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From this explanation, the darkening of the sun, which physically occurs by the simple phenomenon of an eclipse, can also be understood as a symbol for the obscuring of the 'light' of truth, that is, of God's Word or Revelation. The development of a religion can be likened to the passage of the day. The early life of a new religion is like the morning. As the religion grows and influences large numbers of people, day becomes evident. After along period of time, day begins to pass into night, that is, people gradually obscure the original teachings and turn away from its message. Thus Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world', but qualified His words with 'As long as I am in the world' (John 9:5). Thus, Scripture refers to the time of Christ's appearance as the 'Day' of the Lord (Acts 2:20). (110:1) The Moon Will Not Give Its Light-- After the setting of the sun, the brightest luminary in the night sky is the moon. Baha'u'llah explains that the moon, like other symbols, can have different meanings. He explains the moon as being a symbol both for religious leaders and for the laws of God. He expounds on Matthew 24:29 with these words: (110:2) 'the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven' is intended the waywardness of the divines, and the annulment of laws firmly established by divine Revelation. (Certitude 41) (110:3) This explanation indicates that Jesus' words are prophesying the end of Christianity's spiritual influence prior to and during Christ's return. In The Book of Certitude, Baha'u'llah explains that the darkening of the moon is when the teachings 'cease to exert their influence' and when the 'learning of a former Dispensation' has 'darkened and set' (Certitude 41-2).
(110:4)
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