A Message Especially For Christians
from Gregory Watson(Everything underlined on this page is an HTML link to another section, either internal to this document or externally to another. You may wish to read through this entire letter once before clicking over to another document. Click here for more detailed suggestions, at the bottom of this page, on how to study this page.)
"Know thou," Baha'u'llah has testified, "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. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened and the soul of the sinner sanctified.... We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him."
John the apostle says, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." Baha'u'llah glorifies Christ and has testified to the truth of Christ's revelation (see 1st John 4:2 and the Gospel of John 16:12-14). But there is more.
Dear Christian friends, the Revelation of Christ at the time of His "first" coming was incomplete . . . because He said so. He had more to say that humanity was not ready to hear at the time. In the context of His own "return," He said that the "Comforter" and the "Spirit of Truth" would come:
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you . . . ." (John 16:12-14)Through the movement of His Pen, Baha'u'llah claims to fulfill the above promises of Christ. Here are a few quotes from His Writings, relative to the claim:"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:16-18) (For more commentary on this verse regarding why this Spirit is not simply a reference to the unembodied Holy Spirit that can inspire and comfort us, click here and here.)
"Say: I am come to you, O people, from the Throne of glory, and bear you an announcement from God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. In mine hand I carry the testimony of God, your Lord and the Lord of your sires of old. Weigh it with the just Balance that ye possess, the Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of God. If ye find it to be established in truth, if ye believe it to be of God, beware, then, lest ye cavil at it, and render your works in vain, and be numbered with the infidels. It is indeed the sign of God that hath been sent down through the power of truth, through which the validity of His Cause hath been demonstrated unto His creatures, and the ensigns of purity lifted up betwixt earth and heaven."
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Page: 281)"This is the Word which the Son veiled when He said to those around Him that at that time they could not bear it... Verily the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. . . "
". . .The Comforter Whose advent all the scriptures have promised is now come that He may reveal unto you all knowledge and wisdom. Seek Him over the entire surface of the earth, haply ye may find Him."
(From the Writings of Baha'u'llah, WOB, pp: 104-105. For more context, see below)Consider a metaphor I thought of recently: If, for years, you received your mail every day from the same mailman you would have a certain expectation about the way the mailman was supposed to look, right? But should another person come one day to bring you your mail, would you turn him away? No! You would take your mail. The proof whether or not he was the mailman would be whether or not he brought the mail, right? Although the two people would be different, they both would be the mailman. The mailman analogy or metaphor applies to the Christ as the Messenger of God. Christ's reference to the coming of "another" and His own return both refer to the same event. http:/. . . ./return.htm
(For a more mystical analysis of Christ's reference to the Comforter as a reference to the Second Coming, select this link.)
Although it is not for man to test God, God has allowed certain "tests" by which you can recognize His Prophet or Messenger, and a number of them are indicated throughout the Bible. (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and 1st John 4:1)
The greatest proof of a Divine Messenger is His message. If the message is from God, then we know it was brought by the Messenger of God. If a Prophet brings the Word of God, we should receive it, right? (Deuteronomy 18:18-19 and Matthew 21:33-46) That is man's part of the ancient Covenant (or agreement), first articulated with Abraham. God's part of the agreement is to send the Messengers, and man's part of the agreement is to WATCH (see Bible Book of Revelation 3:3) for them and then accept them. Due to human pride, the tendency is to reject them, so we must be careful not to fall into that trap. (The Jews knew the scriptures predicting the first coming of Christ, and because He did not fulfill their literal interpretation of those scriptures they rejected Him. Jesus passed through their midst unloved and unrecognized.)
But how would you know whether or not the Message was from God? In the same way you would determine whether or not a person had brought the mail: You would examine it. We must open the "mail" and examine it fairly, perhaps even closely, using the "just" criteria we possess -- the testimonies found in the teachings of the earlier Prophets and Messengers of God (the teachings of Christ). If we approach the Holy Word humbly, with an open heart, we will be able to hear our Master's voice. (Gospel of John 10:4) The true believer should be able to recognize a message from his Lord. In other words, if we have the Spirit of Truth "in us," we will be able to recognize the Truth. But we must "listen" for His second coming just as we did for His first coming. ("He who knows God listens and hears us, and he who does not listen to us is not of God. By this we know the spirit of truth from the spirit of error." -1st John 4:6) And we can apply the "tests" given by the earlier Messengers of God. Indeed, the fact that They provided tests is evidence that we should have to apply tests, and that there will be Someone able to pass them. Otherwise, the earlier Prophets and Messengers would NOT have set up an expectation for the coming of "another" (example: "the Comforter" or "the Spirit of Truth").
