The Apocalypse Unsealed The world of the first century The above map, adapted from the writings of the ancient geographer Strabo, represents the extent of knowledge of the world at the dawn of the Christian Era. *, †, ‡, §, ‖, ¶_______________________________________ The Apocalypse Unsealed Based in part upon the Writings of The Bá b Bahá 'u'llá h 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi Compiled and interpreted by Robert F. Riggs Philosophical Library, N.Y. Copyright 1981, by Philosophical Library, Inc. 200 West WXth Street, New York, N.Y. 10019 Library of Congress Catalogue No. 89-81698 ISBN 8022-2367-U To Dorothy* Gift of God * Dorothy Riggs died ./ December 3445. Preface The interpretation of The Revelation of St. John the Divine presented in this volume is based on the writings and teachings of the Bahá 'ı́ Faith, a religion founded by Mı́rzá Ḥusayn 'Alı́, known as Bahá 'u'llá h, the Glory of God. The Bahá 'ı́ Faith grew out of the Bá bı́ Faith that was founded in 1844 by the Bá b, Mı́rzá 'Alı́ Muḥ ammad of Shı́rá z, Persia. The Bá bı́ teachings emphasized the forthcoming appearance of "The One Whom God will Make Manifest", a new Prophet or Manifestation of God. The Bá bı́ Faith stemmed from Shı́'a Islá m which taught the forthcoming return of the Twelfth Imá m, Muḥ ammad's Successor, Who would renew religion and guide the faithful. "This messianic view was the basis of the teachings of the Shaykhı́ sect, so named after Shaykh Aḥ mad."* The teachings of this sect gave allegorical interpretations to doctrines such as the resurrection, the Last Judgement and the return of the Twelfth Imá m. When the Bá b announced in 1844 that He was the channel through which grace from someone as yet veiled from men was to flow, it caused considerable excitement among His fellow Persians. Many people became followers of the Bá b, but the Persian government and clergy were opposed to His new doctrines and eventually the Bá b was executed and with Him a large number of His followers, the Bá bı́s. Among His followers was a man of wealthy background Who was incarcerated in Ṭ ihrá n for allegedly attempting to kill the Shá h of Persia. It was while this man was in prison that He learned from God of His unique station. His name was Bahá 'u'llá h, the Glory of God, and He was the Messenger God had chosen to carry His Message for this Era to all mankind. Long years of exile saw Bahá 'u'llá h banished from Persia and sent * Firuz Khazemzadeh, "The Bahá 'ı́ Faith", World Order, Spring, .GH/, p. .4. vii The Apocalypse Unsealed viii throughout the Ottoman Empire until, at last, He was sent to the prison fortress at 'Akká . Notwithstanding the attempts of governments, clergy, and individuals to halt His teaching, Bahá 'u'llá h proclaimed to the people of the world God's Message for this time. By His death, in 1892, the Bahá 'ı́ Faith had spread "beyond Persia and the Ottoman Empire to the Caucasus, Turkistá n, India, Burma, Egypt, and the Sudan."* To preserve the unity of the Bahá 'ı́ community after His passing, Bahá 'u'llá h appointed His son 'Abdu'l-Bahá as leader of the community and authorized Interpreter of His writings. This appointment, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá 's subsequent appointment of Shoghi Effendi Rabbá nı́, His grandson, as sole Interpreter of the teachings of Bahá 'u'llá h and Guardian of the Cause, ensured that the writings of the Faith and, indeed, the Faith itself would be free from the dangerous schisms and taints of personality that had harmed the Faiths of previous Manifestations of God. Clearly, Bahá 'u'llá h intended to secure for His followers a single, unquestioned interpretation of His words and teachings. In His writings, Bahá 'u'llá h has unsealed the meanings of the Books of the Bible that were sealed in the time of Jesus Christ until man should be of sufficient spiritual maturity to understand what is in them. In the case of The Revelation of St. John the Divine, a book that has been interpreted by numerous worthy scholars, Bahá 'u'llá h's interpretation is deeply symbolic but clear and concise within the teachings of the Bahá 'ı́ Faith. Using the words of Bahá 'u'llá h and the interpretations of His teachings as a base, the writer has carefully gone through each verse and revealed the meaning that lies richly within, waiting to illumine the eyes of mankind and fulfil the promises made to him by God through His Manifestations. Melissa Tansik 10 November CE 1975 S Qudrat BE 132 * Kazemzadeh, p. ... Contents Preface...................................................................................................................................... . vii Acknowledgements.. .......................................................................................................... . xv Part I Introduction........................................................................................................................... . l Sources.......................................................................................................................... . m The allegorical method.. ........................................................................................ . n Gematria.. ..................................................................................................................... . ll Number symbolism.. ............................................................................................... . lm Astrological symbolism.. ....................................................................................... . op Geometric symbolism.. ........................................................................................... . oq Further literary devices.. ....................................................................................... . mp The time and space of the Apocalypse.. .......................................................... . mp Future scholarship.. ................................................................................................. . ml Part II The Revelation of Saint John the divine..................................................................... . rl l. The Greatest Name.. ................................................................................................. . rm o. Letters to ancient faiths.. ....................................................................................... . ns m. Letters to recent faiths............................................................................................ . tu r. The invisible Zodiac.. ............................................................................................... . qt s. The book of seven seals.. ........................................................................................ . uu n. The Book is opened.. ................................................................................................ . lpt t. God's servants are sealed.. .................................................................................... . lls q. The fate of the early church.. ................................................................................ . lou u. The fall of Christendom.. ........................................................................................ . lms lp. Interlude.. ..................................................................................................................... . lrm ll. The course of Islá m.. ................................................................................................ . lrt lo. The travail of the word.. ......................................................................................... . lst lm. The rise of the caliphate.. ....................................................................................... . lns lr. The world-stage is set.. ........................................................................................... . ltt ix The Apocalypse Unsealed x ls. His name revealed.. .................................................................................................. . lqt ln. The end of the age.. .................................................................................................. . lut lt. Mysteries revealed.. ................................................................................................. . opt lq. Encomium of victory.. ............................................................................................. . olm lu. The triumph of Bahá 'u'llá h.. ................................................................................. . olu op. Satan bound.. .............................................................................................................. . oos ol. The Holy City.. ............................................................................................................ . oml oo. Epilogue.. ...................................................................................................................... . oss Appendices............................................................................................................................. . onl A. The number of Bahá in the Apocalypse.................................................... . onl B. Correlation of some dates in the Book of Daniel.. ................................ . onm C. Origins of gematriot and number symbolism.. ..................................... . ont D. The Arabic and Hebrew gematriot.. ........................................................... . otl E. Glossary of symbols.. ........................................................................................ . otm F. Chronological table.. ......................................................................................... . oqu G. Some Bahá 'ı́ Apocalyptic Writings.. ........................................................... . ous H. Late changes and errata (copied from I, Daniel).. ................................ . mpt References.. ................................................................................................................. . mpu xi Contents Illustrations Figure Page The world of the first century ii The time and space of the Apocalypse xiii la The T'ai-Chi, or Yang-Yin symbol of China ls lb The all-seeing eye of Brahma ls o The sacred tetraktys of Pythagoras lt m The ancient cosmos ol r The precession of the equinoxes os s Examples of the quadratura circuit ou n Hierarchy of revelations sr t The Greatest Name sn q The sickle formed by the seven churches np u The four pillars of the Age of Aquarius ul lp The invisible zodiac or hidden mandala ur ll Aries the ram or lamb lpl lo Prophecies to the Christians lpq lm The golden triangle lom lr Harmonic patterns using the golden triangle lor ls Pentagon, dodecahedron, pentagram los ln Future, present, past lot lt Sagittarius-Scorpio lmt lq Prophecies to Islá m lrq lu Wonders in heaven lsu op War in heaven lnl ol The woman in heaven lno oo nnn, the magic square of the sun ltm om The horse in heaven lqm or A mystic triangle lur os Geometry of the Holy City, New Jerusalem omn on Geometry of the Bahá 'ı́ Mashriqu'l-Adhká r omu ot Decagon, decagram ort oq Neter, arm, cubit ort The time and space of the Apocalypse xiii Acknowledgements The writer wishes to acknowledge the assistance given throughout the writing of this book by the Bahá 'ı́ Friends. Initial encouragement and continued promptings were the gifts of Flora Brooks of Staunton, Virginia. Her class notes of a course on the Apocalypse given by Ruth Moffett were inspirational. The writer was also fortunate to have within the local Bahá 'ı́ communities several people of outstanding talent and knowledge who offered references, leads and possible answers to perplexing questions as they arose. Among them were Robert Keithley, Edward Price, James Price and the late Edward Schlesinger. Edward Price was particularly valuable in matters pertaining to Islá m and the Arabic language. James Price assisted in the history of religion. Michael Bernhard gave important aid at several critical points during the research and also helped in linguistic matters, especially Greek, Persian and Arabic. In matters pertaining to Koine Greek, it was sometimes necessary to seek the assistance of Father Peter Rexinas of the Greek Orthodox Church. Later during the research, it was my very good fortune to have the invaluable assistance of Marion Hofman, who alerted me to additional source material, and, by her critical analysis of the manuscript, led me to a reexamination of certain aspects of my text. Melissn Tansik wrote the Preface and offered valuable suggestions xv The Apocalypse Unsealed xvi in matters of style and grammar, suggestions that, unfortunately, were not always followed. Bette and John Alden Decker were responsible for most of the art work. Typing assistance was sometimes given by Shirley Johnson. Tireless patience, encouragement and understanding were the major contributions of my beloved Dottie, who also helped in typing and offered numerous suggestions to improve the style. And, most of all, the writer wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the Master, His Holiness 'Abdu'l- Bahá , without Whose gentle whisperings the writer would not have passed the first alpha. R. F. R. Charlottesville, Virginia X October, CE 1979 11 Mashı́yyat, BE 136 Part I Introduction The sources The Revelation of John, also