CHAPTER 10:
THE LORD of HISTORY
All things are begotten of God. He is the source of all creation, its designer and its sustainer, its protector and its ruler. All that is has come into being by His wish, has appeared according to His plan, has been manifested according to His time. All that is to be will likewise proceed from Him (136:1)

God alone can comprehend Himself. He alone can perceive His stature. He alone can estimate His excellence. None but Him can do this. He has no peer or equal. None can assist Him; none can resist Him: (136:2)

He hath, from everlasting, dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty and grandeur. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 261 (136:3)

Limitations of time and space can not approach His sanctified presence. Eternity itself is a mere creation of His; the vastness of the heavens, but His handiwork. Infinite is His knowledge, infinite His power, infinite His bounty. He neither toils nor spins, but with perfect ease accomplishes anything: (136:4)

A drop of the billowing ocean of His endless mercy hath adorned all creation with the ornament of existence, and a breath wafted from His peerless Paradise hath invested all beings with the robe of His sanctity and glory. A sprinkling from the unfathomed deep of His sovereign and all-pervasive Will hath, out of utter nothingness, called into being a creation which is infinite in its range and deathless in its duration. The wonders of His bounty can never cease, and the stream of His merciful grace can never be arrested. The process of His creation hath had no beginning, and can have no end. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 61 (136:5)

God has created, and His creation stands utterly in need of Him. Like the blade of grass that cannot exist without the sustaining light of the sun, all created things are dependent for their very existence upon His sustaining grace. Were it to be withheld, no created thing could exist (136:6)

But His grace is not withheld. It is shed unceasingly (136:7)

Love is the Cause of God's Creation and Unceasing Grace (137:1)

God's grace is not withheld. It is shed unceasingly. Why is this? (137:2)

Why has creation been called into being, and why is it sustained? What is the purpose of God's great work? (137:3)

The scriptures tell us that the answer is love. Out of His love we were created, and He wishes us to return that love: (137:4)

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. Arabic Hidden Words, No. 4 (137:5)

To love Him, we must know Him, for we cannot love a thing that we do not know. For this reason, God has given us the capacity to know Him: (137:6)

From among all created things He hath singled out for His special favor the pure, the gem-like reality of man, and invested it with a unique capacity of knowing Him and of reflecting the greatness of His glory. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 77 (137:7)

God Himself is the purpose of creation. He wishes to be known and loved. He is not only the Source, but also the Goal of creation. We proceed from Him, and we return unto Him (137:8)

But how can we know God? Can a blade of grass comprehend the sun? Can a painting understand the one who painted it? Or a sculpture imagine the sculptor? (137:9)

How can we, His creatures, know Him, when we can not even fathom His creation! We who do not even know the hairs of our own head, much less the wonders of the universe; are we to understand the infinite Creator? (137:10)

No. We have been bound by limits that we can never transcend. God is far too great to be comprehended of Himself. However, we are not cut off from Him; His mercy does not fail to reach us. Although we cannot know Him directly, He has allowed a way for His eternal love to reach us, for His attributes to be manifested in His creation. It is His attributes, not His essence, that we can know; and thereby is He known (137:11)

The truth that we know God through His attributes, but not in His essence, will become clearer if we consider, by way of analogy, a blade of grass. A blade of grass can never know the inner workings of the sun. According to its limited capacity as ordained by God, however, a blade of grass can benefit from the life-giving rays of the sun, and can manifest the qualities of those rays in its growth. The blade of grass does not know the sun directly, but it can experience and become imbued with its qualities; thus, what the blade of grass knows of the sun are its rays, its qualities, but not its essence. The blade of grass cannot go to the sun, neither can the sun descend in its essence into the blade of grass. Neither the nature of the sun nor the nature of the blade of grass would permit this (137:12)

We will never, and can never know, the essence of God, yet according to our capacity, as ordained by God, we can benefit from His life-giving spirit, and we can manifest His qualities in our spiritual growth. We cannot know God directly, but we can know His attributes. This is what we can know of Him. We cannot attain to the presence of God, neither can God come and dwell on earth. His divine nature does not permit this (138:1)

The intermediary between the sun and the blade of grass is the light that the sun radiates. The intermediary between God and man is His Holy One: (138:2)

The door of the knowledge of the Ancient Being hath ever been, and will continue for ever to be, closed in the face of men. No man's understanding shall ever gain access unto His holy court. As a token of His mercy, however, and as a proof of His loving-kindness, He hath manifested unto men the Day Stars of His divine guidance, the Symbols of His divine unity, and hath ordained the knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical with the knowledge of His own Self. Whoso recognizeth them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call, hath hearkened to the Voice of God, and whoso testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath testified to the truth of God Himself. Whoso turneth away from them, hath turned away from God, and whoso disbelieveth in them, hath disbelieved in God (138:3)

Every one of them is the Way of God that connecteth this world with the realms above, and the Standard of His Truth unto every one in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. They are the Manifestations of God amidst men, the evidences of His Truth, and the signs of His glory. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 50 (138:4)

All created things - the spheres in the heavens, the mountains, deserts, oceans and creatures of the earth, and of course, God's beloved children - manifest to a prescribed degree the greatness of their Creator. Each, within its own domain, is a reflection of the purpose of God. However, the Holy One of God, the Prophet of the age, is the incomparable Manifestation of His attributes; indeed He, and He alone, is the very channel through which the grace of God flows to His creation. No mere human can ever attain the degree of distinction possessed by these Manifestations of God, for God has ordained that these sanctified Beings, though they appear in the form of a human temple, are invested with His infinite knowledge, His infinite power, His infinite love and authority. The lives of all peoples are between Their fingers. The universe itself lies in the hollow of Their hand (138:5)

The Holy One of God, the Manifestation of God for the Age, is thus the Lord of History (138:6)

The Manifestation of God and The Tree of Life (138:7)

The Manifestation of God is the channel through which, and through which alone, the grace of God flows to all creation. He is the very source of life to the world: (138:8)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." John 6:53 (138:9)

In these words, Christ leaves no alternative to attain to life, but through Him. We must eat - that is we must partake of - His divine perfections, if we are to have true life. There is no life except through Him, for Christ is the "bread of life" ; He is the "light of life" ; He is the "Prince of life" . He is the "Spirit of life" , the "promise of life" , and the "Word of life" . Indeed He is the very "tree of life" bringing forth "fruits of righteousness" whose "leaves" are for the "healing of the nations" : (139:1)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 (139:2)

Here Christ, through Whom comes "everlasting life" , speaks symbolically of Himself as the "tree of life" planted in the garden of creation, the world of being, symbolized in His blessed words by the "paradise of God" (139:3)

We first read of the Tree of Life in Genesis, a tree which if eaten of, one would "live for ever" , but whose exalted reality was beyond the reach of man because it was protected by a "flaming sword which turned every way" (139:4)

This sacred Tree, destined in the fullness of time to bear "twelve manner of fruit" , and through which the "Blessed" who "do his commandments" may "enter in through the gates into the city" , is a symbol of the eternal Christ Figure, the Manifestation of God (139:5)

The PROGRESSIVE REVELATION of the Manifestation of GOD as the TREE of LIFE-
This sacred Tree, the symbol of the Prophet, has manifested itself in degrees to humanity. It has appeared in history at critical stages, at those times when needed most by man. And at each of these stages, the glory it has shed has been according to the ability of humanity to receive His grace, according to its capacity to reflect His glory, and not according to the infinite essence of the Prophet Himself. We must bear constantly in mind, that the Manifestations of God are equal in their knowledge, their power and glory. In the heavenly realm, their stations are identical. It is only in this realm that they appear to vary in the intensity of their revelation of the divine spirit they embody. The light of the sun appears to vary as it rises, yet its blazing radiance is, in fact, constant; so too, with the Messengers of God (139:6)

Let us consider the progressive revelation of God's will and purpose and the development of humanity over the ages. If we reflect on human development, briefly, we see that at the first appearance of man in the world, it was nature that ruled, and subjected him: nature was "king". The kingship of nature, however, was not meant to last forever because humanity, eventually, was destined to rule and subject nature, thereby bringing the "kingdom of humanity" into existence. Likewise, in the divine order of things, the kingship of humanity was not meant to endure forever because it was destined to be supplanted by the true and everlasting kingdom: the Kingdom of God (140:1)

These three stages: the kingdom of nature, the kingdom of man, and the kingdom of God, are Represented, respectively, by Adam, symbolizing the appearance of man in nature, his birth into the world of flesh and blood; Christ, symbolizing man's rising above nature, his rebirth into the life of the spirit; and Christ Returned in the glory of the Father, symbolizing God's ultimate rule over humanity (140:2)

The meaning of the tree of life as a symbol of the Manifestation of God is explained in the following quotation by Abdu'l-Baha, the Son of Baha'u'llah. It is relatively short, but - like so many passages from scripture - certainly not immediately understandable. It is filled with such meaning that it will no doubt require innumerable volumes and all human learning to adequately explain and exhaust its import: (140:3)

