The Significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation/The Day of God

The Day of God

Introduction

We live in a very special time: the Day of a new Revelation from God brought to humanity by Baha’u’Ilah. “How vast is the Revelation of Baha’u’ lah!” Shoghi Effendi states. “How great the magnitude of His blessings showered upon humanity in this day! And yet how inadequate our conception of their significance and glory!”'

Though our understanding of so great a Revelation will always fall short of its true glory, the “first obligation” of every believer is, nevertheless, “to strive to obtain a more adequate understanding of

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the significance of Bahd’u’llah’s stupendous Revelation.””

Shoghi Effendi explains that we must turn to Baha’u’llah’s own words if we wish to obtain a clearer understanding of the importance and meaning of His Revelation. The Guardian highlights four themes from Baha’u’llah’s writings for our attention. They include passages that glorify “His long awaited Day” (examined in this chapter ), His presentation of the “unprecedented claim He has advanced” (chapters 2 and 3), His statements regarding the “mysterious forces He has released” (chapters 4 and 5), and the “station” attained by those who recognize His Revelation (chapters 5 to 7).?

1 The World Order of Baha'u'llah 24 2 Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahd’u’llah 100 3 The World Order of Bahd’u’lléh 103

[Page 6]Overview

For thousands of years God has sent His Manifestations‘ to illumine the world of humanity. Each of these Manifestations united humanity with God and guided individuals and society with divine teachings. Each also left a promise for the future—the promise of the Day of God.

“Tt is evident,” writes Baha’ u’llah, “that every age in which a Manifestation of God hath lived is divinely ordained and may, in a sense, be characterized as God’s appointed Day. This Day, however, is

unique and is to be distinguished from those that have preceded it.’*

That this Day of God is different is apparent in the emphatic promises of past religions, in statements from the Baha’i writings that describe the significance and glory of this Day, and in expectations that a new age for humanity will dawn.

Explanation

The Manifestations of God all play a part in a universal cycle® of humanity’s development that can be compared to the life cycle of a human being.

¢ The Manifestations of the past have guided humanity through its infancy and childhood. They have served in the “prophetic” stage of the cycle of humanity’s development, preparing us for our coming of age in the Day of God.

¢ Baha’u’llah provides guidance so that we can pass from adolescence to adulthood. With the advent of the Day of God, the stage of prophecy that began with Adam and was sealed with Mu’ ammad was completed. Baha’u’ lah inaugurated a new stage, the stage of fulfillment, that is to last 500,000 years.’ His own Dispensation will last at least 1000 years.

4 A Manifestation is a Messenger of God through Whom God’s perfections and attributes are expressed; examples include Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Mu’ammad, the Bab, Baha'u'llah, and others. (See Gleanings, pages 46-102.)

5 Gleanings 60 .

6 See Some Answered Questions, pages 160-61.

7 ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, in The World Order of Baha'u'llah 102

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[Page 7]* The Manifestations of the future® will provide additional guidance from God for our adult stage. While there is no stage of human development beyond adulthood (the stage of fulfillment), there is an unlimited degree of progress that can be made within this stage.

To help us understand the distinguishing character of the Day of God in relation to the Manifestations of the past, ‘Abdu’1-Baha uses the example of the sun in illuminating the earth.

e The sun is always the same sun. Yet as the earth moves about the sun during the year, the measure of the energy of the sun sent to parts of the earth changes. In summer, days are longer, and the intensity of heat and light sent to earth is greater.

“The station of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation,” ‘Abdu’ |l-Baha states, “. . . is represented by . . . the sun’s mid-summer and highest station. By this is meant that this holy Dispensation is illumined with the light of the Sun of Truth from its most exalted station, and in the plenitude of its resplendency, its heat and glory.”® “Centuries, nay ages must pass away ere the Day Star of Truth shineth again in its mid-summer splendor. . . .”!°

e The extra measure of the sun’s power has its effect on the earth. It is in the summer that the earth brings forth its most abundant fruits—plants and animal life flourish. The summer sun produces rapid growth and ripens the fruit for harvest.

The intensity of the spiritual power released in the Day of God has propelled humanity toward a new stage in its development.

