THE BOOK OF REVELATION
CHAPTER 10
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.
This "angel" is "mighty", meaning he will be able to fulfill his mission. He has the knowledge to expose the Covenant-breakers who took over the Baha'i faith and corrupted it.
The "heaven" he comes down from is the heaven of prophecy. He is the prophesied seventh angel in the next chapter (11) whom 'Abdu'l-Baha said was yet to come. He is the prophesied son who is to return and establish his Father's (Baha'u'llah's) Kingdom.
In the Book of Acts it is recorded that Jesus was seen ascending into heaven wrapped in a cloud and that he would return in the same manner. When we see this "angel" described as descending "from heaven, wrapped in a cloud", we know this angel is the return of Jesus.
Although this person fulfills the prophecies for the return of Jesus, he is not the same person of Jesus of Nazareth, but another person, just like John the Baptist was the return of Elijah, although he was not the same person of Elijah. This was explained by Jesus on his first coming.
The "cloud" is the misrepresentations of the clergy who teach the people false expectations and imaginations regarding the return of Jesus. They expect the return of the exact same Jesus who was alive 2000 years ago. Because he is wrapped in this cloud, the people who are waiting and praying for his arrival won't recognize him. The Christian clergy have so misrepresented Jesus to the world that this angel won't fulfill their expectations. These misrepresentations come from the Trinity doctrine which is pagan. This doctrine is not found in the Bible. It crept into Christianity at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. Because of this Trinity, Christians now believe the incarnate god lie - that Jesus is God. Therefore, they believe Jesus' physical body resurrected and is still alive and they expect that he will float down out of the sky one day.
The Christians of today are like the Jews who didn't recognize Jesus as their Messiah, and the Christians of the past who didn't recognize Muhammad as the Comforter (paraclete) of John 14. The original word was "Ahmad" and it was translated as
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"comforter." This was a prophecy for Muhammad. Likewise, the Muslims didn't recognize the Bab and Baha'u'llah, because of the indoctrination of their clergy.
Jesus on his return is hidden in a cloud and so he is not recognized as the Promised One who was to come and establish the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.
The "rainbow" is a symbol of God's Covenant[17] with man. There are greater and lesser aspects to God's Covenant. The greater Covenant is the promise God makes to send us spiritual messengers, such as Jesus and Baha'u'llah. This Covenant is given through prophecies of their coming. The lesser Covenant is the directions these Manifestations give to guide the people after they are gone. This is given in their writings.
Having this "rainbow" over his head indicates that this "angel" comes fulfilling the greater Covenant by fulfilling prophecy, even though he is not a Manifestation. It also indicates that through the intellect he is knowledgeable of Baha'u'llah's lesser Covenant. Therefore, he is able to explain the Covenant even after it was lost due to the Arch Covenant-breaking Baha'is who threw it out and led the whole Baha'i world astray.
The phrase "his face was like the sun" shows again that this is the return of Jesus. In Revelation 1:16 it described Jesus' face as "like the sun shining in full strength."
Baha'i scriptures refer to the Covenant as "like the sun."[18] The meaning is that he is turning to the sun of the Baha'i Covenant. Jesus on his return is a follower of Baha'u'llah, facing towards the light of Baha'u'llah. So the Covenant will dawn forth above the horizon of this angel's understanding and his face then reflects this light of the Covenant to the people.
"His legs like pillars of fire" means this mighty angel will appear during the time of the impending nuclear war or first wind of destruction. The Christians must come out of their lethargy and turn to this mighty angel so they may find the Second Coming of Christ, Baha'u'llah. The duped followers of the man-made cult of Ruhiyyih Khanum and the "Hands" must turn to this mighty "angel" for guidance so they may come back
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17 "I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth" (Genesis 9:13).
18 "The Covenant of God is like the sun - the brilliance and light of the Covenant radiates and shines forth from the faces of those who are firm in it - 'Abdu'l-Baha (Star of the the West, Book 5, Vol. 8, #16, p. 215). "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the Covenant of God and His Testament is the lamp with world-illuminating rays, and from the Supreme Concourse it enlightens the horizons of the earth and heaven. Whoever stations himself in front of this divine Light, his face will become illumined with the Manifest Glory,... and God shall reinforce him with power which permeates through the realities of things" 'Abdu'l-Baha (Star of the the West, Book 5, Vol. 8 #16, p. 218).