No one can make the claim to be a Messenger of God without proofs, nor can He accomplish His designs without the permission of God. Moses said that a man cannot bring forth a good teaching if he makes the extraordinary and bold claim that his teaching is a Revelation direct from God ("face to face" or "mouth to mouth" -- Deuteronomy 5:4 and Numbers 12:8). God will stop him. It doesn't happen.
It is true that a good man with an inspired teaching CAN suceed in promoting it, so long as he DOES NOT make the great claim that God has spoken it through him. God WILL allow this. However (and this is the main point), a man will not be able to accomplish his design or mission if he claims that he speaks (reveals) God's WORD when he does not (Numbers 12:9 and Deuteronomy 18:20).
Baha'u'llah is the fulfillment of the prophesies that foretell the "second coming" of Christ, similar to how John the Baptist was the "return" of Elijah. (see below and also also ). Although this may seem confusing at first because it does not come the way we expect, it is easy to prove to those who have the "Spirit of Truth" within them, and will therefore listen to the proofs. Once again, "We are of God: he that knows God listens to us. He that is not of God does not listen to us. By this we shall know the spirit of truth from the spirit of error." (Bible: 1st John 4:6) If we continue to listen and "watch" closely and we will see that Baha'u'llah is the "return" of the Word of God -- eternal in the past, eternal in the future.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you . . . ." (John 16:12-14) Baha'u'llah glorifies Christ and testifies to the truth of Christ's revelation (see 1st John 4:2), explaining some of the most difficult and perplexing of Christ's teachings. Before we consider these more difficult passages, take a look at just a few more examples of His praise of Christ:
Jesus Christ is designated by Baha'u'llah as the "Spirit of God," is proclaimed as the One Who "appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost," and is even extolled as the "Essence of the Spirit." His mother is described as "that veiled and immortal, that most beauteous, countenance," and the station of her Son eulogized as a "station which hath been exalted above the imaginings of all that dwell on earth."Remember the first quote from Baha'u'llah (praising Christ) which opens this letter? This praise would by itself fulfill the requirement (for distinguishing truth from falsehood) given in the 1st letter of John chapter 4, verse 2. You will not find any higher language in the world's literature praising Christ -- and no higher expression of truths explaining Christ's reality -- than in the Writings of Baha'u'llah.Moving beyond, and putting much of the past to rest, Baha'u'llah has clarified and explained some of the most perplexing and divergent statements of Christ that have kept Christians debating and fighting each other for centuries. Did you know that more Christians have killed each other over the so-called "trinity," a term not used in the Bible, than were killed by the Roman and pagan persecutions? These debates have been cancelled by Baha'u'llah, fulfilling Christ's promise: "In that day you will ask me no questions... (John 16:23) [The debate has ended.] I will no longer speak figuratively. I shall show you plainly..." (John 16:28) It is time for this disunity and discord within Christianity to cease, by becoming one fold, under one Shepherd (John 10:16). It is time for Christ to meet His "bride"(John 21:2) and the Church (the believers) to become one (John 17:11 and 20-23). This was the Lord's prayer for His believers and for the "other sheep not of this (His) fold." (John 10:16) When will the peoples of the different religions accept this new call to spiritual unity? How else it to be accomplished than through this, His new revelation? There are no two ways about it, either Baha'u'llah is who He claims to be, or He is not. He states:
"Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men. 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."It is time for every believer to recognize "his Best-Beloved in this, His new attire."The Holy Bible actually obligates the believers to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1), in order to distinguish the True One. Otherwise, no tests would be given. The Bible would simply state that anyone claiming to bear a message directly from God is false, and you could discount him without any investigation. However, the test itself is a proof of the existence of the True One and obligates us to investigate. Every claimant must be investigated. The Bible gives many tests. Among them are these: Deuteronomy 18:18-22 and Matthew 7:15-18. "The good tree gives forth good fruit," is the more familiar of the two, and the one in Deuteronomy is worth deep study.
