Good morning

I hope that you have found the prophesies illuminating.And have dived into the  Biblical adventure. Actually I do not understand how one could avoid being fashinated.
I'll speak about the twofold language of the Word of God today.

We read the Bible in  various ways. So some people interpret the prophesies in various ways. However I have recently studied some of what is said about Reading the Bible.And will be quoting from Michael Sours, (Understanding Biblical evidences) and Jesus and Bahaullah.

There are two main roads that people follow,when reading the Bible. One is the literal way and one is the spiritual way which is like the way we read poetry.
I think you understand what I mean, you are most certainly aquainted with this.
However I came across something interesting yesterday saying the reasons for God using a twofold language.
First,
I would like to present the Christian argument for the literal interpretation of the Bible.
Their standpoint is that God wants everybody to understand His messages. Meaning He wants everybody to become believers.Therefore He speaks in clear and ordinary language. If He would  convey hidden truths, it would be contrary to His desire to get mankind to understand His Word. They believe that hidden meanings in symbolic laguage would only give rise to a multiplicity of meanings, bringing about confusion. We are finite and therefore God uses finite language so that nobody is left out.
"Some will even argue that it is irrelevent to assume Scriptures has hidden meanings because this implies God could not convey through the Scriptures, in a straightforward manner, all that He wanted humankind to know." ( Sours)
So the literalists say that "literal interpretation of Scripture makes Scripture comprehensible, easily understandable and less confusing" (Sours) Still literalists do not agree among themselves.
So it is conducive to quarrels.

The result of having a literal way of reading the Bible made all Christianity failed to secure the greatest Revealation ever to occur. What a disaster" I'd say.The same happened among most of the worlds religious people. It made them kill Gods Messenger and imprison the One Who came after Him.
 
Then what is the purpose of the hidden meanings in the holy scriptures?                                                                Bahaullah explains that the use of symbolic language has always been the method of God for distinguishing between "illumined hearts" and "barren soil":

"The unconcealed language is to guide the seeker to truth, and the concealed language is meant to expose the malevolent."(Michael Sours)

"Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God's holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil. From time immemorial such hath been the way of God amidst His creatures, and to this testify the records of the sacred books."
"One language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled; that it may be a guiding lamp and a beaconing light whereby wayfarers may attain the heights of holiness, and seekers may advance into the realm of eternal union...The other language is veiled and concealed, so that whatever lieth hidden in the heart of the malevolent may be made manifest and their innermost being be disclosed."
Bahaullah, (excerpts from Kitab-i-Iqan)

Bahaullah says about Christ :
"in the sayings of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus) unnumbered significances lie concealed."

"Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth forever, thou must, likewwise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted." (Gleanings)

Sometimes it is so obvious that Christ speaks symbolically that there is no room for hesitation:

"I am the living bread which comes down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." (John 6:51)

Still the Jews quarreled about this. But, just imagine, things have not changed.Even today  literalists of older religions hold to their beliefs.

Christ likewise suggests that His purpose for using parables was not primarily to enlighten the unenlightened, but to harden the unbelief of the unbeliever (see Mark 4: 10-12, Matt.13:13) The author of Hebrews also asserts that there is a purpose in the way Scripture is written,i.e.to disclose the intensions of the heart:
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.(Heb.4:12)
Notice how the spiritual terms "soul" and "spirit" are placed in relation to the physical terms "joints" and "marrow". The power of the Word of God separates like a two-edged sword cutting apart the sincere from the irreligious and selfrighteous. This twofold language of the Word of God may be at the heart of Jesus'words: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace but a sword" (Matt.10:34)

I have been inspired to talk about this today since I have seen that there are some who present literal interpretations of the Scripts at Adlands religious forum, but I have had a hard time finding the ones who would  regard the Scripts as containing primarily symbolic language.