"The tree of life is the highest degree of the world of existence : the position of the Word of God, and the supreme Manifestation. Therefore, that position has been preserved: and, at the appearance of the most noble supreme Manifestation, it became apparent and clear. For the position of Adam, with regard to the appearance and manifestation of the divine perfections, was in the embryonic condition; the position of Christ was the condition of maturity and the age of reason; and the rising of the Greatest Luminary was the condition of the perfection of the essence and of the qualities. This is why in the supreme Paradise the tree of life is the expression for the center of absolutely pure sanctity-that is to say, of the divine supreme Manifestation. From the days of Adam until the days of Christ, they spoke little of eternal life and the heavenly universal perfections. This tree of life was the position of the Reality of Christ; through His manifestation it was planted and adorned with everlasting fruits." (140:4)

How can we make an initial approach to the understanding of this profound passage? The following reflections about it may provide us at least a preliminary comprehension and grasp of its principal themes and ideas. Consider: the development of the human embryo is a necessary condition, an inseparable preliminary requirement, which must occur before the natural powers of the human being can appear and manifest themselves. The kingdom of nature must develop in a human being for many years - which is to say the physical, sensory, and material dimensions of human life must progress fully - before the dawn of the powers of thought and reason appear in a human being , and with it, the first signs of the budding maturity of the kingdom of humanity. This kingdom is that of reason, thought, art, science, law, government, and culture - the realm of civilization and its continuing progress and advancement; it is the Kingdom where humanity, by its characteristics and achievements, distinguishes itself from the animal Kingdom (140:5)

Humanity has progressed in a similar manner to that of the child progressing through various stages. At the time of Adam, man was only capable of receiving enough grace to develop its natural powers of adaptation to the earth and to slowly gain the powers of civilization (141:1)

With the maturity of humanity's natural powers, there dawned in humanity the capacity of reason. And with the development of the first powers of reason in man, humanity was capable of receiving the news of the Spirit, of the Kingdom of God - a kingdom that lies beyond the human kingdom - and of the universal perfections of the spiritual world. The achievement of this mighty surge forward in the life of the children of men was the purpose of God's beloved Son (141:2)

Where earlier there had been the seeds and roots of spiritual life, with the Manifestation of Christ, and under the influence of His Revelation, a veritable tree of spiritual life burst into visibility above the ground of nature; Christ caused the Tree of the Spiritual Life of Mankind to visibly appear. At the very height of the reign of The Kingdom of Humanity, Christ appeared as the incarnation of the spiritual essence of humanity and summoned humanity to the Kingdom of God beyond the Kingdom of humanity. His Manifestation was the Dawn of the Kingdom of God on earth, but only the Dawn; therefore, Christ spoke of the Kingdom of God as already here, as the Day is here with the Dawn. But, even more insistently, He spoke of the full and mature coming of the Kingdom of God, and He told His followers constantly to watch and to remain awake and to prepare for the Great Day of God when the Kingdom of God would come to earth in its fullness (141:3)

That Day has now come. This is the Great Day of God of which Christ spoke, the full appearance and blossoming of the Kingdom of God on earth. We stand at the threshold of this mighty promise (141:4)

In the above quoted passage, none but the Christ Returned is signified by "the Greatest Luminary". And it is Baha'u'llah Who has fulfilled His Return, and His Coming is the condition which makes possible the full development of the spiritual powers of humanity - "the perfection of the essence and its qualities", the visible appearance of the Kingdom of God on earth in its fullness (141:5)

The appearance of Adam signalized the birth of man - the burst of humanity from the embryonic condition into the fullness of the growth and development of humanity's powers in the Kingdom of nature. Christ, however, was the divine Messenger to mankind at the dawn of the point when the kingdom of humanity first fails, and is therefore in need of the spiritual graces of the Kingdom of God. He embodies the spiritual rebirth, the Crucifying, definitive Turning Point of mankind; the point at which man must "die" to the world and must "live" in Him. And the Manifestation of Baha'u'llah comes as the kingdom of humanity utterly, finally, and miserably fails, as tragically witnessed in the world today: in Him, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, appears the Kingdom of the Father in the plenitude of its power and glory (141:6)

Thus the Manifestation of God, the sacred Tree providing the very life of mankind, presides over the course of Humanity's History and Destiny - from its birth, through its spiritual rebirth, and unto its full Blossoming and beyond, to the Summer of its Ripeness and the millennia still to unfold in its future. Indeed, The Manifestations of God are the Sources and Mainsprings of History - the secret, the potent, and the inmost Causes of the development of all Human Life. They hold the key to who we are, why we are here, and where we are going (142:1)

Glory be to Thee, O God, for Thy manifestation of love to mankind! Baha'u'llah, Baha'i Prayers (UK), p. 60 (142:2)

The advent of God's manifestation of love to the world, in the form of a human being - a miracle which God has ordained to occur from age to age - is the most vital yet most mysterious phenomenon in creation. At such times the worlds of God and of man make their closest approach. Those who attain the presence of the Promised One, if they are spiritually awake, obtain a glimpse of the realm of God, and "drink of the honey of reunion with Him" . Although God's love is omnipresent, whether or not the Promised One be here on earth, yet when He is with us in physical form, it is a special time, a time of which it can truly be said that we behold " God with us" (142:3)

His authority is divine, and His judgment irrevocable. He tests us, discerning our inmost motives, searching the condition of our hearts - and He rewards us according to His celestial wisdom. His every word and action are of God, and they proceed for the education of His children (142:4)

Unlike any earthly leader, the influence of the Manifestation of God increases uninterruptedly after His departure from the earth. Like a divine magnet, He attracts humanity to Him. Indeed, it is He who summons and calls us to do His work on earth: to shape our future according to His vision, to produce the history He desires. The age is His to command, and through the army of His followers, He conquers the forces of opposition (142:5)

The Meaning of the life of a Manifestation of God cannot be contained in a book, but rather is contained in the response of humanity; it consists, furthermore, in the influence that a Manifestation of God exerts during the centuries and millennia after His Coming. It is contained in the efflorescence of the collective life of the children of men as they strive to carry out His will and, in consequence of their striving, bring upon themselves the blessings promised them by their Creator. It is contained, moreover, in the hearts of those who love Him (142:6)

The meaning of His life is contained also in the destruction of patterns of thought, of behavior, and of so-called civilization, which run counter to His will, and which stubbornly and naively, clinging to the sand, attempt to withstand the force of His Revelation which, like a tidal wave, sweeps them away (142:7)

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.Psalms 14:2 (143:1)

Though the prophet of the Age is a changeless Being, we, His children, certainly are not, for we are part of creation, and absolutely everything in creation changes. In fact, change is a law which God has made an integral part of creation, and one which we can not avoid. Life itself implies change. Moreover, the very purpose of our lives is to change. For, are we not to grow under the light of God's love? (143:2)

The Manifestations of God have dawned upon the world from the beginning of time to shed the light that gives spiritual life to the world of being. They have, through their guidance and their sacrifice, lovingly and patiently lifted humanity from the animal state into which humanity is continually called by its lower nature. From the days of Adam, they have sought to raise humanity's gaze from the earthly to the heavenly (143:3)

In the early days, mankind was like a child, and the message of God was, therefore, simple and direct, attuned to His children's ears; to their childlike knowledge and capacity. The first lesson which men and women needed to learn was that there is only one true God, and that He exercises His Will, which we must obey: (143:4)

I am the LORD thy God, .. Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:6-7 (143:5)

.. remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them ..Numbers 15:39 (143:6)

So that the childhood level of development in mankind could relate to this message that there was an everlasting, all-powerful, supreme God, He was portrayed in simple concrete terms, even physical terms. Thus God was referred to as a person and people regarded Him as such: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth (143:7)

The laws, too, which the Prophets and Messengers delivered were simple and concrete: "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal." The child - that was humanity - was made aware of a divine law, an eternal relationship between the Creator and His creation. The Creator promised to provide, as would a loving Father, everything that the child would require for its happiness, its growth and development. In return, the child was expected to behave in a certain way. This arrangement was called the "Covenant" (143:8)

This Covenant of God was contained in the great commandments - one each for each of the fingers of a man's hands. The commandments themselves were born by those same hands in the ark containing the covenant: the two tables of stone, "written with the finger of God" . And the Lord Himself, dwelt in the very midst of His people: by day "in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way", and by night "in a pillar of fire" (144:1)

The people at that time had their God, and the covenant of God: His commandments. They could see the one, and touch the other (144:2)

Thus dwelt the Lord with his children. As ages passed and mankind grew in its powers, it received at every stage from its Father, through the prophets, the perfect measure of divine guidance. The myriad ordinances and exhortations, that were to succeed and supplement the commandments written in stone, formed the pattern of their lives. God's chosen people abided in service to their Lord through sacred rituals, through strict adherence to law and rules, and through the fear of the Lord, for "that is wisdom" . Life, in its entirety, was viewed primarily as this earthly life; the meanings, purposes, and fruits of life were to be reaped here on earth. Victory or defeat in battle, a plentiful harvest or a devastating plague, were the direct results of obedience or lack of obedience to God's will. Indeed, all the days of one's earthly life and the consequences of one's life were determined by obedience to God's will and by the degree of one's faithful adherence to divine commandments: (144:3)

Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. Deuteronomy 4:40 (144:4)

Little was spoken of spiritual qualities and eternal life. Yes, they were mentioned, but it was not the focus of God's message (144:5)