8“... the Manifestations of His Beauty no beginning hath beheld, and they will continue to the ‘End that knoweth no end.’” (Baha’u’llah, The Kitdb-i-iqdn 167; see Gleanings 68, 73, and 346.)

9 In The World Order of Bahd’u’llah 127

10 ‘Abdu’1-Bahd, in The World Order of Baha'u'llah 110

[Page 8]eres he

1. “The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. ...

“In the Book of Isaiah it is written: ‘Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty.’ No man that meditateth upon this verse can fail to recognize the greatness of this Cause, or doubt the exalted character of this Day—the Day of God Himself. This same verse is followed by these words: ‘And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day.’ This is the Day which the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no Book that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most exalted theme. Were We to make mention of all that hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and holy Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet would assume impossible dimensions.” —Bahé’u’llah, Gleanings 12-13

2. “... To His [Baha’u’llah’s] Day Joel and Zephaniah had both referred as the ‘day of Jehovah... .” His Day Ezekiel and Daniel had, moreover, both acclaimed as the ‘day of the Lord,’ and Malachi described as ‘the great and dreadful day of the Lord’ when ‘the Sun of Righteousness’ will ‘arise, with healing in His wings... .’

“He alone is meant by the prophecy attributed to Gautama Buddha Himself, that ‘a Buddha named Maitreye, the Buddha of universal fellowship’ should, in the fullness of time, arise and reveal ‘His boundless glory... .’

“To His Day Jesus Christ Himself had referred as ‘the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory.’ ... St. Peter had spoken of it as the “Day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.’ His Day he, furthermore, had described as ‘the times of restitution of all things, which God had spoken by the mouth of all His holy Prophets since the world began.’

“To Him Muhammad, the Apostle of God, had alluded in His Book as the ‘Great Announcement,’ and declared His Day to be the Day whereon ‘God’ will ‘come down’ ‘overshadowed with clouds... .’ To His Day He . . . had paid a glowing tribute, glorifying it as the ‘Great Day,’ the ‘Last Day,’ the ‘Day of God,’ the ‘Day of Judgment,’ . . . the ‘Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the world... .’” —Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By 95-96

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The Promised Day

foreordained: decreed or ordered beforehand

Revelation: presentation by God of His will and truths to humanity; the measure of divine truth brought by each Manifestation (Messenger) of God Isa 2:10-11

exalted: glorified

Joe 1:15; 2:1; 2:11; 2:31; 3:14

Zep 1:7; 1:14; 2:2; 2:3 Eze 13:5; 30:3

Mal 4:5; 4:2

Mat 19:28

2Pe 3:12 Act 3:21 restitution: act or fact of

restoring something or repaying someone [Page 9]3. “Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the Sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it.” —Baha’u’llah, Gleanings 11

4. “All glory be to this Day, the Day in which the fragrances of mercy have been wafted over all created things, a Day so blest that past ages and centuries can never hope to rival it, a Day in which the countenance of the Ancient of Days hath turned towards His holy seat... .

“«’.. He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendor is revealed. ...’ Verily this is the Day in which both land and sea rejoice at this announcement, the Day for which have been laid up those things which God, through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or heart, hath destined for revelation.” |= —7ablets of Bahd’u’lldh 3-5

5. “The excellence of this Day is immensely exalted above the comprehension of men, however extensive their knowledge, however profound their understanding.” —Baha’u’llah, Gleanings 108

6. ““The purpose underlying all creation is the revelation of this most sublime, this most holy Day, the Day known as the Day of God, in His Books and Scriptures. .. .’ ‘This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things... .’ ‘A fleeting moment, in this Day, excelleth centuries of a bygone age. .. .’ ‘The world of being shineth, in this Day, with the resplendency of this Divine Revelation. All created things extol its saving grace, and sing its praises. The universe is wrapt in a ecstasy of joy and gladness... . Well is it with him that hath lived to see this Day, and hath recognized its station... .’ “This Day a different Sun hath arisen, and a different Heaven hath been adorned with its stars and its planets. The world is another world, and the Cause another Cause. .. .” ‘Peerless is this Day, for it is as the eye to past ages and centuries and as a light unto the darkness of the times. .. .” ‘Should the greatness of this Day be revealed in its fullness, every man would forsake a myriad lives in his longing to partake, though it be for one moment, of its great glory—how much more this world and its corruptible treasures!’”

—Bahéa’u’llah, in The Advent of Divine Justice 77-79

Greatness of the Day of God

allusions: indirect references

countenance: face

manifest: obvious, clear, apparent to the senses

ken: range of sight or understanding

comprehension: understanding

profound: marked by intellectual depth or insight; deeply felt

sublime: splendid

adored: beautified, decorated

peerless: without equal

myriad: indefinitely large number

corruptible: capable of being decayed or ruined; capable of changing from good to bad [Page 10]7. “Praise be to God, throughout succeeding centuries and ages the call of civilization hath been raised, the world of humanity hath been advancing and progressing day by day, various countries have been developing by leaps and bounds, and material improvements have increased, until the world of existence obtained universal capacity to receive the spiritual teachings and to hearken to the Divine Call... Then at last the call of the Kingdom was raised, the spiritual virtues and perfections were revealed, the Sun of Reality dawned, and the teachings of the Most Great Peace, of the oneness of the world of humanity and the universality of men were promoted. We hope that the effulgence of these rays shall become more and more resplendent, so that the goal of this universal human process will be attained and the love of God will appear in the utmost grace and beauty and bedazzle all hearts.”’"—selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd 285-86

8. “That which was applicable to human needs during the early history of the race can neither meet nor satisfy the demands of this day, this period of newness and consummation. . . . The gifts and blessings of the period of youth, although timely and sufficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the requirements of its maturity.” —‘Abdu’l-Bah4, in The World Order of Baha'u'llah 165

9. “See how, in this day, the scope of sciences and arts have widened out, and what wondrous technical advances have been made, and to what a high degree the mind’s powers have increased, and what stupendous inventions have appeared.

“This age is indeed as a hundred other ages: should ye gather the yield of a hundred ages, and set that against the accumulated product of our times, the yield of this one era will prove greater than that of a hundred gone before.”

—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd 111

10. “The Revelation of Baha’u’lla4h, whose supreme mission is none other but the achievement of this organic and spiritual unity of the whole body of nations, should . . . be regarded as signalizing through its advent the coming of age of the entire human race. It should be viewed not merely as yet another spiritual revival in the ever-changing fortunes of mankind, not only as a further stage in a chain of progressive Revelations, nor even as the culmination of one of a series of recurrent prophetic cycles, but rather as marking the last and highest stage in the stupendous evolution of man’s collective life on this planet.”—shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahd’u'lléh 163

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A New Age for Humanity

hearken: give attention

effulgence: radiance

resplendent: shining brilliantly

bedazzle: to dazzle, impress greatly; bewilder

consummation: fulfillment; completion

organic: relating to living things; parts are interconnected; change in one part affects all parts

culmination: attainment to the highest point or degree

recurrent: happening or appearing again or repeatedly

For more quotations on topics raised in this lesson

see the index, page 83. [Page 11]uit aerate

Although different terms and symbols are used, reference to the Day of God is found in various traditions. The following example is taken from the Lakota Sioux:

“... The foundation of our spiritual teaching was based upon the teachings and laws given by a woman named [White Buffalo Calf Woman] who was a spirit from God sent through the buffalo. She came at different recurrent times or stages in the spiritual development of the Lakota people... .

“The point that... my grandfather always stressed was the perspective of the apocalypse, or the second coming. . . . He was aware of the teachings attached to the sacred pipe, which is...a symbol of the Covenant... .

“When [White Buffalo Calf Woman] brought the pipe . . . She gave some particulars as to what they were to be aware of . . . for the signs of Her return—the return of Her spirit. One of the things She said was that She would return in the form of the morning star. On her departure She became the evening star—which is recognized as a seven pointed star. Interestingly enough, all the tribes generally agree that it is female. The morning star all the tribes recognize as a male entity. She mentioned She would return in the form of the morning star, meaning the eight pointed star... . When She left She said for us to be wary of this return... .