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under the Provisions of Baha'u'llah's Covenant which Ruhiyyih Khanum and the Hands threw out. Without this guidance they are fuel for the fire.
"Fire" has another meaning which is spiritual. 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote:
O God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for kindling the fire of divine love in the Holy Tree on the summit of the loftiest mount: that tree which is "neither of the East nor of the West," that fire which blazed out till the flame of it soared upward to the Concourse on high, and from it those realities caught the light of guidance, and cried out: "Verily have we perceived a fire on the slope of Mount Sinai." O God, my God! Increase Thou this fire, as day followeth day, till the blast of it setteth in motion all the earth....[19]
This is the "fire" which blazes out from the Tree of Life. It appeared to Moses as a burning bush on Mount Sinai. This Tree of Life, referred to as the Kabbala, was depicted in the teachings of Abraham as being covered with a flaming sword and having ten globes of light. This Tree of Life is another symbol for God's Covenant. The fire is the light of divine guidance and the ten globes indicate ten Promised Ones. Nine of them are above ground, and these are the nine Manifestations who have come in this cycle. The tenth one is at the base of the tree in the ground itself. It is called Ha Erets - The Land (Le land) - and the Tree of Life is planted in this land. This Leland, the tenth Promised One to come in this cycle, is the return of Jesus. He fulfills prophecy making him part of the greater Covenant even though he is not a Manifestation of God. "His legs are like pillars of fire" because he stands in the fire of divine guidance. His message is founded in the Revelations of Jesus the Christ and Baha'u'llah, the return of Christ.
2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land,
This is the same "scroll" mentioned in Revelation 5. This is the scroll, or book, written within and on the backside (or outside) sealed with seven seals. John says he wept much because no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to break the seals to open the scroll or to look into it. But then the Lamb, who is Jesus, comes forth and takes the scroll, and he is worthy to break the seals. This scroll is the Baha'i Covenant which has two texts, the Kitab-i-'Ahd written by Baha'u'llah and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Will and Testament is the part written on the outside and the seven seals are on the outside part of this scroll. When the Baha'i world received this Covenant it was sealed up and its meaning was not understood.
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19 Baha'i Prayers, 'Abdu'l-Baha
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The scroll (the Covenant) is open in the hand of this mighty angel, again showing that this angel is Jesus, the Lamb who was worthy to break the seals. Now that the seals have been broken, the scroll is "open in his hand", meaning the veils or seals on this Covenant have been removed and the true meaning has been made known.
This scroll is mentioned in Baha'i scripture, "In mine hand I carry the testimony of God.... This is the sealed and mystic Scroll, the repository of God's irrevocable Decree, bearing the words which the Finger of Holiness hath traced, that lay wrapped within the veil of impenetrable mystery, and hath now been sent down as a token of the grace of Him Who is the Almighty, the Ancient of Days. In it have We decreed the destinies of all the dwellers of the earth and the denizens of heaven, and written down the knowledge of all things from first to last."[20]
The "sea" represents the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. The other Revelations are like rivers that lead to the sea. The angel setting his "right foot on the sea" indicates that he is very knowledgeable in the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. The "land" is Le-land[21] - Dr. Leland Jensen - the Lamb. Having "his left foot on the land" means he also bases his explanations on his own understandings, being the return of Jesus. Because of these explanations the people find the dry ground of firmness in the Covenant and their feet do not slip upon it.
3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring; when he called out, the seven thunders sounded.
This mighty angel, Jesus the Lamb, is a descendant of the tribe of Dan. In the 33rd chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses' blessing to Dan was that Dan should be a "lion's whelp." This "lion" is also mentioned in Baha'i scripture.
Should it be God's intention, there would appear out of the forests of celestial might the lion of indomitable strength whose roaring is like unto the peals of thunder reverberating in the mountains. However, since Our loving providence surpasseth all things, We have ordained that complete victory should be achieved through speech and utterance....[22]
The "thunder" has to do with the wrath of God.
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20 Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 281-282.