There are many truths which we may know that we cannot and should not mention to a child because they are not mature enough in their development to properly understand and assimilate them. Later as adults, however, we can tell them the same truths with great benefit and without harm. Thus, it was left to a later age to receive from God's own divine Son, on whom descended the "dove" enshrining the "spirit of God" , the message of the spiritual Kingdom and everlasting life (144:6)

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23 (145:1)

We don't remain children forever. Like it or not, we must grow. At some point, we must "put away childish things" (145:2)

Jesus appeared in the world at a time when humanity had progressed and gained sufficient capacity that it was then prepared to receive a great thrust forward in its spiritual growth. His purpose was to provide the divine impetus for this growth, to shed the eternal light of God that would quicken the world of humanity. The people to whom He appeared were, at that time, in desperate need of such a grace, for they had fallen away from the teachings of God and were sinking into spiritual oblivion. Their faith was a hollow shell, emptied of life (145:3)

They had been prepared for centuries for His Coming. They had been told in sometimes simple, sometimes mysterious language of a Holy One who was to appear. Their vision of Him, however, was crude. They had imagined that He would be an earthly ruler who would protect them from the armies of their enemies. They were hoping for a man of ultimate prowess who would vanquish the oppressor and vindicate themselves in the eyes of all the peoples of the earth (145:4)

But what they found was a Man meek beyond comparison, preaching to the poor and the lowly. His message was a call to mercy, purity, and forgiveness. And this Man, who had nothing to offer in the way of earthly riches or dominion, had a strange power of attraction, incomprehensible and resented by some, but cherished by the people who followed wherever He went (145:5)

The religious leaders, consumed in their jealousy and hypocrisy, brought to Him a woman caught in the act of adultery. They had devised a plan by which to discredit Jesus (145:6)

Their plan centered around what they considered to be the essence of the religion of God: law. "Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?" they asked Jesus concerning the woman. They reasoned that if He sanctioned her stoning, He would be regarded as cruel and would lose the esteem in which the people held Him. And, likewise, if He sanctioned her release, He would be viewed as an infidel, one who rejected the law of Moses. According to the rules, their plan seemed foolproof. But what they didn't realize, couldn't realize, was that He Who makes the rules, was standing in their midst, and He was about to change them (145:7)

When they put this question to Jesus, He chose to ignore them: "But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." But they continued in their waywardness, following blindly their course of self-destruction. They asked of Him again: "tempting him, that they might have to accuse him" (145:8)

At this point, Jesus, that heavenly Spirit, that essence of Holiness, stood up and uttered with the voice of God a glimpse of the divine purpose for which he had appeared: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" (146:1)

Christ's answer shattered the pride of His questioners, who became "convicted by their own conscience" , and who forthwith disappeared from the scene. But it was not His purpose to deal a blow to these men. Their childish reasoning had already convicted their whole generation: imagining that the law of God could be manipulated for their purposes (146:2)

No, Christ had come to write, not with an earthly finger upon the dust of the ground, but with the finger of God upon the hearts of all peoples, that divine spirit which was to penetrate and transform their beings (146:3)

The age of law as the focus of worship had come to an end. For laws and rituals are an outward form, a rehearsal, a mere "shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things" . They were a rehearsal given to the children of men by a loving Father. Of a child we simply require that the child go through the motions, but of a man we demand more. It was time for the law to acquire spirit (146:4)

Christ had come not to perpetuate the ancient Hebrew law, but to fulfill it. The burnt offerings made year by year were for the purpose of bringing to remembrance the sins of men. Christ fulfilled the purpose of these sacrifices. Through His sacrifice upon the altar of God, Christ called mankind to perfection. They were to remember their sins, but not to dwell unduly on them and the vain effort to expiate them; rather, they were to become perfect through their vision and experience of Christ, and their endeavor to live their lives after the Pattern of His life. They were urged to become perfect in thought and deed by the guidance of the Spirit, and no longer by the mere explicit adherence to the letter of the Law. They were not to renounce the Law, but come to the realization of its inner purpose, to come to a genuine appreciation of the beauty, harmony, and dignity which reign upon earth when the Law is obeyed with a heartfelt acceptance and understanding (146:5)

The Spirit quickens the letter of the Law, but the letter by itself kills the meaning of the revealed Word, leaving only a shell and husk, a shadow and semblance of the truth it professes to define. We do not and never can define the Life of Christ and His Words; rather, His Life and Words, and those of all of the Manifestations of God create and expand the categories of thought and understanding by means of which we comprehend ourselves and the universe around us. We should approach the Great Teachers of Mankind with humility, and not with a list of tests, prescriptions, and requirements they must fulfill to satisfy what so often turn out to be only our vain thoughts and idle imaginings (146:6)

We should pay attention, therefore, to the inner meaning and intent of Christ's words, and not to the outer semblance of their language which so obsesses and deceives us when we are preoccupied by our own presumptions and expectations. When we look to the inner meaning, we will be illumined by the spirit and love that informs all of Christ's sayings. We will see that Christ's precious words ceaselessly drew attention to the quality of life, the quality of love, the quality of worship that was to become synonymous with His glorious Name. This new standard which He raised was not just a superior, but a perfect standard: (146:7)

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44 (147:1)

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also (147:2)

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again (147:3)

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Luke 6:29-31 (147:4)

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil (147:5)

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:35-36 (147:6)

Gone forever were the former things, never to return, for Christ's divine mandate to humanity was irrevocable. The standard of worship had been replaced, the old standard swept away. No longer was it sufficient to carry out the letter of the law, one's entire being must acquire the attributes of the spirit (147:7)

With Christ's Coming, all things were required to reflect the spirit of maturity. Therefore, not only was it unlawful to commit adultery, the mere thought of it was a transgression against God. Though the act of murder was, of course, a grievous sin, now likewise was anger towards one's brother. And though to abstain from theft was a virtuous deed, the new standard called for you to give of your abundance - nay, to "sell all that thou hast" - and give to the poor! (147:8)

Through the salvation bestowed by Christ, the peoples of the world were given the duty, and the means to fulfill His words: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (147:9)

The Blessed Christ roamed the countryside healing the spiritual ills afflicting the men and women of His day. To all who came unto Him, He gave generously of His great love, His wise counsel, His heavenly forgiveness. All who believed in the "Light of the World" received a measure of His measureless grace. And His love, throughout the ages, does not fail to reach those who turn to Him in repentance. For His blessed words, "Thy faith hath made thee whole" , still brings the promise of eternal life (147:10)

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29 (148:1)

Perfection is a heavenly quality, but achieving it requires earthly sacrifice. Christ made it painfully clear, that the road to perfection is paved with suffering and loss. More than once He used the image of taking up the cross to describe what would befall His followers in this life. But what purpose would all the labors in this life serve if in the end we all simply returned to the dust? What indeed could inspire anyone to strive, to suffer, to sacrifice, and to do this all the days of their lives, if, in the end, there were no reward? (148:2)

Together with his call for perfection in body and spirit, in word and in deed, Christ, therefore, to a far greater degree than any of God's Messengers preceding Him, insistently offered a vision of a joyous and everlasting life in the world to come - a life not subject to the material attractions and possessions of this life: (148:3)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (148:4)

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Matthew 6:6-7 (148:5)

Eternal life: a wondrous theme and reality. Christ did not reveal the details of the world to come, but through the images he offered, He left no doubt as to its significance. He made very clear the fact that we have no choice other than to live eternally. The way in which we spend eternity, however, is up to us. We will either spend it with Christ and the Prophets in comfort, or without Their presence, in the torment of a hell of our own choosing: and great is the gulf fixed between them! (148:6)

The knowledge of eternal life in an eternal kingdom ruled by the eternal God puts this mortal life into perspective. Christ persistently drew our attention away from the preoccupation with the transient nature of this world "for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" . The children of men, if they were to attain the perfection He desired, had to hate the earthly and love the heavenly. They had to rely absolutely on the Father, and have faith that His grace would not fail them (148:7)

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (148:8)

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (148:9)

..Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (148:10)

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things (148:11)

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:25-33 (148:12)

What a vision of holiness the Lord gave us in these simple but powerful words! If we, His lowly servants, could attain even a crumb of the sustenance contained in these blessed exhortations, we would never hunger. Yet, however exalted these exhortations are, and however much of a bounty they are to His children, Christ has provided the even greater supreme example of how to live them. Forsaking this world, His Ministry was crowned with those selfless deeds born of God that only the Promised One can manifest: (149:1)

The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Matthew 8:20 (149:2)

O people! My food is the grass of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the dust, my lamp in the night the light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold, who on earth is richer than I? The Kitab-i-iqan, pp. 130-131 (149:3)

Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 (149:4)

Throughout Christ's proclamation of a holy life in this world as preparation for an eternal life in the next, He heralded the advent of the kingdom of heaven , the kingdom of God. To this wondrous theme He referred on a multitude of occasions. Continuously throughout His ministry, Christ proclaimed its greatness, its virtue, its life giving bounty: (149:5)

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: (149:6)

Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matthew 13:31-32 (149:7)

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. Matthew 13:52 (149:8)

Through His many parables, Christ offered mystical and diverse allusions to illustrate and explain the great meaning of this "kingdom". Though He used widely varying terms that might at first appear difficult to reconcile and understand, nevertheless, if we focus on the meaning of the words "kingdom of God", we can see that the parables of Christ have an inner harmony and clear meaning (150:1)