“(My grandfather] told me a little bit about [a] seeming... chronological discrepancy. . . . The Lord Jesus Christ came almost 2000 years ago. According to different sources this White Buffalo Calf Woman could not have come more than 1000 years ago. So he was perplexed by the fact that our spiritual dispensation was 1000 years newer than the one from across the ocean. . . . He hoped that I could always be open to different teachings... .

“TI came into contact with some Baha’i people. During the course of about three years we engaged in frequent conversations. ... [A Baha’i] showed . . . a shot of the shrine of the Bab... . Everything was eight sided or eight pointed. I asked, “What is the meaning of that?’ . . . I mentioned the teaching of [White Buffalo Calf Woman]. ... When She was going to return She said: ‘look to the morning star.’ So I asked them , ‘What are the characteristics of the Bab?’ .. . My friend told me He is the symbol of the first point of light on the horizon of a new day . . . the sign of hope that a new Day will dawn. . . . These are exactly the qualities that we associate with the morning star. . . . This struck home.”

—Kevin Locke, transcript of a recorded talk, April 21, 1984

11 [Page 12]Further Study

Select one of the passages from the “Readings” section.

What does the passage say? In what specific ways can this passage be applied in your life?

List any unanswered questions about the lesson you may want to explore in more depth. Use the index on page 83 and the additional reading below to help you find answers to your questions.

1.

2.

Gleanings, by Baha’u’llah, 1-46 The World Order of Baha’u’llah, by Shoghi Effendi, 103-12 The Advent of Divine Justice, by Shoghi Effendi, 75-85 Passages of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’1-Baha on the Day of God.

Thief in the Night, by William Sears A commentary that includes references from the Bible foretelling the coming of the Day of God.

The Baha’i Proofs, by Mirza Abu’1-Fadl, 131-35 A commentary indicating that the promised Day of God is fulfilled only by Baha’u’ lah.

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Personal Reflection

Remaining Questions

Additional Reading [Page 13]Questions

1. List three promises of the Day of God:

2. (Circle all that apply.) Which of the following are unique features of the Day of God that attest to its greatness:

a. every Prophet longed for this Day b. what was “hidden” is now revealed c. God has manifested Himself

d. it is the purpose of creation

3. (Circle all that apply.) The new age for humanity:

a. applies only to a renewal of religion

b. is the outcome of a developmental process c. is a sign of its adolescence

d. will involve the unity of nations

13 [Page 14]Answers

The following are suggested answers. Depending on your understanding of the quotes, you may have different answers. Consider the suggested answers a starting point for thought and discussion.

1. Promises of the new Day may include any explicit references in the Holy Books of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam (page 8); the statements of a promised age in other religious traditions (see page 8 and page 11); and the descriptions of the Day of God found in the Baha’ writings (see, for example, page 9) You may be aware of other references.

2. a,b, and d. For “a,” see #3, page 9; for “b,” see #4, page 9; and for “d,” see #5, page 9. Regarding “c,” this may or may not be correct depending on your reasoning. God has manifested Himself in this Day, but this is not unique because He has done it with the coming of each Manifestation. However, one meaning of the term “Day of God” is that God Himself will come. This is indicated by statements that “God” will “come down” and “mankind shall stand before the Lord of the world” (see #2, page 8). For a more detailed explanation, see chapter 2.

3. band d. For “b,” see #7 and #8, page 10 and for “d,” see #10, page 10. Regarding “a,” the new age applies to material as well as spiritual progress. Regarding “c,” the new age is a sign of humanity’s maturity not its adolescence (see #8, page 10).

What is the Day of God? What makes this Day great?

What do you think is meant by Baha’u’llah’s statement, “He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come?” (Refer to #4, page 9.)

Describe, in your own words, the “universal human process.” (Refer to #7, page 10.) What is the relationship between this process and the Day of God? What is the “goal” of the process? How could you explain the process to individuals interested in “new age” ideas?

What are some of the signs of the breakdown and chaos in the existing world order? What are some of the signs of the renewal of society promised in the Day of God?

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