Baha'u'llah is either who He claims to be or He is not. If He is not, then the fair investigator must be able to state why He is not before he can reject it. Logically it seems that there are only two conditions or possibilities if He is not: (1) self-deception, or (2) intent to deceive. In the first condition He would have to be either a fool or a madman. In the second condition He would have to be malevolent, or evil. Even a superficial examination of Baha'u'llah's Writings, and the life He lived in accordance with them (documented in 19th century history), will reveal that He is neither mad nor evil. Therefore, as Sherlock Holmes would say: "When you have eliminated the impossible, no matter how improbable, you are left only with the truth." If you cannot classify Baha'u'llah as an imposter using the two categories above, then He must be who He says that He is.
Consider the following cursory inspection of His revelation. One or two passages from His writings will be sufficient for the people of insight to see that His words are not the words of a madman. Likewise, they cannot be evil (according to Christ's criteria in Luke 11:17), for His Teachings call the peoples of the world to the highest and most noble and goodly behavior and deeds -- to the condition of a pure heart and love for God and humanity:
"Beseech ye the one true God to grant that ye may taste the savor of such deeds as are performed in His path, and partake of the sweetness of such humility and submissiveness as are shown for His sake. Forget your own selves, and turn your eyes towards your neighbor. Bend your energies to whatever may foster the education of men. Nothing is, or can ever be, hidden from God. If ye follow in His way, His incalculable and imperishable blessings will be showered upon you. This is the luminous Tablet, whose verses have streamed from the moving Pen of Him Who is the Lord of all worlds. Ponder it in your hearts, and be ye of them that observe its precepts."(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings . . ., Page: 9)And again:"It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared -- and Our Word is the truth -- : 'Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.' Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed: 'Love of one's country is an element of the Faith of God.' The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: 'It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.' Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.Among the foremost opposers of Christ in His day were the clergy. Intending to accuse Him of being a clever and intelligent deceiver, they called Him "Beelzebub," the chief of devils. His answer was simple: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against itself is a house that falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? ... If by Evil I cast out devils... then by whom do your sons cast them out? ... But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." (Luke 11:17)
O people of Justice! Be as brilliant as the light, and as splendid as the fire that blazed in the Burning Bush. The brightness of the fire of your love will no doubt fuse and unify the contending peoples and kindreds of the earth, whilst the fierceness of the flame of enmity and hatred cannot but result in strife and ruin. We beseech God that He may shield His creatures from the evil designs of His enemies. He verily hath power over all things.
All praise be to the one true God -- exalted be His glory -- inasmuch as He hath, through the Pen of the Most High, unlocked the doors of men's hearts. Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is a bright and shining portal that discloseth the glories of a saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds. The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only. Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto true liberty. The whole earth is illuminated with the resplendent glory of God's Revelation." (Baha'u'llah: Gleanings . . ., Pages: 94-96)Baha'u'llah has written: "O friends! It behoveth you to refresh and revive your souls through the gracious favors which in this Divine, this soul-stirring Springtime are being showered upon you. The Day Star of His great glory hath shed its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have overshadowed you. How high the reward of him that hath not deprived himself of so great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of his Best-Beloved in this, His new attire. Watch over yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual progress of the children of men." (Gleanings . . ., Page: 94)Baha'u'llah "casts out evil" by enjoining upon humanity the most noble behaviors -- that is, to love God, love humanity and to work against "evil" and ignorance in the world, and to acquire divine virtues and a saintly character:"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility."There is no conclusion to make for the fair-minded observer, other than that Baha'u'llah is the Messenger of God for this Day -- because it is evident that He brought a Divine Message. Someone who is not a Divine Teacher cannot bring forth a Divine Message. If He could have delivered these wonderful teachings WITHOUT making the claim to be God's Messenger, then we could discount Him as merely another man. (Of course, it would not be the same message.) But because He makes the claim to speak the Words of God, we know from the teaching of Moses (Deut. 18) that He must be the Prophet of God. Otherwise, He could not have accomplished His mission. God would have "cut him off." He could not have created such a prolific set of writings -- over one hundred volumes of the most sophisticated, systematic and intelligent guidance that we need for this new technologically advanced time in history; i.e., "the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race."