known as the Apocalypse, or simply Revelation, has been the subject of controversy since early Christian times. The controversy is still active, many doubting its authenticity, others doubting its originality. There can be no doubt, however, that the book has been widely known and accepted in the West since the second century after Jesus Christ. The book purports to be a revelation to a certain John, possibly the Apostle, given to him through an angel by Jesus Christ. The language of the book is highly allegorical and has defied all attempts at interpretation until the present time. Like all prophetic books, it has been "sealed"* and has awaited the time when the One worthy of unsealing it has made His appearance on the stage of history. That One was Bahá 'u'llá h, the Glory of God, and the Manifestation of God in our time. Bahá 'u'llá h unsealed the Apocalypse in two ways. Firstly, His Advent fulfilled many prophecies in the book, thus making them comprehensible and permitting the remaining portion to be filled in by scholars. Secondly, Bahá 'u'llá h revealed with His own pen the meanings of many important symbols used in this and other prophetic writings. Without these symbols being explained it would be impossible to find a rational interpretation of the Apocalypse. Bahá 'u'llá h was assisted in unsealing the books by His Fore- * See Daniel .3:/, M–G; John .5:.3–.Q; I Corinthians .Q:M–.3. Z The Apocalypse Unsealed c runner, the Prophet-Herald Mı́rzá 'Alı́-Muḥ ammad, the Bá b. He too fulfilled many important prophecies in the book. The work of unsealing the books was continued by the son of Bahá 'u'llá h, 'Abdu'l-Bahá , designated as the Centre of the Covenant by Bahá 'u'llá h and the Interpreter of the Bahá 'ı́ Revelation. For the first time in nearly two thousand years, 'Abdu'l-Bahá revealed the meanings of whole chapters of the Apocalypse in a language that was clear, unambiguous and convincing. In particular, He revealed in totality the meaning of Chapter 11 and part of Chapter 12, probably the most difficult and the most crucial for the interpretation of the remaining chapters. These and other revelations are found in Some Answered Questions.* Following the death of 'Abdu'l-Bahá , Shoghi Effendi Rabbá nı́, the great-grandson of Bahá 'u'llá h and a relative of the Bá b, continued the work by revealing the meanings of certain important symbols in the Apocalypse. These are found principally in his masterpiece, God Passes By. In addition to these authentic sources, various additional material was used. Tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to private believers were very useful, as were transcriptions of conversations between 'Abdu'l-Bahá and visitors to the Holy Land. One example of the latter was a transcription of a conversation purported to have occurred between 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shahná z Waite. The title of this item is The New Jerusalem and its Twelve Foundation Stones. Its content deals exclusively with subject matter in Chapter 21 of the Apocalypse. Although it contains errors in transcription and typing, its style and depth are clearly that of 'Abdu'l-Bahá , and this writer adapted its contents as if they were authentic, although the obvious errors were corrected. The remaining sources have no authenticity whatsoever in terms of the Bahá 'ı́ Revelation. They were used only when they seemed to concur with and to amplify the authentic sources. As for the remaining bulk of the material in this book, it must be * A list of references can be found at the end of this book. W Introduction confessed that it is largely the result of the writer's own research, intuitions, and deductions. Consequently, they should not be considered the official view of the Bahá 'ı́ Universal House of Justice nor any other official organ of the Bahá 'ı́ Administration. However, the writer has written nothing that is contrary to his own convictions as a Bahá 'ı́. Does this book succeed in reconstructing the original meanings in the Apocalypse? The answer to this question must rest with each individual reader. It is the writer's opinion that, as a whole, it represents a fair approximation to the original meanings. As a Bahá 'ı́, I accept the total validity of those passages that have been specifically revealed by the Prophets and Interpreters of the Bahá 'ı́ and Bá bı́ Faiths, but beyond being a matter of faith, their interpretations are totally convincing from a rational point of view. Furthermore, their interpretations compel the seeker to go beyond well-travelled roads of scholarship and to explore the intellectual life of the ancients, an exploration that proves to be a rewarding adventure. Modern man has little use for ancient numerology, gematria, and other obscure literary devices. But even the casual seeker will soon realize that an understanding of the ancient allegorical method is absolutely essential to understanding the Apocalypse. If he chooses to pursue the study, he will discover that modern science and mathematics rest upon hypotheses that are basically identical to those of the ancient Pythagoreans. The particular numbers and geometry that are held to be significant in the construction of the universe are, for the most part, different from those held to be significant in the first century, but a number-geometrical rationality or logos underlying the apparent chaos of nature is still hypothesized by the modern natural philosopher. The seeker will also discover that ancient symbolism, long assumed to have no relevancy to modern man, may still exist in the collective unconscious and manifest itself in dreams, art-forms, and modern religious practices.1 The Apocalypse Unsealed Y One point needs to be emphasized. The Revelation of John belongs to a former Era. Its significance to the Bahá 'ı́ Era is that it accurately prophesies historical events between the first century and modern times. The culmination of the prophecy has been the Advent of Bahá 'u'llá h and the beginning of a new cycle of human events. It is, therefore, a further proof of the validity of Bahá 'u'llá h as the Messenger of God in this Day. The principal value of this book, if it has any, will be as a teaching aid. Hopefully, it will help to correct certain fallacious notions held by some modern theologians concerning the nature of the Second Coming of Christ and the events that are to attend the Coming. These fallacious notions have been serious impediments to a truly constructive and realistic understanding of progressive revelation and the roles played by the many Messengers of God throughout history. The allegorical method The prophet who has had a vision of the future course of events cannot reveal the vision undisguised. To reveal it in direct and unambiguous language would automatically preclude the prophecy from coming true. For if past experience proved that a prophet's predictions were unambiguous and perfectly reliable, would not man seek to avoid the dire consequences of some future catastrophe by avoiding the events leading up to it? For example, if a man knows for certain that he will die by an aeroplane accident, surely he can thwart fate by the simple ploy of travelling by train or ship. But there is another reason for using symbol and allegory.2 The prophecy becomes a test of one's spiritual acuity. To the sceptic who denies the existence of anything beyond that which can be touched or measured, the prophecy is nothing but meaningless, even laughable, nonsense. To the gullible and the superstitious, the prophecy is to be taken literally, regardless of how absurd such an interpretation may be. Neither of these attitudes will lead to understanding. The sceptic avoids the necessity of understanding by denying the existence of the spirit. The super- X Introduction stitious avoids the necessity of understanding by playing it safe and denying nothing. The true road to understanding lies somewhere between these extremes. The true seeker must admit the reality of things spiritual but must not accept a theological assertion that does not seem reasonable and in agreement with common sense. The bridge to salvation is as fine as a thread and as narrow as a blade. But the bridge must be crossed and the risks of disaster must be accepted. 'Abdu'l-Bahá explained the need for allegory in these words, "… the revelations of the prophets can never be adequately translated owing to the poverty and imperfection of our language. Their thought is so lofty that human minds do not grasp it. Hence the use of allegories. Parables make men ponder and pray for enlightenment that they may understand the hidden meaning. Search for truth deepens man's capacity, clarifies his vision without engendering intellectual pride."3 To the modern intellectual, conditioned by a world of scientific exactitude, the allegorical method is frustratingly inexact. A symbol is somewhat like a variable in a mathematical equation—it may assume any one of several values depending upon the context. But there are bounds beyond which the symbol cannot vary, and when found, the correct value has the ring of truth. More than that, an incorrect interpretation in one section of the prophecy has a way of refusing to fit somewhere else. To use a modern analogy, the Book of Revelation is something like a gigantic crossword puzzle: although a word with the correct number of letters may be found that seems to approximate the intended meaning, it may later prove to be the wrong word when the rest of the blocks are filled in. It is for similar reasons that, when correctly interpreted, the entire prophecy will hang together and become a convincing whole. Symbolism, by virtue of its flexibility and its inexactness, allows the prophet to extend the meaning of a prophecy to include more than one event. Thus a passage of prophecy may refer to several events, some immanent, some in the distant The Apocalypse Unsealed S future. Consequently, the use of symbolism permits the prophet to reveal some universal principle whose validity is independent of time and place. It is for this reason that numerous interpretations have been found for various passages in the Apocalypse and more will be found in the future. The pursuit of the "beast whose number is 666" has occupied biblical hunters for centuries with many unpopular candidates being caught in the net. The prophet was able to find symbols everywhere, in nature, in historical and contemporary events, and even in everyday mundane experience. Arising in the morning, the glorious sunrise reminded him of the dawning of a new Day of God, a new Dispensation whose Lord was the Manifestation of God for that Day. The dawning place of that sun had a zodiacal sign, and the slow Precession of the Equinoxes reminded him of the long duration of a Day of God compared to a day of man. Almost certainly, the early Christians must have noticed that their symbol for Jesus, the Fish, coincided with the zodiacal sign of their age—Pisces. They may also have noticed that the preceding zodiacal ages of Aries the Ram and Taurus the Bull had been dominated by priesthoods characterized by those symbols. And perhaps even earlier under the age of Gemini the Twins, there may have been a priesthood memorialized by the Cain and Abel story.* 4 To the prophet, the warmth and life-giving power of the sun5 suggested the spiritual light and life-giving power of God. Sometimes the light was direct. Sometimes it was reflected off of man-made structures. In this way, the mirror became like the Prophet Who reflects the attributes of God clearly and without distortion. Reflected off other objects, it became the earthly church, imperfect and corruptible. The night was watched over by the moon that reflected the light of heaven onto the earth. Here the moon in its various phases also resembled the Prophet, or some other great religious * See below, "Astrological Symbolism". R Introduction leader of the Church. The star became other members of the hierarchy. The morning star became the Herald of a new Day of God. Other stars were fallen stars and thus fallen from heavenly grace. Still others were brilliant and constant; in this way they also symbolized important spiritual leaders, prophets, or Revelators from God. Besides the days and nights, there were the seasons. The seasons suggested the birth, growth, flowering and decay of a religion or a society. Sometimes there were clouds that obscured man's vision of the sun and were like veils between man and God. At other times they were clouds of glory, or became sources of rain—heavenly bounty that caused the living things of the earth to offer praise and gratitude to the Creator. Rain was sometimes destructive too, especially when accompanied by high winds and lightningfire from heaven At other times the winds became gentle breezes wafting the Word of God over mankind. Destructive rains were sometimes followed by a rainbow. Its multicoloured iridescence reminded the prophet that God speaks to man in many ways. The arc of the rainbow was a bridge between heaven and earth and was like the Covenant between God and man. Walking through the forest, the prophet saw the whole world of man in allegory. Herbs, flowers, and grass were rooted in the soil, like the great masses of mankind. Towering above the herbs were the magnificent trees reaching towards heaven like great leaders of