On the LAWH-I-AQDAS (The Most Holy Tablet): Baha'u'llah's Tablet to the Christians
The entire tablet by Baha'u'llah which he directed to Christians, entitled LAWH-I-AQDAS (The Most Holy Tablet), is exceedingly beautiful and a favorite for many Baha'is. This text is available online via the Baha'i Reference Library. It is also available through the Prophecy Fulfilled website. Here is how the tablet concludes:
Give My remembrance to the one named Murád and say: `Blessed art thou, O Murád, inasmuch as thou didst cast away the promptings of thine own desire and hast followed Him Who is the Desire of all mankind.' 
Say: Blessed the slumberer who is awakened by My Breeze.
Blessed the lifeless one who is quickened through My reviving breaths. 
Blessed the eye that is solaced by gazing at My beauty.
Blessed the wayfarer who directeth his steps towards the Tabernacle of My glory and majesty.
Blessed the distressed one who seeketh refuge beneath the shadow of My canopy. 
Blessed the sore athirst who hasteneth to the soft-flowing waters of My loving-kindness.
Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth away his selfish desires for love of Me and taketh his place at the banquet table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine bounty for My chosen ones. 
Blessed the abased one who layeth fast hold on the cord of My glory; and the needy one who entereth beneath the shadow of the Tabernacle of My wealth.
Blessed the ignorant one who seeketh the fountain of My knowledge; and the heedless one who cleaveth to the cord of My remembrance. 
Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom.
Blessed the man whom the sweet savours of reunion with Me have stirred and caused to draw nigh unto the Dayspring of My Revelation. 
Blessed the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath borne witness and the eye that hath seen and recognized the Lord Himself, in His great glory and majesty, invested with grandeur and dominion.
Blessed are they that have attained His presence. 
Blessed the man who hath sought enlightenment from the Day-Star of My Word.
Blessed he who hath attired his head with the diadem of My love.
Blessed is he who hath heard of My grief and hath arisen to aid Me among My people.
Blessed is he who hath laid down his life in My path and hath borne manifold hardships for the sake of My Name. 
Blessed the man who, assured of My Word, hath arisen from among the dead to celebrate My praise.
Blessed is he that hath been enraptured by My wondrous melodies and hath rent the veils asunder through the potency of My might.
Blessed is he who hath remained faithful to My Covenant, and whom the things of the world have not kept back from attaining My Court of holiness. 
Blessed is the man who hath detached himself from all else but Me, hath soared in the atmosphere of My love, hath gained admittance into My Kingdom, gazed upon My realms of glory, quaffed the living waters of My bounty, hath drunk his fill from the heavenly river of My loving providence, acquainted himself with My Cause, apprehended that which I concealed within the treasury of My Words, and hath shone forth from the horizon of divine knowledge engaged in My praise and glorification. Verily, he is of Me. Upon him rest My mercy, My loving-kindness, My bounty and My glory.
Baha'u'llah, "Tablet to the Christians"
~~~~~~~~~
The Prophecy Fulfilled website carries "Apocalypse: An Exegesis of the Book of Revelation" by Robert Riggs" that includes discussion of the final chapters of the Biblical text, inluding Revelation 17:12-14, Revelation 19:11-16, and Revelation 19:19-21. Here is the discussion associated with Revelation 19:13.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. 
His 'vesture dipped in blood' alludes to the cloak of Joseph. In the Genesis story, the brothers of Joseph become jealous over a beautiful multicolored cloak given to him by their father Jacob. They hatch a plot to get rid of Joseph and throw him into a pit in the wilderness. In order to explain the disappearance of Joseph to their father, they soak the cloak in blood as evidence that he had been devoured by a wild beast. The Genesis story goes on to recount the eventual triumph of Joseph over his family in Egypt through the power bestowed upon him by pharaoh.
The story of Joseph is a prophecy of the sufferings of Baha'u'llah and his eventual triumph. As a result of the confiscation of his property, Baha'u'llah was left without even a cloak to wear. His loved ones pieced together a multicolored cloak made of remnants of other garments. The resulting garment was then, literally, dyed red.