Let us consider: In simple terms, a kingdom is the domain of a king. In this case the King is none other than the one true God. The kingdom, therefore, is the entire domain of His sovereignty. This kingdom encompasses all created things, in the heavens and in the earth, that have God as their King. All therefore, that submit to the will of God, are within His Kingdom (150:2)

Truly, the God that can "shake the heavens, and the earth" must have dominion over both the heavens and the earth. In one important sense this is true, for surely God can exercise His will over everything, and everyone, whether they willingly submit to that will or not. However, if we consider carefully, we remember that human beings have been given the freedom of choice. This freedom of choice allows us to decide whether or not we choose to do His will. Thus, we have a choice, whether or not to hold Him as "king", and therefore enter His kingdom (150:3)

To digress for a moment: The child does not immediately do the will of its parents. When a child comes into the world, it must first develop through certain stages, must first gain certain powers before it can do this. The child must first recognize that it has parents and that it is dependent upon its parents for its very life. Second, it must learn to understand what the will of its parents is, and must understand also that for its own growth, protection and happiness, it must follow that will. And lastly, of course, in time, it must act in accordance with its understanding. None of these come immediately, however (150:4)

The human race has progressed in a similar manner. From the beginning of its development in childhood, God has been calling humanity to recognize that He is its true Father, a Father upon whom all creatures are dependent. He has lovingly and patiently, through His Prophets and Messengers, raised the call that there is a God, that He has a will for us, and that the blessings of this life and the next come from abiding by that will (150:5)

Just as the infant is but dimly aware of the will of its parents, so the childhood of mankind was, in the beginning, but dimly aware of the will of God. In the early history of man, many of its peoples had little or no access to the will of God as revealed through His word. And those who did have access were not fully aware of its real import. In some cases, they even rebelled against it, and refused to follow it. Jesus Himself explained to the people how Moses bent the rules for the Israelites because of their stubbornness, although God had really wanted them to follow His pure will. Thus, mankind followed the will of God in a childlike manner, understanding a little, following the laws as a child follows rules, growing and learning over a vast span of time (150:6)

Gradually, though, throughout the ages, with the progressive revelation of God's will, the human race has progressed in its knowledge of that will, and in its capacity and maturity to act on that knowledge. This vast historical process, we are told in the sacred scriptures, will eventually lead to a glorious consummation. Eventually, the eternal call to recognize God and to follow His Revelation will be heard in its fullness by humanity. At that time, we will respond as we ought to respond: as obedient sons and daughters with full knowledge of Who, what, and why we are obeying, and as sons and daughters who, therefore, will reap the fullness of Gods blessings here on earth (150:7)

Jesus of Nazareth, speaking in the language of heaven, some two thousand years ago, revealed the significance of that golden age which such obedience to the Father will bring: (151:1)

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10 (151:2)

Thus, the recognition and acceptance by a mature human race of the existence of God, and faithful obedience to His will, is nothing less than the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth; the fulfillment of the ancient and everlasting covenant between a loving Father and His devoted children (151:3)

Christ was the first to proclaim this Kingdom. He, like no one who appeared before Him, unveiled the glory and reality of the Kingdom of God. With full knowledge of its open gates for the seeker, its gradual appearance in this world, and its eventual mighty establishment in power and glory, He referred to the many significances that the kingdom of heaven holds for both the individual and for history (151:4)

In a parable, Christ spoke of the gradual appearance of the kingdom of God in this world: (151:5)

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (151:6)

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way (151:7)

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. (151:8)

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 24:30 (151:9)

Thus, Christ taught that the kingdom of heaven must be planted in the world and progress through the stages of growth, until, under the influence of the lifegiving rays of the Sun of Truth, it reaches the point of maturity and is ready for harvest (151:10)

Christ, however, does not refer just to the kingdom of heaven in this parable. He refers also to the role that He, Himself, had been commissioned by God to perform. For after revealing these holy words, he explains that He, the Lord of History, has actually come to plant this divine kingdom in the hearts of men: (151:11)

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; (152:1)

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; Matthew 13:37-38 (152:2)

By His divine love, His noble sacrifice, and His heavenly teachings, He scattered across the ages, and into the hearts of all peoples, the seeds of faith and salvation (152:3)

The life-giving spirit He released into the world and the influence that His holy doctrine was destined to exert over time are also described in a parable: (152:4)

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. Matthew 13:33 (152:5)

Along with His symbolic references to the establishment by degrees of the kingdom in this world, Christ revealed the relationship of the individual to the kingdom. Although time itself is required for the world as a whole to establish the Kingdom of God on earth according to the divine plan, Christ stated clearly that individuals are free to enter the kingdom at any time. He declared that individuals merely have to do the will of the Father, and then they will enter under the sovereignty of God: (152:6)

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: (152:7)

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices (152:8)

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Mark 12:32-34 (152:9)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21 (152:10)

Indeed, it is within each one of us to enter the kingdom: (152:11)

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21 (152:12)

I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. John 16:28 (152:13)

His Holiness Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Holy One of Israel, had opened the gates, had scattered the seeds, had promulgated a pure and holy life, had upraised the law, had proclaimed an eternal realm, and had by His precious blood made atonement for the sins of the world (152:14)

At His Second Coming He promised to establish His Kingdom (153:1)

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Mark 13:32 (153:2)

The followers of the Son have awaited the Return of their Beloved throughout the ages with longing hearts, with lifetimes of hope (153:3)

In a manner that no one predicted, no one envisioned, and few could have believed, that inevitable hour dawned on a sleeping world (153:4)

In the winter of 1848, the town of Amul, on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, witnessed the arrival of twelve men, prisoners escorted under armed guard. The arrival of these men caused such a turmoil in the town that about four thousand of its inhabitants, wishing to catch a glimpse of them, pressed for position, even crowding onto the rooftops. They wanted to see those who had espoused the new Faith that had caused such upheaval in their country (153:5)

One of the prisoners was a Man of noble birth, thirty-one years of age. He possessed outstanding qualities - qualities that made Him the wonder of His countrymen. In knowledge, wisdom, compassion and humility, He had no equal. And all of these qualities He had brought to focus with the utmost energy on the spreading of a new Message, one which held the promise of the new Day of God. As He stood there in the presence of a malevolent congregation clamoring for the death of the prisoners, His end seemed certain. But this was not to be; for He stood not at the end of a short but eventful life, but rather at the very beginning of almost half a century of suffering and triumph in the path of God (153:6)

The prisoners had been captured on their way to join their beleaguered companions in a village that lay a few miles to the east. That village, with its surrounding neighborhood, had recently been transformed into a battleground, and was then witnessing a miraculous drama. Approximately three hundred members of an obscure and persecuted "sect", which had appeared some four years previously, had been traveling through the countryside when they were attacked by the area's inhabitants who had been persuaded by the fanatical Muslim clergy that these men wished to bring down all that is good and holy. The victims retreated to a small shrine and made of it a fort for their defense. They were to remain in that fort, under violent siege, for seven months (153:7)

Untrained in swordsmanship, horsemanship, or any such skills - for they were, for the most part, students of theology, humble and self-effacing - these were not men of physical prowess. Yet, though weakened by months of hardship and deprivation, at the call "Mount your steeds, O heroes of God!" , they would rush forth into battle and manifested a courage and ability which struck fear among the camp of the enemy and spread ruin among its troops (153:8)

That small band - against all odds, with their inexhaustible strength - amazed, decimated, and demoralized the government reinforcements which continually poured into the area, and which numbered at one point twelve thousand men (154:1)

They were never defeated in battle (154:2)

During this period, in an effort to stop this hated contest, this utterly humiliating episode, the acting Governor issued an order that anyone who approached that fort and was suspected of aiding its occupants was to be arrested. He, himself, along with the clergy of Amul, assembled at the mosque to meet and arraign the men who had been captured (154:3)

As soon as his eyes fell upon them, however, he deeply regretted the order he had given, for he instantly recognized the Nobleman, whom he held in esteem. But it was too late. He could not release Him now. The crowd and the clergy awaited the chastisement they deserved: death. "We must, at all costs, extirpate that heresy, " they proclaimed (154:4)

This was not the first time this Prisoner had been faced with mortal danger because of His espousal of the new Faith. Several months earlier at Niyala, He had, unaided, faced the assault of a mob of five hundred who had attacked Him and His companions. Yet through His fearless appeal, He had succeeded in convincing the people of the shamelessness of their cruelty and was able to retrieve a portion of the belongings that had been plundered. Neither was this the first time He would see confinement for His arising in the path of God, for He had been subjected to confinement for a brief period earlier in His life. It was, however, the first time that the hand of the assailant would be raised to harm His blessed Person (154:5)

The acting governor, afraid for his position, and in an attempt appease the rage of the clergy, ordered that a "befitting punishment" be inflicted upon the captives, and promised that the sovereign himself would meet out to them "the chastisement they deserve" (154:6)

Hoping to inflict no injury upon the Nobleman, he ordered that the rods for the bastinado be prepared, and that the feet of the first of His companions be bound for this punishment. The victim, however, grieving at the thought of torture, complained that he was merely on his way to the city of Mashhad when he was arrested. The Nobleman intervened on his behalf, and succeeded in effecting his release from imminent anguish (154:7)