men, sometimes spiritual, sometimes secular. The fauna of the forest were particularly expressive, some animals being like vicious men, others being gentle and loving. Birds, because of their curious shapes and voices, seemed to be like men's souls that wing their ways to heaven, or to express special attributes often found in men. Slithering among the herbs and flowers there was the serpent—kingly in appearance, cunning, often deadly. Because it shed its skin it also seemed to express the principle of immortality and healing. Coming across stones of curious shapes reminded him of the The Apocalypse Unsealed 10 solidity of truth* or of the concepts of God sometimes held by men. But when one discovered a gem, a divine principle might become crystallized, uniquely combining pure spirit and matter to express some abstract thought in solid form. Larger rocks became places of refuge, especially when they enclosed caves or places of hiding. And when he saw mountains and valleys covered with trees, rocks, flora and fauna, they were like nations and great religions. Some mountains were towering bulwarks of strength, some seemed to reach towards heaven, and many mountains were sacred places where man might make contact with God Himself. Other valleys and mountains had been places of conflict and suffering and attained special significance of their own. But what could be more refreshing to the spirit than some clear, pure spring or brook? Water became something to purify the soul, spiritual knowledge and insight—the renewal of spiritual life itself. The springs and running brooks emptied into great rivers, the mainstreams of spiritual guidance. From thence the rivers emptied into the seas of the spirit. Men, like fish, inhabited the seas, and their numbers were as the sands. The sea of the spirit was sometimes a turbulent place, and men had to find refuge on island-churches or by riding ships upon the waves. If that failed, the seas might turn into death-blood and no escape was found. The world built by man had its significance too. There were holy cities, like Jerusalem, where the Law of God prevailed in pristine purity. Then there was Babylon, morally corrupt, materialistic, like the Law of God corrupted by a selfish and egotistical priesthood. Babylon was populated by whores, evil purveyors of false doctrine—prostitution of the Word. But Jerusalem had streets of golden virtues, and had gates that could be entered only by those with the innocence of pearls. The garments worn by the inhabitants of the cities reflected their white-purity or their opulent-corruption. And like a holy temple, the very dimensions of the Holy City symbolized its sacred meaning. * As if "chiselled in stone!" 11 Introduction Besides these sources of symbol, the prophet could draw on other devices to test the reader's spiritual acuity. A word that seemed to have a familiar meaning might have a deeper meaning when its roots were investigated. Diabolos (Devil) became the "Deceiver". Apollyon became the "Destroyer". This literary device is familiar enough to modern readers, but another used by the prophet is almost totally unfamiliar. That device is called the gematria,6 and its importance to understanding the Apocalypse cannot be overstated. Gematria Consider the possibility of using the ordinary letters of the English alphabet to denote numbers. This possibility would not be too remote if the Arabic system of numerals (Q, U, Z, c, W, Y, X, S, R, V) had not been invented. Assuming that we did so, we might assign the value Q to the letter A, the value U to the letter B, and so on. Then a curious thing would result—all words would also have numerical values and some numbers would spell words. The possibility of giving a second meaning to a word or to a number would be rather obvious. This is precisely the origin of gematria. Since the Greeks did not have separate number symbols, they resorted to the use of their alphabet for that purpose. By the first century CE, the numerical equivalence of the Greek alphabet had evolved into the following: Table ; The Greek Gematria Q U Z c W Y X S R Αα Ββ Γγ Δδ Εε Ϛϛ Ζζ Ηη Θθ 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Ιι Κκ Λλ Μμ Νν Ξξ Οο Ππ Ϙϙ 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Ρρ Σ σ/ς Ττ Υυ Φφ Χχ Ψψ Ωω Ϡϡ The Apocalypse Unsealed 12 Certain symbols* for Y, 90 and 900, though still used in numerical work, had fallen into literary disuse, and their values were formed through a combination or modification of other symbols. Other ancient peoples employed equivalent systems. In Arabic, it was known as the abjad. The value of a word or a combination of words was equal to the sum of its elements. Thus either αω or ωα had the value 801. The letter-numbers Q (α) through R (θ) of the upper row of Table Q were considered as archetypes, while their decadal successors in the columns below were considered as representing those same archetypes raised to higher degrees. Thus the archetype of 800 (ω) was S (η). The archetype of a large number was obtained by successive addition of its elements until the archetype was discovered. To discover the archetype of 832 (ωλβ) for example, we first add the archetypal values of its elements S+Z+U to obtain 13. Next, we add the resulting elements, Q+Z to obtain c. Hence the archetype of 832 is c (δ). The process of obtaining the archetype of a letter-number is sometimes called cabalistic contraction or reduction.† In this book the archetype of a letter-number will be called its archetypal value in contrast to its literal value. For example, the literal value of Ιησουº ς Jesus is 888. The archetypal value is six.7 Returning to the main course of the argument, the prophet was able to enlarge the meaning of a word or a phrase by giving it a value by gematria equal to another word or phrase. This second word or phrase might have a meaning that would give a profound implication to the first. The power of this literary device will become apparent as the reader enters the Apocalypse.8 * Usually called stigma, goppa, and sampi respectively. Ref. 61, pp. .., 3Y. † The archetype of a number is called the digital root in the parlance of modern mathematics. 13 Introduction In a similar way, the literal value of a word or number can be given a further profound meaning with its archetypal value is investigated. To understand the import of the archetypal value, one must be familiar with some of the rudiments of ancient number symbolism. Number symbolism There is no doubt, certain numbers such as π (Z.QcQWRUYWZW …)* and e (U.71828 …) are important building blocks of pure mathematics. In the realm of physics, man may have discovered many important fundamental constants. One of these is the ratio of subatomic particle action to radiation action. The ratio has the value 137. Then there are the so-called "magic numbers" (U, S, 20, 50, 82, 126) of nuclear physics that define the number of neutrons in the closed shells of stable atomic nuclei. The imagination is excited by the meanings that might lie hidden in these discoveries. The ancient natural philosophers, whose scientific resources were probably less developed than our own, found similar excitement in the possible meanings that lay hidden behind special numbers.9 Certain of these numbers, such as π (Z.114159 …) and the Golden Number Φ (Q.61803 …) are still considered important to an understanding of the universe.10 Other numerological speculations of the ancient philosophers are out of vogue, at least for the present, but we must investigate some of the meanings that the first century philosophers may have ascribed to the special numbers of the Apocalypse to obtain a fuller understanding of the author's intent. The literature of ancient numerology is extensive, and the concepts underlying the subject have been confused by centuries of speculation, especially during the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, it is possible to reconstruct the probable meanings originally intended by ancient philosophers and theologians as understood in the first century.11 * not to be confused with π = M4 of the gematria. The Apocalypse Unsealed 14 The numbers that have the greatest significance in the Apocalypse are: U, Z, c, X, R and 12. The significance of other numbers will be explained in the main text. To the list above we might include 22, the number of chapters in the Apocalypse. This is also the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and the 22 chapters means that the book is complete and finished. The significance of the remaining numbers is arrived at in the following way: The concept of God as being One leads to His symbol the Monad Q. In this form God may also be represented by a Pillar12 or Sacred Pole. But in this form He is alone and without His creation. Consequently, He formed the Dyad U, the principle of opposition or duality./0 At this stage one can think of the equivalent Chinese concept of Yang and Yin (Figure Q), the dualistic principle of male and female, positive and negative, the container and the contained, thesis and antithesis, life and death, etc. It was through the principle of duality that matter was created.13 The next phase is the reconciliation of duality to form the Triad Z, containing an ordering or uniting principle connecting the two opposites. At this level God is conceptualized as abstract Divinity, the Creator. In the words of Plato,14 "First, out of the Indivisible (the Same) and the Divisible (the Other), God made Essence. He then took the three elements of the Same, the Other and the Essence, and mingled them into one form, compressing by force the reluctant and unsociable nature of the Same and of the Other. When He had mingled them with the Essence and out of the three made one, He again divided this whole into as many portions as was fitting, each portion being a compound of the Same, the Other, and the Essence." The geometric symbol for the Triad is the triangle since it is formed from three points. The ancient triangular Hindu symbol for the all-seeing Eye of Brahma (Figure Q) persists on the Great Seal of the United States and is printed on the reverse side of the one dollar bill. The Star of David is composed of two triangles; the Bahá 'ı́ Star [actually, the unity star. Ed] is composed of three. 15 Introduction Figure ;a The T'ai-Chi, or Yang-Yin symbol of China Figure ;b The all-seeing eye of Brahma The Apocalypse Unsealed 16 Some examples of the use of the Triad Z among the ancients to symbolize abstract divinity are: Memphian Ptah, Sekhet, Nefer-Tem Theban Amon-Ra, Maut, Khonsu Abdyan Osiris, Isis, Horus Sumerian Enki, Emlil, An Orphic Phanes, Uranus, Chronos Zoroastric Ormand, Mithras, Ahriman Hindu Brahma, Vishnu, Siva Taoist T'ien-pao, Ling-pao, Shen-pao Cabric Axercos, Axiokersa, Axiokersos Phoenician Ashtraroth, Milcom, Chemosh Tyrian Belus, Venus, Thammuz Grecian Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter Roman Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto Eleusinian Iacchus, Persephone, Demeter Platonic Tagathon, Nous, Psyche Celtic Hu, Ceridwen, Creirwy Teutonic Fenris, Midgard, Hela Gothic Woden, Friga, Thor Scandinavian Odin, Vile, Ve Mexican Vitzliputzle, Kaloc, Tescalipuca Gilbert and Ellice Islands Nareau, Nikikitea, Nareau Te Rabakau Buddhist Personality, Church, Law Judaean He Who was, Who is, Who always will be; Three Heads of the Holy Ancient Christian15 Father, Son, Holy Ghost Gnostic Divine triads (various) Muslim Essence, Creator, Creatures 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains the correct meaning of the Trinity in Some Answered Questions (pp. 127–R) as the One God, His Holy Spirit, and His Manifestation. 17 Introduction The next development is the Tetrad c. It is the "crossing" or product U×U and represents the formation of the world of man from combinations of the Dyad.16 One geometric symbol of the Tetrad is the square since it is formed by c points. Another symbol of the Tetrad is the cross. c also symbolizes solidity or volume, since c points are the minimum number required to define a volume, that is, a tetrahedron or triangular-based pyramid. Bahá 'u'llá h employed the Tetrad in His Tablet, The Four Valleys, in which He describes the c types of mystical wayfarers. The numbers Q, U, Z, c were combined in the Tetraktys of Pythagoras, a sacred symbol of certain ancient mystery cults (Figure U). Figure D The sacred tetraktys of Pythagoras This symbol was treated as the key to understanding the whole of life. Theou of Smyrna (first century CE) enumerated ten sets of four things that the Tetraktys was held to symbolize.17 Numbers: Q, U, Z, c Magnitudes: point, line, surface, solid Elements: fire, air, earth, water The Apocalypse Unsealed 18 Simple bodies: pyramid, cube, octahedron, icosahedron Living things: seed, growth in length, growth in breadth, growth in thickness Societies: man, village, city, nation Faculties: sensation, opinion, knowledge, reason Seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter Ages: infancy, youth, manhood, old age Human being: body, mind, soul, spirit The next development is the X. Being the sum of Z and c, it can represent the union of heaven and earth. X was the number of the known planets. Among the ancients, X was also the number of opportunity, "because in nature the times of fulfilment with respect to birth and maturity go in sevens. Take man, for example. He can be born in X months, cuts his teeth after another X, reaches puberty about the end of his second period of X years, and grows a beard at the third.