(Gleanings . . ., Page: 285)"This is a Revelation, under which, if a man shed for its sake one drop of blood, myriads of oceans will be his recompense. Take heed, O friends, that ye forfeit not so inestimable a benefit, or disregard its transcendent station. Consider the multitude of lives that have been, and are still being, sacrificed in a world deluded by a mere phantom which the vain imaginations of its peoples have conceived. Render thanks unto God, inasmuch as ye have attained unto your heart's Desire, and been united to Him Who is the Promise of all nations. Guard ye, with the aid of the one true God -- exalted be His glory -- the integrity of the station which ye have attained, and cleave to that which shall promote His Cause. He, verily, enjoineth on you what is right and conducive to the exaltation of man's station. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Revealer of this wondrous Tablet."
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 5-6)Moreover, every time a Divine Messenger is sent from God there is a response (both conscious and unconscious) within the world. The Spirit released into the world has a civilizing effect. Nearly 150 years ago the principles and teachings began to permeate the consciousness of humanity and take effect outwardly in the world: e.g., the equality of men and women, the elimination of racial prejudice, the oncness of humanity, the reconciliation of science and religion, the unity of religion through the recognition of one God, etc. At the same time this "integration" is taking place, the barriers in the way are being torn down -- disintegrating.
"The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System --the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed."For being the instrument of this Revelation He was put in prison for 40 years:
(Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p. 118)"The Pen of the Most High is unceasingly calling; and yet, how few are those that have inclined their ear to its voice! The dwellers of the kingdom of names have busied themselves with the gay livery of the world, forgetful that every man that hath eyes to perceive and ears to hear cannot but readily recognize how evanescent are its colors.
A new life is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive. Consider the peoples of the West. Witness how, in their pursuit of that which is vain and trivial, they have sacrificed, and are still sacrificing, countless lives for the sake of its establishment and promotion. The peoples of Persia, on the other hand, though the repository of a perspicuous and luminous Revelation, the glory of whose loftiness and renown hath encompassed the whole earth, are dispirited and sunk in deep lethargy. . ."
(Baha'u'llah: Gleanings, Pages: 195-197)"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!"Baha'u'llah announced at the time of His revelation that a "new life" and a "fresh capacity" was being "infused" into the entire creation, and that new sciences and social progress was about to burst forth as a golden era for humanity. This is one of His proofs, because this "world-wide regeneration" has come to pass. Even a cursory examination of the scientific and social progress over the last 100 years shows an exponential shift in the rate of human progress, when compared to the previous 3000 years.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 99-100)". . . Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression. The thick clouds of tyranny have darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its peoples. 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. This is the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the Pen of this wronged One to mankind.Baha'u'llah reveals the Word of God in this day with such authoritative and commanding words as these -- the Words of God Himself:
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 92-93)"O SON OF MAN!"Regard ye the world as a man's body, which is afflicted with divers ailments, and the recovery of which dependeth upon the harmonizing of all of its component elements. Gather ye around that which We have prescribed unto you, and walk not in the ways of such as create dissension. Meditate on the world and the state of its people. He, for Whose sake the world was called into being, hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of cities (Akka), by reason of that which the hands of the wayward have wrought. From the horizon of His prison-city He summoneth mankind unto the Dayspring of God, the Exalted, the Great. Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of Baha, is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant? Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the world. Whither are gone the proud and their palaces? Gaze thou into their tombs, that thou mayest profit by this example, inasmuch as We made it a lesson unto every beholder. Were the breezes of Revelation to seize thee, thou wouldst flee the world, and turn unto the Kingdom, and wouldst expend all thou possessest, that thou mayest draw nigh unto this sublime Vision."
Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.""O SON OF MAN!
I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.""O SON OF SPIRIT!
Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.""O SON OF THE SUPREME!
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?""O SON OF MAN!
