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Good Morning dear friends
Here we have nice wheather today after a stormy night. I hope you are well and sound and still curious about the Bahai explanations of the Book of Revelation.
I have read none of the interpretations done by Christian scholars. When it comes to the symbols of jewels and the like, I think there ought to be be agreements between theirs and "mine" here.
The Throne, chapter 4
John is lifted up in spirit and is shown "things which must be hereafter"
"And, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat upon the throne."4:2. The word throne means the station of Prophethood, and even greater, that of the Manifestation (Messenger). Christ said,"The Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His Glory"- Matt. 19:28., that is when the Son has come in the Glory of His Father .
In this Day Bahaullah explains "throne"...still further: "Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their (The Messengers) oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness and Inmost Essence, have been and are applicable to those Essences of Being, inasmuch asThey all abide on the throne of Divine Revelation, and are established on the seat of Divine Concealment. Through Their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by Their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being."
"And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone." 4:3. In ancient times the jasper stone was called the blood stone, because of its bloodlike colour. All through the Gospel we findmany references to it, also to "being washed in the blood of Christ". The jasper stone symbolizes the Spiritual Life Force which Christ gave for the quickening of the souls of men. This is the need of all men - to be bathed in that Spiritual Life Force." (Moffett) The man sitting on the throne also looks like the "sardine stone". This is milk- white, meaning great purity, "without flaw or blemish, like the
Spirit of Christ.
"And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." 4:3. That it isThis rainbow is a beautiful symbol of the love of God and of His covenant with men. Green reveals that there is going to be a fresh Spiritual Springtime.
The twentyfour elders on the twentyfour seats are the LETTERS OF THE LIVING WHO WERE BABS APOSTLES. They were 19, of whom Tahirih was one, the single woman disciple. All of them were cruelly tortured and murdered by the clergy of Iran. The remaining four are to be known later. (Letter by the Guardian to author). (This, I presume, will be decided by the Universal House of Justice.)
Shoghi Effendi eulogizes them as "These first Letters generated from the Primal Point (The Bab), this "company of angels arrayed before God on the Day of His coming", these "Repositories of His Mystery", these "Springs that have welled out from the Source of His Revelation", these " first companions who..."enjoy nearest access to God", "these Luminaries that have from everlasting bowed down, and will everlastingly continue to bow down, before the Celestial Throne", and lastly these "elders mentioned in the Book of Revelation". They were summoned to Babs presence, who addressed to them His parting words..He enjoined them to observe the utmost caution and moderation in their behaviour, unveiled the loftiness of their rank, and stressed the magnitude of their responsibilities. He recalled the words addressed by Jesus to His disciples, and emphasized the superlative greatness of the New Day. He warned them lest by turning back they forfeit the Kingdom of God, and assured them that if they did God's bidding, God would make them His heirs and spiritual leaders among men. He hinted at the secret and announced the approach of a still mightier Day, and bade them prepare themselves for its advent." (God Passes By, pp78)
"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." 4:5 The thunderwheather is the storms of opposition and the earthquakes of violation and doubt that the Revelator is met with, each and every time he comes to teach men the godly lesson of love. The burning lamps are the still living Revelators of former religions, gathered around the throne. The "seven golden candlesticks" are their religious systems respectively.
"The sea of glass"-4:6 is the sea of truth, clear as crystal and untainted. The revealed Word of all the former religions together are to be likened to the first two letters of the alfabet, the revelation of Bahaullah, with its more than hundred volumes, is like all the remaining letters of it. So there is a difference. We may here recall the words of Christ:"I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when the Spirit of Truth come to you, He will guide you unto all truth."
Sometimes I wonder why the Christians are not showing a more expressed interest in this, WHAT HE IS TO TELL US! As promised!!!! Can you tell me?. How come?Do they not believE in this promise?If I were a Christian, I would search and search and search. But surely, people are like different worlds, only love can combine them.
"The four beasts full of eyes before and behind." The lion, the calf, the man and the eagle. What are they? Abdul'-Baha says in a tablet to a German believer that they "represent the first four rulers who will arise to spread the Cause of Bahaullah over the whole world".
Hitherto most of the now living Bahais are commoners except King Malietoa II of Western Samoa. He is not travelling around as far as I have heard, no. they will arise a little later, just like Constantine did to spread Christianity, or how King Ashoke organized Buddhism as the state religion in India 264 B.C.
The eyes and the six wings of the beasts may stand for the many instruments we may have invented in our modern age. With the PC we can see as if we have many eyes.
Shortly I will continue
I hope you will be with me,
Kind regards
Laila
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