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Book of Revelation 2
2/24/2008 12:13:40 PM
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Hello again
I will continue with the Book of Revelation, convinced as I am of your interest.
Concerning 1:14-15 describing The Holy Personage with the white hair
we also see other traits like "'feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace'1:15. 'Feet' usually symbolizes understanding and molten brass is one of the most blinding metals, thus indicating the splendours of His light. 'And His voice as the sound of many waters.' 1:15. In the heavenly books, the divine counsels and commands have been compared to water. In all the sacred writings, 'waters' usually refer to spiritual knowledge. Although Christ had all knowledge and all power, He said: 'I have yet many things to say unto you,but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.' John 16:12,13. Few could read or write at the time of Christ, therefore, little recorded knowledge was needed. But today, much is needed, and Bahaullahs Voice and Pen is as 'The sound of Many waters' which is also recorded, bringing a fresh outpouring of knowledge in a veritable deluge for mankind.' (Moffett) Bahaullah has revealed over hundreds volumes and thousands of letters.
"'And He had in His right hand seven stars.' 1:16. The right hand is usually known as the hand of power. In verse 1:20, it is stated that,'The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches'. Thus This Holy Personage, interpreted as' Bahaullah, holds the seven Revelators in His right hand, unitedly, exalting Them and lifting the essence of Their teachings into the Great New Cycle - The Kingdom of the Father upon the Earth. (Letter from Shoghi Effendi to the author)."
"And out of His mouth went a sharp-edged sword: 1:16. This is the sword of Truth,and the His countenance was as the sun in his strength," 1:16, this means in its midday splendour, in its zenith.
"I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and death." 1:18. What is hell? Bahaullah explains that hell is remoteness from God and heaven is nearness to God, so the Key to the understanding of heaven and hell is the Word of God. Then we can be in hell right here and now, and we can be in heaven too, here and now.
Here we can see also how this Holy Figure says He once "was dead" ,and at the same time that He is eternal "alive for evermore", I'd say ,only the Holy Spirit speaks like this.
I suppose this passage has led many Christian interpreters to believe the Holy One in this text is actually Christ, born of Mary. But Christ is the "witness" of things to come in the Book of Revelation and as I pointed out this is the eternal Holy Spirit speaking.
The various messages of which I will just make mention of three, contain condemnations and approvals, one church has forgotten its first love, one has returned to the worship of Balaam, idolatry, and another is weak, one is lukewarm which is not approved at all.
The fourth message is directed to the church of Thyatira which seems to be the fourth religious system, and is given a wonderful promise. " And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him I will give power over the nations." 1:26 "And I will give him the morning star" 1:28. This is meant for the future so it is not Jesus who is the morning star. Not this time.
But" it was fulfilled with the coming of the Bab, and thus He is the Divine Morning Star, Who heralded the coming of of the Sun of Truth for the New Day. Zoroster was the Founder of the Zoroastrian religious system that fluorished in Persia at the time of Christ. What a divine coincidence that the Bab, the Herald of Bahaullah was born i Shiraz, in Persia, in 1819, the land of Zoroaster's birth and near His birthplace thus fulfilling the promise, "I will give Him the Morning Star! 1:28" He, the Bab is the 'Ushidar-Mah - Morning Star referred to in the Zoroastrian Scriptures. May we conclude that the fourth church or religion is Zoroastrianism?. The church of Philadelphia, its name meaning "brotherly love" is probably Christianity, because it is usually referred to as a religion of brotherly love- It is commended for its works, its faith, its patience but it has "little strength".1:8. Why is that? The author suggests it is due to its "dividing into more sects and branches than any other . Naturally anything that is much divided becomes weak."(Moffett) Unity means strength.
Anyway this church is given the most marvellous of all promises. "Him that overcometh I will make a pillar in the temple of God"1:12, meaning those who are chosen to uphold the New World Order. and "He shall go no more out"1:12 meaning when we have found the truth -the Teaching of the Sun of Reality- we will not go out seeking it again.
"I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name."
Repeatedly I have come back to this tatement. "The descent of the New Jerusalem is the divine law" says Abdu'l-Baha.
Bahaullah has stated:"The potency infused into all created things is the direct consequence of the revelation of this most Blessed Name" which is Baha, and when we invoke God we can say Ya Baha'ul Abha.Abha is another form of Baha. Bahai means "of the Light"
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches". 1:22 Haven't all of us ears? Certainly not. All of us have not spiritual ears so that we can hear what the Spirit says.Jesus is persists in pointing out for us to listen in spirit in a repeated refrain, that we may leave the literal understanding of the old verses of God. It is no good for us!. No good at all!! It leads us to the greatest dissappointment and worse.
May we conclude that this church is Christianity?
The seventh church is lukewarm "I know thy works...I will spit thee out of My mouth" What religion is this? Almost condemned and asked to repent.
"I stand at the door and knock" 1:20 .We often think of Jesus Christ when this is referred to," but this verse has a larger universal meaning. The very word, the very title, "the Bab" means the door. He is the Door of the New Cycle.
He is the Door to "Him Whom God shall make Manifest" the world Educator, Bahaullah, Who was standing at the threshold to usher in the great New World Order and the New Creation."(Moffett)
May we conclude that this church, receiving the seventh message is Islam, since it was the adherents to this Faith that instigated the murder of the Bab and His followers.
I have chosen to elaborate on just these three churches. There is already so much to ponder upon for you.
Enjoy the reading
All the best
Kind regards from
Laila
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