The "clouds" that Jesus was to arrive on in the sky is to be understood as hatred, misconceptions and prejudice among people. The" falling stars" are to be understood as the diminished influence of the wise and learned in the churches, to mention just a few "keywords".
Sometimes the script is also both true literally and concealed. There wasactually  a tremendous falling of meteorites in the middle of the 19th century, masses of people did in fact see such an event, in the west, but the main thing about this was the fall of the understanding among religionists. It can be seen as God speaking with actual events as He is speaking with words. Why not, the artist is speaking with his paintings, the dancer is speaking with his movements and graceful performances.
So...
As Bahais we are adviced to seek understanding with our intellectual capacity and according to reason and scientific knowledge. Not because it is easier  or "modern"but because of the importance of adhering to all that can reduce animosity and strife and let peace and unity have a chance among us.
The high esteem of the holy scriptures will be maintained and people will find a way "back to God". This is extremely important.
And hasn't it been said.- Many are called but few are chosen. Therefore the sword of Jesus and also Bahaullah

Bye for now
Greetings from
Laila

    Hi Nick

Thank you dear friend for the reminder. How very sweet of you to chose this card. Well I'll speak about abundant love today, the sweetest fruit of God's Revelation.
If it wasn't for Love how could we ever dare to live.
Thanks for your wonderful company.
and have a nice day

Bye for now
Laila

Laila, your presentation is interesting to say the least. I believe it is good to keep an open mind concerning bible prophecy. However, we need to follow what the bible speaks of very closely, or we can come up with all kinds of ideas on how we think it should be or it could be. The bible was inspired by God, even though men did write it. There are many scriptures which are controversial, but they say you can always find the bad if you go looking for it. Therefore, it is more important in my aspect, to spend time contemplating the life of Christ, and what He had to tell us, to make us better people, if you know what I mean? Have a blessed day!

    Hello James
Thank you for addressing my forum. You are most welcome. I feel so good that I have got the priviledge of having you too as  my guest star.
It seems however that you think I have not come close to Jesus and what He has said unto us. Truly it is the reverse way. And I have not chosen to believe in the "bad" things. Be sure of that.
If you only could see my transformation from unbelief to belief,  my heart  has welcomed Jesus, His Name  and His Teachings and His coming "in the flesh". These things are of the eternal and a guide forevermore and He Himself is keeping me company.
You see, it is like this, if we make a comparison between me as Bahai and the early Christians. In the same way that those Christians saw that the old Testament was true in its promises of the (first) coming of the Christ,the Messias, and on top of all came closer to Moses, ("If you had believed in Moses you had believed in Me", says Jesus to the Pharisees) - in the same way I have come to believe in Christ upon believing in Bahaullah. I discovered the divinity of Christ and Moses too, and Abraham etc. through Bahaullah, the Glory of God, Who came through His Herald in 1844. Only Bahaullah has pointed out Jesus for me, just as He has chosen me to follow Him, Bahaullah. This is, to say the least divine pedagogics.

 The whole thing is about me believing in  1)the fulfillment of the prophesies about 1844. meaning- to believe in 2) the actual physical coming of the second coming of Christ , just as He promised,3) as a thief, where no Christian would ever believe He would come, 4) which was/ is the worst place on Earth, in old corrupted Persia,(Elam) with the coming of Bahaullah.

My  way of belief in Jesus is not precisely what you think. Our common denominator is as it seems 1844.                                                              I am happy in my belief in all the former prophets.I'd give my life for it. I am actually still so amazed,all since soon 40 years, filled with wonder at God's ageold workings to guide mankind all through history. And, in this age, our modern times again, He has provided us with the guidings of Bahaullah, the Glory of God, which spiritually is the return of Christ. The Holy Spirit again bestowed in a Personage that God has chosen.

Before I was in my "grave of heedlessness and neglect of God."
Try to understand this line, ponder upon it, all by yourself. This is the spiritual way of understanding this. The other one is...literal.

Since I have come from unbelief into the true and real knowledge, has attained to the very Goal of all knowledge, which is spiritual knowledge, I am quite well off to have left this grave.

If you find my article where I have in detail described how I experienced my meeting with Christ in the old "Highchrurch in Lund long time ago, written especially for people who believe in the literal getting out of  the grave, you might get some interesting things to ponder upon. You will never find the like. I remember that this specific Article was named:.....my path to God. There where some words before those last words. Find it!!It might be important for you to find it.There you can see that I believe in Christ with all my heart.
The spiritual way of solving the old abstruse sayings is like using a Rosetta stone. If you ever start doing this, even if your priests have implanted other interpretations for you, you will find a precious solution to that other problem you presented to me, if you have patience and give yourself the time.
My belief does not exclude that Jesus is doing preparations for earthly souls in the Heavens of God. I assume He is very busy.
Let us talk again. I do welcome your appearance here. Tell me anything.

Bye for now

Laila Falck