21 "Le" is the French word for "the" "Leland is a French surname, and an English given name.
22 Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 197-198.
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This greatest of bestowals came as a lightning-flash of glory to the righteous, but to those evil ones who broke the Covenant, it was the thunderbolt of God's avenging wrath.[23]
The thunder is the sound of God's wrath for those who violate the Covenant. This is when the people, out of ignorance and greed, disobey and oppose God's Plan. So the "seven thunders" are seven roarings against seven violations of this Covenant. This angel knows the meaning of the Covenant, so he is able to discern when it has been violated, and then thunders against that violation. The "loud voice" means the message of this angel will be heard by all the world.
The Covenant was initially violated in seven different ways by the Hands. Also, because of their initial violation, the Covenant was violated six more times by others, so there are seven thunders, as the Covenant was violated a total of seven times since the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957.
These seven violations - forming apostate sects of the Baha'i Faith - are, in chronological order: the "Hands" whose group is called Baha'i World Faith; Mason Remey - the Orthodox Abha World Faith; the Orthodox Abha World Faith then split off into several more sects: Jamshid Maani (Meghnot) - the Faith of God; Joel Marangella - the Orthodox Baha'i Faith; Rex King - the Orthodox Baha'i Faith Under the Regency; Donald Harvey (Jacques Soghomonian) - the Remey Society; and Anita Coryell - the Friends group.
These violations serve a purpose in that the light of the Covenant becomes known through the contrasting shadows of darkness - disobedience and opposition to the Covenant. Disobedience and opposition to the Covenant - the violation of it - exposes the people's lack of knowledge. This is the ignorance which made them susceptible to falling prey to that violation.
Thus, these violations reveal what the people don't know or understand. This shows there are seals or veils on the Covenant. When these are opened, the reality of the Covenant becomes known, but before the seven seals are opened the reality of the Covenant is unknown.
4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."
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23 Shoghi Effendi, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 178.
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At the time that John was having this vision, he was instructed not to record what the "seven thunders" had said, so the book does not describe what these seven thunders reveal. This was because the seven thunders reveal what are the seven seals on this scroll and the time for them to be revealed was nearly 2000 years in the future.
The "seven thunders" correspond to the seven seals on the Covenant, which are seven unexplained and veiled provisions in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. These were deliberately sealed up and left unexplained by 'Abdu'l-Baha. He left them sealed up so that the violating Hands who were to come sometime after him, would not be able to completely destroy the Baha'i Faith from off the face of the earth. Because of these seven protective seals, the Covenant survived the violation and is re-established back into the Baha'i faith by the Lamb.
The sound of the seven thunders can be heard only after the seals are opened and explained. That is, the people are then able to hear the sound of these thunders, whereas before this, the people didn't hear these seven and they didn't understand them because they were sealed up.
The seven "seals" are veils on the meaning of seven mysterious provisions in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Shoghi Effendi pointed out that there were mysteries in the Will and Testament that would not be revealed until after the foundation of the UHJ came into existence.
When this most great edifice [the UHJ] shall be reared on such an immovable foundation, God's purpose, wisdom, universal truths, mysteries and realities of the Kingdom, which the mystic Revelation of Baha'u'llah has deposited within the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, shall gradually be revealed and made manifest.[24]
The foundation of the UHJ, which is the International Baha'i Council, came into existence in the spring of 1991. It was at this time that the mysteries began to come to light. These provisions have to do with a dichotomy in the Covenant and how it leaves only one possible successor to Shoghi Effendi.
These mysteries were left unexplained and remained as veils. They are, in order of occurrence in the text of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament:
1. He is the Expounder of the Word of God and after him will succeed the first-born of his lineal descendants.
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24 Establishment of the UHJ, p. 328.
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This means Shoghi Effendi will not be succeeded by another infallible person. Shoghi Effendi's successor was his lineal descendant, the International Baha'i Council which he set up in 1951. This Council was the embryonic UHJ having both parts of the Covenant, the executive head and the legislative body.
2. The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the Universal House of Justice to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abha Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of the Exalted One....
