The Word of God/The Cause of Creation

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The Cause of Creation

Introduction

As we have seen, words are more than just sounds and syllables. They possess power and influence. They can do good or harm depending upon the spirit with which they are spoken.

The Word of God, Baha’u’lldh says, is “the king of words.”! It is an utterance that “mortal man can never rival.”2 It, too, possesses power and influence, but far beyond that of the words of men.

We most often think of the Word of God in terms of the Holy Books brought by God’s Manifestations. But the Word of God is much more. In Islam, it is stated that God created the universe through a single word—‘Be.” Baha’u’lldh also refers to this in His Tablets,3 and states directly that the Word of God is the “Cause of the entire creation.”4 The Word clearly possesses a nature and a power beyond our full understanding.

In this lesson we will examine statements of Baha’u’ lah that describe the Word in its broadest sense—beyond the limitations of the physical world. In the next lesson we will look more closely at

statements of Baha’u’llah that describe the nature of the Word in its revealed form.

1 Tablets of Baha'u'llah 173

2 Baha’u’llah, Gleanings 286

3 For example, see the Long Obligatory Prayer, Bahd’i Prayers 13, and the Tablet of Visitation, Bahd’i Prayers 230

4 Tablets of Bahd’u' lléh 140

15 [Page 16]Overview

The Baha’i Writings describe three levels of reality: the world of God, the world of the “Kingdom”5 or “Command of God’”6—which is the world of the Word of God—and the world of creation. The Word of God acts as a link or intermediary between God and creation. Through the Word the attributes of God are expressed in the world; “every created thing” can then reflect these attributes according to its “capacities and limitations.”7

The Word is an entity greater than any idea people can hold about it, “sanctified,” Bahd’u’ll4h states, “from any property or substance.”8 The Word has always been, and always will be. It is the first emanation from God. Through the Word all other things were created.

The Baha’i Writings also equate the Word of God with the Manifestation of God.9 The Word is the identity, or station, that is common to all the Manifestations. ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains: “The third station [of the Manifestation] . . . is the Word of God, the Eternal Bounty, the Holy Spirit.... The reality of prophethood . .. is the Word of God and the perfect state of manifestation. . . .”10 The individual Manifestations as They appear in the world—Jesus, Baha’u’ll4h, and Others—are mirrors that perfectly reflect the light of the Word.!!

5 ‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 295 6 Tablets of Baha'u'llah 141 7 Baha’u’llih, Gleanings 142 8 Tablets of Bahd’u'lléh 140-41 9 A Manifestation of God is a Messenger of God through whom God’s perfections and attributes are expressed. Examples are Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha’u’ 14h. 10 ‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 152 11 For a detailed examination of the relationship between the Word and the Manifestation see The Concept of Manifestation in the Bahd’i Writings by Juan Ricardo Cole, published by the Association for Baha’{ Studies.

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[Page 17]While the Word is, like God Himself, unknowable to humanity, the Writings offer us some aid in understanding. ‘Abdu’l-Baha describes the nature of the Word by comparing it to the rays of the sun.12_ God is like the sun. As long as the sun has existed, so have the rays. However, the existence of the rays depend upon the sun. Just as the sun emanates its rays without dividing itself, God emanates the Word without sharing His essence. When the rays shine upon a perfect mirror (the individual Manifestation) the qualities of the sun appear.

The Word is the cause of creation, and it continues to exert power and influence in the world. It is “the penetrating power in all things, the mover of souls and the binder and regulator in the world of humanity.”13 It serves as a “collective center”!4—a point of unity— around which humanity can gather. It is a “power above and beyond the powers of nature,”!5 that “embraceth and comprehendeth all things,”16 and has “never been withheld from the world of being.” !7

To assist us in our effort to understand the Word of God and the way it influences creation, Bahd’u’ll4h commonly uses metaphors in His Writings. These metaphors—figures of speech that create verbal

pictures for us—associate the Word of God with things we already know.

For example, Baha’u’ll4h describes His Revelation as “an ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable pearls of great price.”18 “Ocean” is a metaphor, a figure of speech, that tells us about the nature of His Revelation. Since we already know that an ocean is very large, we learn that Baha’u’lldh’s Revelation is vast. We also learn that in His Revelation there are valuable teachings—the “pearls of great price.” Each Baha’i must explore the “ocean” to find and use the “pearls.”