Indeed, the sufferings sustained by Baha'u'llah are historic. Though born into a wealthy and powerful family (as was Lord Buddha), his property was confiscated, he was imprisoned in dungeons and jails, bound by massive chains, banished from place to place over a period of 40 years, was the target of numerous conspiracies and attempts on his life, was poisoned twice, and underwent the torture of the bastinado. "By the righteousness of God! The tribulations we have sustained are such that any pen that recounteth them cannot but be overwhelmed with anguish. No one of them that truly believe and uphold the unity of God can bear the burden of their recital. So great have been our sufferings that even the eyes of Our enemies have wept over Us, and beyond them those of every discerning person."
Robert Riggs, "Apocalypse: An Exegesis of the Book of Revelation," Prophecy Fulfilled
9 comments:
Hi George! I have a question, as usual. :)
I was wondering since I have not accepted Baha'u'llah as the next prophet of God, because I believe Jesus to be the only way to God, what do Bahai's believe about someone like me when I die?
I also had a question about viewing scripture as metaphor. If we are to only view the Bible as metaphorical then shouldn't the Baha'i scriptures also be viewed as metaphorical and the writings of the life of Baha'u'llah?
I was also wanting to mention that Christians believe that the life of Joseph really took place, and is not metaphorical or a prophecy. We see much similarities between him and Christ as well. But we do not use the similarities of Jesus and Joseph as "proof" that Jesus is the Messiah. We can just see similarities in their lives and we can work at applying the way Joseph lived his life, set apart for the Lord, to our own.
alla-u-abha adannels,
I am still on my own investigation of truth, but this is my belief:
In regards to taking scripture literally versus metaphorically, it would be my belief that Biblical scripture can be taken metaphorically and symbolically because, if religion advances as society advances, then society back then would have needed metaphor and symbol to understand the word of God. Now that society has advanced, we have gained the maturity to understand God's word literally.
Also, being that Baha'u'llah lived 150 years ago, we have the historical evidence that his life and his stories were not merely symbolic. Back in the dispensation of Christ, stories had to be spread by word of mouth, very little people had education, so stories that were literal were best told and best understood symbolically.
Even in the writings of Baha'u'llah and Abdul Baha there are many many metaphors. God's knowledge is too great for man, which is why we will always need metaphor and symbol to have any fraction of a grasp of Him. Hope this helps, even if slightly :)
Hi Emily! Thanks for the answer! :)
What will happen though a 500 years from now when Baha'u'llah's life was not so recent? Will those people then have to start looking at is as metaphor when people today look at it as factual?
There is a lot of historical fact on the life of Christ. He is not just seen in the Bible but in historical texts as well. I think it is pretty easy to explain away something that someone doesn't want to be true by saying "Well, that's just metaphor."
Thanks! I really enjoy discussing these things with others. :)
Annie- it is my understanding that the Baha'i scriptures were all "approved" by Baha'u'llah and Abdul'baha and Shoghi Effendi. Baha'u'llah would verbalize his messages from God and a scribe would write them down. He would then review them and sign them to verify that the message was accurate. Those original documents are in a safe somewhere (the shrine in Haifa, maybe?). So hopefully in 500 years those original documents will still be accessible and Baha'i practitioners will know that they are in fact the exact message from a Prophet of God.
I think you make a good point that it is easy to suggest that some of the Bible is metaphorical or allegorical rather than literal for convenience sake. The thing for me is this: because Jesus never wrote anything down and we only now have copies of copies of copies and the Gospels that are in the Bible weren't written until long after Jesus was crucified (40-100 years post death) I think that one can assume that the message may not be as pure as the one Jesus spoke to His discipiles and followers. You believe that they are the exact words from God and Jesus because you have faith in that. But, I think it is understandable that many people have trouble believing a literal translation of the Bible because we just don't know exactly what Jesus said and did. It is like the telephone game- how many times does the message change if it goes through 10 people? Even the best intentioned followers could have rewritten or had a different recollection of Jesus' teachings and life than what really happened. This is my own opinion. I honestly have no idea what the exact Baha'i belief in the Bible is other than that they accept it is a holy book from God.
Once again, it is all a matter of faith, isn't it?
I've tried four times to do another post today on metaphor, but I made the mistake of trying to run a picture that was too large which messed me up. I've given up for now.
My take on your wonderful questions, Annie. After death our souls will progress through the worlds of God. That's all souls, whether Baha'i or not.
