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"The first thing which emanated from God is that universal reality which the ancient philosophers termed the 'First Mind' and which the people of Baha call the 'First Will.' This emanation... is not limited by time or place; it is without beginning or end." "For the Will of God can in no wise be revealed except through His Will, nor His wish be manifested save through His wish." (Bwf 315- 6; Esw 155) (23:1) "Powerful is He (God) to manifest His Cause, and to exalt His testimony, and to establish whatsoever is His Will, and to elevate it to so eminent a position that neither thine own hands, nor the hands of them that have turned away from Him can ever touch or harm it." (Gl 219- 20) (23:2) "Be ye assured... that the works and acts of each and every one of these Manifestations of God... are all ordained by God and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose." These "Well Springs of wisdom have themselves been generated through the operation of Thy Will." (Bwf 27; Gl 3) (23:3) "Their will is absolutely submissive." Listen, as One affirms: (Saq 193) (23:4) "Thou art He, O my God, Who hath raised me up at Thy behest, and bidden me... to summon all men to the court of Thy mercy... Thou... hast commanded men to tell out the things Thou didst destine for them in... Thy decree." "Thou knowest, O my God, that I have wished only what Thou hast wished, and desire what Thou dost desire." (Bwf 89; Bwf 78) (23:5) "The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God, and the end of all things is strict observance of whatsoever hath been sent down from the empyrean of the Divine Will that pervadeth all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth." "All the wondrous works ye behold in this world have been manifested through the operation of His supreme and most exalted Will, His wondrous and inflexible Purpose." (Gl 5; Gl 141) (23:6) "The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind... to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God." (Gl 299) (23:7) "None can escape the snares He setteth, and no soul can find release except through submission to His will." (Iqan 251) "The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command and contentment in His holy will." (Bwf 140) "The essence of understanding is to testify to one's poverty and submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All- Powerful." (Bwf 141) (23:8) "O ye peoples of the world! Know assuredly that My commandments are the lamps of My loving providence among My servants, and the keys of My mercy for My creatures... sent down from the heaven of the Will of your Lord, the Lord of Revelation." (Bwf 127) (23:9) "Recognize God as 'Him that doeth whatsoever He pleaseth'." (Iqan 171) (23:10) "Blessed is the man that hath acknowledged his belief in God and in His signs, and recognized that 'He shall not be asked of His doings.'... Such is the teaching which God bestoweth on you, a teaching that will deliver you from all manner of doubt and perplexity." (Bwf 129)
(23:11)
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