Because the reader must draw conclusions about the two things being compared, metaphors are useful for conveying many levels of meaning at one time.19

12 Some Answered Questions 202-3

13 Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahd 292

14 ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, Tablets of the Divine Plan 93-97

15 Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’ l-Bahdé 53

16 Baha’u’ll4h, Gleanings 257

17 Tablets of Baha'u'llah 141

18 Gleanings 326

19 For a more detailed explanation of metaphor see chapter 3 of The Nature of Physical Reality by John Hatcher, especially pages 78-83.

i [Page 18]“The first thing which emanated from God is that universal reality, which the ancient philosophers termed the ‘First Mind,’ and which the people of Baha call the ‘First Will.’”

—‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 203

“.. there is the world of God, the world of the Kingdom, and the world of creation: three things. The first emanation from God is the bounty of the Kingdom, which emanates and is reflected in the reality of the creatures, like the light which emanates from the sun and is resplendent in creatures; and this bounty, which is the light, is reflected in infinite forms in the reality of all things... .” —‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 295

“... by a word of His command all that are in heaven and on earth

have come to exist, and by His wish, which is the Primal Will itself, all have stepped out of utter nothingness into the realm of being, the world of the visible. . . .” —Bahé’u'llh, The Kitéb-i-[qdn 98

“But the proceeding through manifestation . . . is the proceeding and the appearance of the Holy Spirit and the Word, which is from God. As it is said in the Gospel of John, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God;’ then the Holy Spirit and the Word are the appearance of God. The Spirit and the Word mean the divine perfections that appeared in the Reality of Christ, and these perfections were with God. ... The perfections of Christ are called the Word because all the beings are in the condition of letters, and one letter has not a complete meaning, while the perfections of Christ have the power of a word because a complete meaning can be inferred. . . . “And know that the proceeding of the Word and the Holy Spirit from God . . . must not be understood to mean that the Reality of Divinity had been divided into parts... . If a pure fine mirror faces the sun, the light and heat, the form and the image of the sun will be resplendent in it... . Nevertheless, the mirror is the mirror, and the sun is the sun... .” —‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 206-7

“The third station [of the Manifestation] is that of the divine appearance and heavenly splendour: it is the Word of God, the Eternal Bounty, the Holy Spirit. It has neither beginning nor end, for these things are related to the world of contingencies, and not to the divine world... In the same way the Word of God is purified from all these conditions and is exempt from the boundaries, the laws, and the limits of the world of contingency.” | —‘Abdu’l-Bah4, Some Answered Questions 152

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emanate: to come forth or issue from a source

contingency: one occurrence that is dependent on or conditioned by another; an event that is possible but not certain to occur [Page 19]“... the irresistible Word ... is the Cause of the entire creation, while all else besides His Word are but the creatures and effects thereof....

“Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God .. . is higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or substance. It transcendeth the limitations of known elements and is exalted above all the essential and recognized substances. It became manifest without any syllable or sound and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth all created things. It hath never been withheld from the world of being. It is God’s allpervasive grace, from which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity far removed above all that hath been and shall be. .. .

“Every thing must needs have an origin and every building a builder. Verily, the Word of God is the cause which hath preceded the contingent world. ...” —Tablets of Baha’ u'lldh 140-41

“The Word of God is the king of words and its pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath ever dominated and will continue to dominate the realm of being. The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked. ... It is an ocean inexhaustible in riches, comprehending all things. Every thing which can be perceived is but an emanation therefrom.” —Tablets of Bahd'u'lléh 173

“... the moment the word expressing My attribute “The Omniscient’ issueth forth from My mouth, every created thing will, according to its capacity and limitations, be invested with the power to unfold the knowledge of the most marvelous sciences, and will be empowered to manifest them in the course of time at the bidding of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Know thou of a certainty that the Revelation of every other Name is accompanied by a similar manifestation of Divine power. Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother letter, and every word uttered by Him Who is the Well Spring of Divine Revelation is a mother word, and His Tablet a Mother Tablet.” —Bahé’u’lléh, Gleanings 142

“The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling, whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men. It is incumbent upon you to foster its growth through the living waters of wisdom, of sanctified and holy words, so that its root may become firmly fixed and its branches may spread out as high as the heavens and beyond.”

—Tablets of Bahd' u'lléh 93-94

sanctified: purified, freed from; set apart as holy

transcend: to rise above or go beyond the limits of; above the physical world pervade: to pass through or spread through every part of

emanate: to come forth from a source; to give out, emit

grace: divine favor; mercy

entity: a distinct existing thing

potency: power, might

omniscient: all-knowing

manifest: make obvious, apparent to the senses; demonstration

19 [Page 20]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 21]1. (Circle all that apply.) The Word of God is:

a. beyond our complete understanding

b. the same as the words of human beings c. described by Baha’u’llah

d. easy to define

2. (Circle all that apply.) The Word of God is the:

a. cause of creation

b. same as the Manifestation of God c. same as God

d. Holy Books

3. (Circle all that apply.) The Word of God:

a. pervades all created things b. has never been withheld c. is God’s grace

d. is God’s commandments

4. (Circle all that apply.) A metaphor is a:

a. definition of the Word of God

b. way to describe the qualities of something c. tool used in writing

d. verbal picture

[Page 22]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. aandc. Rather than easy to define, the Word is “higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or substance.” See the first quote on page 19.