This means there are two parts to this Covenant and after 'Abdu'l-Baha only the heir of both parts has the infallibility (the care and protection, the shelter and unerring guidance) to be the leader of the faith. These two parts were passed down through two separate family trees, that of the Abha Beauty, Baha'u'llah, and the Exalted One, the Bab.
The part inherited from the lineage of Baha'u'llah is called the rod, or branch of wood, meaning the Davidic kingship which is to be the president of the UHJ. The Covenant to the Davidic lineage is symbolized by wood because wood comes from trees which reproduce themselves, and the Davidic kingship reproduces itself father-to-son. This king is the head of the UHJ.
The part inherited from the lineage of the Bab is called the rod or branch of iron, signifying the appointed or elected body of the UHJ. The Covenant for this body is symbolized as iron because iron comes from iron ore in the ground which is then put through an extraction process. This process is dependent upon the intellect of man. Therefore iron symbolizes the extraction process by which the multitude of nations provide, through election, the membership of the body of the UHJ.
When combined, these two parts constitute a branch of gold, the infallible leader of the Baha'i Faith, the UHJ itself. The rod of wood is the executive branch and the rod of iron is the legislative branch. Only an entity having both parts would be under the care and protection, the shelter and unerring guidance of God, meaning conferred infallibility. After Shoghi Effendi, only the IBC had both parts. This UHJ will unite all of mankind under one branch or tree.
3. It is incumbent upon the Guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.
This means Shoghi Effendi has the authority to appoint the UHJ, instead of waiting for the Baha'is to elect it, as this was to be his successor. The difference is that of the dichotomy, the two different parts of the Covenant. This instructs Shoghi Effendi to
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appoint a body that is the unification of the iron and wood, the two different parts of the Covenant.
4. Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words: - 'The child is the secret essence of its sire,' that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him.
This means that only the child of Shoghi Effendi can inherit the conferred infallibility after him. Shoghi Effendi had no first-born biological son to inherit "the spiritual within" the conferred infallibility, so his son was the IBC, another kind of branch - the golden branch. It does not mean another genetic descendant of Baha'u'llah can step forth to claim the infallible guardianship of Shoghi Effendi. Nor does it mean that there will be spiritual sons to inherit the Davidic kingship.
5. By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved and the Guardian of the Cause of God is its sacred head and the distinguished member for life of that body.
This means that after Shoghi Effendi, the guardianship will continue but it will not be the infallible leader of the Baha'i faith. Rather, it will be the hereditary, father-to-son position of the Davidic Kingship, the president of the UHJ. This guardianship is not inherited from Shoghi Effendi and is not his successor. Shoghi Effendi did not place himself as the president of the UHJ because he did not inherit that throne of David from 'Abdu'l-Baha. A different person was grafted into that family tree to inherit the throne of David. This was Charles Mason Remey. So the other guardians after Shoghi Effendi are not infallible as they are not his successors but are restricted to the position of the presidency of the UHJ. Since it is a hereditary position any "spiritual sons" are out of the picture to be this guardian.
6. This House of Justice enacteth the laws and the government enforceth them. The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body so that through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
This means that in order to have justice there must be a House of Justice composed of both of these parts: the executive and the legislative. Without the legislative branch to make just laws and the executive branch to enforce those laws, there will be no justice. Without justice there will be no peace and the world will not become the paradise of the Kingdom of God.
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7. All must seek guidance and turn unto the Center of the Cause and the House of Justice.
This means the UHJ and the Center of the Cause, Shoghi Effendi, are infallible, independently of one another. The UHJ is infallible, independent of an infallible guardian, meaning the UHJ does not get its infallibility from the president, it gets it from the Covenant (from Baha'u'llah). This does not mean the guardians after Shoghi Effendi are infallible by themselves without the UHJ, it means those hereditary presidents of the UHJ such as Mason Remey and Joseph Pepe Remey are not infallible at all.
The seven seals are now opened; that is, the meanings are deciphered and unraveled by the Lamb in the process of exposing the seven violations. A thunder sounds when each seal is opened because this is the thundering against the violation of the Covenant.