—Aristotle18 On the other hand, X was the symbol of expansion and sacrifice among the Babylonians and ancient Hebrews. For example, animals entered Noah's ark by sevens (Genesis X:U–Z); Jacob spent X years in servitude for Leah and X years more for Rachel (Genesis 29); X years was the legal limit of slavery under Mosaic law. X was also the number of trial and punishment. The Ark of the Covenant was in the land of the Philistines for X months (I Samuel Y:Q), and the Israelites were in bondage for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11, 29:10). The repeated use of X in the Apocalypse can mean all of these things. The book represents a prophecy of X progressive Revelations (training) and X punishments of mankind through various tests and plagues. But man is also given the opportunity (X) to recognize the Christ Returned, Bahá 'u'llá h, symbolized by R, through Whom heaven and earth will be united (X). Other examples of the use of the X symbol among the ancients are:19 19 Introduction Chinese: H days of creation Persian: H steps of progress toward heaven Hindu: H mansions, abodes of created spirits Judean: H days of fasting, sacrifice, and prayer Roman: H planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus) Gnostic: H Greek vowels arranged in cabalistic manner to signify the Creator Japanese H household gods Bahá 'u'llá h used the X in His Tablet, The Seven Valleys, describing X stages of spiritual development. The use of the R in the Apocalypse is indirect and hidden, which may be considered remarkable in itself, since R was considered supremely sacred, being the Perfected Triad or the Trinity of Trinities, that is, Z×Z. Its complete absence as a literal number in the Apocalypse is another clue to the seeker as to its importance. However, R appears with high frequency in the archetypal values of various numbers and phrases as will become clear in the text. The significance of R is that it is the number of Bahá ,20 the Greatest Name of God, and was used as a seal by Bahá 'u'llá h, His Manifestation. The numerical value of Bahá is derived from the Arabic equivalent of the gematria, the abjad. Since R equals Z×Z, it also symbolizes the union and reconciliation of all mankind's concepts of God.21 Being the largest number less than the decad, R also represents the highest unity.22 A second way of combining Z and c is by taking their product 12. Thus 12 is another symbol of the union of heaven and earth on a still higher order than X. The number 12 became a symbol for the universe, containing both matter and spirit. As the 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 represents the precession of epochs.23 It was the perfect measure since it is divisible by U, Z, c and Y, and has been handed down to us as the dozen, the 12 months of the The Apocalypse Unsealed 20 year, the 12 hours between sunrise and sunset, and, of course, the 12 signs of the zodiac. By cabalistic contraction, 12 becomes Z and is, therefore, a holy number. 12 was also the original number of significance and completion. Astrological symbolism In Hamlet's Mill,* Professors de Santillana and von Dechend present an impressive body of evidence that the ancients were not only very familiar with the dawning places of the sun at different seasons of the year, but, more significantly, were well aware of the phenomenon now called the Precession of the Equinoxes. In order to appreciate the awesome effect the knowledge of this phenomenon must have had in antiquity, we must review the model of the cosmos as conceived by the ancient cosmologists and astrologers. According to Professor de Santillana, the model of the cosmos resembled the system shown in Figure Z. The extremity of the cosmos was regarded as a great crystalline sphere, that is, the firmament, on which were placed the milky way and the constellations of fixed stars. A band of stars, called the zodiac or "circle of beasts", delimited the paths of the sun and the other moving heavenly bodies, that is, the planets or "wanderers". The earth was placed at the centre of this sphere, its axis inclined 23½ degrees with respect to the axis of the celestial sphere. The spinning of the celestial sphere or the earth on its own axis might account for the days and nights. The tilt of the earth's axis with respect to the sun's journey of 365 days through the "houses" of the zodiac accounted for the seasons.24 Various models were proposed to account for the brilliance and motions of the stars and planets. One model was that of Ptolemy, providing seven concentric crystalline "heavens"† for the seven planets. In popular myth, the planets were considered * Reference YM. † II Corinthians .3:3 21 Introduction Figure F The ancient cosmos The oval zodiacal ring is the earth's equatorial plane. The Apocalypse Unsealed 22 to be shining gods, or perhaps lamps carried across the firmament by gods or angels. Regardless of the model, the regularity of planetary movements and the spectacular panorama of the skies led men to consider the hand of the zodial to be the "true earth". The stars and planets, the inhabitants of the true earth, became the true lords of time and the originators of history, with man at the heavy earthbound centre of the system taking on the role of mere spectator to "earthshaking" cosmic events over which he had little or no control. Thus was born the royal science, astrology, and it became a matter of great importance for men to know when the stars showed good or bad aspects. The band of the zodiac was divided into twelve principal constellations, and various names and attributes were assigned to them for the purposes of divination. Because the stellar constellations occupied unequal spaces along the celestial sphere, astrologers eventually found it convenient to separate the zodiacal band into twelve "signs" of equal length as an aid to astrological computations. The signs and constellations of the zodiac within recent millennia have been called by the following names: Zodiacal Precession Sign or English order order constellation name Q Q Aries Ram U 12 Taurus Bull Z 11 Gemini Twins c 10 Cancer Crab W R Leo Lion Y S Virgo Virgin X X Libra Scales S Y Scorpio Scorpion R W Sagittarius Archer 10 c Capricornus Goat 11 Z Aquarius Water Bearer 12 U Pisces Fishes 23 Introduction The zodiacal order corresponds to the dawning time of the sign during the solar year commencing with the Vernal equinox. The Precession order is reversed from the zodiacal order since the sun appears to slowly retrogress through the zodiacal houses. There is a considerable disagreement among modern astrologers concerning the starting point of the age of Aquarius and, indeed, of any of the zodiacal ages. The disagreements stem from such questions as the historical origin of the zodiac, whether certain specific stars, the sign or the constellation is to be used as a reference, and when the signs were exactly aligned with the constellations. The least trenchant view is that there are no clear starting points, and the ages, like the earthly seasons, are gradually transformed into one another. Returning to the celestial sphere of Figure Z, it was recognized that the earth's axis, being tilted with respect to the celestial system, was directed at a northern point that was not coincident with the true axis of the celestial sphere. It was common to consider the celestial sphere as having an open hole or "door" at the northern end of the celestial axis, while the star Canopus marked the terminus of the southern axis. The great circle (not shown in Figure Z) tracing the centre of the zodiacal band is called the celestial equator. The "dry earth" was the ideal plane passing through the celestial equator. The plane of the earth's equator extended to the celestial sphere also had significance. The earth's equatorial plane divided the zodiac into "dry land" and the "waters below". "Fire" (not shown in Figure Z) was the name of a great circle passing through the north and south poles of the celestial sphere. We are now in a position to understand the "square earth" and the Precession of the Equinoxes. The equinoxes are the two days during the calendar year when the days and nights are of equal twelve hour duration. The solstices, also important to astrological symbolism, are the two days of the year corresponding to the longest and shortest days. The approximate dates of these four events are The Apocalypse Unsealed 24 ol March Spring or Vernal equinox, equal day and night. ol June Summer solstice, longest day [southern hemisphere winter]. ol September Autumnal or Fall equinox, equal day and night. ol December Winter solstice, shortest day [southern hemisphere summer]. Originally among the pastoral peoples of the Middle East, the sun rising in the triangular-shaped constellation of Aries the Ram marked the Spring equinox. That is why, to this day, it is said that the Spring season always appears under the sign of Aries. But it was discovered over a long period of observation that the constellation of Aries gradually began to lag behind the true beginning of the Spring season. Thus the Spring season is usually ushered in by a constellation other than Aries. Indeed, the constellation that ushers in the Spring will be different from "age to age", and it is customary to name the "age" of historical man to agree with the zodiacal constellation at the Spring equinox. The gradual shifting of the constellations, which we now know is caused by a gyroscopic precession of the earth's axis, is called the Precession of the Equinoxes. The Precession of the Equinoxes is extremely slow, requiring 72 years to precess only one degree along the celestial sphere, requiring 25,920 years to complete a full cycle in which the sun returns to its original "house" in Aries at springtime. The 25,920 year cycle is called a "Great year" or a "Platonic year". One twelfth of the Platonic year, a period of 2160 years, is called a "Platonic month". Some idea of the slowness and the majesty of this phenomenon can be understood by referring to Figure c. The figure shows the appearance of the zodiac as it is seen today and as it appeared c,500 years ago. During all those millennia, the zodiac has shifted a mere 60 degrees! The Precession of the Equinoxes is accompanied by another phenomenon, the dislocation of the north pole or Precession of the Poles. The north celestial pole, located near the star beta Ursae Minoris at the beginning of the Christian Era, now lies near alpha Ursae Minoris. In another twelve thousand years the north polar star will be Vega. 25 Introduction Figure M The precession of the equinoxes The Apocalypse Unsealed 26 In ancient times, the constellations in which the sun rises at the equinoxes and solstices were conceived of as four "pillars" or "corners" of the "true earth". Connecting the four "corners" with straight lines generates the "rectangular" or "square earth". In Figure Z are shown the four corners corresponding to the age of Aquarius, the zodiacal age into which we are now entering. These four corners were Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo and Gemini. Thus we see that the Precession causes a major reorientation of the ancient cosmic system on an average of once every U,160 years; the shifting of the rising points of the sun in the houses of the zodiac, the dislocation of the north polar star, the "shaking of the corners of the earth", a "twilight of the gods". Since the astrological theories of antiquity correlated stellar phenomena "above" with worldly historical events "below", the Precession took on a profound significance. The appearance of a new constellation at the Spring equinox portended a "new heaven and a new earth", a new Message from God, and world-wide cataclysmic physical and historical events. Old religions and governments could be expected to topple, flood and fire (symbolically) might be counted on to destroy the gods and records of the dying civilization. But God "shall live as long as the sun endures, long as the moon, age after age."