2. a,b,andd. Regarding “c,” God is independent of all things. For “d’, in the Baha’{ view it may be impossible to determine the authentic aspects of the Holy Scriptures of past religions.

3. a,b,c, and d. The Word is God’s “grace” and “Command” at the same time. The purpose of the commandments is not to control us but to give true freedom. See the first quote on page 19.

4. b,c,andd. See page 17.

Discussion

What are the similarities and differences between the Word of God and the words of human beings? (If necessary, refer to lesson 1.) Do you think the Word of God can produce harmful results?

Describe your understanding of the relationship between the worlds of Divinity (world of God), Command, and Creation. (See pages 16 and 18. Also, if you wish, see page 9 of the book in footnote 11.)

The Word of God “pervadeth all created things.” (Refer to the first quotation on page 19.) How should the Word of God pervade (spread through every part of) our lives?

Bahéa’u’llah states that “the Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked.” How is the Word like a master key? How is a person’s heart like heaven?

What does it mean when Baha’u’ll4h says: “The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling, whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men?” (Refer to the last quotation on page 19.) How do we “foster” the “growth” of this tree?

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[Page 23]IBbeICOINe

Bahéa’u’ll4h uses many metaphors in His Writings to help us understand what the Word of God is. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which an image, or word picture, is used to suggest a similarity or likeness between two things (see page 17). Read each of the following quotes from the Writings. Then list the qualities of the thing that is used to help describe the Word of God. What do these qualities tell us about the Word of God? An example of how to complete the exercise is given.

Metaphors

Images or pictures that help describe the nature of the Word.

Qualities

The characteristics or properties that the image has.

Implications

What the qualities of the image tell us about the Word of God.

“The Word of God is the king of words. .. 7719

Aking stands above others. He governs akingdom or nation.

The Word is superior to words of humanity; it should govern our words.

“Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother letter, and every word... a mother word... . "20

“the Divine Elixir . . . through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold... . 21

“The utterance of God is a lamp. . . .”22

“That city [of certitude] is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age... . "23

“Indeed it is the sovereign remedy for every disease. . . .”24

“God Who has given the revelation to His Prophets will surely give of His abundance daily bread to all those who ask... . "25

19 Tablets of Bahd’u'lléh 173 20 Baha’u’llah, Gleanings 142 21 Bahé’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations 54 22 Baha’u’ll4h, Gleanings 288

23 Bahé’u’llah, The Kitdb-i-[gdn 199

24 Tablets of Bahd' u'llah 73 25 ‘Abdu’l-Bahd, Paris Talks 57

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[Page 24]Feedback

The following are suggested answers to the exercise. You may have other answers that are also appropriate.

Metaphors

Images or pictures that help describe the nature of the Word.

Qualities

The characteristics or properties that the image has.

Implications

What the qualities of the image tell us about the Word of God.

“The Word of God is the king of words. ...”

Aking stands above others. He governs a kingdom or nation.

The Word is superior to words of humanity; it should govern our words.

“Every single letter proceeding out of the mouth of God is indeed a mother letter, and every word... a mother word... .”

A mother is the source of new life and the primary source of education.

The Word is a source of spiritual life; the Word of God is also the source of the progress, ideas, and words of humanity.

“the Divine Elixir . . . through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold....”

An elixir is a preparation that was thought to change metals to gold.

The Word has the power to transform humaan life from being materially directed to being spiritually directed.

“The utterance of God is a lamp... .”

A lamp provides light.

The Word provides teachings that cast light on our problems and guide us to spiritual well-being.

“That city [of certitude] is none

Acity is aplace to live where all

The Word is a safe refuge where

other than the Word of God physical needs can be met. we can live securely. It provides revealed in every age....” all we need for our spiritual life. “Indeed it is the sovereign A remedy is the cure for a The Word provides the best

remedy for every disease... .”

disease. Sovereign means the highest.

solutions to the problems (ills) of individuals and society.

“God Who has given the revelation to His Prophets will surely give of His abundance daily bread to all those who ask....”

Bread is one of the basic foods of life, that sustains our physical existence.

The Word is the basic item on which we feed spiritually.

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