The acting Governor then turned to the next of the Nobleman's companions, but again the Nobleman spoke saying that the man was "a mere tradesman" whom He regarded as His "guest", and that He, Himself, was "responsible for any charges" brought against the man. Likewise for the third companion, whom they proceeded to bind, He again intervened, referring to the companion as His attendant. This companion was also set free (154:8)

"None of these men", were His words to the acting governor "are guilty of any crime." These words, uttered with authority, He immediately followed with words which would be forever associated with the significance of His life: "If you insist on inflicting your punishment, I offer Myself as a willing Victim of your chastisement." (155:1)

Who was this Man who commanded such poise and selflessness in the face of enmity? His name was Mirza Husayn Ali. He was a direct descendant of the last of the Sasanian monarchs of Iran, and was the son of a minister of state in the court of the Shah. He was descended more importantly from Abraham, through Abraham's wife Keturah, and Jesse, the father of David (155:2)

From birth His life was remarkable. In infancy, He never cried - a cause of astonishment to His mother. In childhood and youth He manifested a rare quality of attraction endearing Him to all who knew Him, and a wisdom, surpassing that of learned men, earning Him admiration from all ranks (155:3)

He had grown up accustomed to wealth and comfort, but spent His time delighting in the countryside, and in ministering to the poor to which His bountiful heart, was, all the days of His life, ever drawn. When He was nearly eighteen, He married a young woman named Asiyih Khanum, of noble birth, vivacious, graceful, tenderhearted. Both had inherited large fortunes, yet both held in distaste ostentation and luxury; rather, they were motivated by compassion for others (155:4)

In 1844 a Siyyid from Shiraz raised the call that the Day of God had appeared. He proclaimed that the promised divine Teacher, awaited by humanity throughout the ages, and Whom he referred to as "Him Whom God shall make manifest" , was soon to appear. At the time this call was proclaimed, Mirza Husayn Ali was in the heyday of His life. Every opportunity was open to Him; by every standard His future appeared enviable. Yet from the moment He was informed of the new message, "flinging aside every consideration of earthly fame, wealth and position, careless of danger, and risking the obloquy of His caste" He arose to promote, as He alone could, this obscure and radical Message (155:5)

He was unaware that He, Himself, had been chosen by God to receive the mighty revelation that was to redeem all mankind; that He, Himself was the Promised One. During the ensuing years, a few of the followers of the new Faith who were acquainted with Him had suspected His true station, but this was to be revealed to Him, only four years later, under the most stirring and heroic circumstances (155:6)

At the time He was arrested and brought to Amul, He was increasingly viewed as the most eminent disciple of the new Faith. His knowledge was formidable, and seemed to spring from an unlimited source; His discourse, though He was unschooled, was matchless; and His modesty and virtue, despite His exceeding capacity was genuine and disarming. None could challenge Him; His enemies even feared confrontation. And these qualities, combined with His fearless nature and piercing insight, gradually revealed to the eyes of those who were straining every nerve to trample the new Faith, that He alone held the key to its ultimate life or death (155:7)

And now He was in their grasp and defenseless. Reluctantly, the acting governor was compelled to comply with His own wishes. He gave orders that the Nobleman alone receive the punishment which he had intended originally for His companions (156:1)

His feet were bound and the rods raised to inflict their punishment. Little did His persecutors know on that winter day, however, when they, the four thousand, seemed in such command, that at that very moment the Almighty was preparing for them the sure rod of His grievous chastisement. For, with every blow that this Prisoner was to sustain throughout His life, a catastrophic recompense would follow. Indeed, the legacy of ruin which an arrogant humanity has brought upon itself through its treatment of the Holy One of God, is alas, too overwhelming to even broach (156:2)

Like Christ before Him, the Prisoner thus willingly accepted undeserved punishment for the sake of others (156:3)

That day represented but a drop of the ocean of tribulation that He was to receive in the path of God. Time and again, through a series of exiles and imprisonments, He willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice that the peoples of the world might receive the blessings of God: (156:4)

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! Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 99 (156:5)

I am He Who feareth no one, though all who are in heaven and all who are on earth rise up against me .. Baha'u'llah cited in: God Passes By, p. 169 (156:6)

At some point in His earthly life, the Manifestation of God receives a revelation that transforms Him. At that point He becomes invested with the knowledge and power of God Himself. Until that time He is as a man who is asleep - this knowledge and power latent within Him, but not manifest. Upon experiencing this transformation, however, at that moment, He is no longer merely a great man with wonderful qualities; no, at that moment He has become the Lord of mankind (156:7)

For Jesus, this holy transformation occurred at the time of His baptism: (157:1)

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (157:2)

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew: 3:16-17 (157:3)

For Mirza Husayn Ali, known to history as Baha'u'llah, that moment came during the fall of 1852, as He lay suffering in the Siyah Chal (black pit) prison into which He was cast by the state in an effort to destroy Him once and for all as well as the new Faith He so fearlessly championed. His feet in stocks, a mighty chain weighing on His neck and cutting through His flesh, surrounded by the worst order of criminals, languishing in the cold and filth - under these crushing circumstances was He made the recipient of His revelation: (157:4)

During the days I lay in the prison of Tihran, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 2 (157:5)

While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden - the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord - suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honored servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: 'By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. Baha'u'llah cited in: God Passes By, pp. 101-102 (157:6)

After four months of confinement under such poignant and dangerous circumstances, Baha'u'llah was released; the evidence of His complete innocence from any wrongdoing eventually outweighing even the all-powerful pressures of fanaticism which ruled at the time. Stripped of His wealth, broken in health, He emerged a new Person. To His noble qualities was now added an aura that intimated His hallowed nature. His daughter, seven years old at the time, was later to write of His release: (157:7)

Jamal-i-Mubarak had a marvelous divine experience whilst in that prison (158:1)

We saw a new radiance seeming to enfold him like a shining vesture, its significance we were to learn years later. At that time we were only aware of the wonder of it, without understanding, or even being told of the details of the sacred event. Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 45 (158:2)

Baha'u'llah's release from a cruel incarceration was met with a further blow to any hope of happiness or composure for Himself or His family: a royal decree ordering His banishment. Debilitated from His devastating experience in the Siyah Chal; exiled in midwinter to a foreign land with poor provisions; and knowing that the Divine Herald, the Bab, to whom He had committed Himself, had been publicly executed and 20, 000 of the Bab's followers brutally slaughtered, Baha'u'llah, nonetheless, despite such circumstances and despite such disastrous conditions, set out to regenerate the fortunes of mankind (158:3)

In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. Micah 7:12 (158:4)

Baha'u'llah's ministry was carried out against the backdrop of a series of exiles and incarcerations which brought Him eventually from His native land of Persia, to the cities of Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople, and finally to the Turkish penal colony of Akka. Fulfilling the stages foretold by the Hebrew prophet, Baha'u'llah, persecuted by a relentless clergy which continued to poison the mind of the government, completed the sacred, the arduous and sorrowful journey, ordained, from time immemorial, by the Father, to be trodden by Him. Such a migration, and such a persecution, has no parallel in the annals of religion: (158:5)

By the righteousness of God! Every morning I arose from My bed, I discovered the hosts of countless afflictions massed behind My door; and every night when I lay down, lo! My heart was torn with agony at what it had suffered from the fiendish cruelty of its foes. With every piece of bread the Ancient Beauty breaketh is coupled the assault of a fresh affliction, and with every drop He drinketh is mixed the bitterness of the most woeful of trials. He is preceded in every step He taketh by an army of unforeseen calamities, while in His rear follow legions of agonizing sorrows. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 119-120 (158:6)

Trying as were the circumstances of His earthly life, they could not, however, eclipse His super-human radiance, nor stay the ultimate consummation of His mission (158:7)

He, the Lord, triumphed over every obstacle that the puny sovereigns, under whom He suffered, threw before Him in their futile attempt to stop His Faith. His Faith has endured and is gaining in power with each passing day; their influence has vanished (159:1)

During the nineteenth century, the vast majority of the human race lived under the rule of individual potentates. These potentates held a supreme responsibility before God, and it was therefore primarily to them that the message of Baha'u'llah was directed. Through His letters, to the most outstanding of these rulers, Baha'u'llah offered a priceless opportunity: They could, in obedience to God's will, help in the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. To these kings and rulers - individually and collectively - Baha'u'llah proclaimed loudly and clearly their opportunity: (159:2)

O kings of the earth! He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is come. The Kingdom is God's, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Worship none but God, and, with radiant hearts, lift up your faces unto your Lord, the Lord of all names. This is a Revelation to which whatever ye possess can never be compared, could ye but know it. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 210 (159:3)

How great the blessedness that awaiteth the king who will arise to aid My Cause in My Kingdom, who will detach himself from all else but Me! Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 212 (159:5)

Predictably and tragically, none of the rulers of His day was found to investigate His claim. Their earthly power had made them proud (159:7)

What is the punishment for failing to respond to the summons of God, for neglecting the counsels of His Holy One? What is the punishment for depriving your subjects of His life-giving message? What is the punishment for allowing God's messenger to suffer without your lifting a hand in assistance? (159:8)