If John had written down what was revealed to him in his vision of these "seven thunders", the violations wouldn't have happened. The purpose of this was for God to test the so-called believers to see if for any reason they would go against the Covenant, and sure enough the whole Baha'i faith became Covenant-breakers, except for a very few. Unless they change their ways, their lot is for the fire, as they refuse to investigate the matter for themselves. The reason God allowed this to happen was for a learning experience, so that in the future, for a full thousand years, no one will violate even a hair's breadth to the right or to the left.
5 And the angel whom I saw standing on sea and land lifted his right hand to heaven
6 and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, the sea and what is in it that there should be no more delay,
7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets, should be fulfilled.
This "trumpet call" is the sounding of the last of the seven trumpets that were given to seven angels in Chapter 8.
As explained in Chapter 9, Ali, who was the establisher of Muhammad's Revelation, is the fifth angel and Quddus, the establisher of the Babi faith, is the sixth angel. The "seventh angel" is the last of these seven angels to come and he is the same person as the mighty angel who comes down from heaven. This is Leland, Jesus the Lamb, the establisher of Baha'u'llah's Revelation. He fulfills and establishes the faith of Baha'u'llah, and explains its "mysteries." He is the establisher of the Baha'i faith as Paul was the establisher of Christianity. His mission is to re-establish back into the world the
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Covenant of the Universal House of Justice, including the executive branch, which the Covenant-breakers threw out, and to set up the courts (Zech. 3:7).
When the mighty seventh angel sounds, "the seven thunders" he tells the world that this is the day of judgment.
In 1st Corinthians 15:51-52 it is written:
Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed.
The sounding of the trumpet means the seventh angel gives his explanations and commentaries in which he explains the remaining mysteries which were left hidden by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha. For instance, 'Abdu'l-Baha only explained the 11th chapter and part of the 12th, as applying to the past, and part the 21st chapter of Revelation. Therefore, none of the peoples of the world, including the Christians and the Covenant-breaking Baha'is who were led astray by Ruhiyyih Khanum and the "Hands", know the meaning of the rest of these chapters. They are in complete darkness, a blackout. These explanations are essential for the safety, security and salvation of the people of the world. Without these explanations one-third of the people will perish in one hour: "So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of mankind" (Rev. 9:15).
The followers of all the past Revelations cling to their outworn shibboleths which can't solve the problems of today, or give them salvation. It is like a farmer who is trying to get his dead horse to stand up and go to work. These past religions have no solution to the problems of today's world.
God sent Baha'u'llah with the solution - a Universal House of Justice. In order for that UHJ to have justice it must have all of its intrinsic parts.
The essential ingredients of the UHJ, the legislative and executive branches, are provided for in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha: "The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body so that through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself" (Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 15).
The Covenant-breakers threw out the executive branch, which is an integral part of the Universal House of Justice. Without this executive branch there can be no justice, and without justice there can be no Universal House of Justice (UHJ) and without the UHJ there can be no peace. Without world peace we will still be plagued with all the
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world problems. This will lead to a total perdition of two-thirds of the earth's population.
Any explanations of this Book of Revelation, other than the one that Jesus the Lamb gives, are erroneous and false. The explanations that are given here are authentic, as this Revelation was given by Jesus. Only Jesus on his return as Jesus the Lamb, the high priest, could explain this Book of Revelation. "First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came be the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (2nd Peter 1:20, 21).
Jesus the Lamb on his return is authentic as he is prophesied by name, address, date and mission. The name that he came in is "the land" (Le land, Zechariah 3:9). His address is the "stone with seven eyes" in Deer Lodge, Montana (Zech. 3:9). This stone with seven eyes lies between two mountains of bronze (or copper; Zech. 6:1). The mountains at Butte and Lincoln Montana, have the two largest deposits of copper or brass in the United States, and Deer Lodge lies between these mountains.
The Lamb began his mission with being opposed by Satan[25] during Ridvan 1963 AD. "'Abdu'l-Baha's Tablets make it clear that this prophecy refers to the one-hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Baha'u'llah in Baghdad, or the year 1963" (Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 303, 1950 ed., or p.250, 1980 ed.).
The "mystery of God" which is to be fulfilled in the days of the "seventh angel" has to do with the fulfillment of the Covenant.
