Spiritual Teachings/Station of the Manifestation
Since the Manifestations of God are the channels through which man learns about the nature and will of God, it is important that Baha’is understand Their station and mission.
How are the Manifestations different from other men? Think of God as the sun. Ordinary men are like mirrors which can reflect the light of the sun to a greater or lesser degree, depend- ing on how much dust—selfishness, vanity, ignorance—covers the surface of the mirror. The Manifestations of God are per- fectly clean and polished mirrors which reflect the full radiance of the sun. When one looks at a Manifestation of God, it is as if he were looking at God Him- self. As Jesus explained, ‘“‘he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.’’? God does not, of course, live inside the body of a Manifestation any more than the sun lives inside the mirror which reflects its light. God is limitless and cannot be con- tained in the limited body of a man.
The Manifestations have two natures. They, like all other men, are servants of God and submit to His will. At the same time They are also the mouth- pieces of God and speak with the authority, power, and ma- jesty of the Lord of creation.
All the Manifestations of God are equal in station. They have come at different times and places with different physical bodies, but They all reflect the same Spirit. Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha’u’llah all brought the Word of God. They are all one Voice speaking the
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same Word. Bahá’u’lláh explains that They all "soar in the same heaven, are seated upon the same throne, utter the same speech, and proclaim the same Faith." 4
3. Oneness of Religion[edit]
In the past people did not understand the oneness of religion and thought that all religions other than their own must be false. Bahá’u’lláh explains that the religion of God is one religion which has been taught by many Manifestations. God has sent many Teachers to all parts of the world so that none of His children would be left without guidance.
Why have so many Manifestations been sent? Each comes to call man back to God. During and shortly after the time when a Manifestation appears, man has the pure teachings of God. As the years pass, he forgets or changes the teachings and begins to follow his own will. It is as if the perfect mirror of the religion of God becomes covered with the dust of man's imaginings. God then sends a new Manifestation to clear away the dust so that His will can again be reflected. Today God has sent Bahá’u’lláh. Through His teachings man can draw closer to God and learn His purpose for this day.
Since all the Manifestations come from God and bring divine truth, why are Their laws and teachings sometimes different?