Soon shall the blasts of His chastisement beat upon you, and the dust of hell enshroud you. Those men who, having amassed the vanities and ornaments of the earth, have turned away disdainfully from God - these have lost both this world and the world to come. Ere long, will God, with the Hand of Power, strip them of their possessions, and divest them of the robe of His bounty. To this they themselves shall soon witness. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 209 (159:9)

Baha'u'llah warned, and then confidently predicted, the downfall of those who turned a deaf ear to His words. His predictions were bold, public, and published by His followers. In some cases, they seemed so radical and absurd that His opponents confidently held them out to the world as incontrovertible evidence of the falsity of His claims to divine inspiration. They then optimistically awaited the downfall of His influence in consequence of His incorrect judgment being exposed. His perfect prescience, however, time after time, frustrated their designs and enhanced His prestige. To this day, in fact, history continues to align itself ever more closely with every prediction, every warning, every forecast, which He, the Lord of History, spoke (159:10)

The downfall of Napoleon III, of Nasir-i-Din Shah, of the prime minister and Sultan of Turkey, the break up of the Ottoman empire, the extinction of the Sultanate and the Caliphate, the loss of the temporal power of the Pope, the several devastations of the German empire, the worldwide fall of monarchies, and the vast decrease in authority of the ecclesiastical institutions of all Faiths - these are a few of the outstanding predictions testifying to the sovereignty of Baha'u'llah, and the loss of those whose opportunity was incalculable (160:1)

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mark 5:10 (160:2)

It was not destined that the Faith of God would be spread by the power of monarchs. As in the days of Jesus Christ, it was to be spread through the pure hearted, meek though they may be. For this reason, the cause of God appears at first to be insignificant to those who wield temporal power, and unattractive to those with a selfish desire that the Promised One, when He comes, should exalt them in the eyes of the world. In this way the religion is kept free of those who would enter it for their own purposes. Only those who love the Manifestation of God are willing to endure the consequences of faith; others fall away at the threat of suffering. Thus, persecution of the faithful is an eternal aspect of the inception of a new religion (160:3)

Like Jesus Christ and His beloved followers, Baha'u'llah and the heroic believers in Him have suffered greatly at the hands of the oppressor. Throughout His ministry, and even to the present day, the followers of Baha'u'llah have been called upon to give their lives for their Faith. Yet the Lord does not allow that His Faith should perish from the earth. It continues to grow, in mysterious ways, until it fulfills its destiny. Whatever befalls the new Faith, its resistless march is inevitable. Yes, the meek are no match for the powerful, and they suffer at their hands; but the powerful are no match for God: (160:4)

Dost thou believe thou hast the power to frustrate His Will, to hinder Him from executing His judgment, or to deter Him from exercising His sovereignty? Pretendest thou that aught in the heavens or in the earth can resist His Faith? No, by Him Who is the Eternal Truth! Nothing whatsoever in the whole of creation can thwart His Purpose. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 220 (160:5)

What did it profit thee, and such as are like thee, to slay, year after year, so many of the oppressed, and to inflict upon them manifold afflictions, when they have increased a hundredfold, and ye find yourselves in complete bewilderment, knowing not how to relieve your minds of this oppressive thought. .. His Cause transcends any and every plan ye devise. Know this much: Were all the governments on earth to unite and take My life and the lives of all who bear this Name, this Divine Fire would never be quenched. His Cause will rather encompass all the kings of the earth, nay all that hath been created from water and clay.. Whatever may yet befall Us, great shall be our gain, and manifest the loss wherewith they shall be afflicted. Baha'u'llah cited in: God Passes By, pp. 160-161 (160:6)

Those who have misunderstood and feared the Prophet of God have over the ages resorted to persecution. God alone knows the extent of the suffering it has caused, and will cause. Misunderstanding and fear, however, can be overcome, and Baha'u'llah wished to dispel them from the minds of the people of His time so they might attain to the goal for which they were created. Unafraid, He, throughout His ministry, called upon the kings and government leaders under whom He suffered to convoke a meeting where His claims could be investigated. He directed them to invite the religious leaders "so that truth might be distinguished from falsehood" . "Gather the ulamas ", He wrote "and summon Me, that the evidences and proofs may be established." (161:1)

For forty years this challenge was proclaimed, and for forty years the clergy, overcome with envy - a sentiment for which there is no cure - strenuously opposed such a gathering. Giving various pretexts to disguise their true motives, time after time, they warned the government of the "dangers" which such a forum would surely entail. To the utter loss of humanity, no such gathering ever took place (161:2)

Well is it with him, who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Baha'u'llah. God Passes By, p. 25 (161:3)

Baha'u'llah boldly proclaimed the rise and triumph of His Faith and its eventual establishment as the religion of humanity: (161:4)

That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 255 (161:5)

This process, by which mankind will enter into universal religious fellowship, Baha'u'llah viewed, not as a supplanting of the Faiths of the world with a new one, but rather as the long awaited fulfillment of all of them. Religion, He says, is one evolving story, which has been revealed to humanity progressively, throughout the ages. The Founders of the great religious systems have appeared to different segments of humanity, in different ages, with messages differing according to the maturity of man, and the requirements of the times, but they have, essentially, unfolded the same religion: (161:6)

It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold Them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 52 (161:7)

There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 217 (162:1)

Of the eventual gathering of the peoples of the world under the loving protection of God's Faith, Christ revealed: (162:2)

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16 (162:3)

The establishment throughout the world of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, therefore, is nothing more, and nothing less, than the long-awaited universal awakening of humanity to Gods eternal Call to recognize Him and to do His Will: the fulfillment of the ancient and everlasting covenant - the Advent of the Kingdom of God on earth (162:4)

His irresistible Will, acting through the divine spirit He has released into the world, is in this day slowly shaping the course of humanity and preparing it to receive its eternal heritage. Though this Will has only one ultimate design and one exalted purpose, its effects can be seen in this world in two different arenas, promoting two different Plans, and acting on two different entities (162:5)

One arena is the world at large; the other, His religion (162:6)

Because the King of Kings has come, none can stand against Him. Because He has revealed His desire to unite the human race, all, eventually, will submit. Baha'u'llah has laid down, as mighty laws and principles, all those things which are conducive to unity and concord among the peoples of the world, and He has likewise abolished, with His pen, all those things which represent barriers to universal peace and brotherhood (162:7)

The momentous changes occurring in the world today - changes which represent both the deepest hopes and deepest fears of humanity - if considered thoughtfully, resolve themselves into two broad categories: those things which tend to bring people together, and those things which tend to separate and divide people. All of the forces, all of the institutions, movements, undertakings, and theories - in short, all of the human endeavors of this day are being judged according to a divine standard: do they conform to the purpose of God and engender unity, or do they lead to conflict and division (162:8)

Those things being undertaken for the purpose of establishing unity, and thereby unlocking the potential of humanity for establishing divine civilization, are assisted by unseen forces and are gaining in strength and influence day by day (162:9)

They can be witnessed in the flourishing of agencies - on local, national, and international levels - whose aims are racial, religious and ethnic harmony as well as equality and prosperity for women and men of all ages. On the other hand, those things which exist to keep people apart, thus blocking the release of human potential, and which, therefore, stand in opposition to the divine will, are being demolished, in sometimes imperceptible, sometimes catastrophic degrees, by those same unseen forces (162:10)

These two great processes can be summed up as integration and disintegration. Both proceed from God (163:1)

Thus, since the coming of Baha'u'llah, we see the shrinking of the world into a veritable neighborhood through advances in communication and transportation - a world that has become interconnected and interdependent to a degree undreamt of during the time of Baha'u'llah, despite seemingly insurmountable and age old barriers. These barriers are now being demolished in the path of the Will of God for this age. This shrinking, with ever greater acceleration, of the world neighborhood, and the concomitant colliding of peoples and nations with ever greater destructiveness, has brought into new and urgent perspective outmoded systems of society. The forces of racialism and extreme nationalism-- forces which impede the unity of mankind - must, eventually, disintegrate completely and be supplanted by racial amity and the consciousness of world citizenship (163:2)

But the changes occurring in the world today can never of themselves lead to lasting peace or security. They can never provide the divine spiritual sustenance that is the true source of progress and happiness. For without the "bread of life" , there is no life, only death. Indeed, whatever humanity will accomplish as a result of its stumbling through the history it attempts to create by trial and error, it must in the end remain a far cry from that promised Divine Order first proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth in a former age to the poor and lowly (163:3)

Humanity is like a flock of birds, and the civilization in which it lives is like a tree whose mighty branches provide for its shelter and protection. In this day the tree of civilization has become sick and withered, lifeless and leafless. Humanity is no longer protected by this tree, but is left without a haven, relentlessly bombarded by the elements which attack it day after day with increasing violence (163:4)

Baha'u'llah did not come to heal this dying tree of civilization. He did not come to induce a cure by which it would come to life, sprout new leaves, and become lush and green. He did not come to water it, to heal its wounds, or even to protect it. No, He came to plant a new tree (163:5)

The changes occurring in the world today will not produce, but rather will prepare humanity to receive, the Order which has been planted in its midst. Baha'u'llah did not come to reform the existing institutions of the world or to improve, modify or correct the existing order that those institutions promote. No, what He has done is to offer to the world the perfect Order for life on this planet (163:6)