One of 'Abdu'l-Baha's titles was "the Mystery of God." This is related to his Will and Testament which contains the seven mysterious provisions which were unexplained and veiled. This verse (Rev. 10:7) shows that these provisions will be explained by the seventh angel, and these explanations make it possible for these provisions to be fulfilled.
The mystery of God is the dichotomy in the Covenant - its two different parts - and how they are to be united. This mystery has to do with the successorship.
Page 3 of the Will and Testament 'Abdu'l-Baha states that there are two Holy Trees and two surging seas. The two Holy Trees are the genealogies of Baha'u'llah and the Bab.
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25 "Then he showed me Joshua [Jesus] the high priest [teacher] standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." (Zechariah 3:1)
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Baha'u'llah pronounced: "Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean."[26] This indicates that the two holy trees would be united into one tree. This one tree is the Tree of Life, the family tree of the Covenant. It is a family tree because the heritage of this Covenant has been passed down as a family inheritance.
This Tree of Life of the Covenant began in one family tree which was that of Abraham. The two parts of the Covenant, the wood and the iron, were included in this one tree and it passed down through Abraham's son Isaac to his son Jacob and then to two of Jacob's sons, Judah and Joseph. The part of the Covenant concerning kings (the rod of wood), went to Judah and the part concerning the multitude of nations (the rod of iron), went to Joseph.
The kingship sprouting from the tribe of Judah was that of King David and this passed down through father-to-son descendants, finally coming to Baha'u'llah.
The other part of the Covenant concerning the multitude of nations went from Joseph to his son Ephraim. The name Ephraim is also a word which means "multitude of nations." This part of the Covenant was not attached to any strict genetic descent and we find in the 2nd Psalm that it was given to Jesus.
Because the Jews rejected Jesus, their Messiah, and after them the Christians became apostate, the part of the Covenant symbolized as iron reverted to the family tree of Abraham's son Ishmael. This was predicted in the 11th chapter of Romans. The Manifestation Muhammad is descended from Ishmael and he had this iron rod. From Muhammad it passes to the Bab Who was a descendant of Muhammad.
The Mystery of the Kingdom is the Plan of God to unite these two parts of the Covenant. 'Abdu'l-Baha instituted the mystery of the kingdom in two ways. Firstly, he joined in marriage his daughter, Daya'iyyih, to a descendent of the Bab, Mirza Hadi Afnan. This was a literal union of these two branches or family trees. The offspring of the union of the genealogies of wood and iron in the marriage of Daya'iyyih and Mirza Hadi Afnan was Shoghi Effendi who, being descended from both the branch of wood and the branch of iron, was the "Golden Branch."
In his Will and Testament 'Abdu'l-Baha points out over and over that Shoghi Effendi is descended from both trees, states that he is both Afnan (iron) and Aghsan (wood) and appoints Shoghi Effendi to be his successor as the Center of the Cause.
Shoghi Effendi married Ruhiyyih Khanum, but they never had children. Thus, the Branch of Gold never became a genealogy, a physical family tree.
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26 Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 129.
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Secondly, 'Abdu'l-Baha outlined in his Will and Testament the inseparable functioning together of these Institutions: the rod of wood - the guardian - the executive branch of the Universal House of Justice; and the rod of iron - the general body of members constituting the legislative branch of the Universal House of Justice. Together they are the judicial branch.
Shoghi Effendi proceeded with 'Abdu'l-Baha's plan, the mystery of the kingdom, and furthered its development in his announcement of the formation of the International Baha'i Council on January 9, 1951.
Shoghi Effendi placed 'Abdu'l-Baha's adopted son Mason Remey as the president of it, the head, the rod of wood. Shoghi Effendi appointed all the members himself, forming the body of it, the rod of iron. This included a female liaison officer who conveyed Shoghi Effendi's guidance to the body. The rod of iron, designating the spiritual, non-genetic successorship, is not limited to an actual physical lineage. It does not have to be passed on through physical successors.[27] Thus the iron rod can be passed on through appointment to someone who is not genetically related.
This IBC was Shoghi Effendi's only possible successor.
A branch of wood - the male successor to the throne of David - cannot alone be the successor to anything but the rod of wood, the kingship, the executive branch. A branch of iron - the appointed or elected members of the UHJ - cannot alone be the successor to anything but the rod of iron, the legislative branch. It is only when these two rods of the Covenant, these two branches of government, are inseparably joined to function together that they constitute the full successor to Shoghi Effendi as the branch or rod of gold.
