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The Book of Revelation
Chapter Twenty-two
One Bahá'í's Concept

CONCEPT BOX

The Book of Revelation which for centuries has been a closed book is now open to all mankind. God's promises to mankind are being fulfilled.

    "Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world's darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will ere long be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the corner-stone of the foundation itself, and which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendor. The fifth candle is the unity of nations -- a unity which in this century will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races, making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization."
    (Shoghi Effendi,
    The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 39)
    One of the great events which is to occur in the Day of the manifestation of that Incomparable Branch (Bahá'u'lláh) is the hoisting of the Standard of God among all nations. By this is meant that all nations and kindreds will be gathered together under the shadow of this Divine Banner, which is no other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become a single nation. Religious and sectarian antagonism, the hostility of races and peoples, and differences among nations, will be eliminated. All men will adhere to one religion, will have one common faith, will be blended into one race, and become a single people. All will dwell in one common fatherland, which is the planet itself. Universal peace and concord will be realized between all the nations, and that Incomparable Branch will gather together all Israel, signifying that in this cycle Israel will be gathered in the Holy Land, and that the Jewish people who are scattered to the East and West, South and North, will be assembled together.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Some Answered Questions, p. 65)
    "So firm and mighty is this Covenant that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like." "Whatsoever is latent in the innermost of this holy cycle," . "shall gradually appear and be made manifest, for now is but the beginning of its growth and the dayspring of the revelation of its signs."
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá
    quoted by Shoghi Effendi,
    in The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 146)

Bible Verses

[1] And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

One Bahá'í's Concept

V.1 He showed John fresh new and pure spiritual teachings, pure as crystal, the untarnished teachings proceeding from the throne of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, but the events described in the previous chapters will be necessary to get people to be receptive.

    The River of Mercy floweth, and the Ocean of Utterance surgeth, and the Sun of Revelation shineth forth resplendent. With a detached heart, and a dilated breast, and an utterly truthful tongue, recite thou these sublime words that have been revealed by My Forerunner -- the Primal Point. He saith -- glorified be His utterance -- addressing his honor, Azim: "This, verily, is the thing We promised thee, ere the moment We answered thy call."
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Epistle to the Son of the Wolf,
    p. 142)
    XIV. This is the Day whereon the true servants of God partake of the life-giving waters of reunion, the Day whereon those that are nigh unto Him are able to drink of the soft-flowing river of immortality, and they who believe in His unity, the wine of His Presence, through their recognition of Him Who is the Highest and Last End of all, in Whom the Tongue of Majesty and Glory voiceth the call: "The Kingdom is Mine. I, Myself, am, of Mine own right, its Ruler."
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh)
    XVIII. Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance to proceed out of Our throne, that the tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may spring forth from the soil of your hearts. Will ye not be thankful?
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh)
    Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy days, and divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the Paradise (Ridván) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made firm.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 4)
    Glorified art Thou, O God of all names and Creator of the heavens! I render Thee thanks that Thou hast made known unto Thy servants this Day whereon the river that is life indeed hath flowed forth from the fingers of Thy bounty, and the springtime of Thy revelation and Thy presence hath appeared through Thy manifestation unto all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 272)
    We have graciously summoned them unto the river that is life indeed, while they have, with manifest injustice, decreed the shedding of My blood.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 251)
    This is the river of everlasting life that hath flowed from the well-spring of the pen of the merciful; well is it with them that drink!
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Persian Hidden Words No. 37)

[2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

V.2
    On His right side floweth the river of grace and on His left side the sweet wine of justice; before Him go the angels of paradise with the standards of Signs. Beware lest names withhold thee from God the Creator of the earth and heaven;
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Bahá'í Scriptures,
    p. 98)
    The Sun of Truth appears again on the horizon of the world shining into the eyes of those who sleep, awaking them to behold the glory of a new dawn. Then again will the tree of humanity blossom and bring forth the fruit of righteousness for the healing of the nations.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Paris Talks,
    p. 32)
    Through the power of the divine springtime, the downpour of the celestial clouds and the heat of the Sun of Reality, the tree of life is just beginning to grow. Before long, it will produce buds, bring forth leaves and fruits, and cast its shade over the East and the West.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith,
    p. 429)
    From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my God, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy, seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One! To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of Thy good pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within  141  the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Daystar of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, O Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my God!

    Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Highest.

    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Bahá'í Prayers,
    p. 140)
[3] And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

V.3 There shall be no more curse, as the Bahá'í Faith will be accepted. The Bahá'í administrative center has been created on Mount Carmel in Haifa Israel, as promised in the holy books.
    Praise be to God! the mediaeval ages of darkness have passed away and this century of radiance has dawned, -- this century wherein the reality of things is becoming evident, -- wherein science is penetrating the mysteries of the universe, the oneness of the world of humanity is being established and service to mankind is the paramount motive of all existence. Shall we remain steeped in our fanaticisms and cling to our prejudices? Is it fitting that we should still be bound and restricted by ancient fables and superstitions of the past; be handicapped by superannuated beliefs and the ignorances of dark ages, waging religious wars, fighting and shedding blood, shunning and anathematizing each other? Is this becoming? Is it not better for us to be loving and considerate toward each other? Is it not preferable to enjoy fellowship and unity; join in anthems of praise to the most high God and extol all His prophets in the spirit of acceptance and true vision? Then indeed this world will become a paradise and the promised Day of God will dawn.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith - p. 279)

[4] And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

V.4 They shall see His face, (understand His Mission) and be completely devoted. The name 'Bahá'u'lláh' means "the Glory of God", which will be on the lips, and in the minds, of the people staunch in their service to God.
    These are they who are blessed by the Concourse on high, who are glorified by the denizens of the everlasting Cities, and beyond them by those on whose foreheads Thy most exalted pen hath written: "These! The people of Bahá. Through them have been shed the splendors of the light of guidance." Thus hath it been ordained, at Thy behest and by Thy will, in the Tablet of Thine irrevocable decree.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 83)
    Every forehead which is illuminated with these lights will be a lamp of guidance and a star whereby all horizons will be lighted.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá v1,
    p. 106)

[5] And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

V.5 There shall be no darkness, saying that the darkness, not of night, but the darkness of life will be gone.
    In the spiritual realm of intelligence and idealism there must be a center of illumination, and that center is the everlasting, ever-shining Sun, the Word of God. Its lights are the lights of reality which have shone upon humanity, illumining the realm of thought and morals, conferring the bounties of the divine world upon man.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith,
    p. 254)

[6] And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

V.6 The angel said to John "These sayings are faithful and true" that God of the Holy Prophets (the Seven Revealers) sent this Angel to show His servants what is to come shortly.
    XIV. Thus hath His bounty been sent down unto men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone forth above the Horizon of mercy. Rich is the prize that shall be won by him who hath believed and exclaimed: "Lauded art Thou, O Beloved of all worlds! Magnified be Thy name, O Thou the Desire of every understanding heart!"
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh)

[7] Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

V.7 He said "Behold I will come quickly" meaning that the events of The Book of Revelation will happen suddenly and in a brief time. Greater changes have happened in the last century since the Báb than in all centuries before.

    To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced. He the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: "I go away and come again unto you." And in another place He said: "I go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I have said." Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
    p. 20)

[8] And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

V.8 John saw, and heard these things, which the angel was telling him. He was overwhelmed, and fell down before the angel to worship him, for showing him these warnings.
    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.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Verse 78)

[9] Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

V.9 John was about to worship the angel but the angel said 'No, do it not' as he was a fellow servant just as John was. He was told by the angel to worship God instead.
    Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art He Whom all things worship and Who worshipeth no one, Who is the Lord of all things and is the vassal of none, Who knoweth all things and is known of none. Thou didst wish to make Thyself known unto men; therefore, Thou didst, through a word of Thy mouth, bring creation into being and fashion the universe. There is none other God except Thee, the Fashioner, the Creator, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh,
    p. 6)

[10] And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

V.10 The Book of Revelation is no longer a closed book, and although our interpretation may not be perfect, God wants the message to NOW be known. Before the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, Who had the keys to open the 'Book of Revelation', came, none could decipher the symbols of this book.