Mankind has but to receive it (163:7)

Of His ORDER, He Writes:-
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. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 136 (164:1)

Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfil that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 7 (164:2)

Baha'u'llah has not only effected a renewal of that spiritual inspiration brought by all the Messengers of the past, He has also brought something never before seen in all the days of mankind: divine institutions which perfectly embody that spirit. He has caused the spiritual essence of God's love for humanity, for the first time, to remain with His children in visible and tangible and inviolable form, after the passing of the Prophet (164:3)

By doing this, He has ordained that the earth of human society shall become that heavenly civilization envisioned by the Mind of God, that the future path of humanity shall become the divine history recorded in the Tablets of God, that Gods "will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (164:4)

Unlike the First Coming - when very little was revealed by Jesus Christ regarding the future administration of the affairs of His Faith or of human society due to the immaturity of man at the time: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" - at His Second Coming, He has clearly set down in writing the principles, laws, and institutions of an Order destined to bestow untold blessings upon humanity (164:5)

At the core of this Order stands a revolutionary form of administration. Its function is justice: " The best beloved of all things" . Its guiding principle is the search for truth. Its method is open consultation in an atmosphere of absolute humility and unity. Its purpose is to insure the unimpeded flow of the love of God to humanity (164:6)

Headed by an internationally elected body, the Universal House of Justice, an institution upon which has been bestowed infallibility, this Order finds no parallel in the annals of religion. It represents the seed of the "government" which will rest upon His "shoulder" , the furthermost limit of the governance of the children of men, the means by which God will rule man directly (164:7)

And now, concerning the House of Justice which God hath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind. 'Abdu'l-Baha: Will and Testament, p. 14 (164:8)

Never before has humanity had access to an infallible source of guidance following the ascension of the Prophet of God. Whereas in the past, disputes among the believers led to schism within God's Faith, in this Day, through infallible guidance, all questions of Faith and its practice are resolved for the believers. It is for this reason alone that the Faith of Baha'u'llah, unlike any former religion, has remained, and will remain, a single fellowship (165:1)

Not just on the international level has Baha'u'llah ordained that the principles of justice and search for truth through frank and unfettered consultation should direct the affairs of humanity; at the national level, and throughout all regions, cities, and villages He has envisioned this same form of guidance. Though not invested with infallibility, nevertheless, these institutions comprise the "potent sources of the progress of man, at all times and under all conditions." (165:2)

The Lord hath ordained that in every city a House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counsellors to the number of Baha, and should it exceed this number it doth not matter. They should consider themselves as entering the Court of the presence of God, the Exalted, the Most High, and as beholding Him Who is the Unseen. It behoveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth. It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 29 (165:3)

These Spiritual Assemblies are shining lamps and heavenly gardens, from which the fragrances of holiness are diffused over all regions, and the lights of knowledge are shed abroad over all created things. From them the spirit of life streameth in every direction. Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 38 (165:4)

Designated as "Spiritual Assemblies"--an appellation that must in the course of time be replaced by their permanent and more descriptive title of "Houses of Justice, " bestowed upon them by the Author of the Baha'i Revelation; instituted, without any exception, in every city, town and village where nine or more adult believers are resident; annually and directly elected, on the first day of the greatest Baha'i Festival by all adult believers, men and women alike; invested with an authority rendering them unanswerable for their acts and decisions to those who elect them; solemnly pledged to follow, under all conditions, the dictates of the "Most Great Justice" that can alone usher in the reign of the "Most Great Peace" which Baha'u'llah has proclaimed and must ultimately establish; charged with the responsibility of promoting at all times the best interests of the communities within their jurisdiction, of familiarizing them with their plans and activities and of inviting them to offer any recommendations they might wish to make; cognizant of their no less vital task of demonstrating, through association with all liberal and humanitarian movements, the universality and comprehensiveness of their Faith; dissociated entirely from all sectarian organizations, whether religious or secular; assisted by committees annually appointed by, and directly responsible to, them, to each of which a particular branch of Baha'i activity is assigned for study and action; supported by local funds to which all believers voluntarily contribute; these Assemblies, the representatives and custodians of the Faith of Baha'u'llah, .. whose membership is drawn from the diversified races, creeds and classes constituting the world-wide Baha'i community, have, .. , abundantly demonstrated, by virtue of their achievements, their right to be regarded as the chief sinews of Baha'i society, as well as the ultimate foundation of its administrative structure. Shoghi Effendi: God Passes By, p. 331 (165:5)

GUIDANCE for HUMANITY:-
That humanity in this day should have approach to the will of God through a source of infallible guidance is a mighty sign to ponder. It puts into perspective the age in which we live, and is an indication of the stage of maturity which mankind is approaching. It is a sign of the infinite love of the Creator (166:1)

It evokes a sense of wonder at the mysterious power released into the world that, through the agency of human beings acting in divine institutions, the will of God should be known (166:2)

It also, however, speaks of a divine urgency; it points to a situation of life and death. For the existence in the world of an infallible source of guidance must also be viewed as a requirement of the times; it is a crucial requirement demanded by the imminent hazards of the age. For without infallible guidance to protect humanity, humanity would surely perish (166:3)

There is no need to dwell on the immediate dangers facing contemporary civilization: the profusion of weapons of mass destruction, the ruin of the environment, the barbarity of humanity are painfully obvious. Mankind seems to be racing to its end (166:4)

Christ and Baha'u'llah both spoke of the horrors with which humanity would be chastised for forgetting its God. Who knows but that much of this punishment will be self-inflicted; moreover, with the use of powerful technology, such self-inflicted punishment could be fatal (166:5)

Without divine guidance directed at reorienting the hearts and minds of men, and a sure authority capable of providing the nations with solutions to the manifold problems which appear in the world on a day-to-day basis, there is the real danger of annihilation and no hope for lasting peace in the world. Small wonder then, that God's Most Great House of Justice has been described in the Baha'i writings as an institution " .. which posterity will regard as the last refuge of a tottering civilization." (166:6)

Moreover, to the presence in this age of this divine institution, a further significance should be attached, one which witnesses to the exalted mission of Him Who has brought it into being. It is not merely a wondrous sign of the age in which we live, not merely an exigency for our survival, not merely a beacon of hope for humanity. It is primarily the means by which the Lord of History has, in this day, taken firmly into His grasp the reins of history (167:1)

The Universal House of Justice, " the recipient of the bounties of God and His inspiration" has been invested with the authority and responsibility to promulgate the Will of God, as revealed by Baha'u'llah, for this day, . It must enact such laws and make such pronouncements as will fulfil the guidance that He has revealed. It is therefore a tool to direct the affairs of humanity (167:2)

As the peoples of the world come to realize the precious gift that this supreme institution is, its influence will grow. Its laws, those "living waters of everlasting life" that will "stream forth from that fountain-head of God's World Order upon all the warring nations and peoples of the world, to wash away the evils and iniquities of the realm of dust", and "heal man's age-old ills and ailments" will be welcomed and cherished (167:3)

At that time humanity will realize that the kings' rejection of the Prisoner of Akka inflicted a terrible toll on the generations that were left to wander, shepherdless, through time (167:4)

Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 254 (167:5)

In His messages to the chief potentates of the earth, Baha'u'llah offered the opportunity to establish the long awaited reign of world peace, which He described as the "Most Great Peace" - a lasting Peace expressive of all the divine spiritual qualities which God desires for His children. This opportunity they rejected. Incalculable as this loss was, however, it did not thwart the plan of God. The Most Great Peace will, nevertheless, come, but because of man's waywardness, it will come not as an act of intelligent will, but as an outcome of calamity and suffering (167:6)

There will appear what Baha'u'llah described as the "Lesser Peace". This will come about as a result of humanity's response to the horrors that war and disunity will inflict upon humanity. It will be a political union among the nations of the world and will signal the end of war. The initial act of the establishment of the Lesser Peace will occur within the twentieth century, a century described in the Baha'i writings as the "century of light" (167:7)

To many people, the term "century of Light" is a rather ill chosen description of the century now ending. No one who is honest can deny the unspeakable horrors that will forever be associated with this century. "Century of Darkness" may seem a more appropriate description of this time. However, what the Baha'i writings are referring to in the word "Light" is the hidden, spiritual, inner history of the twentieth century, and the great foundations for the future that have been erected in seed form in the institutions ordained by the pen of the Christ Returned, and in the great discoveries, material and spiritual, released by the potency of His Revelation (168:1)

The firm establishment of the Lesser Peace will not come all at once. Although its initial inception will occur very soon, it will experience tests and setbacks as the nations of the world struggle to adjust themselves to this new and momentous stage in the development of human civilization (168:2)

War, of course, will end as promised in all the divine scriptures, but the end of war is not the ultimate purpose for which Baha'u'llah has come. In fact, the Lesser Peace will be entered into by the nations of the world while they are yet unconscious of the true source of the impulse under which they have acted. Additionally, the absence of war is meaningless, if humanity still fails to turn its heart to God. Its suffering will linger in a multitude of forms (168:3)

Baha'u'llah did not come merely to bring about an end to war and bloodshed, or to provide institutions, however exalted they may be, for the governing of human affairs, or even to transform the nature of society. As important as all these are, they themselves are only a means to a higher end. No, the Order He has come to establish is greater, far greater than these; far beyond, in fact, anything we can at present conceive (168:4)