It is a great bounty for us to be living in this day and have the opportunity to recognize Baha'u'llah. Our existence on this physical plan has as its purpose the aquiring of God's attributes in prepartion for the next. Certainly accepting God's latest Manifestation is a part of that "preparation," but God loves us all, and out souls will eternally progress regardless, some slower and some faster.
As for metaphor, it's helpful to understand what it means. It's a literary device. "Annie, you are a gem." Annie = gem. Gem is the metaphor. Your're not really a precious stone, but you are precious like a gem.
So metaphor does not mean "imprecise" or "loosey goosey." Baha'u'llah has "unsealed the books" of God; i.e., he has made the meaning plan for all to understand. The interpretation we get from scripture through the guidance we get from the Central Figures is "true," from the Baha'i perspective. But really, religious scripture from all faiths are filled with the use of the literary device called a metaphor. The Baha'i Writings are highly metaphorical.
There is another issue, of course, raised in both Emily and Jess's comments, regarding historical truth. Do we have evidence of Baha'u'llah's life on this earth and knowledge of what he actually said and wrote. Yes, we know he literally walked the earth, because this is enormous historical records from witnesses. He revealed scripture in his own hand, the actual texts of which can be viewed during Pilgrimage to Haifa. There is nothing metaphorical about the historical truth of Baha'u'llah's coming.
As for what things will look like in 500 years, I believe the vast majority of the world will be Baha'is. The memory of Baha'u'llah will in no way be faded, rather His station will be univertsally recognized.
The Kingdom of God on earth is being built. This is metaphorical language, certainly, but there will be nothing particuarly metaphorical about the institutions that will be functioning or the peace that will have settled over the planet, when the lion lies down with the lamb.
Much love to you.
Long but worth the read:
ETERNAL LIFE AND ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
You question about eternal life and the entrance into the Kingdom. The outer expression used for the Kingdom is heaven; but this is a comparison and similitude, not a reality or fact, for the Kingdom is not a material place; it is sanctified from time and place. It is a spiritual world, a divine world, and the center of the Sovereignty of God; it is freed from body and that which is corporeal, and it is purified and sanctified from the imaginations of the human world. To be limited to place is a property of bodies and not of spirits. Place and time surround the body, not the mind and spirit. Observe that the body of man is confined to a small place; it covers only two spans of earth. But the spirit and mind of man travel to all countries and regions -- even through the limitless space of the heavens -- surround all that exists, and make discoveries in the exalted spheres and infinite distances. This is because the spirit has no place; it is placeless; and for the spirit the earth and the heaven are as one since it makes discoveries in both. But the body is limited to a place and does not know that which is beyond it.
For life is of two kinds: that of the body and that of the spirit. The life of the body is material life, but the life of the spirit expresses the existence of the Kingdom, which consists in receiving the Spirit of God and becoming vivified by the breath of the Holy Spirit. Although the material life has existence, it is pure nonexistence and absolute death for the holy saints. So man exists, and this 242 stone also exists, but what a difference between the existence of man and that of the stone! Though the stone exists, in relation to the existence of man it is nonexistent.
The meaning of eternal life is the gift of the Holy Spirit, as the flower receives the gift of the season, the air, and the breezes of spring. Consider: this flower had life in the beginning like the life of the mineral; but by the coming of the season of spring, of the bounty of the clouds of the springtime, and of the heat of the glowing sun, it attained to another life of the utmost freshness, delicacy and fragrance. The first life of the flower, in comparison to the second life, is death.
The meaning is that the life of the Kingdom is the life of the spirit, the eternal life, and that it is purified from place, like the spirit of man which has no place. For if you examine the human body, you will not find a special spot or locality for the spirit, for it has never had a place; it is immaterial. It has a connection with the body like that of the sun with this mirror. The sun is not within the mirror, but it has a connection with the mirror.
In the same way the world of the Kingdom is sanctified from everything that can be perceived by the eye or by the other senses -- hearing, smell, taste or touch. The mind which is in man, the existence of which is recognized -- where is it in him? If you examine the body with the eye, the ear or the other senses, you will not find it; nevertheless, it exists. Therefore, the mind has no place, but it is connected with the brain. The Kingdom is also like this. In the same way love has no place, but it is connected with the heart; so the Kingdom has no place, but is connected with man.
Entrance into the Kingdom is through the love of God, through detachment, through holiness and chastity, through truthfulness, purity, steadfastness, faithfulness and the sacrifice of life.