    Bahá'u'lláh unsealed the holy books and revealed laws through which mankind can attain to a high state of spiritual civilization. These new laws will go into effect after the great readjustment, when wars, cataclysms, famine, labor troubles, etc., have done their work of equalization!
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Divine Philosophy,
    p. 7)

[11] He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

V.11 If we choose to be unjust or filthy, God still gives us the freedom to choose what we want in life, so there will still be those who choose their own beliefs.
    Man is not a pre-existent being, but a newly produced and created being, consisting of two aspects or portions, the spiritual and material, which may be likened to hell and paradise; and he does not know whether he will be in hell or paradise. For instance, man is composed of evil as well as good, of darkness as well as light, of guidance as well as misleading; the most evil character is to be found in man, while the greatest and most excellent character is also found in him. We must see that the good qualities gain victory over the bad. If so, the man will become an "angel," but if the bad qualities conquer the good ones, then he will become a "devil." If the light conquers the darkness in man, of course he will be true light, and if the darkness conquers the light, he will be of the material.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í Scriptures, No. 960,
    p. 499)

[12] And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

V.12 Again Bahá'u'lláh says "Behold , I come quickly",
    "When the Day that must come shall have come suddenly. Day that shall abase! Day that shall exalt!." and thus was the new Dispensation announced and the great Resurrection made manifest. At the start, those who were present fled away, and some forsook their Faith, while some fell a prey to suspicion and doubt, and a number, after wavering, returned to the presence of Bahá'u'lláh.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Memorials of the Faithful,
    p. 202)

[13] I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

V.13 He says "I am the Alpha and Omega" the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
    He hath wiped away their tears, kindled their light, rejoiced their hearts and enraptured their souls. Death shall no more overtake them, neither shall sorrow, crying and tribulation afflict them. The Lord God Omnipotent hath been enthroned in His Kingdom and hath made all things new. This is the truth, and what truth greater than the Revelation of St. John the divine? He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the One that will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life, and bestow upon the sick the remedy of true salvation.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith,
    p.350)

[14] Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

V.14 Blest are those that do his commandments, as they are allowed to enter the city 'The New Jerusalem' and have a right to the Tree of Life.
    Through the power of the divine springtime, the downpour of the celestial clouds and the heat of the Sun of Reality, the tree of life is just beginning to grow. Before long, it will produce buds, bring forth leaves and fruits, and cast its shade over the East and the West. This Tree of Life is the Book of the Covenant.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith,
    p. 429)
    Say: O people! The Tree of Life hath verily been planted in the heart of the heavenly paradise and bestoweth life in every direction. How can ye fail to perceive and recognize it? It will in truth aid thee to grasp all that this well-assured Soul hath disclosed unto thee of the essence of the divine mysteries.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 71)

[15] For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

V.15 Those who oppose the faith, he has compared to dogs, sorcerers, those who have killed the Prophets in the past, and have lied.
    In like manner, thou beholdest in this day that although spiritual sustenance hath descended from the heaven of divine mercy, and been showered from the clouds of His loving kindness, and although the seas of life, at the behest of the Lord of all being, are surging within the Ridván of the heart, yet these people, ravenous as the dogs, have gathered around carrion, and contented themselves with the stagnant waters of a briny lake. Gracious God! how strange the way of this people! They clamour for guidance, although the standards of Him Who guideth all things are already hoisted. They cleave to the obscure intricacies of knowledge, when He, Who is the Object of all knowledge, shineth as the sun.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
    p. 208)
    XLIII. Time and again have We admonished Our beloved ones to avoid, nay to flee from, anything whatsoever from which the odor of mischief can be detected. The world is in great turmoil, and the minds of its people are in a state of utter confusion. We entreat the Almighty that He may graciously illuminate them with the glory of His Justice, and enable them to discover that which will be profitable unto them at all times and under all conditions. He, verily is the All-Possessing, the Most High.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh)
    Say: Never will the barking of dogs deter the Nightingale from warbling its melodies. Ponder awhile that perchance ye may discover a path leading to the Eternal Truth.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Summons of the Lord of Hosts,
    p. 156,
    Suriy-i-Ra'is:38)

[16] I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

V.16 Jesus says that He sent His angel to tell us these messages in the Churches (therefore, through the Messengers to all the Seven Religions).