Thus the "mystery of God", those mysteries in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha are all bound up into one mystery which is the Plan of God, the Covenant itself.
This mystery is alluded to in the Bible as the mystery of God's Will and the mystery of the kingdom.
For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.[28]
...that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs....[29]
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27 This does not exclude it from existing in a physical lineage.
28 Ephesians 1:9-10.
29 Ephesians 3:6.
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This means that the mystery of God's Covenant is that the gentiles - those people who are not descended from Abraham - will inherit the kingdom. That is, ultimately, God's Covenant has to do with ones who are not genetic descendants of Abraham. The gentiles inherit the kingdom because not only has the kingship gone over to adoption but also the peoples of the world have a share in electing the body of the UHJ. 'Abdu'l-Baha did not openly explain how this plan was to be fulfilled. This was because in the process of this mystery coming to its fulfillment, the Covenant was to be violated repeatedly, but its fulfillment is in the International Baha'i Council appointed by the return of Jesus, Dr. Jensen.
8 Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
The "scroll" is the Covenant, which has two texts, the Kitab-i-'Ahd, the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. It is open in the hand of the mighty angel, because this is Jesus the Lamb who broke the seven seals and explained the Covenant.
9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, "Take it and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth."
At the end of the 2nd chapter of Ezekiel it describes the "scroll", and he is instructed to eat it and afterwards to go speak to the house of Israel. Ezekiel chapter 3 describes the bitterness of his spirit when he realizes the House of Israel's rebelliousness, its apostasy and remoteness from God. Baha'i is Israel under its new name.
10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.
To eat the scroll means to digest it, to understand the Covenant. In order for the reality of the Covenant to be digested (that is, to be truly understood), there has to be a violation, a darkness and oppression to occur first to test the strength of this Covenant. Thus the Covenant is bitter once it is digested. This is the bitterness that the Covenant and its lovers must undergo at the "Hands" of the violators, who have bamboozled the so-called mainstream Baha'is into their Covenant-breaking violation of the Covenant, and they are severely oppressed.
This oppression is that they are forbidden to investigate the matter for themselves. This bitterness is depicted in chapter 11, which describes the total spiritual bankruptcy of the followers of the "Hands."
This bitterness is also the bitter results of the violation of the Covenant. In chapters six through nine it describes what happens in relation to each seal being opened.
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These events are the consequences of the Covenant having been violated. The entire world will have to go through four waves of destruction in order to destroy the evildoers and purify those who will repent and come into the sanctity of the Covenant. Those who accept Baha'u'llah's Covenant and abide by it will be saved.
11 "And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."
Under the instructions of Shoghi Effendi's 10-year plan of 1953-1963, the faith had spread to every physical part of the globe, to all of its peoples, and the Baha'i writings had been translated into every language. This means we will now go back in time a little bit to examine the violation of the Hands who took over the Baha'i faith after it had spread to many peoples, nations, tongues and kings.
This next chapter was explained by 'Abdu'l-Baha in chapter 11 of the book Some Answered Questions, pp. 53-71. He explained it as applying to the past, to Islam and not to the Baha'i Faith, likewise with chapter 12 of Revelation.
However, when meditating on 'Abdu'l-Baha's explanation of the 11th chapter it becomes apparent that it applies word for word to the ones who violated the Covenant after Shoghi Effendi died, and to their opposition to the Covenant. This violation against the Baha'i Covenant runs parallel to the violation that occurred in Islam which was explained in 'Abdu'l-Baha's commentary on chapter 11.
'Abdu'l-Baha knew that the real meaning of chapter 11 was applicable to the violation of the Baha'i Covenant but he did not give that explanation. This was in accordance with verse 4 of chapter 10 where it says, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." So 'Abdu'l-Baha did not openly explain those seven meanings of the Covenant, and he did not write down the explanation of how the Baha'i Covenant would be violated, as that event was still in the future.
This means there are more explanations about chapter 11, such as other meanings for the three woes. Some of these will be given at that point in the text.
