascended to the heavenly realm, to the
Throne of God, and to the center of His Kingdom. Consider how all this
corresponds to what happened.
Verse 6. "And the woman fled into the wilderness"--that is to say, the Law
of God fled to the wilderness, meaning the vast desert of Hijaz, and the
Arabian Peninsula.
Verse 6. "Where she had a place prepared of God."(76) The Arabian
Peninsula became the abode and dwelling place, and the center of the Law
of God.
Verse 6. "That they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and
threescore days." In the terminology of the Holy Book these twelve hundred
and sixty days mean the twelve hundred and sixty years that the Law of God
was set up in the wilderness of Arabia, the great desert: from it the
Promised One has come. After twelve hundred and sixty years that Law will
have no more influence, for the fruit of that tree will have appeared, and
the result will have been produced.
Consider how the prophecies correspond to one another. In the Apocalypse,
the appearance of the Promised One is appointed after forty-two months,
and Daniel expresses it as three times and a half, which is also forty-two
months, which are twelve hundred and sixty days. In another passage of
John's Revelation it is clearly spoken of as twelve hundred and sixty
days, and in the Holy Book it is said that each day signifies one year.
Nothing could be clearer than this agreement of the prophecies with one
another. The Bab appeared in the year 1260 of the Hejira of Muhammad,
which is the beginning of the universal era-reckoning of all Islam. There
are no clearer proofs than this in the Holy Books for any Manifestation.
For him who is just, the agreement of the times indicated by the tongues
of the Great Ones is the most conclusive proof. There is no other possible
explanation of these prophecies. Blessed are the just souls who seek the
truth. But failing justice, the people attack, dispute and openly deny the
evidence, like the Pharisees who, at the manifestation of Christ, denied
with the greatest obstinacy the explanations of Christ and of His
disciples. They obscured Christ's Cause before the ignorant people,
saying, "These prophecies are not of Jesus, but of the Promised One Who
shall come later, according to the conditions mentioned in the Bible."
Some of these conditions were that He must have a kingdom, be seated on
the throne of David, enforce the Law of the Bible, and manifest such
justice that the wolf and the lamb shall gather at the same spring.
And thus they prevented the people from knowing Christ.
Note.--In these last conversations 'Abdu'l-Baha wishes to reconcile in a
new interpretation the apocalyptic prophecies of the Jews, the Christians
and the Muslims, rather than to show their supernatural character. On the
powers of the Prophets, cf. "The Knowledge of the Divine Manifestations,"
p. 157; and "Visions and Communication with Spirits," p. 251.
14: SPIRITUAL PROOFS
In this material world time has cycles; places change through alternating
seasons, and for souls there are progress, retrogression and education.
At one time it is the season of spring; at another it is the season of
autumn; and again it is the season of summer or the season of winter.
In the spring there are the clouds which send down the precious rain, the
musk-scented breezes and life-giving zephyrs; the air is perfectly
temperate, the rain falls, the sun shines, the fecundating wind wafts the
clouds, the world is renewed, and the breath of life appears in plants, in
animals and in men. Earthly beings pass from one condition to another. All
things are clothed in new garments, and the black earth is covered with
herbage; mountains and plains are adorned with verdure; trees bear leaves
and blossoms; gardens bring forth flowers and fragrant herbs. The world
becomes another world, and it attains to a life-giving spirit. The earth
was a lifeless body; it finds a new spirit, and produces endless beauty,
grace and freshness. Thus the spring is the cause of new life and infuses
a new spirit.
Afterward comes the summer, when the heat increases, and growth and
development attain their greatest power. The energy of life in the
vegetable kingdom reaches to the degree of perfection, the fruit appears,
and the time of harvest ripens; a seed has become a sheaf, and the food is
stored for winter. Afterward comes tumultuous autumn when unwholesome and
sterile winds blow; it is the season of sickness, when all things are
withered, and the balmy air is vitiated. The breezes of spring are changed
to autumn winds; the fertile green trees have become withered and bare;
flowers and fragrant herbs fade away; the beautiful garden becomes a
dustheap. Following this comes the season of winter, with cold and
tempests. It snows, rains, hails, storms, thunders and lightens, freezes
and congeals; all plants die, and animals languish and are wretched.
When this state is reached, again a new life-giving spring returns, and
the cycle is renewed. The season of spring with its hosts of freshness and
beauty spreads its tent on the plains and mountains with great pomp and
magnificence. A second time the form of the creatures is renewed, and the
creation of beings begins afresh; bodies grow and develop, the plains and
wildernesses become green and fertile, trees bring forth blossoms, and the
spring of last year returns in the utmost fullness and glory. Such is, and
such ought to be, the cycle and succession of existence. Such is the cycle
and revolution of the material world.