—Psalms 72:W. It is clear from a careful reading of the Holy Books that astrological symbolism was a common literary device in antiquity. For example, consider the correlation of the twelve sons of Jacob with the signs of the zodiac. A hint that the twelve sons might be correlated with astrological influences is given in Genesis 37:R where Joseph has a dream of "the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him". The dream turns out to be a prophecy that Joseph's family, including his eleven brothers, will later bow down to him in Egypt (42:S). The correlation becomes even more interesting when it is discovered that it is possible to correlate all thirteen children of Jacob, including his daughter Dinah, with the astrological signs. For later, in Genesis 49, we 27 Introduction find the famous blessings of Jacob on his sons that are highly suggestive of the signs of the zodiac. Reuben "boiling over with water", is Aquarius the Water Bearer. Simeon & Levi "the brethren", are Gemini the Twins. Judah "the Lion's whelp", is Leo the Lion. Zebulon who "shall dwell at the breach of the sea", is Pisces the Fishes. Issachar "a strong ass crouching down between the sheep folds", is Taurus the Bull. Dan "a serpent in the way", is Scorpio the Scorpion. Gad "a troop shall press upon him, but he shall press upon their heel", is Aries the Ram, leader of the flock. (Aries, being the first sign of the zodiac, "presses on their heel", in the circular zodiac.) Asher the weigher of bread, is Libra the Scales. Nephtali "a hind let loose" is Capricornus the Goat. Joseph whose "bow abides in strength", is Sagittarius the Archer. The remaining signs of the zodiac are not so readily identified. One argument goes that Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, corresponds to Cancer the Crab, since it is a "young" constellation formed many years after the other eleven. Presumably the Crab is as "ravening as a wolf, devouring his prey by morning, dividing the spoil at night." Dinah, the only daughter, is assigned to Virgo. Be that as it may, the Twelve Tribes were required to carry standards or family signs (Numbers U). The four chief tribes and their zodiacal signs were: Judah—a lion, Reuben—a man (Aquarius), Ephriam—a bull, and Dan—a scorpion, the sign formerly called the Eagle in very ancient times. These particular four signs will prove to be very interesting in the fourth and fifth chapters of the Apocalypse and are also found in Ezekiel. In Ezekiel's vision, Chapters one and ten, we find a remarkable description of the cosmic mechanism* resembling the * These verses are often quoted by UFO buffs as evidence of flying saucer sightings in ancient times. The Apocalypse Unsealed 28 mechanical models proposed by the ancient Greek Ionian and Milesian philosophers such as Anaximander. Ezekiel's zodiac (Q:10–19) emphasizes the same four zodiacal signs corresponding to the four chief tribes—man, lion, ox, and eagle. The zodiac has "rims high and dreadful" and the four chief signs have "their rims full of eyes (start) round about. And when the living creatures (zodiacal beasts) went, the wheels went beside them, and when the living creatures were lifted up (dawned) from the earth, the wheels were lifted up." It will become obvious in Revelations c and W that Ezekiel's vision parallels that of John, and that the "glory of the Lord" sitting on the throne in Ezekiel Q:24–28 is Bahá 'u'llá h. Geometric symbolism Certain geometric symbols or mandalas must be explained before we enter the Apocalypse. We have already noted that the Tetrad c symbolizing the world of man can be represented by a square or cross. Extending the square into a volume results in a cube, another symbol for the world of man. One symbol for heaven, the realm of the spirit (and hence heavenly virtues) is the circle. The circle is the perfect figure, having neither beginning nor end; thus it can represent eternity and infinity. A source of ambiguity enters here. Since the perimeter of a circle is roughly Z times its diameter, Z can sometimes represent the realm of heaven, heavenly virtues, and so on, in addition to representing the Holy Triad. Spinning the circle about its diameter generates the sphere, another symbol for heaven. In analogy to the addition of Z and c to obtain X, circles, crosses, spheres and cubes can be combined in various ways to symbolize the union of heaven and earth. The squared circle mandala is called the quadratura circuli, examples of which are shown in Figure W. The quadratura circuli has appeared in many forms such as oriental mandalas, the swastika, and the Latin cross with the circle of eternity. It is still a powerful determinant in our unconscious life. By comparing Figures Z and W, it can be seen that the quadratura circuli is latent in the ancient cosmological model.25 29 Introduction Figure U Examples of the quadratura circuli The Apocalypse Unsealed 30 The best known of all geometric symbols is the Great Pyramid of Giza. It apparently represents a squared circle since the perimeter of its square base equals the altitude of the pyramid multiplied by U-times the circular π. The sum of the diagonals of the base of the Great Pyramid is 25,827 pyramid inches, a very close approximation to the number of years in the Great year of the Precession. By inference, the Great Pyramid can be considered as another model of the cosmos and a symbol of the union of heaven and earth. However, there is a considerable controversy concerning the purpose of the pyramids.26 Further literary devices Another literary device used by the prophet that must be understood is the reiterated prophecy. It is a further method of disguising the prophecy and testing the seeker's spiritual acuity. In this style, the same prophecy is repeated two or more times using different allegorical or literal expressions to amplify its meaning in different ways. To the reader who assumes that the account must follow a lineal sequence of events, the account will be confusing and impossible to reconcile. A related technique is to tax the reader's memory by scattering crucial but related bits of information throughout the prophecy. Nor is every event in the Apocalypse to be taken allegorically. The test of acuity goes both ways. The events are occasionally accurate in a literal sense and act as guideposts to the seeker to assure him that he is on the right path. A general rule to follow is first to decide whether the passage is reasonable when taken literally. If not, look for an allegorical meaning that is in accord with reason and common sense. That failing, the passage may be assumed to have a transcendental meaning. The time and space of the Apocalypse From the outset the Apocalypse has staggering dimensions. The Revelators and peoples of seven Faiths are specifically addressed, and these are the Divinely revealed Faiths of the 31 Introduction region called Asia* as understood by the first century reader. But the major portions of the Apocalypse are more limited, being primarily directed to the early Christians and to the peoples of the future Faith of Islá m. In the closing chapters the prophecy describes world-wide events and a message is given to the whole of mankind warning of the Advent of the Return of Christ, Bahá 'u'llá h. Who will come to reap the harvest of mankind at the end of the Age of Prophecy. The time span covered by the prophecy is also impressive, covering the period from about CE 100 until the present time and at least a thousand years into the future. Here, however, the major portions of the prophecy end with the events that are happening in our own century. It is important to understand the shifting emphasis that occurs throughout the Apocalypse. For instance, the "whole world" may mean the Middle East at one time but may mean the twentieth century world at another. The changes in the dimensions of the prophecy roughly correspond to the level of the intended reader's awareness of a humanly populated world, that is, an oikumene, as the Greeks called it. Future scholarship Some promising fields for future research appear to be in the realms of music and psychology. Professor McClain's recent book The Myth of Invariance (Reference 56) develops the close relationship between ancient musical scales, cosmology and numerology, with prime emphasis on the Rig Veda. Since much of the ancient number symbolism was common to the whole Eurasian continent, Egypt, and possibly Middle America, it is * The region of Asia extended from the Hellespont to Africa in the south and the Bay of Bengal in the east. It included India but did not include modern Asiatic Russia and the Far East. (See frontspiece.) The Roman Province of Asia (.3G BCE) as distinguished from the region of Asia, corresponded roughly to modern Turkey or Asia Minor. The name of the Province of Asia became "Asia" in much the same way that the United States of America has become "America". The Apocalypse Unsealed 32 obvious that the Apocalypse is a fertile field to explore for further correlations. In Chapter 15, Note R, will be found a reference to ancient musical scales that tie in with certain "tones" of the "new song" of the Apocalypse. One wonders whether the remaining tones of the scales have meaningful correlates hidden by gematria. The student of psychology will be struck by the many archetypal symbols of Jungian psychology that are found throughout the Apocalypse. Examples of these symbols and some of their psychological interpretations are listed below: Rock (Stone) the life force, completion, invariance, the Eternal, God. Precious gems the union of opposites, the fusion of matter and spirit, the ordering principle. The Philosopher's Stone, the Pearl God in matter, the Eternal. of Great Price (the White Stone) The helpful animal (good beast) the instinctual basis for the Self. Quadrangular mandala conscious realization of inner wholeness. Circular mandala the inner wholeness itself. Temple logic, reason. Miraculous child the Redeemer. Priestess (Bride) the anima, the female element in the male psyche. Harlot the negative anima. Gate hope. Shepherd's hook authority. Horse uncontrollable instinctive drive erupting from the unconscious. Sea the unconscious. Cloak, robe outer mask or persona. City completion of the Self. Bird transcendence, intuition. The perennial appeal of the Apocalypse can, no 33 Introduction doubt, be ascribed to the use of such archetypal symbols. One might wonder whether the archetypes of the collective unconscious may not, in turn, have been formulated to some extent by the Apocalypse itself. The investigation of these and related questions is beyond the scope of this book. The work of presenting a detailed and thoroughly satisfactory explanation of the Apocalypse has only begun. The achievements contained herein are feeble compared to that which remains to be done. We must remember that the source of this revelation is Jesus Christ Himself, and the subtleties and levels of meaning that are contained in the book permit man to have but a hint of the power and sovereignty of God's Manifestation. Without the corporal assistance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá , the work will be slow and prone to error. It is for that reason that the writer has chosen to include in the same volume the unmodified King James Version (KJV) of Revelations for direct comparison with the interpretation. Since it is an interpretation, it is not a substitute, and it would be sacrilege to present the interpretation without giving the reader the opportunity to challenge and to disagree. In this way the writer hopes to avoid the accusation that he has, himself, become guilty of the very thing the Apocalypse condemns, that is, of corrupting the Word of God. (See Chapter 22, verses 18, 19.) The use of the King James Version as the baseline was based upon the following considerations: It is by far the most familiar version in the English speaking world and at the same time is considered to be one of the most accurate translations. However, the Revised Standard Version (980) was used to resolve obscurities in the text of the King James Version. The careful reader will find it instructive to compare several translations of the Sacred Texts. Sometimes differences will arise from nuances of the individual translators; at other times from variations in the original sources. The Apocalypse Unsealed 34 Notes After thousands of years of neglect and purposeful suppression, we can only discern a small portion of the elaborate letter-number symbolism that pervaded the ancient mystical texts. Letter-number symbolism lends itself to endless speculation, and it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to deduce all of the correctly intended meanings that may lie hidden in a number or a phrase. The writer has avoided the temptation to introduce improbable speculations, no matter how attractive, unless these speculations open up possibilities for research by future scholars. It is in this spirit that many of the conjectures in the Notes have been proffered, and it is hoped that their improbable nature will not prejudice the reader against the more certain inferences in the main text. 1 See References Q, U, and 64. 2 The allegorical method was used by the Greek philosophers, especially the stoics, to reconcile the ancient pagan religious beliefs with enlightened philosophy. The method was also used by Jewish, Gnostic and Christian writers and was very popular during the first century. See Ref. Z, p. 91. Also see, e.g., I Corinthians U:13–14, c:20, 10:Q–c, 14:15–20; Galatians c:21–26; Mark c:10–12, 34; II Corinthians c:18; Matthew 13:10–23, 36–43, 15:S–20, 16:11–12, 17:11–13, 22:29–32, 26:26–28. Jewish mystics used four methods of interpreting Scripture: literally (Peshat), allusively (Remez), allegorically (Derush), and mystically (Sod). See Reference c, pp. 49–50. 3 See The Hidden Words, p. iv. 4 The importance of the Twin symbol in the history of civilization is explained by Otto Rank in Reference X. 5 Solar worship originating in Syria had become almost a state religion under the Roman Caesars. The cult was characterized by a hierarchy of the sun, moon, and stars in descending order if eminence. See Reference Z, p. 255. 6 Gematria, once widely used, was one of several kinds of letter-mysticism practised by ancient mystical writers. Two others less frequently used were notarikon and temurah. In notarikon, new words were made up of the first and last letters of other words. In temurah, a new word was created by transposing the letters of the original word. See Reference c, p. 49. 