Neglect not My commandments if thou lovest My beauty, and forget not My counsels if thou wouldst attain My good pleasure.""O SON OF MAN!
Wert thou to speed through the immensity of space and traverse the expanse of heaven, yet thou wouldst find no rest save in submission to Our command and humbleness before Our Face.""O Son of Man!
Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee. Arise for the triumph of My cause, that while yet on earth thou mayest obtain the victory.""O SON OF BEING!
Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.""O MY SERVANT!
Abandon not for that which perisheth an everlasting dominion, and cast not away celestial sovereignty for a worldly desire. This is the river of everlasting life that hath flowed from the well-spring of the pen of the merciful; well is it with them that drink!"
(Taken from the "Hidden Words" of of Baha'u'llah)
(Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 22-23)The Christian who prays and accepts Baha'u'llah's healing message for all mankind, does not give up Christ. While he may have to give up his previous and erroneous interpretations of the "second coming" prophesies, he will not have to miss the second coming. Indeed, it is the only way to avoid missing it.
"Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?"If you miss it, you miss it. While living your whole life still expecting Him to come according to your own interpretations, you wind up dead (your body buried beneath the ground) without even bothering to look at the Word. Christ is NOT coming again in your life-time... because He already came -- 150 years ago! Why wait? You have only to examine His Revelation. Only fear, pride, and the distractions of the world can keep us from this easy examination. The Day has come when He is speaking plainly. Unlike the Revelations of the past, this Revelation is not difficult to understand, if we are open. The Holy Books have been "unsealed."
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 320-322)Christ said:
"These things have I spoken unto you figuratively... In that day you will ask me no questions." (John 16:23) I shall show you plainly... (John 16:28)Let us return to the "mystery" of the RETURN. Strangely John the Baptist said that he was not the return of Elijah, but Christ said that he was. The apparent contradiction is reconcilable, but we must have more than a superficial understanding of prophesy to resolve the seeming contradiction. Likewise, before one can understand the "second coming," one first has to understand the "reality" of Christ. How can one understand the "return" of something unless one first understands what that "something" is? The Reality of Christ is not a simple thing: "This is great mystery. . . concerning Christ." (Ephesians 5:32) The Reality of Christ is the "Word of God." This is what has "returned." This is what has been spoken freshly and new.
A mystery is not easy to understand without the help of the author of the mystery. Only the Messenger of God can explain Himself. Admittedly, we can never fully understand the mystery of Christ because we are not Him. No matter how far a saint can progress, he cannot hope to become the Christ. Moreoever, we can never comprehend God. How could we fully understand Reality of Christ unless we first understood the Reality of God? Sadly, the debate among the Christians has caused more Christians to be killed by Christians than were ever killed by all the "pagan" (Romans, et.al.) persecutions of the Christians. We must not fall into speculative debate. It isn't necessary to speculate, because the true explanation of His own reality is explained by Himself, at the time of His return, even as the following verse reveals:
'Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?' (Revelation 5:2-4. Also see 5:9)
The sealing of the Book, as we know, refers to God's intentionally hiding the meanings of scripture behind a veil of metaphors and symbolic language. (Daniel 12:4-10, Isaiah 29:11, Isaiah 6:9-10, Revelation 10:4) In His writings, Baha'u'llah explains Christ's reality, and once and for all ends the Christian "trinity debate. Who else, but Christ Himself, at the time of His return, is worthy to tell us more of His true nature? I do not know of one Christian who has not fallen more deeply in love with Jesus when reading Baha'u'llah's writings about Him. What Christian would want to miss that?
The Jews missed the "first coming" of Christ because they had a literal interpretation of the prophesies in their Holy book. Today, many popular interpretations of the prophesies concerning the "return of Christ" are totally misleading, while both the New Testament and the Old Testament actually WARN the followers of the Book not to interpret them at all. We are not supposed to understand the prophesies until AFTER they are fulfilled, and only by receiving the interpretations provided by Christ Himself, at the time of His return:
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. . . .
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what [shall be] the end of these [things]? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:4-10)Similarly the verses in Isaiah 29:11--- "When men give it to one who can read, saying, 'read this,' he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.'" Also, in Isaiah 6:9-10-- "...make the ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed."