Revelation Chapter 08

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The Book of Revelation
Chapter Eight
One Bahá'í's Concept

CONCEPT BOX
The awakening of mankind progresses in stages - some of which will be extremely traumatic. The events described here have both outward and inward (material and spiritual) meanings. Many people recognize in these verses the prelude to a great universal catastrophic event often referred to as Armageddon - dealt with in following chapters. While the external events will be very significant in the history of mankind it is the internal spiritual significances that are more important.
This chapter deals with the opening of the Final Seal - which has been a major theme, so far, in the Book of Revelation. Like in a symphony, there are major themes and minor themes going on at the same time, so while verse one in this chapter begins with the opening of the "final seal" we see that this immediately leads to all the Seven Angels sounding again and Their eventually spreading of the Seven Vials (in Chapter Sixteen) and the Seven Plagues (in Chapter Eighteen).
We started with John saying:
Rev. 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
and progressed through:
Rev. 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev. 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
and later we shall see:
Rev. 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
which means that John himself was not allowed to reveal those things sealed by the Seven Angels and that the opening (explaining / understanding) of the Book of Revelation had to await the coming of the Báb, the forerunner of the NEW Religion for the New Age, because He was the "WORTHY" One called for in the verses of Chapter Five.
Each of the Seven Angels also has a relationship to the Seven Seals that were opened in Revelation Chapter Six and the Seven Plagues which appear later in Revelation Chapters Sixteen and Eighteen. While the Seven Seals and the Seven Plagues apply universally to all the religions and all of mankind, each has a special significance in relationship to the religion with which it is identified.
For the first angel, in verse seven of this chapter, the 'hail mixed with blood' that was cast upon the earth, is the symbol of religious intolerance, the first (white) horse of the Apocalypse identified with the loosening of the first seal in Rev.6:1. The green grass and a third part of the trees were burnt, indicating the spiritual destruction of religious intolerance, both for the lives of individual people, and also for the spirituality of the religious communities as a whole.
It is important to remember that while one can see in these prophecies external events - it is the internal spiritual significances that are important. After the Seventh Seal is opened - 'The Time of the End Begins' and now we hear from the Seven Angels and Their Seven Trumpets what happens to each of the Seven Religions in the 'Time of the End'. In this chapter there is also introduced another new symbol and concept - that of the:

'The Three Woes'
This new concept of 'The Three Woes' is discussed in an appendix at the end of this chapter.

Bible Verses
[1] And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

One Bahá'í's Concept
V.1 The Báb opened the seventh and final seal. A silence came for half an hour, which is not a literal specific time on a clock but a short time before we would hear from the 'One to Come' (which is Bahá'u'lláh).
It is central to the thought of many Muslims that Muhammad was the "Seal of the Prophets" and He truly was in that He was last in the Cycle of Prophecy. The Báb is the First in the Cycle of Fulfillment - and therefore opens up those things which were "sealed" during the Prophetic Times of each of previous Seven Religions.

[2] And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

V.2 John saw seven Angels appear and each Angel was given a trumpet- ready to sound. As we have seen in the previous chapters, the Seven Angels are symbolic of the Manifestations (sometimes called Temples) of the Seven Major religions of the world. All of these are the religions that "stand" before God.

[3] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

V.3 Another angel, (the Ninth) stood at the golden Altar of God with a golden censor. (Golden is a symbol of 'Divine').
The Ninth Angel is still another following Manifestation, therefore Prophet of God, in the sequence after the previously mentioned Seven Religions and the Báb. (See Rev.5:2) This Ninth Angel is Bahá'u'lláh to Whom has been given much incense (Spiritual Power) that He should offer the prayers of all the saints - the emphasis being upon all because all the religions are now recognized and unified in the Bahá'í Faith.
Even as He hath revealed: "No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!"[Qur'án 2:285]
(Bahá'u'lláh,
The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
p. 152)

44 If thou be of the inmates of this city within the ocean of divine unity, thou wilt view all the Prophets and Messengers of God as one soul and one body, as one light and one spirit, in such wise that the first among them would be last and the last would be first.
(Bahá'u'lláh,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 44)

[4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

V.4 The incense of the prayers ascended to God, from the Angel's Hand. out of His Teachings and from His Pen.
The prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent God.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Bahá'í World Faith,
p. 415)

[5] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

V.5 The Angel (Bahá'u'lláh) took the censer that was filled with the fire of the 'Love of God' of the altar, and cast it to the earth. This was more than love; it represents a whole new era, as it was His new teachings of love and the unity of all mankind, justice and peace to the world. All this was cast to the earth, or in other words - sent unto mankind.
At first there were voices, those discussing the new religion, then came the thunderings and lightnings, those who opposed, and the fear of the divines that it would take over. Finally it is shown how much it was upsetting by describing it as an earthquake.
As ye have heard of the former times, when (for example) Christ -- glory be to Him! -- appeared, a storm of trials arose, afflictions appeared, the winds of tests blew, the thunder of temptation descended and hosts of people (Pharisees) surrounded the houses of the friends; then the weak ones were shaken and were misled after once being guided; but the disciples withstood the hardships and endured the storms of ordeals, remaining firm in the Religion of God.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá v1,
p. 13)

[6] And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

V.6 The Seven Angels with the Trumpets are the Seven Major Religions of the world (as presented at length in the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation) and the fact that they are now sounding "at the end of the world" - which is the end of the Cycle of Prophecy and the beginning of the Cycle of Fulfillment - is because all the religions of the world had prohesized the day when their religion would be fulfilled with the return of their Lord.
To Israel He was neither more nor less than the incarnation of the "Everlasting Father," the "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten thousands of saints"; to Christendom Christ returned "in the glory of the Father," to Shí'ah Islám the return of the Imam Husayn; to Sunni Islám the descent of the "Spirit of God" (Jesus Christ); to the Zoroastrians the promised Shah-Bahram; to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna; to the Buddhists the fifth Buddha.
(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By,
p. 93)

[7] The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

V.7 The first angel sounded:
This first angel is the Angel of the Sabean Religion which, going by the order here, was the first and most ancient of the Seven Religions. The Sabean religion, being so very ancient, and having often been supplanted by other religions is no longer very prominent in the world as an organized religion and has only this one verse dedicated to it.
The mentioning of 'hail and fire mixed with blood' and being cast to the earth and a third part of the trees and all the grass being burnt up may yet have external implications, both in regards to environmental issues and catastrophic events to come, but the internal spiritual ones are key.
Trees and greenery are symbolic of spiritual powers (such as the tree of 'knowledge' and the tree of 'life' in the Garden of Eden), however, over-time these spiritual powers and teachings have lost their heavenly vitality and have become earthly 'been cast to earth' and have become spiritually destructive to a 'third of mankind'. The grass is indicative of the general followers of the religion and the one third portion also appears in the following verses regarding other religions and this shows that a large part of the whole of mankind is in spiritual darkness.
From the seed of reality, religion has grown into a tree which has put forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has fallen into a condition of decay. The leaves and blossoms have withered and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life forces are undiminished, its fruit unequalled, its existence eternal. The seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Bahá'í World Faith,
p. 226)

[8] And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

V.8 The second angel sounded:
The second angel represents what we identify as the second most ancient of the existing religions - the Hindu Religion. Mountains are symbolic of great institutions and the Hindu Religion remains very prominent in the world, being the religion of the world's second most populous country. The sea is a symbol of separation from God. Each of the old religions have become ineffectual in their ability to bring harmony and love to all of mankind.
This religion is shown as a mountain being cast into the sea and causing a third part of the sea to become blood which is a reference to spiritual death (see Rev.16:3). This also relates to the Second Seal and the second (red) horse of the Apocalypse in Rev. 6:1, in that religious intolerance can progress to war which is the greatest scourge of mankind. The great Hindu epic, the Bhagavad Gita, describes such a conflict and even today we see the great conflict between the Hindus and the Muslims as in India and Pakistan.

So blind hath become the human heart that neither the disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth, can shake off its torpor. The allusions made in the Scriptures have been unfolded, and the signs recorded therein have been revealed, and the prophetic cry is continually being raised. And yet all, except such as God was pleased to guide, are bewildered in the drunkenness of their heedlessness!
(Bahá'u'lláh,
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh,
p. 39)
Because the events of the Book or Revelation are archetypes one may also see in them symbolism of other events. For example, some see the mountain as being the gigantic institution of the UN failing in not being strongly religiously based and then in this separation from God resulting in bloody tragedies throughout the world.
None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: "Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people. And when the Qá'im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth." He also saith: "We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain."
(Bahá'u'lláh,
The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
p. 255)

[9] And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

V.9 Those of limited and dogmatic minds look for actual signs such as mountains falling into the sea from the heavens but such things, even if they were to occur, are of an insignificant importance as compared to the spiritual realities regarding the establishment of the new religion.
A third of the people died. These were the ones that were separated from God, and although they had life, they died spiritually. Aside from external events that may occur, one may see ships as representing the vessels that brought the teachings to the people. Ships and all such symbols have their intuitive meanings. One needs only think of their nature and then see how they apply to spiritual values. In a spiritual sense then, these great teachers and beneficial religious institutions were the vessels that were destroyed. Later (Rev.11:9) we see them symbolically lying dead in the street where it will mean that the spirit of their religions have been killed by the people.
The divine prophets have revealed and founded religion. They have laid down certain laws and heavenly principles for the guidance of mankind. They have taught and promulgated the knowledge of God, established praiseworthy ethical ideals and inculcated the highest standards of virtues in the human world. Gradually these heavenly teachings and foundations of reality have been beclouded by human interpretations and dogmatic imitations of ancestral beliefs. The essential realities which the prophets labored so hard to establish in human hearts and minds while undergoing ordeals and suffering tortures of persecution, have now well nigh vanished. Some of these heavenly messengers have been killed, some imprisoned; all of them despised and rejected while proclaiming the reality of divinity. Soon after their departure from this world, the essential truth of their teachings was lost sight of and dogmatic imitations adhered to.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Bahá'í World Faith,
p. 225)

[10] And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

V.10 The third angel sounded:
The third angel, in the order in which the ancient religions appeared, was that of the Jewish Religion. It has certainly been a great star in the firmament of religions and the lamp of Jewish law was indeed a great guide to the people. Saying that the great star (lamp) fell from heaven, indicates that the star left its rightful place and was no more. The star fell from heaven in that it no longer gave the spiritual direction that would bring harmony, peace and unity to all mankind.
Rabbis, many of them sincere, taught dogmatic doctrines. Because these doctrines were antiquated they caused the separation of many of the followers from the practice of the religion and many of those who were associated with the religion, only in name, often prided themselves in saying that they weren't religious, and indeed often became humanists and even atheists.
Because this man's father was a Jew, he considers himself a Jew; not that he has investigated the Reality and proved satisfactorily to himself that Judaism is right; nay, rather he is aware that his forefathers have followed this course, therefore he has held to it himself.
(Bahá'í Scriptures,
p. 268)

[11] And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

V.11 The name of the star is given as 'Wormwood' (a bitter medicinal plant). Because the teachings are now no longer the true spiritual teachings that the prophets had brought the bitterness of these teachings cause many men to die spiritually. Life giving water is a symbol of knowledge of God's true righteous and justice, but when it is misused it is turned to blood.
Still, one great contribution, and attribute, which we attach to the Jewish Religion is the establishment of law. Not just religious law, but also social law, as we see for example in the Ten Commandments. The Judaic, Christian, Islámic, Bahá'í religions all have this common origin. Indeed, through Abraham, all the nations of the earth are said to have been blessed by this star.

How many are the strangers who have sought shelter beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, and how numerous the thirsty ones who have panted after the fountain of Thy living waters in Thy days!
(Bahá'u'lláh,
Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh,
p. 33)
The fall of law is associated with the 3rd Seal and the third (black) horse of the Apocalypse described in Rev.6:5 and is also described in Rev.16:4-7.

[12] And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

V.12 The fourth angel sounded:
The fourth angel, in the historical order, was Zoroaster. This verse continues the description of the spiritual darkening and dying of all the religions in the last days. The continuing theme is this dying of all the old religions in all the cultures about the world, but there remain some viable remanents of each of the religions.
The flame ignited by Zoroaster is still burning.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
p. 346)
A third part of the sun, moon and stars were smitten and darkened, describing the spiritual darkness that took over the land, all because of the leadership of many political and religious leaders, that were interested more in the material ways of life.

In former days, in the time of the Buddha and Zoroaster, civilization in Asia and in the East was very much higher than in the West and ideas and thoughts of the Eastern peoples were much in advance of, and nearer to the thoughts of God than those of the West. But since that time superstitions had crept into the religion and ideals of the East, and from many differing causes the ideals and characters of the Eastern peoples had gone down and down, lower and lower, while the Western peoples had been constantly advancing and struggling towards the Light.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
'Abdu'l-Bahá in London,
p. 69)

Had the Zoroastrians comprehended the reality of Zoroaster, they would have understood Moses and Jesus. Alas! the majority of men attach themselves to the name of the mediator and lose sight of the real purport.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Divine Philosophy,
p. 32)

[13] And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

V.13 John sees an Angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying woe, woe woe to the inhabitants of earth.
These sort of travails have accompanied the arrival of each new Manifestation, who is then eventually seen as the very essence of reality. For a more detailed discussion of 'The Three Woes' see the appendix at the end of this chapter.

The Jews call that reality Moses, the Christians Christ, the Mussulmans Mohammed, the Buddhists Buddha and the Zoroastrians Zoroaster. Now mark well that none of these religionists have ever seen the founders; they have only heard his name. Could they overlook these names they would at once realize that all believe in a perfect reality which is an intermediary between the Almighty and the creatures.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy,
p. 155)

Even to this day do these people await the appearance of that which they have learned from their doctors and imbibed from their divines.
(Bahá'u'lláh,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 65)
How these events intermingle with events surrounding the "last day events" of the Seven Angels starts in the next chapter with the following Angel - the Fifth Angel.
Mention should also be made here that the Fourth Angel and likewise the fourth seal was associated with the fourth (pale) last horse of the Apocalypse (Rev.6:7) which is associated with death. Aside from the spiritual significance of this and how greatly from this point forward there were in the world massive plagues, periods of starvation, and other such plights that secular economists such as Malthus associate with the growing world population, there is a peculiar practice of the Parsees (Zoroastrians) in that they built cities of the dead where those who had passed on to have their flesh picked by the birds and their bones to be bleached by the sun.

Chapter Eight Appendix
'The Three Woes'
Because the Book of Revelation is written in archetypes there are many simultaneous meanings to the verses and therefore many simultaneous correct interpretations. It is also quite possible to wrongly interpret what is meant.
None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: "Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people. And when the Qá'im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth." He also saith: "We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain."
(Bahá'u'lláh,
The Kitáb-i-Íqán,
p. 255)
Below are some of the meanings that have been given to 'The Three Woes'.
The Three Woes as the Next Three Manifestations
Sometimes the Manifestations Themselves, of the New Religions, are referred to as "Woes", because Their arrival appears to cause such travail for mankind. The woes are like the travails of childbirth. Painful in their passing, but necessary as the old and decayed passes away to make room for that which is new, vital, vibrant, radiant and suitable to a New and Glorious Age.
The specific 'three woes' referred to in this instance may therefore be seen as the remaining three of the Seven Angels which are to sound. These would then be the Manifestations of the Buddhist, Christian and Islámic religions which came in that order.
The Three Woes as the Three Manifestations
of 'The Time of the End'
Because the time period being dealt with, when 'The Three Woes' are first mentioned in Chapter Eight, and later in The Book of Revelation, is the 'Time of the End' the 'Three Woes' may also be seen as applying specifically to the events of that time period rather than the historical time period in which the religions first appeared.
The 'Time of the End' can also be variously defined. In one sense it can be seen as dating from Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Cycle of Prophecy. In another sense it can be seen as dating from the beginning of the 'Time of Fulfillment' in 1844 (see the appendix on the Most Conclusive Proof). Still others may date it from 1914 and the beginning of Armageddon (Rev.16:16) or when the 'Seventh Angel Begins to Sound' (Rev.10:7). However, this chapter is dealing not with the events surrounding the first appearance of these Manifestations but rather with what happens to the religions 'at the time of the end' and the Three Angels that are to sound are those associated with the "end of the prophetic cycle" and the "beginning of the cycle of fulfillment." While all New Dispensations bring with them the destruction of the old and consequently they are a time of turmoil, because of the greatness of the change from the old cycle of prophecy to the new cycle of fulfillment, something that has happened only this one time in the history of the world - this period has associated with it The Three Woes.

The first woe is the appearance of the Prophet, Muhammad, the son of Abdu'llah -- peace be upon Him! The second woe is that of the Báb -- to Him be glory and praise! The third woe is the great day of the manifestation of the Lord of Hosts and the radiance of the Beauty of the Promised One, Bahá'u'lláh.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Some Answered Questions,
p. 56 )

The explanation of this subject, woe, is mentioned in the thirtieth chapter of Ezekiel, where it is said:

"The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near."[Ez. 30:1-3.]

('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Some Answered Questions,
p. 56)
Mention of the "Three Woes" appears in Rev.8:13, in Rev.9:12, and then again in Rev.11:14. One concept regarding their mention in these verses can be that it is in regards to the timeline of the 'Time of the End' and that the prophesized events in the last days are dated relative to the advent of 'The Three Woes' of 'The Last Days'.
The Three Woes as Three World Wars
There are those who see the three woes as applying to three world wars, and still others as to three burdens to mankind. The following is an abstract from a Native Prophecy of the Hopi Indians that can be seen as having relevance to both the Four Winds of the Euphrates and the Three Woes.
At the beginning of this cycle of time, long ago, the Great Spirit came down and He made an appearance and He gathered the peoples of this earth together and He said to the human beings, "I'm going to send you to four directions and over time I'm going to change you to four colors."
.To the Indian people, the red people, he gave the Guardianship of the earth.
.To the South, he gave the yellow race of people the Guardianship of the wind.
.To the West He gave the black race of people the Guardianship of the water.
.To the North He gave the white race of people the Guardianship of the fire.
.And on this black ribbon there would move a bug. And when you begin to see this bug moving on the land, that was the sign for the First Shaking of the Earth. The First Shaking of the Earth would be so violent that this bug would be shaken off the earth into the air and it would begin to move and fly in the air. And by the end of this shaking this bug will be in the air around the world.
In 1908 the Model-T Ford was mass produced for the first time. So the elders knew the First Shaking of the Earth was about to come about- that was the First World War. In the First World War the airplane came into wide usage for the first time. That was that bug moving into the sky. And so they knew something very important would happen. There would be an attempt to make peace on earth on the west coast of this land and so the elders began to watch for this. They began to hear that there was going to be a League of Nations in San Francisco so the elders gathered in Arizona around 1920 or so and they wrote a letter to Woodrow Wilson. They asked if the Indian people could be included in the League of Nations. At that time the United States Supreme Court had held that a reservation is a separate and semi-sovereign nation, not a part of the United States but protected by it. This became a concern because people didn't want the reservations to become more and more separate. They didn't want them to be considered nations. So they did not write back and the Native people were left out of the League of Nations, so that circle was incomplete.
.So the elders said when you see the sun rising in the east and you see the sign of life reversed and tilted in the east, you know that the Great Death is to come upon the earth, and now the Great Spirit will grab the earth again in His hand and shake it and this shaking will be worse than the first. So the sign of life reversed and tilted, we call that the Swastika, and the rising sun in the east was the rising sun of Japan. These two symbols are carved in stone in Arizona. When the elders saw these two flags, these were the signs that the earth was to be shaken again. The worse misuse of the Guardianship of the fire is called the "gourd of ashes". They said the gourd of ashes will fall from the air. It will make the people like blades of grass in the prairie fire and things will not grow for many seasons.
.The elders tried to contact President Roosevelt and ask him not to use the gourd of ashes because it would have a great effect on the earth and eventually cause even greater destruction and a Third Shaking of the Earth, the Third World War. .
So they knew after the Second Shaking of the Earth when they saw the gourd of ashes fall from the sky then there would be an attempt to make peace on the other side of this land. And because the peace attempt on the west coast had failed, they would build a special house on the east coast of this Turtle Island, and all the nations and peoples of the earth would come to this house and it would be called the House of Mica and it would shine like the mica on the desert shines. So the elders began to see they were building the United Nations made out of glass that reflects like the mica on the desert so they knew this was the House of Mica and all the peoples of the earth should go to it. So they met and talked about this. They said that in the 1920's they had written and they had not been responded to, so they said this time we better go to the front door of the House of Mica because things might get a lot worse.
.When the United Nations opened they went to the front door of the house of Mica and they said these words: "We represent the indigenous people of North America and we wish to address the nations of the Earth. We're going to give you four days to consider whether or not we will be allowed to speak." They retreated to one of the Six Nations Reserves in New York State. The Six Nations Reserves are keepers of the Great Law of Peace of the prophet that appeared here in North America, Dekanwidah. And this Law of Peace is still recited, it takes four days between sunrise and noon. Each year an Indian, by memory, must recite it about this time of year. Four days later they came back and I believe the nations of the earth heard that the Indians had come to the door. And they voted to let the Indians in. They wanted to hear what they had to say. But the United States is one of five nations of the United Nations with a veto power and still they were concerned because this time the Native sovereignty was even stronger.
(excerpts from a talk attributed to Lee Brown (Cherokee),
1986 Continental Indigenous Council,
Fairbanks, Alaska)

Likewise, these Indians, should they be educated and guided, there can be no doubt that they will become so illumined as to enlighten the whole world.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
Tablets of the Divine Plan,
p. 33)

I hope you will continue in unity and fellowship. How beautiful to see blacks and whites together! I hope, God willing, the day may come when I shall see the red men, the Indians, with you, also Japanese and others. Then there will be white roses, yellow roses, red roses, and a very wonderful rose garden will appear in the world.
('Abdu'l-Bahá,
The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
p. 428)

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Bible Verses [1] And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.	One Bahá'í's Concept V.1 The Báb opened the seventh and final seal. A silence came for half an hour, which is not a literal specific time on a clock but a short time before we would hear from the 'One to Come' (which is Bahá'u'lláh). It is central to the thought of many Muslims that Muhammad was the "Seal of the Prophets" and He truly was in that He was last in the Cycle of Prophecy. The Báb is the First in the Cycle of Fulfillment - and therefore opens up those things which were "sealed" during the Prophetic Times of each of previous Seven Religions.
[2] And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.	V.2 John saw seven Angels appear and each Angel was given a trumpet- ready to sound. As we have seen in the previous chapters, the Seven Angels are symbolic of the Manifestations (sometimes called Temples) of the Seven Major religions of the world. All of these are the religions that "stand" before God.
[3] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.	V.3 Another angel, (the Ninth) stood at the golden Altar of God with a golden censor. (Golden is a symbol of 'Divine'). The Ninth Angel is still another following Manifestation, therefore Prophet of God, in the sequence after the previously mentioned Seven Religions and the Báb. (See Rev.5:2) This Ninth Angel is Bahá'u'lláh to Whom has been given much incense (Spiritual Power) that He should offer the prayers of all the saints - the emphasis being upon all because all the religions are now recognized and unified in the Bahá'í Faith. Even as He hath revealed: "No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!"[Qur'án 2:285] (Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 152) 44 If thou be of the inmates of this city within the ocean of divine unity, thou wilt view all the Prophets and Messengers of God as one soul and one body, as one light and one spirit, in such wise that the first among them would be last and the last would be first. (Bahá'u'lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 44)
[4] And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.	V.4 The incense of the prayers ascended to God, from the Angel's Hand. out of His Teachings and from His Pen. The prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom, the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent God. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 415)
[5] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.	V.5 The Angel (Bahá'u'lláh) took the censer that was filled with the fire of the 'Love of God' of the altar, and cast it to the earth. This was more than love; it represents a whole new era, as it was His new teachings of love and the unity of all mankind, justice and peace to the world. All this was cast to the earth, or in other words - sent unto mankind. At first there were voices, those discussing the new religion, then came the thunderings and lightnings, those who opposed, and the fear of the divines that it would take over. Finally it is shown how much it was upsetting by describing it as an earthquake. As ye have heard of the former times, when (for example) Christ -- glory be to Him! -- appeared, a storm of trials arose, afflictions appeared, the winds of tests blew, the thunder of temptation descended and hosts of people (Pharisees) surrounded the houses of the friends; then the weak ones were shaken and were misled after once being guided; but the disciples withstood the hardships and endured the storms of ordeals, remaining firm in the Religion of God. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá v1, p. 13)
[6] And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.	V.6 The Seven Angels with the Trumpets are the Seven Major Religions of the world (as presented at length in the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation) and the fact that they are now sounding "at the end of the world" - which is the end of the Cycle of Prophecy and the beginning of the Cycle of Fulfillment - is because all the religions of the world had prohesized the day when their religion would be fulfilled with the return of their Lord. To Israel He was neither more nor less than the incarnation of the "Everlasting Father," the "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten thousands of saints"; to Christendom Christ returned "in the glory of the Father," to Shí'ah Islám the return of the Imam Husayn; to Sunni Islám the descent of the "Spirit of God" (Jesus Christ); to the Zoroastrians the promised Shah-Bahram; to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna; to the Buddhists the fifth Buddha. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 93)
[7] The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.	V.7 The first angel sounded: This first angel is the Angel of the Sabean Religion which, going by the order here, was the first and most ancient of the Seven Religions. The Sabean religion, being so very ancient, and having often been supplanted by other religions is no longer very prominent in the world as an organized religion and has only this one verse dedicated to it. The mentioning of 'hail and fire mixed with blood' and being cast to the earth and a third part of the trees and all the grass being burnt up may yet have external implications, both in regards to environmental issues and catastrophic events to come, but the internal spiritual ones are key. Trees and greenery are symbolic of spiritual powers (such as the tree of 'knowledge' and the tree of 'life' in the Garden of Eden), however, over-time these spiritual powers and teachings have lost their heavenly vitality and have become earthly 'been cast to earth' and have become spiritually destructive to a 'third of mankind'. The grass is indicative of the general followers of the religion and the one third portion also appears in the following verses regarding other religions and this shows that a large part of the whole of mankind is in spiritual darkness. From the seed of reality, religion has grown into a tree which has put forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has fallen into a condition of decay. The leaves and blossoms have withered and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life forces are undiminished, its fruit unequalled, its existence eternal. The seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 226)
[8] And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;	V.8 The second angel sounded: The second angel represents what we identify as the second most ancient of the existing religions - the Hindu Religion. Mountains are symbolic of great institutions and the Hindu Religion remains very prominent in the world, being the religion of the world's second most populous country. The sea is a symbol of separation from God. Each of the old religions have become ineffectual in their ability to bring harmony and love to all of mankind. This religion is shown as a mountain being cast into the sea and causing a third part of the sea to become blood which is a reference to spiritual death (see Rev.16:3). This also relates to the Second Seal and the second (red) horse of the Apocalypse in Rev. 6:1, in that religious intolerance can progress to war which is the greatest scourge of mankind. The great Hindu epic, the Bhagavad Gita, describes such a conflict and even today we see the great conflict between the Hindus and the Muslims as in India and Pakistan. So blind hath become the human heart that neither the disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth, can shake off its torpor. The allusions made in the Scriptures have been unfolded, and the signs recorded therein have been revealed, and the prophetic cry is continually being raised. And yet all, except such as God was pleased to guide, are bewildered in the drunkenness of their heedlessness! (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 39) Because the events of the Book or Revelation are archetypes one may also see in them symbolism of other events. For example, some see the mountain as being the gigantic institution of the UN failing in not being strongly religiously based and then in this separation from God resulting in bloody tragedies throughout the world. None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: "Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people. And when the Qá'im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth." He also saith: "We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain." (Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 255)
[9] And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.	V.9 Those of limited and dogmatic minds look for actual signs such as mountains falling into the sea from the heavens but such things, even if they were to occur, are of an insignificant importance as compared to the spiritual realities regarding the establishment of the new religion. A third of the people died. These were the ones that were separated from God, and although they had life, they died spiritually. Aside from external events that may occur, one may see ships as representing the vessels that brought the teachings to the people. Ships and all such symbols have their intuitive meanings. One needs only think of their nature and then see how they apply to spiritual values. In a spiritual sense then, these great teachers and beneficial religious institutions were the vessels that were destroyed. Later (Rev.11:9) we see them symbolically lying dead in the street where it will mean that the spirit of their religions have been killed by the people. The divine prophets have revealed and founded religion. They have laid down certain laws and heavenly principles for the guidance of mankind. They have taught and promulgated the knowledge of God, established praiseworthy ethical ideals and inculcated the highest standards of virtues in the human world. Gradually these heavenly teachings and foundations of reality have been beclouded by human interpretations and dogmatic imitations of ancestral beliefs. The essential realities which the prophets labored so hard to establish in human hearts and minds while undergoing ordeals and suffering tortures of persecution, have now well nigh vanished. Some of these heavenly messengers have been killed, some imprisoned; all of them despised and rejected while proclaiming the reality of divinity. Soon after their departure from this world, the essential truth of their teachings was lost sight of and dogmatic imitations adhered to. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 225)