35 Introduction 7 Cabalistic contraction is still practised by serious cabalists and by modern numerologists in "fortune telling". In the view of ancient mysticism, the letter-numbers Q to R were considered as archetypes of abstract principles. Their higher decadal successors, e.g. :Q:10:100 or U:20:200, etc., represented those archetypes raised to higher spheres of emanation, roughly equivalent to the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees of comparison in the English language. The number symbolism described herein was largely Hellenistic. A mystical Jewish interpretation can be found in Reference S. Cabalistic contraction can be a useful tool in simple arithmetic problems. Consider a problem in addition: Nos Archetypal values 3.Q 5 /3H / 5.G H .,3YG .H = M A quick check will show that the archetypal value of Q,259 is also S, since Q+U+W+R = 17, and Q+X = S. Analogous procedures can be used to verify the results of problems in subtraction, multiplication and division. This procedure is sometimes called "casting out of nines" because the same answer will be obtained if the nines are excluded from the calculation. 8 Entertaining and provocative discussions of gematria can be found in References R and 46. A scholarly treatment can be found in Reference c that also contains a good bibliography. See also Reference 47, 48, 49 and 50. 9 The ancients believed that the numbers had formative powers. See Reference c, p. 47. Pythagoras is reputed to have declared "Number rules the universe." Plato said, "God ever geometrizes." The modern mathematician Jacoi expressed his own belief with "God ever arithmetizes." See Reference 10, pp. xix, xxi. 10 See References Y, 44, 61. 11 The concepts elucidated here are based principally upon Plato's Timaeus and upon those of Nichomachus of Gerasa (c. CE 100) as reported by Martianus Capella (fl. CE 410–429) in his book De Naptius. The reader is also referred to References 11 and 12. 12 God as the Monad may be the subject of Genesis 28:18. The pillars of cloud and fire representing the Lord in Exodus 13:21–22 may symbolize God as the Dyad. The Apocalypse Unsealed 36 13 Indeed, modern physicists have discovered that the principle of duality is a fundamental property of matter, e.g., electron-positron, neutrinoantineutrino, etc. Duality is also inherent in biological heredity, i.e., dominant-recessive characteristics. Yin historical activity appears to be related to the left cerebral hemisphere while Yang is related to the right. See Reference 13, p. Sff. Capra gives an intriguing treatment of yang-yin in the Tao of Physics, Ref. 54. Arguelles in The Transformative Vision, Ref. 13, appears to have adopted a special definition of yang-yin in order to give Western culture an "evil" aspect. 14 Plato, Timaeus, Ref. 29. Three-ism was intimately connected with Greek and Roman theology. For examples, there was a triple succession of supreme deities—Uranus, Chronos and Zeus; there were three Hecatoncheries—Cottus, Gyges and Briareus; there were three points on the divine Trident, the hound Cerberus had three heads, etc. 15 The theory of the Sacred Triad was probably based upon ancient numerological speculation. The Trinitarian doctrine, appropriately modified, appears to have been introduced into Christian theology by Tertullian of Carthage. (c. CE 155–222; Ref. 14, p. 78.) This same Tertullian, who later became a leader of the heretical Montanist sect (c. CE 220), possibly based his ideas upon the theory of the Sacred Triad that was current in Gnostic creeds. It was a practice of later Christian cabalists and missionary writers to refer to the fundamentally different "Trinity" of the Hebrew Zohar (Father-Creator, Upper-Lower Mother, Creation) in support of their own doctrine. (Ref. c, p. 118, n. 28 and ch. IX) The doctrine was hotly disputed by the leaders of the early Church and is still a matter of contention among Christian theologians. An infamous episode in the history of the Church was the Theodosian Code of CE 438 that inflicted the death penalty on those who denied the Trinity. (Ref. 14, p. 103; Ref. 11, p. 37. Compare KJV and 980 versions of I John W:X–S. Also see Chapter U, Note 16.) The Hebrew mystical concept of God as "He Who was, Who is, Who always will be" may rest upon concept of the Three as the first "complete" number, having a beginning (Q, was), a middle (U, is), and an end (Z, will be). The phrase signifies the timelessness of God. 16 In the ancient Hebrew Sanctuary of the Wilderness, the c fabrics of the sacred tent and the priestly garment may have symbolized the c elements of fire, air, earth and water. (Ref. c, p. 14) An important concept of modern physics is the c-dimensional Einsteinian 37 Introduction space comprised of length, breadth, height and time. Some modern physicists believe that matter can be constructed of four basic particles— the u and d quarks, the electron, and the electron-neutrino. (Scientific American, October 75) There are four known forces in physical nature: the weak nuclear force, the strong nuclear force, the gravitational force and the electromagnetic force. There are four fundamental physical units of measure: length, mass, time, and charge. DNA nucleotide groups (see Note 22 below) are constructed from four chemical radicals. There are four basic operations in mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Four colours are necessary and sufficient to colour a map. 17 The Tetraktys is an example of another type of number-mysticism that will be called the "triangular expansion" of a number. The triangular value of a number is the sum of its components. Thus the triangular value of c is Q+U+Z+c or 10. In general, the triangular value of a number N is given by (N+Q) × N/U. The number W, the literal value of the Bá b, has a triangular value of 15. The number R, the value of Bahá , has a triangular value of 45. Both 15 and 45 were sacred numbers to the ancients, 15 being the literal value of "Eve" (Ḥva) and 45 being the literal value of "Adam" (AÅ dm) in many oriental languages. (See Reference 15 and Appendix D.) Five, the number of the Bá b, is also the number of Man, i.e., the four elements plus ether. See Ecclesiastes 17:W. The geometric symbol for Five is a pentacle (W-pointed star), a symbol sometimes used by the Bá b in His Tablets. 18 Reference 16. It is believed by many modern biologists that the human body replaces its cells once every X years. 19 Reference 17. Essene writings were especially emphatic of the X, e.g., the X angels of Mother Earth, the X angels of the Heavenly Father, etc. 20 The spelling of Bahá ' (Glory) and Bahá 'u'llá h (Glory of God) in Arabic and the abjad equivalent is as follows: Bahá ' Bahá 'u'llá h Letter Value Letter Value Beh 3 Beh 3 há ' Y há ' Y alif . alif . ḥ amza* . ḥ amza . Alif† . lá m Q4 lá m Q4 The Apocalypse Unsealed 38 há ' Y Total G HY Mystical references to "Bahá '" can be found in Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim writings. e.g., see References 15 and 18; Isaiah 60:Q–U, Hebrews U:14. [*] The ḥ amza is a glottal stop. [†] In phonetic usage, the second alif disappears and the spelling becomes Bhá 'llh as in chapter Q below. 21 Among the ancients R was also the number of finality, judgement, and the fulfilment of prophecy. (Reference R, p. 34) 22 The question arises as to whether or not the decad is simply an arbitrary radix (base for counting) of the numbering system. An argument that it may have fundamental significance to all life as we know it is that the DNA molecule, the primary code-carrying unit of the genetic heritage, requires 10 nucleotide groups (building blocks to form one complete turn of its double helix. See Reference 19. 23 Twelve was also the number of Olympian deities, the Titans, etc. Belief in astrology was typical during the early Christian centuries. Among the Greek philosophers the order of the cosmos was reflected in the world of man, and the concept of stellar influences on historical events was considered awesome and inspirational. Among the Gnostics, on the other hand, such influences were antipathetic to man's quest for freedom. The Gnostics claimed to offer salvation from the X (order of the planets) and the 12 (cycle of epochs or "generations"). See Reference Z, pp. 66, UWcff. That the Christians also claimed to free man from cosmic imprisonment is evidenced by Colossians U:S (980) and Galatians c:Zff. The Son of God is sent to free man from the "elements" (physical order) and bondage to the "law", the religious result of mechanistic cosmic influences. See Reference 20, p. 190 and commentary on "sin", Rev. Q:Y. 24 See Ref. 53, Appendix I. It is remarkable that many modern cosmologists again hold the view that the universe is round, except that it is now considered to be a hypersphere with four dimensions. The ancient cosmologists know that the earth is spherical, and at least one, Eratosthenes, had made some reasonably accurate estimates of its circumference (Ref. Y). Plato in his Timaeus ascribed a cubical shape to the "element earth". The medieval notion that the earth is flat and rectangular can be traced to early Church Fathers such as Saint Lactantius. The sixth century monk Cosmas in his Topographia Christiana likened the earth to the Hebrew 39 Introduction Tabernacle of the Wilderness (Exodus 26, 27) except on a greatly enlarged scale. The earth corresponded to the floor of the Tabernacle, the sky to its walls and ceiling. Belief in a spherical earth was not re-established among the western intelligentsia until about CE 1000, largely through the progressive leadership of Sylvester II, the "magician Pope". 25 The swastika was once used as a symbol by the early Christian Church. It should not be confused with the Nazi emblem that had a counterclockwise orientation, symbolic of the intent of the Nazi leadership to draw upon "negative occult powers" in opposition to Christian or "positive occult powers". In early Christian art, round halos were usually reserved for the dead while square halos were given to the living (Figure URB, Reference 14). 26 Besides the Great Pyramid, number and geometric symbolism appears to have been incorporated in the dimensions of temples and other sacred structures in ancient times. For discussion of the quadratus circuli, see References Q, U, and R. Regarding ancient temples and the Great Pyramid, see References Y, R, 46, 65, 66, and 67. Part II The Revelation of Saint John the divine 41 D The Greatest Name .. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 3. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Q. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. God gave this Revelation to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is giving the Revelation to His servant John through an angel. The Revelation is of things that must shortly come to pass. John is recording the Revelation, the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of the things John saw. The angel is a celestial messenger, a purified soul1 who is sent from heaven. Shortly come to pass means that the events will soon commence. The duration of time may seem long to man but is short to God. The person is blessed who reads the words with spiritual eyes and ears and remembers the words and lives according to their true meaning. /. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; !" The Apocalypse Unsealed 44 John is to give the Revelation to the seven Divinely revealed Churches, that is, the Seven Faiths of the region known as Asia in the first century. These churches are those of the Prophetic Cycle begun by the Prophet Adam that will have living followers at the time of the Advent of Bahá 'u'llá h. 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains that the church or temple is a collective centre, a symbol of thee real Divine Temple, the Manifestation of God.2 The Seven Sprits before the throne will be met again in Chapter c. They represent the Most Great Name—Ḥusayn-'Alı́, Bahá 'u'llá h. * Both of these Names have seven letters in Arabic and Persian.† Bahá 'u'llá h was the title conferred upon Ḥusayn-'Alı́ by the Bá b. The name Bahá 'u'llá h translates into English as "The Glory of God". The name Ḥusayn-'Alı́ means literally "The Good, the Exalted". The expression "Him which is, which was, and which is to come" derives from ancient Hebrew mysticism. It is a name for the Lord God . The expression may also refer to God as His recurring Manifestations. In The Book of Certitude Bahá 'u'llá h explains that God educates mankind in phases. Each phase is approximately a thousand years long and is ushered in by a Revelator Who holds undisputed sway during the Age or Era.3 Before CE 1844 there were seven revealed monotheistic Faiths in the region known as Asia in the first century.‡ They were: Faith Revelator Sabean Unknown Jewish Moses Hindu Krishna§ * Numbers in angle brackets<> refer to References in Appendix G. † See Figure 5. ‡ See Part I, The Time and Space of the Apocalypse. § Lord Krishna is considered the Eighth Avatar of Vishnu by the Hindus and was the last Manifestation to appear in India prior to Lord Buddha. 