Baha'u'llah has come to connect man with God, to enable him to "see God " with his "own eyes" and to "hear His melody" with his "own ears" . He has come that man may open his heart to His will, that he may fulfill his purpose in the ancient and everlasting Covenant, that he may receive the fullness of His promised divine blessings. He has come to bring the eternal spiritual joy that all of humanity desires, that all peoples know in their inmost being to be absolutely true - that joy and peace of mind and heart of which poets have sung throughout the ages, and which the Prophets have glorified throughout all time. He has come to raise humanity to the exalted heights of purity and sanctity, transforming it into the "image" and "likeness" of God Himself. He has come to establish, in all its potency, wonder and bliss, the Kingdom of the Father (168:5)

For this reason did Baha'u'llah sustain the weight of the chains that the sovereigns cast around His neck, and accepted the lifetime of sorrow laid upon Him by an unrepentant humanity (168:6)

Baha'u'llah has given in broad outline the distinguishing features of what His Order represents, the pattern of life which will characterize it, and the means by which it will unfold. Such a radical transformation from the present day order cannot come all at once, but will grow in stages, as have all of the civilizations brought by the Holy Ones of God (168:7)

The initial stage of this transformation has been beautifully presented in the following passage from the Baha'i writings: (169:1)

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha'u'llah, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will cooperate, and will harmoniously develop. The press will, under such a system, while giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and convictions of mankind, cease to be mischievously manipulated by vested interests, whether private or public, and will be liberated from the influence of contending governments and peoples. The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated (169:2)

National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and cooperation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race (169:3)

A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation - such is the goal towards which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving. Shoghi Effendi: World Order of Baha'u'llah, pp. 203-204 (170:1)

The exalted goal contained in the above passages - a goal which is in itself a magnificent triumph for humanity - is not however, the end for which Baha'u'llah has come. It is but a prelude to the fuller unfoldment of God's purpose. For when mankind reaches the stage of maturity described above, then will become possible the flourishing of that divine civilization, the true heavenly paradise on earth promised to man: the inauguration of the Golden Age of the Faith of Baha'u'llah. Of the essence of that civilization and the reality of that time, no mention can possibly be made. Our minds are too dull, our spirits too weak, our experience to contrary to conceive of what the Almighty has purposed for the future of humanity; He alone knows His work (170:2)

While we cannot know the essence of the Most Great Peace to be established in time, we do have enshrined in the Writings of Baha'u'llah the kernel of the pattern of life which will characterize His World Order. In the ocean of His Revelation, He has revealed the pearls of divine ordinances by which humanity, "gathered together under the shadow of this Divine Banner" as a "single nation", "blended into one race and become a single people" will live a peace on earth of which we can only dream (170:3)

In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. Psalm 72:7 (170:4)

Baha'u'llah's purpose is to call into existence a new race of men, a new people composed of transformed individuals (170:5)

They will be people who rise each dawn, center their thoughts on God, and gather to worship Him. They will - "occupied with His remembrance, and supplicating His forgiveness" - seat themselves, in silence, to hear the verses of God, chanted "in most melodious tones" , the verses that have been revealed throughout the ages in praise and remembrance of God. They will, "rid of all attachment to anyone save" God, in private moments of prayer, raise their hands in praise of Him, prostrate themselves before Him, "clinging" to His "cord" , imploring His mercy, standing ready to do His will and His desire, and loving only that which He loves (170:6)

They will be a new people, a new and transformed race of humanity (171:1)

A race that will greet one another with the words "God is Most Glorious", that will be forbearing, that will not set its "affections on things below", nor "pride" itself on its "glory", nor be "ashamed of abasement" . A race that will consider one's daily occupation - from farming, to the care of children, to government - as an act of worship, and will approach such work in an attitude of humility and service to humanity. A race that will welcome and promote the diversity flourishing in its midst, that will see with its "own eyes" and "not through the eyes of others" and will know of its "own knowledge" and not through the knowledge of its "neighbor" . A race that will give of their abundance to those in need, who will manifest contentment in all things, who will sacrifice their own lives rather than to transgress even one of the laws of God. A race that will prepare for the new year with a period of thoughtful reflection, prayer and fasting. A race that will once every nineteen days, gather in a wondrous feast - one which combines collective worship and the function of government within the context of hospitality and fellowship - and there, among the servants of God, in an atmosphere of spirituality, consult on the affairs of the community, and offer their suggestions for its betterment. A race in which women will have taken their rightful place beside men in all facets of society, rendering, therefore, the perfect, the God-ordained balance of the feminine and masculine aspects of humanity, and enabling, for the first time, the bird of the human race to soar. A race without clergy, but one in which the noble function of the clergy will have been assumed as a duty by all people. A race that will search for themselves the truth in all things, and will seek to share with their fellow man in an attitude of "such humility and submissiveness that every atom of the dust beneath their feet may attest the depth of their devotion" , their understanding of God's exalted purpose. A race in which the governing love and serve the governed, striving to provide for their happiness and wellbeing, and in which the governed welcome this loving authority, and strive to carry out its will. A race in which children and youth are regarded as precious aspects of society, their education and training given real priority, their contributions to society welcomed and promoted, and their innocence and energy increased. A race in which parents will be lovingly obeyed by their children, all the days of their life (171:2)

Such are a few grains of the bountiful harvest which humanity will reap as it builds a civilization "with a fullness of life such as the world has never seen nor can as yet conceive." (171:3)

But oh, dear readers, the story does not stop here. This is in fact the mere beginning of the wonders brought by the Messengers of God. For it is not even for this that Baha'u'llah has come. His purpose is greater still - greater even than those blessed to live in His Golden Age can possibly conceive. Yes, the Lord of History comes to earth to guide and govern Humanity through His Revelation, and to offer Himself as a Sacrifice for humanity; He comes to produce a genuine likeness of heaven on earth, and to make human persons more perfect in this life; however, His ultimate and final purpose for coming to earth is to prepare us for that "hour that none can put back" , that final hour when we depart from this world and are called to meet our Maker (171:4)

The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 156-157 (172:1)

Though the earth shall become as "the paradise of God" , yet the ephemeral nature of this world is an eternal reality. For we are here on this earth for but a short time, and then we "go the way of all the earth" , leaving it, empty handed. God does not wish our attachment to it: (172:2)

O My servants! There shineth nothing else in Mine heart except the unfading light of the Morn of Divine guidance, and out of My mouth proceedeth naught but the essence of truth, which the Lord your God hath revealed. Follow not, therefore, your earthly desires, and violate not the Covenant of God, nor break your pledge to Him. With firm determination, with the whole affection of your heart, and with the full force of your words, turn ye unto Him, and walk not in the ways of the foolish. The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing, bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it. Break not the bond that uniteth you with your Creator, and be not of those that have erred and strayed from His ways. Verily I say, the world is like the vapor in a desert, which the thirsty dreameth to be water and striveth after it with all his might, until when he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere illusion. It may, moreover, be likened unto the lifeless image of the beloved whom the lover hath sought and found, in the end, after long search and to his utmost regret, to be such as cannot "fatten nor appease his hunger". Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 328-329 (172:3)

So to the description above of the new race of men, we must add yet another important quality with which they will be endowed:
A race that will understand the utter transience of this life, and the impermanence of all but God; that will look always to the eternal life, diligently preparing for it, praying for acceptance into it, awaiting its time to enter it - all this, in anticipation of that unknowable moment when their earthly life is consummated and they pass into the Realm of Immortality (172:4)

It is the afterlife, not this life, that is real. Our true home is there, not here: (172:5)

Just as the conception of faith hath existed from the beginning that hath no beginning, and will endure till the end that hath no end, in like manner will the true believer eternally live and endure. His spirit will everlastingly circle round the Will of God. He will last as long as God, Himself, will last. He is revealed through the Revelation of God, and is hidden at His bidding. It is evident that the loftiest mansions in the Realm of Immortality have been ordained as the habitation of them that have truly believed in God and in His signs. Death can never invade that holy seat. Thus have We entrusted thee with the signs of thy Lord, that thou mayest persevere in thy love for Him, and be of them that comprehend this truth. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 141 (173:1)

And finally, the vision of the everlasting life proclaimed by Jesus Christ, has been enlarged in the Day of His Return: (173:2)

As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 151-152 (173:3)

O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 329 (173:4)

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20 (174:1)

Verily this is that Most Great Beauty, foretold in the Books of the Messengers, through Whom truth shall be distinguished from error and the wisdom of every command shall be tested. Verily He is the Tree of Life that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great. Baha'u'llah: Baha'i Prayers (US), p. 211 (174:2)

The Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah, the Redeemer of all mankind, passed away on May 29, 1892, in the seventy fifth year of His life. His earthly remains are laid to rest in a beautiful spot, now surrounded by magnificent gardens, in the countryside not far from the Most Great prison. His arrival in Akka, 24 years previous, had signalized the long awaited advent of the Lord of Hosts in the Holy Land, the land of God's chosen and beloved people (174:3)

Since His passing, His Faith has registered a procession of victories, establishing itself in all regions of the world, and now stands poised to burst out of obscurity into the mainstream of History (174:4)

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