In the first verses of chapter 11 it says to measure the temple, the altar, and those who worship there but to leave out the outer court and measure it not. When applying the meaning of this to the greater Covenant, it refers to the measurements, or dates, given by Daniel for three appearances, or returns of the Spirit (Jesus): in 1844 as the Bab, in 1863 as Baha'u'llah, and again in 1963 as Dr. Leland Jensen.
But there was a Manifestation who came after Jesus and before the Bab, whose coming was not prophesied, or measured, by Daniel. This was Muhammad who brought the Religion of Islam. Thus, in terms of the Greater Covenant the courtyard symbolized the coming of Muhammad and His Message - Islam.
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When you investigate the tabernacle of Moses, which was a microcosm of the macrocosm, the meanings become plain. Here is a diagram of the layout of the tabernacle (see diagram).
This courtyard surrounding the actual temple was open to the public, it consisted of an area surrounded by a fence made of cloth, and the temple was hidden from view behind this fence. When applying the meaning of this to the lesser Covenant of Baha'u'llah it indicates that the veils on this Covenant would remain even after the other parts of this temple were explained. That is, despite the Covenant being explained, the veil on people's understanding of it would remain.
The courtyard is the area that one must pass through before reaching the temple. This area is defined by the veils surrounding it. Thus the courtyard corresponds to what the Baha'is must pass through before they attain to the true understanding and establishment of this Covenant. The tests to bring out the truth of the Covenant and the events to occur before its establishment were not measured; that is, they were not explained ahead of time; they were kept veiled. These events are depicted in the 11th and 12th chapters of Revelation, and thus 'Abdu'l-Baha explained the nature of the events, but he described them as applying to the history of Islam, whereas their real application is to the Baha'i Faith.
For instance, this can be seen in 'Abdu'l-Baha's explanation of the three woes. 'Abdu'l-Baha says, "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 Bab -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. 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.' Therefore, it is certain that the day of woe is the day of the Lord; for in that day woe is for the neglectful, woe is for the sinners, woe is for the ignorant. That is why it is said, 'The second woe is past; behold the third woe cometh quickly!' This third woe is the day of the manifestation of Baha'u'llah, the day of God; and it is near to the day of the appearance of the Bab."
This shows that the first woe which is described in chapter 9 of Revelation is that of the violation during the cycle of Islam. Accordingly, chapter 11 should describe the second woe that occurs during the cycle of the Bab and chapters 12 and 13 should describe the third woe to occur during the cycle of Baha'u'llah. But 'Abdu'l-Baha described Chapters 11 and 12 as again applying to events in the cycle of Islam and does not describe the Covenant-breaking that occurs during the Babi and Baha'i dispensations: the violations of Yahya, and Muhammad-Ali.
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'Abdu'l-Baha veiled[30] the meaning of these chapters by explaining them as applying to the past. This is in accordance with chapter 10 where it says, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."
This chapter has another interpretation which pertains to today; therefore, 'Abdu'l-Baha left it to be explained by the second coming of Jesus, the Lamb.
'Abdu'l-Baha said, "There are many meanings in each word of the Apocalypse" and Baha'u'llah said, "Thus it is recorded: 'Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people.' and again, He also saith: 'We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain.'"
The general text of 'Abdu'l-Baha's commentary follows with modifications to apply it to the history of the Baha'i Faith and its Covenant. The following commentary is based on 'Abdu'l-Baha's explanation in Some Answered Questions, pages 53-71. The original text of 'Abdu'l-Baha's interpretation is interspersed with these deepened explanations without quotation marks to allow for ease of reading.
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30 Baha'u'llah said a time would come when the violation would be to such an extreme that none could be found who would be faithful to the covenant, but that this violation was not yet exposed. "O my friends! Call ye to mind that covenant ye have entered into with Me upon Mount Paran, situate within the hallowed precincts of Zaman. I have taken to witness the concourse on high and the dwellers in the city of eternity, yet now none do I find faithful unto the covenant. Of a certainty pride and rebellion have effaced it from the hearts, in such wise that no trace thereof remaineth. Yet knowing this, I waited and disclosed it not.." Baha'u'llah (Persian Hidden Words, pp. 70-71)
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