Re: questions on the Return of Jesus Christ
gpoirier (gpoirier@acca.nmsu.edu)
Mon, Apr 17 1995 09:35:36 GMT
On 13 Apr 1995 our Christian friend RJ (rjmc01@crcvax.med.virginia.edu)
wrote to bahai-faith@oneworld.wa.com asking about the Signs of the Return
in Matthew Chapter 24.
> : Wendy Scott w.scott23@genie.geis.com, a Baha'i, wrote:
> :What kinds of signs are you looking for?
>
> I am interested in Mat. ch24. I have always been told these will be
> physical signs and have a hard time understanding the Bahai view.
>
> : w.scott23@genie.geis.com wrote:
> :We believe 'Abdu'l-Baha is the fulfillment of several Bible prophecies:
> :Isaiah 11:1,2:
> :Zech. 3:8
> :Zech. 6:12
> :Psalms 89:27,28
> :Isaiah 53:10
> RJ wrote:
> Thank you for the Bible verses. As a Christian this is where I must first
> find the truth as it is what I accept as the authority in this matter.
> The first one is usually applied to Christ, but I can see how only part of
> the prophecy was fulfilled. I will have to think about this. [smile]
>
> Thank you all for your time. I find the Bahai's to be so full of love.
> I think everyone could learn a thing or two from the Bahai Faith.
> RJ
RJ, thirty years ago I studied to be a Catholic priest; so these
prophecies were of major importance to me, as well. The best suggestion
is for you to get a copy of Baha'u'llah's "The Book of Certitude."
First of all, the references in Zachariah to the "Branch" have been
interpreted by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith as references to
Baha'u'llah. But since your questions have to do with Matthew Ch. 24, I'd
like to add a few thoughts. You will recall that in the Parable of the
Sower and the Seed, Jesus compared the receptiveness of the hearts of
humanity to the earth in various conditions: Hard, stony, filled with
thorns, in the pathway where others walk, or, good ground. Baha'is
believe that this symbolic view of the "earth" as a reference to the heart
of humanity -- that part of the human being on which the Lord lays the
greatest claim -- is also referred to in the term "earthquake." A
physical earthquake shakes the very foundations of society; and the
spiritual or symbolic earthquake is, therefore, that which shakes the
foundations of the "earth," the heart of man. We read that after the
crucifixion of Jesus, there was an "earthquake." We understand that to be
a symbolic description of the doubts of the disciples of Jesus, who, for a
time, doubted, until their faith in their Lord returned. Likewise, the
"earthquakes" that precede the Return have less to do with physical
shaking of the earth's tectonic plates, than with the general condition of
doubt and skepticism in the human race.
The same condition is referred to in the symbolic term "darkness." You
can read in Zephaniah about that Day being a day of "clouds" and "thick
darkness." Again, we believe this is a description of the condition of
the hearts, not of the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere.
In the book of Malachi, 4th chapter I believe, it says that the "Sun of
Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings." This is clearly a
reference to the Word of God appearing on the earth, and not a reference
to the physical sun. Likewise, in the last chapter of the Revelation of
St. John, Jesus says "I am the bright and morning Star." This is a
fulfilment of the prophecy in Numbers, I think, where Jesus is prophecied
as the "star" who will rise out of "Jacob." John the Baptist is referred
to in the Gospel as a "burning and shining light" (don't recall the
reference, but I'll be glad to look it up). In the beginning of the book
of Genesis we read that the first thing that God made was the light, and
he saw that it was good. This light was the light of Revealed Truth, the
"light of the world," not physical light, because the sun and moon, the
sources of physical light, had not yet been created.
So when Baha'is read the 24th Chapter of Matthew, we understand the "sun"
being "darkened" and the "moon" not giving her light, and the "stars"
falling from "heaven," to be symbolic descriptions of the sources of
spiritual light to the human race being "darkened," obscured by man's
false interpretations and waywardness. We do not understand these verses
to primarily refer to physical events, but rather to the obscuring of the
"sun" referred to in Malachi, and the Gospel, and the Revelation.
Likewise, if you read about the great blast on the "trumpet," we do not
believe that a great celestial trumpet exists in heaven or elsewhere in
the Universe, and that it will be blown at the time of the end. Rather,
it has to do with an awakening of humanity in the spiritual sense; there
is a reference in the Revelation to a man who was like a trumpet; and I
can post that another time.
In the Gospel Jesus said to His disciples that the people had "eyes" but
did not "see," whereas His followers had "eyes" that could "see."
Christians universally accept that Jesus was not referring to physical
eyes and physical sight, but was speaking of the "eye" of faith, and that
"seeing" Jesus meant recognizing Him as the Messiah, and accepting Him.
We then read in Revelation 1:7 that when the Messiah comes from heaven,
every "eye" will "see" Him. Baha'is believe that this has a spiritual
meaning, having to do with the human race becoming believers -- every
"eye" becoming a seeing "eye." We believe that it does not refer to the
physical eyes, physically seeing Jesus ride on a physical cloud in the
physical heaven. That verse also says that the Messiah will have a
"sword" in His mouth. We know from the Gospel that Jesus said that He
came not to bring peace, but a sword; and we know from St. Paul that the
Word of God is a "sharp, two-edged sword." Therefore, 2000 years ago the
Messiah came with the "sword" of the Word of God in His blessed mouth; and
this prophecy in Rev. 1:7 has the same meaning.
We Baha'is believe that all of these symbolic terms are the "seals"
referred to in Daniel, where God told Daniel to "seal up the Books."
Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah, the "Glory of God" referred to in Isaiah
35:2, with the New Name referred to in Rev. 2:17 and 3:12, the Glory of
God that illumines the City of God referred to in the last 3 chapters of
the Revelation of St. John, has, by the command of God, unsealed those
Books. The Book that unseals them is The Book of Certitude by
Baha'u'llah; it's name in the original Persian, (the land of Elam in
Biblical times) is "Kitab-i-Iqan." You can obtain it by inter-library
loan from any public library; or you can buy a paperback copy for 3 or 4
dollars from any Baha'i community. A companion volume that applies those
interpretations is "Some Answered Questions," by 'Abdu'l-Baha ("The
Servant of Baha'u'llah"), Baha'u'llah's eldest son and His Successor, also
widely available.
The great light from east to west is shining. Prayer will aid you in
your desire to understand the true meanings of the verses of God.
Brent Poirier
gpoirier@acca.nmsu.edu