45 Q. The Greatest name Zoroastrian Zoroaster (Zarathustra) Buddhist Gautama Buddha Christian Jesus Christ Muslim Muḥ ammad If one includes the Bá bı́ and Bahá 'ı́ Faiths revealed after CE 1844 the list has nine members. Revelation is addressed to the Seven Churches and reveals the Advents of the Bá b and Bahá 'u'llá h. Since the Apocalypse is addressed to the Seven Churches of the region of Asia, the list leaves out the religions, that may or may not have been Divinely revealed, of the Far East, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.* The list also excludes Sikhism and Jainism, which are off-shoots of the Hindu Faith. One can also leave out several monotheistic Faiths that may have been Divinely revealed but which are now extinct. The Seven Churches may possibly be represented by the seven candlesticks of the ancient Jewish Menorah: Peace, Benevolence, Justice, Light, Truth, Brotherly Love, and Harmony. Y. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood 5. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Jesus Christ is a faithful witness that these things will come to pass. Jesus was the first to be raised from spiritual death during His Ministry. He is the spiritual Prince of the kings and rulers of the earth. By sacrificing His blood (His spiritual life-force) Jesus raised the early Christians from spiritual death. * We note the possibility of a Manifestation in the Far East, e.g., Lao Tzu (Taoism) and Confucius in China. In the Americas we note Topiltzin-Quetzacoatl in Mexico, and Vircocha in Peru. The Succession of Manifestations is without end. See Some Answered Questions, Chapter XLI, etc. The Apocalypse Unsealed 46 In the symbolism of the Bible, death means to be devoid of spiritual awareness and to be without belief in God; sleep means the slumber of heedlessness, to be temporarily devoid of spiritual awareness; life means to have entered the paradise of the love of God.4 In one sense, sin is the disobeying of God's Laws as revealed by His Manifestation. In another sense, sin is enslavement to animal passions and motivations. In yet another sense, sin is attachment to the contingent world of attributes and duality.5 H. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. When the spirit of Christ is re-manifested He will come with troubles and as One hidden by a veil. Eventually, all those with spiritual eyes from every nation and religion shall know that the Christ has been re-manifested, even the Jews who pierced Jesus. There will be a world-wide sorrow because He was not recognized at first. Clouds means troubles or a veil between man and heaven.6 Because the Prophet comes in a human body with human limitations, such things cast doubts in men's minds and act as veils.7 Clouds can also symbolize Divine Mercy,8 annulment of laws, abrogation of former Dispensations and the repeal of rituals and customs. "I have come in the shadows of the clouds of glory, and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty."9—Bahá 'u'llá h Jesus sometimes referred to those who have eyes and yet do not see.10 Bahá 'u'llá h explains that the sincere seeker will be rewarded with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind.11 The fact that there will be a delay between His appearance on earth and His eventual acceptance by the peoples of the existing 47 Q. The Greatest name (spiritual) generation12 is made clear in Luke 17:22–25 and Isaiah 60:Q–Z. M. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. The expression Alpha and Omega has several meanings. Alpha and Omega is the Eternal, the lord God; it is the Word of God, the Perfect Man, His Manifestation. Jesus Christ bears the title as does Bahá 'u'llá h. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet,13 and the expression has as one of its meanings the "First and the Last". Isaiah 44:Y explains that both God and His Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, are the First and the Last. Other Old Testament passages14 identify the Latter Day Redeemer or Ransomer as the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel, and the King of Glory (Bahá ). Bahá 'u'llá h explains that He is both the Beginning and the End, and both Stillness and Motion: "Behold how, in this Day, the Beginning is reflected in the End, how out of Stillness Motion hath been engendered."15 As the Beginning and the End, the Manifestation is the Beginning of a new Age and the End of a former Age. Elsewhere, Bahá 'u'llá h explains that every Divine Revelator manifests the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Seen and the Hidden.16 Although the name of the Revelator changes from Age to Age, the Holy Spirit manifested through Him remains the same. His Holiness Bahá 'u'llá h bears many titles. Some of them have been given Him by other Manifestations and prophets and are ascribed to Bahá 'u'llá h by those Bahá 'ı́s who have entered by another faith. Examples of these titles are: Jewish Lord of Hosts, King of Glory, the Holy One of Israel Hindu Tenth Avatar, Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna, Kalki, Vishnu Yasha The Apocalypse Unsealed 48 Buddhist Fifth Buddha, Buddha Maitreye Christian Spirit of Truth, Return of Christ Zoroastrian Shá h Bahram Muslim The Great Announcement, Return of Christ, Return of Imá m Ḥusayn Bá bı́ Essence of Being, Remnant of God, Omnipotent Master, Crimson all-encompassing Light In addition to these titles, there are many that Bahá 'u'llá h ascribed to Himself in order to explain His Mission to mankind. Among these are: the Ancient of Days, Voice From the Burning Bush, Well Spring of Revelation, Day Star of Divine Revelation, Sun of Truth, Bird of the Throne, and many others that will be presented when appropriate. In the Tablet of all Food, Bahá 'u'llá h reveals that the spiritual worlds are of different degrees. In one of these several worlds, the world of Jabarú t (the All-Highest Dominion), the dwellers therein, God's Chosen Ones, are closely identified with God, manifesting His attributes, speaking His voice, and are identified with Him. "The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same."17 In another spiritual work, Lá hú t (the plane of Divinity, the Heavenly Court), the Manifestations are as utter nothingness compared to God.18 The letters Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω) have the literal value of 801 by gematria. The archetypal value is R, the Perfected Triad.19 The number R is the value of Bahá by the Arabic gematria (abjad) and was used as a seal by Bahá 'u'llá h. Verse S identifies the Alpha and Omega, Bahá ', as the Almighty; that is, The Pantocrator.* G. I John who also am your brother, and companion in * The Pantocrator, ο Παντοκραx τορας, one of the appellations of God, means literally The Almighty. The appellation is highly favoured by the Greek Orthodox Church. 49 Q. The Greatest name tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. .4. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, ... Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. The names of the Seven Churches of Asia represent seven Divinely revealed Faiths. While the prejudiced reader of first century Rome might be tempted to restrict the term "Asia" to include only the Roman Province of Asia (Asia Minor), in the unprejudiced view, the entire region of Asia extending through Palestine, Arabia, Persia, and India must be included.* 20 The root meanings of the names of the Seven Churches are indicative of their characteristics. While it is true that all the Faiths, when sincerely practised, partake of all the implied characteristics to some extent, one can make a reasonable correlation between their present-day names and their names in the Apocalypse: Revelation Root meaning Symbolism Faith Ephesus Family Hearth Peace Sabean Smyrna Myrrh21 Benevolence Jewish Pergamos Parchment Law, Justice Hindu Thyatira Cypress Tree† 22 Light Zoroastrian Sardis Stone23 Truth Buddhist Philadelphia Brotherly Love Brotherly love Christian Laodicea Just People Harmony Muslim * See Part I, The time and space of the Apocalypse. † Probable. The Apocalypse Unsealed 50 The Sabeans are mentioned three times in the Qur'á n (U:62, W:69, 22:17) together with Jews, Christians and Muslims as "People of the Book". Considerable confusion and controversy have surrounded the ancient Sabaean religion. Bahá 'u'llá h spoke of two types of Sabaeans (aṣ -Ṣ á bi'ú n). The first includes those people who were followers of John the Baptist but who refused to accept the Prophethood of Jesus Christ. Today this group, called Mandaeans (al-Mandá 'iyú n),24 is centred in southern 'Irá q. The second type of Sabaeans is the remnants of an ancient, independent, Divinely revealed Faith. It is the Divinely revealed Sabaean Faith that was prevalent in Ur of Chaldea during the time of Abraham, and it is probable that Abraham was originally a follower of the true Sabaean Faith. The name of the Revelator of the ancient Sabaean Faith is unknown to us, but the remnants of the Faith are the idolators of Africa.25 The Jewish Faith was probably the first in history to emphasize the benevolence of God. In contrast with the gods of their neighbours, Yahweh was the God of righteousness and loving kindness. God lifted the Jews from slavery through the Prophet Moses. In Ezekiel's vision, God assists the Jewish exiles in Babylon. The Hindu Faith places emphasis upon the lawful processes prevailing in the world through the law of karma, roughly equivalent to a moral law of cause and effect. By this law, justice is held to be certain and automatic. But this noble tenet has been misused to achieve a negative result. The Brahmans of ancient India compiled an elaborate set of manuals of ceremonial and everyday behaviour. Among them were the "laws of Manu", composed near the beginning of the Christian Era. Although intended to set standards of justice and duty, these rules of conduct eventually degenerated, with the consolation of karma, into the modern caste system in which justice has been sublimated into a static and largely unjust social structure. Although monotheistic in theory, it may be said that the modern Hindu Faith as practised has many of the attributes of idolatry and polytheism. 51 Q. The Greatest name A distinguishing feature of the Zoroastrian Faith is its concept of the struggle between the forces of Light (enlightenment, good) and Darkness (ignorance, evil). Their Deity of goodness is Ormazd (Ahú rá Mazdá ), Who is light and fragrant, dwells in light, and is the Creator of light. The monotheistic Zoroastrian Faith degenerated into a form of polytheism shortly after the Prophet's death. Another contamination was the introduction of worship of the Eternal Flame, a fire kept burning in Zoroastrian places of worship. Lord Buddha was the Revealer of the Four Noble Truths. These are roughly:26 One The world is in a state of dislocation or disharmony. Two Selfish craving is the cause of the world's dislocation. Three The remedy of the world's dislocation is the overcoming of selfish craving. Four The method of overcoming selfish craving is through the Eight-fold Path: right knowledge, right aspiration, right speech, right behaviour, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption. While many scholars claim that Buddhism is a Faith that has no God, or more correctly, that Buddhism needs no God, other modern scholars maintain that, in fact, Lord Buddha taught the existence of God.27 The Christian Faith is unquestionably the Faith of Brotherly Love. The bulk of the teachings of Jesus, His parables and beatitudes, emphasized two important facts: God loves mankind, and man must reflect God's love toward his fellow man. Islá m, the Faith of Muḥ ammad, is the Faith of Harmony. The very word "Islá m" means peaceful surrender to the Will of God. But beyond the internal harmony of the spirit, Islá m brought social harmony to the sincere practitioners among the warlike tribes of the Arabian peninsula and a vast array of peoples spread from Spain to India. According to tradition, John wrote the Apocalypse while in exile on the island of Patmos during an early persecution of the Christians. His reference to the Lord's day (lower case) refers The Apocalypse Unsealed 52 to the sacred week day of the early Christians, the first day of the week on which Jesus was reputed to have arisen from the dead.28 .3. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; .Q. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. ./. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; .Y. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. Candlestick symbolizes a Faith.29 Garment to the foot symbolizes heavenly attributes. The One like unto the Son of Man30 is Bahá 'u'llá h. "The voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred vale: 'Here am I, here am I, O God my God!'"31—Bahá 'u'llá h Golden girdle symbolizes a new Faith32 and spiritual power. His hair like wool identifies the Manifestation as the Head of Days, that is, the Ancient of Days. White also symbolizes purity. Because of His great tribulations, the hair of Bahá 'u'llá h had literally become snow white.* "The Pen of Holiness … hath writ upon my snow-white brow …."33—Bahá 'u'llá h His eyes have been described as flames of fire. In the Apocalypse, flaming eyes symbolizes vengeance. Brass or bronze, because it is a strong blended metal, symbolizes strength, understanding, and guidance for the blending and uniting of mankind. "As if they burned in a furnace" suggests His title, the Voice from the Burning Bush. Water means spiritual grace, knowledge, and understanding. The sound of many waters means great spiritual knowledge and describes Bahá 'u'llá h as the Well Spring of Revelation. Bahá 'u'llá h, the Glory of God, the Ancient of Days, the First * As was the custom in that region, Bahá 'u'llá h dyed His hair and beard a jet-black. 