The Word of God/Powers of the Word of God

Powers of the Word of God

Introduction

The purpose of the Word of God is to exert influence on people and on the physical world. How the Word of God produces these effects is the topic of this lesson.

It is not possible to present a complete list of the powers of the Word of God. However, there are three important powers of the Word that show how it draws spiritual power for use in the material world.

In this lesson we will examine how the Word of God acts through its creative power, through its magnetic power, and through its evolutionary power to draw spiritual forces that cause change in the physical world.1

1 This lesson is based on ideas presented in a talk entitled “The Creative Word” given by Peter Khan in Wilmette on June 26, 1981.

35 [Page 36]Overview

Some of the principles that operate in nature help us understand how the Word of God acts in the world to cause change. These include:

the principle of creation;

¢ the principle of magnetism; and ¢ the principle of evolution.

The Word of God has a creative power. It can influence the interaction between matter and spirit to bring about a new creation.

The Word of God has a magnetic power. It draws spiritual power that then has an attractive and binding influence in the world. We can tap the magnetic power of the Word of God through prayer, meditation, reading, study, memorization, or service to the Faith.

The Word of God has an evolutionary power. It transforms things to a higher level of order. The spirit drawn from the Word’s magnetic power acts to help things grow and develop.

“Abdu’1-Bahé says that the world of creation is composed of two elements, spirit and matter. He states that spirit is an active, creative force that permeates all matter. He describes matter as inactive, selfexistent, and filling all space.2 The act of creation is the interaction of the active force (which from ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s description might be considered spirit) with the receptive element (matter).3

For example, in nature a new plant is created when matter, the seed, acquires the vegetable spirit. A new human being is created when matter, the fertilized egg, is joined with the human spirit.

The creative power of the Word of God operates on many levels. In its form that transcends the physical world (lesson 2), the Word is the “Cause of the entire creation.”4

In the form of the language of men—the verses of God’s Manifestation—the Word is also creative. Baha’u’llah’s Writings have the power to recreate a soul or a society. Spiritual rebirth begins when people recognize their Lord, and are joined with the spirit of faith.

2 Baha’ t Scriptures 301 3 Tablets of Bahdé'u'lléh 140 4 Tablets of Bahd'u'llah 140

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The Creative Power [Page 37]The magnetic power is the power of attraction. Consider a magnet. It is, at first glance, like any other rock. But because of its special structure it can attract certain objects, such as steel or iron. The attractive power of a magnet creates greater harmony, unity and arrangement around it.

Outwardly, the revealed Word of God is made up of ordinary words that can be found in a dictionary. But because it has a special form arranged by the Manifestation of God, the divine verses have a power that differs from the words of men—the power of the Holy Spirit. By using the Word of God and by translating its instructions into action we draw the power of the Holy Spirit to ourselves. “It is only by the breath of the Holy Spirit that spiritual development can come about,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahé states.

Also, just as one magnet attracts another, people can be drawn together through the spirit of the Word of God. “Through the power of the words He hath uttered,” Baha’u’ lah informs us, “the whole human race can be illumined with the light of unity. . . .”6

The evolutionary power is a transforming power—a power that causes change, allowing potential to unfold. In nature, a single plant or animal gets energy from its environment to help it grow and to develop new powers. A tree, for example, goes from seed, to sapling, to tree. In the process it grows leaves, branches, and eventually, fruit.

People grow spiritually under the influence of the Word of God. We develop greater capacity to act with divine virtues, such as justice or kindness. “Man is like unto a tree,” Baha’u’llah states. “The fruits of the human tree are exquisite, highly desired and dearly cherished. Among them are upright character, virtuous deeds and a goodly utterance. ... The Water for these trees is the living water of the sacred Words... .”7

The three powers described work in harmony to produce spiritual growth. The creative power lays down the seed for future growth by creating new spiritual capacities. The magnetic power attracts a measure of spirit. The spirit then influences the expression of the potential that lies within the soul.

5 Paris Talks 133 6 Gleanings 286 7 Tablets of Baha’ u'lléh 257

The Magnetic Power

The Evolutionary

Power

oF [Page 38]“O my God. ... Thou art that King by Whose commanding word the whole creation hath been called into being.” —Baha’u’lléh, Bahd’t Prayers 146

““Fvery single letter proceeding from Our mouth is endowed with such regenerative power as to enable it to bring into existence a new creation—a creation the magnitude of which is inscrutable to all save God.’” —Bahé’v’lldh, quoted in The World Order of Bahd'u'lléh 107

“Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is endowed with such potency as can instill new life into every human frame, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth. All the wondrous works ye behold in this world have been manifested through the operation of His supreme and most exalted Will, His wondrous and inflexible Purpose. Through the mere revelation of the word ‘Fashioner,’ issuing forth from His lips and proclaiming His attribute to mankind, such power is released as can generate, through successive ages, all the manifold arts which the hands of man can produce. This, verily, is a certain truth. No sooner is this resplendent word uttered, than its animating energies, stirring within all created things, give birth to the means and instruments whereby such arts can be produced and perfected. All the wondrous achievements ye now witness are the direct consequences of the Revelation of this Name. In the days to come, ye will, verily, behold things of which ye have never heard before.” —Bahé’v’llh, Gleanings 141-42

“Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have .. . breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency. All created things proclaim the evidences of this world-wide regeneration.” —Bahé’u'lléh, Gleanings 92-93

“Consider the hour at which the supreme Manifestation of God revealeth Himself unto men. Ere that hour cometh, the Ancient Being, Who is still unknown of men and hath not as yet given utterance to the Word of God, is Himself the All-Knower in a world devoid of any man that hath known Him. He is indeed the Creator without a creation. For at the very moment preceding His Revelation, each and every created thing shall be made to yield up its soul to God.” —Bahé’u’lléh, Gleanings 151

“The words of Baha’u’llah and the Master, however, have a creative power and are sure to awaken in the reader the undying fire of the love of God.” | —written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Importance of Deepening 34-35

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The Creative Power

regenerative: able to fill with new life; able to make better, reform; able to renew spiritually.

inscrutable: hard to grasp; mysterious

generate: to bring into existence; to produce.

devoid: entirely without; lacking. [Page 39]“,.. the divine magnet—the power of the Word of God—will attract the hearts and bestow ecstasy and enthusiasm upon souls!” —Tablets of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahd, Vol. II 358

“these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and might iest talisman. . . . This Revelation is endowed with such a power that

it will act as the lodestone for all nations and kindreds of the earth.” —Tablets of Bahd’u' lléh 200

“Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.” —Bahé’u’ll4h, Gleanings 295

“Tn the contingent world there are many collective centers which are conducive to association and unity... . For example, patriotism... nationalism . . . identity of interests . . . political alliance .. ., and the prosperity of the world of humanity is dependent upon the organization and promotion of the collective centers. Nevertheless, all the above institutions are, in reality, the matter and not the substance, accidental and not eternal. ... Consequently, the real Collective Center is the body of the divine teachings, which include all degrees and embrace all the universal relations. ... Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas, and convictions of the children of men.” —Abdu’l-Bah4, Tablets of the Divine Plan 93-95

“_.. today ... from all sects, races, tribes, nations and communities souls have come together in the light of the Word, assembled, united and agreed in perfect harmony.... Verily, this is from the penetrative power of the Word of God! If all the forces of the universe were to combine they would not be able thus to gather a single assemblage so imbued with the sentiments of love, affection, attraction and enkindlement... and to raise up... a voice that shall dispel war and strife, uproot dissension and disputation, usher in the era of universal peace and establish unity and concord amongst men.”

—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahé 292

The Magnetic Power

elixir: a substance believed to prolong life indefinitely and to change metals into gold

talisman: figure cut in metal or stone supposed to possess magical powers; a charm used to protect against evil, amulet

lodestone: magnet; person or thing that attracts

celestial: heavenly, divine

concord: harmony, agreement; agreement by stipulation, compact, or covenant

39 [Page 40]“During thy supplications to God and thy reciting, “Thy Name is my healing,’ consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit of the love of God, and thy mind attracted to the Kingdom of God! By these attractions one’s ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is enlarged the water increases, and when the thirst grows the bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man.” —Abdu’l-Bah4, Spiritual Foundations 11

“_ .. strive to follow the counsels of these Blessed Books . . . that ye may, following the examples set before you, become yourselves the saints of the Most High!” —‘Abdu’l-Bah, Paris Talks 61-62

“Tf in this day a soul shall act according to the precepts and the counsels of God, he will serve as a divine physician to mankind . . . he will call the dead of this contingent world to life.... Thus shall a sorry gnat become an eagle in the fulness of his strength, and a feeble sparrow change to a royal falcon in the heights of ancient glory.” —Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahdé 23

“. ..a power above and beyond the powers of nature must needs be brought to bear, to change this black darkness into light, and these hatreds and resentments, grudges and spites, these endless wrangles and wars, into fellowship and love amongst all the peoples of the earth. This power is none other than the breathings of the Holy Spirit and the mighty inflow of the Word of God.”

—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd 53

“Can any power withstand the penetrative influence of the Word of God? Nay, by God! ... For these divine injunctions tame every ferocious beast, transform the creeping insect into a soaring bird, cause human souls to become angels of the Kingdom, and make the human world a focus for the qualities of mercy.”

—Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahd 293

“Ts it within human power . . . to effect in the constituent elements of any of the minute and indivisible particles of matter so complete a transformation as to transmute it into purest gold? Perplexing and difficult as this may appear, the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been empowered to accomplish. ... The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and farreaching a change.” —Bahé’u’lldh, Gleanings 200

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The Evolutionary Power

supplication: prayer or humble request; earnest request.

precepts: rules of action or moral conduct.

sorry: inspiring sorrow, pity, scorn, or ridicule; worthless

transformation: act of changing

transmute: to change from one form, substance, nature, or class to another.

satanic: characterized by extreme cruelty or viciousness [Page 41]|_lilustration i

The following story demonstrates the Word’s transforming power. It is about a new Baha’{ who carried a very bad habit with him into the Faith. He was a liar. Lying was a natural part of his life and the life of his family, used as a tool to survive a hostile society.

“As a Baha’i he discovers that ‘truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues.’ He vows to change, but how to do it?

“Realizing that through deepening and prayer he can be endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind,’ he decides to deepen every day—in the morning and evening as Baha’u’llah prescribes. . . .

“So he begins to deepen, making time in the morning before going to work, and making time in the evening before going to bed.... A week after he starts deepening, he’s tested at work. His foreman asks a question, and he lies .. . without hesitating an instant. But when the foreman leaves, he realizes he lied, something he would never have concerned himself with in the past. His new awareness is not only a sign of progress in overcoming a character flaw, but also signifies the development of the young man’s conscience.

“A month later—still deepening every day—he’s tested again. This time he hesitates before answering. ... He succumbs to the pull of the past and lies, and for a few minutes feels bad... .

“He continues to deepen regularly. Three weeks later, he’s faced with another test. He lies again, but this time, before he utters a word, his chest and throat tighten and he can’t look at the person. Afterwards he berates himself for more than an hour... .

“Three months go by. Still faithfully deepening, he’s confronted by a former friend. ... He wishes he could disappear. . . but he lies. For the remainder of the day he is conscience-stricken, even has difficulty sleeping.

“After a year of deepening ... he’s tested again. This time he is seized with pain in his chest and begins to sweat.... In torment, he sits down, placing his head in his hands. He wants desperately to tell the truth, yet feels the tug of the past.

“Suddenly, he .. . tells the truth. The pain in his chest disappears. There is a glow in his eyes. The foreman is perplexed, wondering if the young man is on some kind of narcotic.... It is a victory only the young man can appreciate, a feeling of liberation he has never experienced before. He is not what he was before he started deepening.... Could he ever go back to what he was? Never! For he has sensed the fragrance of the Abhé Kingdom.”

—Rutstein, Spirit in Action: Teaching the Bahd't Faith 88-90

8 Tablets of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahd, Vol. II 459 9 Baha’u’lléh, Gleanings 267

41 [Page 42]Select one of the passages from the “Readings” section. Take time to think deeply about it. What does the passage mean? After some time, consider how the passage might relate directly to your own life. Is there some behavior you can change or some action you can take? Use the following space to record your thoughts and plans:

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[Page 43]1. (Circle one answer.) In this lesson, when we say the Word of God is creative, we mean it has power to:

a. create something from nothing

b. cause something to come into being c. change something over time

d. unify two things

2. (Circle one answer.) Another name for the magnetic power of the Word of God is:

a. quickening b. attracting

c. illuminating d. transforming

3. (Circle one answer.) Another name for the evolutionary power of the Word of God is:

a. quickening b. attracting

c. illuminating d. transforming

4. Associate the following effects of the Word of God with one of its three powers:

example: creates unity magnetic

a. individual spiritual rebirth b. maturing of Baha’i institutions c. drawing closer to God

d. gaining detachment

43 [Page 44]Answers

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

1. b. ‘Abdu’l-Baha states that “absolute nonexistence cannot become existence.”!0 Note in this lesson we are referring to the creative power. In various statements in the Writings the Word of God is called the Creative Word. In this sense “Creative” implies all the powers of the Word, including “c” and “d.”

2. b. The magnetic power attracts and unifies. 3. d. The evolutionary power produces change or transformation.

4. a. Creative. We are recreated—joined with the spirit of faith— and given new spiritual potential. This is a more dramatic change than the evolutionary process related to our spiritual growth.

b. Evolutionary.

c. Magnetic. Our hearts are bound and drawn toward God. Love is part of this unifying power.

d. Evolutionary. This is the process of acquiring virtues.

How do the creative, magnetic, and evolutionary powers of the Word work together to produce change in an individual? in society?

What is “satanic strength?” What is “heavenly power?” (Refer to

the last quotation on page 40.) How can we convert our own satanic strength into heavenly power?

Refer to the last quotation on page 38. In your opinion, how are the words of ‘Abdu’1-Baha like those of Bahd’u’ll4h? How are they different?

What do you think Baha’u’ll4h means by a “Creator without a creation?” (Refer to the fourth quotation on page 38.)

10 Some Answered Questions 180

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