These explanations show that man is immortal and lives 243 eternally. For those who believe in God, who have love of God, and faith, life is excellent -- that is, it is eternal; but to those souls who are veiled from God, although they have life, it is dark, and in comparison with the life of believers it is nonexistence.
For example, the eye and the nail are living; but the life of the nail in relation to the life of the eye is nonexistent. This stone and this man both exist; but the stone in relation to the existence of man is nonexistent; it has no being; for when man dies, and his body is destroyed and annihilated, it becomes like stone and earth. Therefore, it is clear that although the mineral exists, in relation to man it is nonexistent.
In the same way, the souls who are veiled from God, although they exist in this world and in the world after death, are, in comparison with the holy existence of the children of the Kingdom of God, nonexisting and separated from God. 244
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 241)
I just read another part of Some Answered Questions but I can't find it, that explains that religion is made of two aspects, that of the spiritual nature (virtues for example) and that which changes with the different manifestations of God, the social laws, which must change because society has changed. We learn that the spiritual core of all the manifestations of God is the same, all teach the golden rule. All teach the virtues, so when 'Abu'l-Baha says "Entrance into the Kingdom is through the love of God, through detachment, through holiness and chastity, through truthfulness, purity, steadfastness, faithfulness and the sacrifice of life." he truly is refering to those of all religions, because followers of all the prophets of God are taught these virtues and are taught a love and acceptance of God.
I highly reccommend Some Answered Questions, it clearly explains many of the topics which seekers want addressed or have doubts about.
So the answer to my question about what will happen to me when I die is that my soul will not progress quickly but eventually I will recognize Baha'u'llah for who he is and then I will make it to where I am suppose to be. Right? Where does my soul go while I am waiting for it to progress? Also if the only way for my soul to progress completely is that must accept Baha'u'llah for who he really is, then doesn't that mean that Baha'u'llah is the only way to God? I thought Baha'is believe that all religions are a path to God.
I am saying this out of my own belief, that when we die, those who are not Baha'i's recognize Baha'u'llah immediately. There is no place where certain souls go until they are "ready" to get into Heaven. Here read this:
Entry into the next life has the potential
to bring great joy. Bahá'u'lláh likened death to
the process of birth. He explains: "The world
beyond is as different from this world as this
world is different from that of the child while
still in the womb of its mother."
The analogy to the womb in many ways
summarizes the Bahá'í view of earthly existence.
Just as the womb constitutes an important place for
a person's initial physical development, the
physical world provides the matrix for the
development of the individual soul. Accordingly,
Bahá'ís view life as a sort of workshop, where one
can develop and perfect those qualities which will
be needed in the next life.
"Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul
of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will,
assuredly return and be gathered to the glory of
the Beloved," Bahá'u'lláh wrote. "By the
righteousness of God! It shall attain a station
such as no pen can depict, or tongue can describe."
In the final analysis, heaven can be seen
partly as a state of nearness to God; hell is a
state of remoteness from God. Each state follows as
a natural consequence of individual efforts, or the
lack thereof, to develop spiritually. The key to
spiritual progress is to follow the path outlined
by the Manifestations of God.
Beyond this, the exact nature of the
afterlife remains a mystery. "The nature of the
soul after death can never be described,"
Bahá'u'lláh writes.
(Baha'i International Community, 1992, Magazine - The Baha'is)
I think that non-Baha'i's recognize Baha'u'llah in the afterlife, just as non-Christians will recognize the station of Christ. All, upon dieing, will see the truth in progressive revelation.
Baha'i's don't exactly believe that all religions are a path to God, but they believe that all religions are a path to the SAME God, however, Baha'u'llah is the path to God for this day and age, just as in the past Mohammed and Jesus and Moses have been the path to God during THEIR day.
Hope this helps :) I want to say again how strongly I encourage all those curious about the Baha'i Faith to read the religious texts. If a person searches they will find the answer to their question. Person to person communication can somewhat answer questions, but not to the likeness that the personal investigation of truth can.
Emily has provided the essential quotes on the subjects at hand here. Thank you, Emily! She is so right in indicating that turning to the Baha'i Writings is the best place to come up with answers. I learned a lot from reading what she shared as well. The clear answer to the question what happens when one who is not a Baha'i dies is that recognition of Baha'u'llah is immediate at the point of death.
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