53 Q. The Greatest name and the Last, and the Day Star of Divine Revelation, is seen standing with brass-like feet among the seven candlesticks, that is, the seven Faiths. .5. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. .H. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: .M. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. The seven stars are the seven Revelators of Sprits of the Seven Churches and also represent the Greatest Name, Bahá 'u'llá h . Since the seven stars or Spirits spell a single Word, they are actually the Manifestation of a single Spirit, the Spirit of Bahá . The likening of the seven Spirits to seven stars is an allusion to the seven planets, which, according to the theories of the ancient astrologers, were the true governors of the world of man, the executives of the Divine Will.34 The right hand is the hand of might and power. As the Spirit of Truth, Bahá 'u'llá h speaks with the Sword of Truth. It is two-edged because it separates the true from the false and the good from the evil. "Aid ye your Lord with the sword of wisdom and utterance."35—Bahá 'u'llá h Sun symbolizes variously the Divinity, His Manifestations, or His Faith. "From Him all the Suns (Manifestations) have been generated, and unto Him they will all return."36—Bahá 'u'llá h His sun-like countenance describes Bahá 'u'llá h as the Sun of Truth. Many witnesses have testified that it was extremely difficult to gaze upon the dazzling countenance of Bahá 'u'llá h. The Holy Spirit as evidenced through Jesus Christ and Muḥ ammad seemed to be dead before the Advents of the Bá b The Apocalypse Unsealed 54 and Bahá 'u'llá h. But God lives forever and has the power to resurrect man from the death of unbelief and to return man from the hell of remoteness from Him. Bahá 'u'llá h proclaims, "Paradise is on your right hand, and hath been brought nigh unto you, while Hell hath been made to blaze."37 "Followers of the Gospel, behold the gates of heaven are flung open."38 "No man can obtain everlasting life, unless he embraceth the truth of this inestimable, this wondrous, and sublime Revelation."39 In verses 17 and 18, God is speaking through His Manifestation, Bahá 'u'llá h. .G. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 34. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. Figure W Hierarchy of revelations 55 Q. The Greatest name The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. These verses reveal that the seven stars or Governors of the Seven Churches are the angels; that is, the Divine Revelators Who manifest the Spirit of Bahá . The relationship between God, the Seven Spirits, the seven stars, and the seven golden candlesticks is best shown by a diagram, Figure Y. Since the seven Spirits manifest the single spirit of Bahá , they can, in one sense, be represented by a single ray. The similarity of the Hierarchy of Revelations to the Greatest Name Emblem of Bahá 'u'llá h now becomes clear. However, the seven stars are now replaced by only two, representing the Bá b and Bahá 'u'llá h, Whose missions are to unite the Seven Churches through the single Spirit of Bahá . One possible meaning of the Greatest Name Emblem is shown in Figure X. The numerous meanings in the Emblem have been the subject of many studies.40 Notes 1 See The Book of Certitude [aka The Kitáb-i-Íqán], pp. 79–80. 2 "… Therefore it is evident that the church is a collective centre for mankind. For this reason there have been churches and temples in all the divine religions; but the real Collective Centres are the Manifestations of God, of Whom the church or temple is a symbol and expression. That is to say, the Manifestation of God is the real divine temple and Collective Centre of which the outer church is but a symbol."—'Abdu'l-Bahá , The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 158. 3 The concept of progressive revelation was also known to the ancient Hebrew mystics. (Ref. R, p. 62 and Ref. c, p. XRff, 108.) In their phraseology, each phase was called a Day of Creation, a Lord's Day, an Era, or a world. That the early Christians also believed in progressive revelation is strongly indicated in the Book of Hebrews, e.g., Hebrews c:14, Y:20, X:12, R:15–28 (cf. I Timothy U:W; II Corinthians Z:X–11). Jesus refers to future Ages in Matthew 12:32, 24:Z, 28:20. (980) Also see I Corinthians 10:11; Psalm 72:W; Matthew 26:29. (All in 980.) The Apocalypse Unsealed 56 Figure Y The Greatest Name Jesus prophesies His own Successor (re-manifestation) in numerous passages in the New Testament, e.g., Matthew 16:27 (see Note 12 below), 19:28, 24:Z, 30, 44; Mark 13:26; Luke R:26 (see Note 12 below), 17:24, 26, 30, 18:S; John 14:16, 17, 26, 15:26, 16:X, S, 13. It is clear from Matthew 17:10–13 and Revelations [U:17 and] Z:12 that the new Manifestation will have a new name. Jesus relates His own Revelation to that of Moses in John W:46 and to that of Abraham in John S:58. Moses prophesies a Successor in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. A very interesting prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 33:U reads as follows: "The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; and from his right hand went a fiery law unto them." One interpretation of the prophecy is as follows: Moses and Jesus came from Sinai; Muḥ ammad and the Bá b rose up from Seir and shined forth from Paran; the Advent of the Bá b was attended by 10,000 martyrs to His Cause. (cf. Jude 14) Bahá 'u'llá h is He from Whose right hand went forth a fiery law in the letters in which He addressed the crowned heads of the earth. Also see Galatians c:24–25. 4 See The Book of Certitude, pp. 118–19. See also Matthew S:21–22, 10:28; Ezekiel 18:21–23; I Timothy W:Y; John 11:25, 17:Z. 5 See Some Answered Questions, chs XXIX, 777; Genesis U:16–17. 6 e.g., Psalm 97:U; Zephaniah Q:14–15; Isaiah 44:22, 50:Z; Ezekiel 32:X–S, 30:Q– Z. 7 See The Book of Certitude, pp. 71–U. 57 Q. The Greatest name 8 idem, pp. 216–17. 9 Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 101. 10 e.g., John R:39; Matthew 13:14–19, 24:15; Acts 28:26–27; Isaiah Y:R–10. We still use the verb "see" in our own day to mean "understand". An unambiguous usage of "see" in this sense of the word can be found in Romans Q:20. See also Revelations U:X, 11, 17, etc., Z:18, c:S etc., W:Y. Compare Matthew 17:10–13; II Kings U:11; Malachi c:W. 11 The Book of Certitude, pp. 192–Y. 12 The term "generation" genea as used in Luke 17:22–25 and elsewhere has as some of its meanings: a period of time, race, family, offspring, historic age, class, kind, and nation. It is clear from the context that Jesus uses the word in its allegorical sense to mean the spiritual Age initiated by His Advent. The allegorical usage of the word was not confined to Christendom. See, e.g., Reference Z, pp. 54, 54 and fn, 85 fn, 87, 90. In allegorical usage, a generation is similar to a Day of Creation of a Lord's Day as described in Note Z above. The word may be modelled after the Hebrew word olam, meaning an "infinity" or a "world". Also see αιωºνας, chapter U, Note 17; Isaiah 41:c; Luke 21:X–33; Matthew 24:Z–35; Mark 13:c– 31. Matthew 16:28 and Luke R:27 imply that the re-manifestation of the Son of Man should have occurred within a few decades of the Crucifixion. Obviously this did not happen. Furthermore, these verses seem to preclude the long span of history that must precede the re-manifestation as prescribed by Jesus in other prophecies, notably Matthew 24:Z–44; Mark 13:c–37; Luke 21:X–36. There are at least two possible explanations for this seeming contradiction. One might assume that in these verses Jesus was explaining that some of those present would be rewarded with eternal life and, therefore, would "not taste of death" before they saw the son of Man coming in His kingdom. Another explanation is that the reporter quoted in Matthew 16:28 and Luke R:27 may not have understood the allegorical meaning of the word "generation" as used by Jesus. Early Christians derived solace from the widely held millenniarist belief that the Christ would soon return in the flesh to establish the Kingdom of God during their own lifetimes. It would be understandably human that anticipation would bias the believer towards a more optimistic interpretation of the word "generation". (See Reference 51, Chapter Q.) It seems possible that several other seeming contradictions in the New Testament might also be explained by the failure of listeners to understand the allegorical meanings of the words of Jesus in spite of His The Apocalypse Unsealed 58 many warnings such as in Matthew 13:10–17. Consider, for example, His claim that He would destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days (Matthew 26:61, 27:40; John U;19). Literal interpretations of this statement are absurd, since the physical temple was neither destroyed nor rebuilt in three days. Consider also the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 27:62 that He would rise again after three days. Does this contradict His reassurance to the criminal, His companion of the cross in Luke 23:43: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise?" Also, if Jesus died on Friday (Mark 15:42) and was bodily resurrected on the following Sunday morning (Matthew 28:Q), does this span of time accommodate the three days of Matthew 27:62? Literal interpretations of these and many other statements of Jesus cannot fail to generate technical difficulties. However, if we assume that by the word "day" Jesus meant a "Day of God", the difficulties disappear. The "three days" then correspond to three Dispensations: that of Jesus Himself, of Muḥ ammad, and of the Bá b. The Resurrection prophesied by Jesus to occur "after the third day" then becomes realized through the Advent of Bahá 'u'llá h. It is interesting, but perhaps not significant, that if we take CE Q, the traditional origin of the Christian calendar, and CE 622, the traditional date of the origin of the Muslim calendar, the first "Day" had a duration of 621 years. "Three days" then becomes Z×621 or 1863, the date of Bahá 'u'llá h's Declaration in the Garden of Riḍ vá n. In Some Answered Questions, chapter XXIII, 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains that the Resurrection was viewed in the eyes of the original disciples of Jesus to be the revival of the Reality of Jesus—that is, His teachings, bounties, perfections and spiritual power—after three days of apparent disappearance and concealment. The method by which the present twenty-seven books of the New Testament were chosen as canonical is not fully understood. One of the oldest collections of the New Testament is the Codex Sinaiticus that was discovered on Mount Sinai in 1844. 13 The peculiar use of "Alpha and Omega" in the Apocalypse is highly suggestive that its gematrical value is intended to convey an important meaning. 14 See Isaiah 41:c, 14, 44:Y, 47:c, 48:12, 59:19–21; Psalm 24:X–10; Job 19:25; Jeremiah 23:W–S. See also God Passes By, pp. 93–99. 59 Q. The Greatest name 15 Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 168. 16 idem, p. 54. 17 idem, p. 167. 18 Ref. 21, p. 58. 19 In at least one early Greek version of the Apocalypse, "A" is spelled out (αλφα) ("alpha"). The literal value of αλφα + ω is 1332. The archetypal value remains R. The number 1332 is twice 666. 20 There have been numerous attempts to explain why Jesus Christ chose these particular Churches as the addresses for such a weighty Book as the Apocalypse. Christian commentators have suggested, for example: (Q) that the X Churches were those founded by Paul, or (U) that these particular X Churches were most important to the spread of early Christianity, or (Z) that the X Churches correspond to successive evolutionary phases of the Christian Church. However, other Christian commentators contend that none of these explanations have adequate evidential support. But one explanation may deserve serious consideration—that the geographical arrangement of the X Churches may have symbolic significance. If we connect the Churches by straight lines as in Figure S, we discover a figure, not only resembling an Arabic numeral X, but also resembling a sickle. The sickle may also symbolize Bahá 'u'llá h as the Divine Reaper of Chapter 14, verse 14. Incidentally, the successive exiles of Bahá 'u'llá h form a sickle-shaped pattern enclosing the sickle of Figure S with the two blades touching at Smyrna. The sickle has been a sign of the harvest and reaping since ancient times. Chronos, the Greek god of time and the harvest, is usually portrayed carrying a sickle. Chronos has had a remarkable longevity, reappearing every New Year's Eve as Old Father Time, the Grim Reaper. 21 Smyrna <Σμυρνα<µur (myrrh/myr). The ordering of the Churches in verse 11 corresponds to one possible chronological order of their Advents and to the stages of the progressive spiritual education of man from family unity to national unity. 22 The word "thyine" is used in the original Greek version of Revelations 18:12 as an epithet for a tree and its wood. The etymology of the word is as follows: "Thyine