He is the root and offspring of David. The Báb was also the offspring of David. The Báb is known as the morning star. Both had similar lives.

    The Báb was the Morning Star heralding the glorious Dawn of the Sun of Reality. Now all of us are under Its shadow and receive the refulgent bestowals from It.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í Scriptures, No. 582 p. 284)
That all the Manifestations are One, that Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Muhammad, The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are all One, with the Father, is probably the hardest new concept to grasp about the Teachings of the New Age.

[17] And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

V.17 The Spirit (the New Messsenger) and the bride (the new Law of God), say, "Come", that those thirst for knowledge and a more spiritual life, will find it freely.
    O peoples of the earth! We sent forth him who was named John to baptize you with water, that your bodies might be cleansed for the appearance of the Messiah. He, in turn, purified you with the fire of love and the water of the spirit in anticipation of these Days whereon the All-Merciful hath purposed to cleanse you with the water of life at the hands of His loving providence. This is the Father foretold by Isaiah, and the Comforter concerning Whom the Spirit had covenanted with you.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Summons of the Lord of Hosts,
    p. 63,
    Suriy-i-Haykal / Surih of the Temple /
    Pope Pius IX:122)

[18] For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

V.18 This verse condemns any who defile the purity of the Teachings by contaminating them with worldly ideas. It specifically protected the verses of the Book of Revelation itself so that we would have it as it was given for this time.
    Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Epistle to the Son of the Wolf,
    p. 129)

[19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

V.19
    Verily by "perverting" the text is not meant that which these foolish and abject souls have fancied, even as some maintain that Jewish and Christian divines have effaced from the Book such verses as extol and magnify the countenance of Muhammad, and instead thereof have inserted the contrary. How utterly vain and false are these words! Can a man who believeth in a book, and deemeth it to be inspired by God, mutilate it? .Nay, rather, by corruption of the text is meant that in which all Muslim divines are engaged today, that is the interpretation of God's holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and vain desires. .Likewise, it is clear, how in this day, the people of the Qur'án have perverted the text of God's holy Book, concerning the signs of the expected Manifestation, and interpreted it according to their inclination and desires.

    In yet another instance, He saith:

      "A part of them heard the Word of God, and then, after they had understood it, distorted it, and knew that they did so." [Qur'án 2:75.]
    This verse, too, doth indicate that the meaning of the Word of God hath been perverted, not that the actual words have been effaced. To the truth of this testify they that are sound of mind.

    .The same may be witnessed today. Consider how abundant are the denunciations written by the foolish divines of this age against this most wondrous Cause! How vain their imaginings that these calumnies are in conformity with the verses of God's sacred Book, and in consonance with the utterances of men of discernment!

    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
    p. 86)
    It is recorded in all the Books of the Gospel that He Who is the Spirit spoke in words of pure light unto His disciples, saying:
      "Know that heaven and earth may pass away, but my words shall never pass away."
    As is clear and evident to thine eminence, these words outwardly mean that the Books of the Gospel will remain in the hands of people till the end of the world, that their laws shall not be abrogated, that their testimony shall not be abolished, and that all that hath been enjoined, prescribed, or ordained therein shall endure forever.
    (Bahá'u'lláh,
    Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 22)

[20] He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

V.20
    Rejoice, then, O ye beloved of the Lord and His chosen ones, and ye the children of God and His people, raise your voice and laud and magnify the Lord, the Most High; for His light hath beamed forth, His signs have appeared, and the billows of His rising ocean have scattered on every shore many a precious pearl.
    ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
    Bahá'í World Faith p.350)

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