[10] And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;	V.10 The third angel sounded: The third angel, in the order in which the ancient religions appeared, was that of the Jewish Religion. It has certainly been a great star in the firmament of religions and the lamp of Jewish law was indeed a great guide to the people. Saying that the great star (lamp) fell from heaven, indicates that the star left its rightful place and was no more. The star fell from heaven in that it no longer gave the spiritual direction that would bring harmony, peace and unity to all mankind. Rabbis, many of them sincere, taught dogmatic doctrines. Because these doctrines were antiquated they caused the separation of many of the followers from the practice of the religion and many of those who were associated with the religion, only in name, often prided themselves in saying that they weren't religious, and indeed often became humanists and even atheists. Because this man's father was a Jew, he considers himself a Jew; not that he has investigated the Reality and proved satisfactorily to himself that Judaism is right; nay, rather he is aware that his forefathers have followed this course, therefore he has held to it himself. (Bahá'í Scriptures, p. 268)
[11] And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.	V.11 The name of the star is given as 'Wormwood' (a bitter medicinal plant). Because the teachings are now no longer the true spiritual teachings that the prophets had brought the bitterness of these teachings cause many men to die spiritually. Life giving water is a symbol of knowledge of God's true righteous and justice, but when it is misused it is turned to blood. Still, one great contribution, and attribute, which we attach to the Jewish Religion is the establishment of law. Not just religious law, but also social law, as we see for example in the Ten Commandments. The Judaic, Christian, Islámic, Bahá'í religions all have this common origin. Indeed, through Abraham, all the nations of the earth are said to have been blessed by this star. How many are the strangers who have sought shelter beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, and how numerous the thirsty ones who have panted after the fountain of Thy living waters in Thy days! (Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 33) The fall of law is associated with the 3rd Seal and the third (black) horse of the Apocalypse described in Rev.6:5 and is also described in Rev.16:4-7.
[12] And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.	V.12 The fourth angel sounded: The fourth angel, in the historical order, was Zoroaster. This verse continues the description of the spiritual darkening and dying of all the religions in the last days. The continuing theme is this dying of all the old religions in all the cultures about the world, but there remain some viable remanents of each of the religions. The flame ignited by Zoroaster is still burning. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 346) A third part of the sun, moon and stars were smitten and darkened, describing the spiritual darkness that took over the land, all because of the leadership of many political and religious leaders, that were interested more in the material ways of life. In former days, in the time of the Buddha and Zoroaster, civilization in Asia and in the East was very much higher than in the West and ideas and thoughts of the Eastern peoples were much in advance of, and nearer to the thoughts of God than those of the West. But since that time superstitions had crept into the religion and ideals of the East, and from many differing causes the ideals and characters of the Eastern peoples had gone down and down, lower and lower, while the Western peoples had been constantly advancing and struggling towards the Light. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London, p. 69) Had the Zoroastrians comprehended the reality of Zoroaster, they would have understood Moses and Jesus. Alas! the majority of men attach themselves to the name of the mediator and lose sight of the real purport. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 32)
[13] And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!	V.13 John sees an Angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying woe, woe woe to the inhabitants of earth. These sort of travails have accompanied the arrival of each new Manifestation, who is then eventually seen as the very essence of reality. For a more detailed discussion of 'The Three Woes' see the appendix at the end of this chapter. The Jews call that reality Moses, the Christians Christ, the Mussulmans Mohammed, the Buddhists Buddha and the Zoroastrians Zoroaster. Now mark well that none of these religionists have ever seen the founders; they have only heard his name. Could they overlook these names they would at once realize that all believe in a perfect reality which is an intermediary between the Almighty and the creatures. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 155) Even to this day do these people await the appearance of that which they have learned from their doctors and imbibed from their divines. (Bahá'u'lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 65) How these events intermingle with events surrounding the "last day events" of the Seven Angels starts in the next chapter with the following Angel - the Fifth Angel. Mention should also be made here that the Fourth Angel and likewise the fourth seal was associated with the fourth (pale) last horse of the Apocalypse (Rev.6:7) which is associated with death. Aside from the spiritual significance of this and how greatly from this point forward there were in the world massive plagues, periods of starvation, and other such plights that secular economists such as Malthus associate with the growing world population, there is a peculiar practice of the Parsees (Zoroastrians) in that they built cities of the dead where those who had passed on to have their flesh picked by the birds and their bones to be bleached by the sun.